Mega Workout

I've been off the radar mostly because I was away for the holiday weekend and it was my anniversary.  This lead to several days without working out and lots of eating.  I was overdue for an Ab Ripper X workout and I also was overdue for a gym workout.  Therefore I made the exhausting choice to do both today, including a jog to the gym in the 90 degree humid weather.  I decided since there were so many components I would just let my watch go for the entire workout.

Workout Sequence (weights and cardio)

• 3 minute jog to the gym
• 7 minutes of stretching
• 16 minute P90x Ab Ripper X routine (video copied to my ipod)
• Alternating sets of the LifeFitness Rear Deltoid @ 105 lbs, Pec Fly @ 165 lbs.  3 sets of each
• 3 sets of Icarian Lat Pulldown @ 145 lbs
• 3 sets of Icarian Angled Leg Press, 180 lbs of plates
• 2 sets of upright rows with 75 lbs preweighted bar
• 3 sets of Icarian seated calf raises with 70 lbs of plates
• 3 seats of dips using bodyweight
• 1 set of chinups
• 1 set of pullups, regular grip
• 1 set of neutral grip pullups
•  38 minutes of Precor 100i elliptical, with heart rate selected, 152 bpm as the goal.  30 minute routine with 3 minute warmup and 5 minute cooldown
• 5 minute walk back to apartment

Time = 1:52:46
Avg HR = 129 bpm
Peak HR = 160 bpm
K Burned = 1347

P90x - X Stretch

My hamstrings were still feeling tight, as well as my shoulders and arms from the core synergistics workout and ocntinued ab ripper workouts after.  Therefore I decided I needed to stretch my muscles out.  I was more concerned with stretching than getting a full workout and so I opted to do the 57 minute long X Stretch instead of yoga.  I also had never reviewed it yet.

X Stretch is sort of equivalent to the last 40 minutes of the P90x Yoga workout.  You do a couple sun salutations but that is really the extent of the difficult yoga moves.  This is more about loosening up the back, shoulders, arms and legs like you do in the second half of the yoga workout.  This also does not have a core (belly) workout in it.  The name is quite accurate, you will just be stretching for 57 minutes.  Every muscle group will have at least one stretch, and many will have 3 or 4.  Some stretches are more difficult than others.  I could not get nearly as high up as the people in the vide for the camel stretch.  However, for the first time ever I used a yoga block to extend my one legged hamstring stretch. 

As a stretch routine, my heart rate rarely broke above 100 bpm, as even when a maneuver is difficult yoy are doing deep breathing to get through it.  This will surely burn more calories than if you sat still for an hour, but this is not a cardio workout, it is just stretching.  See below:

Avg HR = 81 bpm
Peak HR = 106 bpm
K Burned = 181

P90x - Core Synergistics

I had not done Core Synergistics for awhile and thought I would try it out again.  It is just as difficult as I remember.  I used a heavier resistance band this time around.  I also did this workout at 10pm at night, so being in an apartment, I had to go lighter on the jumps (I had forgotten about the halfback and the towel jumps when I put it in).  I still did those jumps just as light as possible so as to make it less annoying on my neighbors, but still keep my heart rate up.  I will say this workout makes me absolutely pour sweat more than any other workout I have done.

Here are the results:

Avg HR = 127 bpm
Peak HR = 161 bpm
K Burned = 671

Ab Ripper X - Morning Workout

I finally got around to doing a morning Ab Ripper, before eating or having caffeine.  This workout I did 30 minutes after waking. 

Avg HR = 110 bpm
Peak HR = 142 bpm
K Burned = 138

Basically, this mimicked one of my nighttime workouts in stats, perhaps a nighttime with a warmup.  At any rate it seems that in order to get those workouts that burn more than 150 calories and get an average heart rate around 120 bpm, caffeine is a necessary component (not that that is recommended).

Ab Ripper X - 7:30pm

I had time to do the workout a little earlier than I usually do it on a weeknight, and so I thought I would strap on a heart rate monitor to see how I did.  I did not do a warmup.

Avg HR = 110 bpm
Peak HR = 146 bpm
K Burned = 137

So still my mid-afternoon workout several hours after consuming caffeine takes the cake.  I will try to do a morning pre-coffee Ab Ripper tomorrow as I do not have many (or any) morning Ab Ripper X workouts.  I'd also like to try one 30 minutes after having coffee, perhaps the following weekend.  I'll definitely have one or the other done tomorrow.

Ab Ripper X - 4pm Workout

I had coffee around 12 noon, and then walked around outside for a bit and had lunch around 3 (no caffeine with lunch).  I then came home and did this workout.  You will notice that my heart rate was way higher for this midday workout than my evening ones, and I was still 4 hours removed from caffeine intake.

Avg HR = 124 bpm
Peak HR = 157 bpm
K Burned = 180

You may also note that I am now at the point that I do every single repetition and I do the most advanced movement on all exercises.  Quite a change from when I first started in February, wouldn't you say?

After Work Workout

Weight Training

• 3 mins jogging to gym
• 6 mins stretching
• LifeFitness Pectoral Fly/Read Deltoid Machine, 3 sets of each exercise, alternating 1 of each.  Read delt was at 105 lbs, pec fly was at 165 lbs
• 1 set neutral grip pullup
• 1 set regular pullup
• 1 set chinup
• Strive Seated Pushdown - 3 set option @ 130 lbs
• 3 sets Cybex Hip Adduction @ 110 lbs (also did one warmup set at 55 lbs)
• Abduction machine was broken and so I couldn't use it

Time = 27:30
Avg HR = 121 bpm
Peak HR = 151 bpm
K Burned = 288

eSpinner - Interval Workout, Level 5 (of 5), 30-35 minutes settings

Time = 31:39
Avg HR = 135 bpm, both watch and machine
Peak HR = 166 bpm (only available on watch)
K Burned = 438 (machine); 416 (watch)    This is a first!
Distance = 9.9 miles

Afternoon Gym Workout & eSpinner (from Saturday)

Weight Workout

• 3 minute jog
• 8 minutes stretching
• 3 sets dumbbell chest press, 55 lbs each hand
• 3 sets Icarian Lat Pulldown, 1 @ 120 lbs, 1 @ 130 lbs, and 1 @ 140 lbs
• 3 sets dumbbell shoulder press, 35 lbs each hand
• 3 sets Icarian Seated Calf Raise, 70lbs plates
• 3 sets Rope Pulldown at Icarian Cable Cross Station, 90 lbs
• 3 sets Icarian Angled Leg Press - 180 lbs plates
• 1 set chinups
• 1 set regular pullups
• 1 set neutral grip pullups

Time = 45:15
Avg HR = 119 bpm
Peak HR = 163 bpm
K Burned = 457

eSpinner Workout (the one that works with my chest strap)

I selected Level 4, interval training, and 30-35 minutes.  I will say I had a real hard time coordinating the recommended cadence and heart rate.  I found with the increased resistance, if I went their suggested cadence my heart rate would skyrocket way past my zone.  So for the most part, I just focused on my heart rate.  You'll notice that the machine and my watch where nearly completely in sync for this workout.  I am wondering if Timex has a piece of Star Trac now...lol

Time = 31:18
Avg HR = 141 bpm (machine); 141 bpm (watch)
Peak HR = 168 bpm (only given on watch)
K Burned = 439 (machine); 442 (watch)
Distance = 9.2 miles