P90X Phase Two - Day Fifty One

Another good round of Plyometrics. I really liked today's workout, I really pushed most of the exercises. There seems to be one exercise per set that is a real killer for me. Rock Stars, Hot Foot, Etc.are the ones I really have to push it, because I find them quite hard.

As I am doing the workout, I keep thinking I am going to die, but I keep pushing myself, and at the end, I think that wasn't so bad. Ha ha ya right. I I may bitch and whine about some of the exercises, but I love it. It is makes you want to work hard. It is like when you are doing a training session in the K1 or Surf ski, and you just dog it. This is like having your coach right next to you pushing you to work.

P90X Phase Two - Day Forty Four

Missed yesterdays workout, so I did it today. It was Chest, Shoulders, and Triceps. I managed to make some minor improvements from the last time. On some of the exercises, I could push it pasty where I was before, but on some I could just do what I had done last time.

Then it was straight into Ab Ripper X. It is still hard on my lower back but I push it where I can, and ease off where I can't. Eventually I will be able to go the full distance with this workout, it is just going to take time.

P90X Phase Two - Day Forty Two

Today was as usual, a make up day. I have missed both Yoga X on Thursday and Kenpo on Saturday do to scheduling conflicts. So I decided to go for Yoga X as the workout I made up.

I really went for it all the way up to Warrior Three. With each move I would really push myself to go farther than before. Once I got to Warrior Three things started to get too tough. I had to drop my back leg to the ground to do the moves, but I still pushed the exercise as much as I could.I would twist as far as I could on the Half Moons, and with each breath go a little more.

It was a very good session, and I am glad I did it. One of the main things in the boat is balance, and Yoga really works you over in that department. I highly recommend it to improve your balance, flexibility, strength, and endurance.

P90X Phase One - Day Thirty

Wow thirty days already. Time really flies when you are focused.

This mornings workout was Core Synergistics, and after only getting about 4-1/2 hours sleep, it was difficult. This is really a great core workout, and I felt it afterwards. On this first run through I did not add any weights to the exercises, just worked on form.

This was a good idea, especially doing the Lunge, Kick Back, Curl, Press routine. I tries it first with weights but had to drop them because I was such a spaz, I kept tipping over. I also had trouble doing the Superman to Banana exercise. Going from Superman to Banana I had no problems, but going the opposite way, I had to push off with my hand every time.

No one is perfect right off the get go, and these are areas I need to work on. It what makes this program fun. Learning new exercises and moves makes it interesting and challenging.

P90X Phase One - Day Twenty Nine

Today's workout was Yoga X, and It is becoming my favourite session. When I started doing this workout at the beginning, I cannot tell you how many times I fell over. I was thinking that Tony and the group was not human, but I kept working at it, and now I can go through the workout without falling.

Mind you my form is still no where near to the group. but I am going to keep pushing it. This workout has really helped my flexibility, and this will show up in the boat. My Quads and Hamstrings have always been really tight, which does not equal a good leg drive. The looser the muscles the better the drive with each stroke. It will also help prevent injuries, and increase my endurance.

P90X Phase One - Day Four

Since I am way behind schedule, I did Yoga X this morning.

It is a lot harder than I imagined. There are positions that right now I just cannot do. So I do them the best that I can and just keep going. I managed not to fall over doing the workout, but I think that was just a fluke.I certainly do not have the flexibility of the people on the DVD, but that is why I got it in the first place. duh. If I was good at it I wouldn't be using this system.

The workout is the longest of the series at 1-1/2 hrs.long, but worth every minute. It is definately one of the best of the twelve, and most likely the hardest.

P90X Extreme Workout Program

I have decided that during the “off season”, I am going to really up the level of training that I am doing, both in quantity and intensity. For this reason I have gone with the P90X training program.

I like the theory behind the program, of always mixing it up, to make it fresh. I also like it because it is a total body program. Along with the training is the nutritional aspect of it. My diet is pretty good, but I want to take it to the next level. This means no donuts, strudel, and a reduction if not an elimination of COFFEE. Oh my god, what am I saying.

I am going to start the program full time after the B.C. Masters on September 26th and 27th. The week after will be a recovery week, and then it is back at it. I am going to do the “classic” program. I have already slotted it into my calendar. I can see some gaps that I am going to have to find a way to overcome.

With this training I am hoping to increase my capacity to do harder sessions in the boat.

Hot Paddle in September

Today was one of the hottest days that I can remember in a while. (of course my memory is not that good)

It was a easy two laps with Shota in the Extreme and me in my Thunder. I kept having to stop and look to make sure Shota was doing ok. After coming in, I went and stretched again because I was tightening up. Then it was time to practice balance and more starts. The balance section went good, but the start section wasn't as good as I had hoped.

For the balance it was more of the same. Sitting still with my eyes closed, and paddling around, with side draws. Rocking the boat, and bouncing the boat. After the main balancing drills were done, I started to try new ones. I tried to tip the boat over as far as I could without going over. A new one was taking my PFD and putting on my seat, and paddling around. This made the boat extremely tippy by lifting me up by about 2 inches above the seat. this is where I got to cool down from the heat. Boy that felt great.

The starts weren't very good. I kept leaning over to the right for some unknown reason. I went swimming on numerous occasions. I just could not get it hooked up, with any consistency. I just have to keep working on it, to get it dialed in.

I gave Shota a shot at the Thunder. He got in the boat while I held it by the bow. I did not let go, and he got the idea on how tippy this boat is real fast. I asked him if he wanted to try it again, but he said no.

Still lots of fun on such a warm day.

Starts, Starts, and More Starts

Today's workout started like the rest, with stretching. Having my muscles warmed up and loose is very important to having a good session. I start with the legs, and then move progressively up the body:

Calves
Hamstrings
Quadriceps
Lower Back
Upper back
Shoulders Arms
Neck

I did two loops of the slough, before heading to the beach to practice balance and starts. First up was balance drills. Side draws, backwards paddling, bouncing the boat,etc. Then I though of a new one, I took my feet off the foot board all moved them side by side towards my butt. I managed to get my heels touching the seat platform. Then I paddled around in that position. I almost went in doing this. I got a cramp in my right leg, and pushing my feet back to the foot board, I tipped over, but saved it right at the last moment.

Then I started doing the start progressions. Starting with just sitting still and keeping my paddle in the start position. Each time I would try to hold it longer, from one second all the way to the full ten seconds. Next was paddling backwards and then one hard stroke forward. Again with each time I would increase a forward stroke all the way to eight strokes.

Then it was full start from a stopped position. Always lining up to something and looking both left and right to line myself up. Then it was a quick hard stroke, and building to eight strokes. Then session was really good, and I didn't go swimming. So since the water was warm, I decided to really go for it. This time I would pull as hard as I could, if I went in, oh well. I managed to stay dry and it really increased the speed of my starts.

As always a planned one hour session turned into a hour and a half session. Once things are clicking, you just don't want to lose it, so you keep going.

K1 + Ski Boats = Swimming

Today was a short (one hour) paddle at the slough. When I got there, a water ski boat was attempting to get his kids to water ski. Good to start them young. As I was doing my stretches, I noticed that he was getting a large inner tube setup to pull behind the boat. I though, humm this is going to be good. I need some practise in some larger waves, and it was hot out, it might serve two proposes. You can see where I am going with this.

Just as I was getting in my K1, the boat took off with two kids in the tube, and heading off for the far end of the slough. I waiting a second or two to let the water settle down before going. Once I was moving I saw that the boat was hanging around the middle of the slough. One of the kids had gone airborne, and was regrouping. Just as I was getting even with them, they took off, but this time spinning donuts, making some rather large and confused waves in all directions.

Since I knew this was coming, I thought I was ready for it, boy was I wrong. The first set came complete beam side and they were big rollers, which I managed to stay up in.But I forgot being so close to shore, the reflective waves nailed me on the other side. In I went. I did not mind in the least. I needed cooling down from the heat, and it made for a nice short swim.

After emptying my boat, it was off for a couple of laps, with the odd power up, and some steady state paddling. Then about 10 to 15 minutes of balance training. It was a good short paddle / swim.

K1 Practice – Look Ma No Paddle

Today was another K1 technique practice with balance drills at the end. It was the usual loops around Deas with some power ups just to make things interesting. My back is sore from the weekend so i wasn't into really pushing my limits. I did manage 6 loops in the time that I had.

Coming in after the last loop, I decided to do some balance drills at the beach. So I positioned myself about 3 meters from the shore and started to do some side braces, and leaning the boat over as far as I could. then I started to do the closed eyes drills. Side braces, forward strokes, and backward strokes, all with my eyes closed. Then I tried to sit in one spot and lift my arms up to shoulder height with my eyes closed. This did not work out too well, as I decided to wash my shirt since it was sweaty, lol.

After draining my boat, I decided to do some no paddle drills as suggested by Lynn my coach. So I tossed my paddle on shore and started to paddle down the slough. Before I knew it i was 150 meters from shore. what can I say no guts, no glory. It is one thing to go this in shallow water, it is another to do it where you will need to swim a fair distance to get back in.

I continued to paddle around with just my hands for the next 15 minutes. I was having fun, this was a blast. I paddled back to the beach area, and parked about 5 meters from the shore. Then I was trying to sit there and bring my arms up in a “T” at shoulder height. Then I would bring them slowly down and forward, to makes things interesting. Then I tried to bounce the boat at the same time. I could only do this for a short time, as it was getting a little too tippy without a paddle.

I ended up going in again because as I wasn't paying attention, and was drifting backwards towards the shore, and digging the stern into the shore. Oops.

I have come a long ways since starting to paddle ICF K1s. When I first started I could barely paddle a Laser trainer, and now I am closing my eyes and staying dry. I remember trying a boat with this level of stability and being scared to let go of the dock. I would stay up for about 5 seconds max, before going swimming. Just goes to show you that if you keep at it you will succeed.