Cycle 4 Day 3 Moderate Intensity Barefoot and Shirtless in the Sun

Today is day fifteen of Phase One of the Bodyweight Blueprint for Fat Loss. That makes this the third of four days in the fourth cycle. I waited until the afternoon and the weather had warmed up to about 55°F so I could get my workout on barefoot and shirtless like my friend the Diabetes Warrior, Steve Cooksey.

Warm Up: Intu-Flow 8 minutes

Plan: 5 Rounds As Many Reps as Possible with an RPE of 5-7 of

• Kneeling Push Ups 45 seconds
• Rest 20 seconds
• Hip Bridge 45 seconds
• Rest 20 seconds
• Side Plank Left 45 seconds
• Side Plank Right 45 seconds
• Rest 20 seconds
• Split Squat Left Leg Back 45 Seconds
• Split Squat Right Leg Back 45 Seconds
• Rest 20 seconds

Actual:

• Kneeling Push Up 17; 15; 14; 14; 14
• Hip Bridge 45 seconds each round
• Side Planks 45 seconds each side RL; LR; RL; LR; RL
• Split Squat 15R,15L; 13L,13R; 13R,13L; 12L,12R; 12R,12L

Total time 30.75 minutes.

Cool Down: Prasara Yoga 13 minutes

The rest between exercises was reduced to just 20 seconds. I was pretty consistent with my reps on push ups. By the time I got to the split squats of the last round my legs felt nearly dead but still got 12 reps per leg.

Side planks are still the hardest exercise for me. I'm getting better on them but still. Overall I feel really good. I feel like I'm slowly getting in better shape. Just got to stay consistent and work hard.

Cycle 4 Day 2 Low Intensity

Getting back on track after my day off on Thursday. It has been raining all morning. I took one of my sons, Isaiah, to Taekwondo. My plan was to walk around the area where the TKD school is located but it was raining. So, I drove down the road to Sam's Club and walked around inside at a fast pace like a mall walker. I walked for 42 minutes at which point it was time to pick up Isaiah.

The wife had a list of chores for us once we got home. Also, I needed to eat since it was midday and I had not eaten. After eating lunch and doing finishing up the "Honey Do" list I got in my Prasara Yoga recovery routine from the Bodyweight Blueprint for Fat Loss. I was a bit sore in my core and upper back but now I feel nice, loose and energized.

Cycle 4 Day 1 No Intensity

I skipped my workout yesterday. I didn't sleep well the night before and didn't get up early enough to workout before driving down to the office. Once I got home I was just too tired to do anything but eat dinner, watch a little TV and go to sleep.

This morning I resumed my workout plan and did a 25 minute Intu-Flow recovery routine from the Bodyweight Blueprint for Fat Loss. I followed that with a short walk of 25 minutes and 1.23 miles. Had to cut it short so I would be available for  10AM virtual meeting via Google Hangouts.

Twelve Days Straight

Day twelve is a high intensity routine from the BB4FL. I adjusted the reps up from 6 per exercise to 7. I'm not in good enough shape to complete 5 rounds of 10 reps per exercise yet.

Warm Up: Intu-Flow 8 minutes

Plan 5 Rounds 7 Reps per Exercise. The last three of the four exercises are 7 reps per side.

Frogger Level 1
Swing Split Level 1
Elevated Scorpion Level 1
Pillow Twist Level 1 w/ stool

Actual:

Round 1: 5 minutes & 20 seconds, 7 reps
Rest 1: 1.5 minutes
Round 2: 5 minutes & 55 seconds, 7 reps
Rest 2: 1.5 minutes
Round 3: 6 minutes, 7 reps
Rest 3: 1.5 minutes
Round 4: 5 minutes & 50 seconds, 7 reps
Rest 4: 1.5 minutes
Round 5: 6 minutes & 45 seconds, 7 reps
Total time: 35.5 minutes

Cool Down: Prasara Yoga 14 minutes

I was dripping sweat after round 2. By the middle of round 3 I was soaked. Even with the rest periods cut down to 1.5 minutes between rounds I wasn't as close to nausea as I was on day eight. My body is adapting quickly. All of these exercises involve the shoulders which seem to be my weak link right now. If only my shoulders would adapt more quickly.

Even though this routine is super hard, I felt good when I was done. I was soaking wet with sweat when I finished. I wanted to just stretch out on my exercise mat and recover but I started my prasara yoga cool down immediately. I was still breathing hard at the end of the yoga and did collapse on my mat for a few minutes.

Before I left my office at the Clemson University datacenter, which is nearly an hour drive from my home, I had begun to talk myself out of doing my workout today. The closer I got to home, the more I started talking myself into doing my workout. I didn't want to break my streak. Then my daughter, Gabrielle, encouraged me not to break my streak, too. Thanks, Gabby! I did it! Three four day cycles, twelve straight days! Hooray me!

Polar Vortex Continues on Day 11

Today is day eleven of Phase One of the Bodyweight Blueprint for Fat Loss. That makes this the third of four days in the third cycle. I didn't get up early enough to do this before work, but I did exercise some discipline after work.

Warm Up: Intu-Flow 8 minutes

Plan: 5 Rounds As Many Reps as Possible with an RPE of 5-7 of

• Kneeling Push Ups 45 seconds
• Rest 30 seconds
• Hip Bridge 45 seconds
• Rest 30 seconds
• Side Plank Left 45 seconds
• Side Plank Right 45 seconds
• Rest 30 seconds
• Split Squat Left Leg Back 45 Seconds
• Split Squat Right Leg Back 45 Seconds
• Rest 30 seconds

Actual:

• Kneeling Push Up 13; 14; 15; 13; 14
• Hip Bridge 45 seconds each round
• Side Planks 45 seconds each side LR; RL; LR; RL; LR
• Split Squat 13L,14R; 15R,15L; 13L,13R; 14R,14L; 14L,14R

Cool Down: Prasara Yoga 13 minutes

Total time was about 33.5 minutes not counting the warm up and cool down. I did fewer push ups than last time but more squats. I felt very good considering the rest between exercises was reduced to just 30 seconds. The side planks are actually the hardest exercise for me. My shoulders are just so beat up from both football and lifting stupid heavy weights in my younger days. Hopefully the combination of joint mobility and strength exercises w/ yoga will heal my shoulders.

Polar Vortex on Day 10

I didn't make this entry on yesterday, 20140106. However, I did do my Prasara Yoga recovery routine from the Bodyweight Blueprint for Fat Loss in the evening when I got home from work. It was bitterly cold thanks to the Polar Vortex so I didn't go for a walk. Shame on me!

No Intensity Intu-Flow and Cool Foggy Walk

Today is a no intensity day to begin my third four day cycle of the Bodyweight Blueprint for Fat Loss. That means an Intu-Flow recovery routine of 23 minutes. My whole body felt warm and loose once this was complete.

I then went for a 2.2 mile walk around the neighborhood. My walk lasted 44 minutes. I kept up a much better pace than the first couple of times I walked. I did have to slow down on hills as I was getting some twinges in my calves and or achilles tendons.

Overall a good workout. Nine days straight!

Day 8 High Intensity

Day eight is a high intensity routine from the BB4FL. I adjusted the reps down from 10 to 6. I'm not in good enough shape to complete 5 rounds of 10 reps per exercise yet.

Warm Up: Intu-Flow 8 minutes

Plan 5 Rounds 6 Reps per Exercise. The last three of the four exercises are 6 reps per side.

Frogger Level 1
Swing Split Level 1
Elevated Scorpion Level 1
Pillow Twist Level 1 w/ stool

Actual:

Round 1: 4 minutes & 50 seconds, 6 reps each
Rest 1: 3 minutes
Round 2: 4 minutes & 50 seconds, 6 reps each
Rest 2: 3 minutes
Round 3: 5 minutes & 5 seconds , 6 reps each
Rest 3: 3 minutes
Round 4: 5 minutes & 13 seconds, 6 reps each
Rest 4: 4 minutes ( accident lost track of time )
Round 5: 5 minutes & 16 seconds, 6 reps each
Total time: 38 minutes

Cool Down: Prasara Yoga 13 minutes

Even scaled back I was dripping sweat after round 2. By the middle of round 3 I was often hovering on the edge of nausea. Kept on going though. All of these exercises involve the shoulders which seem to be my weak link right now.

Even though this routine is super hard, I felt good when I was done. I was soaking wet with sweat when I finished. I knew I had worked hard but didn't feel totally wiped out.

Cycle Two Moderate Intensity

Today is day seven of Phase One of the Bodyweight Blueprint for Fat Loss. That makes this the third of four days in the second cycle. The following is the advice & inspiration from the BB4FL implementation guide.

Sometimes the trickiest part of the Moderate day is maintaining the appropriate Rate of Perceived Effort (RPE). Don't let it creep up into the High Intensity zone.

The appropriate RPE for moderate days is 5-7 on a scale of 1-10 with 10 being maximal effort. I definitely violated that maxim on the moderate day of cycle one. I was on the edge of nausea from the latter part of round two onwards. I didn't read this tip until after my first round today. I then consciously tried to keep the intensity down instead of going all out like I did in the first round.

Warm Up: Intu-Flow 9 minutes

Plan: 5 Rounds As Many Reps as Possible with an RPE of 5-7 of

• Kneeling Push Ups 45 seconds
• Rest 45 seconds
• Hip Bridge 45 seconds
• Rest 45 seconds
• Side Plank Left 45 seconds
• Side Plank Right 45 seconds
• Rest 45 seconds
• Split Squat Left Leg Back 45 Seconds
• Split Squat Right Leg Back 45 Seconds
• Rest 45 seconds

Actual:

• Kneeling Push Up 17; 12; 11; 11; 13
• Hip Bridge 45 seconds each round
• Side Planks 45 seconds each side LR; RL; LR; RL; LR
• Split Squat 17L,16R; 10R,10L; 11L,10R; 10R,11L; 11L11R

Cool Down: Prasara Yoga 14 minutes

I feel excellent! Rather than completely wiped out I feel energized. I should be good to go for tomorrow's high intensity work out.

Cool Misty Morning Walk and Yoga

Got up late this morning. However, after meditating and drinking my protein drink and coffee, I went for a walk anyway. I did 2.38 miles in 49:17 for an average of 2.9 mph. It was cool and misty when I started out. By the time I got home the mist had become a steady drizzle.

Once I got my wet outer clothes off, I did a Prasara Yoga recovery routine from the BB4FL. It was a short 11 minute workout. Feeling good! This makes six workout days in a row!

Late Afternoon Intu-Flow Recovery and Walk

Day 5 of the BB4FL. Today is a zero intensity day which means a 20+n Intu-Flow recovery routine. I also took a two mile walk around the neighborhood.

I'm sore from yesterday. My shoulders, particularly my right one, are extra sore. My core is the next most sore set of muscles. My quads are sore but not nearly so sore as after my first two days of Crossfit exploration.

I think I'll do the Bretzel, versions 1.0 and 2.0, some shin box switches, and some thoracic bridges while watching TV.

I did the stretching/mobility exercises. The SBS is quite uncomfortable for my ailing left hip joint, plus I need more core strength and stability. The thoracic bridges are quite similar to some moves I do for both Intu-Flow and Prasara yoga.