Insanity: Day 16 – Plyometric Cardio Circuit
Today was a huge day for me. For the first time since I started Insanity I was able to complete the 10 and a half minute warm up from start to finish without stopping. I thought I was going to die, but I also felt so alive I can't really put it into words adequately.
Since Day 1 I have been having a hard time making it through the second set of jumping jacks in the warm up. The last real workout we did, on Saturday morning, I was able to get close to completing the second set but I ended up stopping with about 8 second to go in the set. Today I was determined to make it through the second set of jumping jacks. And not only was I able to make it through that set, I was able to just keep going.
By the time stretching came along I was dripping with sweat. Which is a good sign for me. It means that I was able to do more work in the same amount of time as I have been using for warm ups. It also meant more calories burned. Which for me will always equate to more weight being shed.
Another nice thing about today's workout was that I was able to recover much quicker than in recent days. By the time the first segment of the program started I was almost entirely recovered from the warm up and as a result I was able to complete almost the entire first segment without stopping during the routines. I did have to stop twice, for a few short moments, but otherwise I owned the first segment of the program this morning.
The second segment? Not so much. Level 1 drills are my undoing. Getting down into push up position, pushing up, then doing plank sprints before leaping to your feet and starting over again... well, my body doesn't agree with those that much. I gave it my all, but my all was pretty slipshod to say the least. I did do better in the second segment today than I have ever done. But still, it leaves a lot to be desired.
Oh, and Bekah kicked some savage butt today, too. I'm loving seeing her resolve as she encounters her limits and pushes through them. She is such a determined young woman with such a strong desire to excel... I'm amazed by her tenacity and willingness to stick it out with me every morning.
So, until tomorrow morning when I try to kill myself again with some Pure Cardio and Cardio Abs, I bid you farewell. I hope I am offering something useful in the way of this log of my journey. If nothing else, it will be useful for me. I will be able to look back on this entire experience and see how far I was able to come from beginning to end. Either that, or laugh at myself for being so freaking out of shape.
March 30th, 2010 - 21:41
Enjoying reading these posts. Stick at it dude, I can feel your enthusiasm shining through – it’s a challenge and smashing personal bests time after time will become an addiction (sounds like it already has!)
Such a satisfying feeling going through the emotions of a workout from start to finish, from about 2/3 through thinking “why the heck am I doing this?!”, probably even contemplating cheating, then finishing it knowing you just did something you have never been able to do before. That goes for people of all levels… even athletes are always trying to go one up on themselves, putting themselves through torture in the process. The psychological benefits from the determination and of being in control are amazing.
March 31st, 2010 - 08:45
Thanks Chris. I appreciate the words of encouragement. You’re definitely right about me becoming addicted to outdoing myself. Every day I try to outdo what I did yesterday. And every day I manage to do it, somehow. It is really exciting, and I am so loving the results so far. It is like a natural high throughout the entire program, and for me that high is starting to last almost the entire day. Woot!
Thanks again dude. Like I said, I really appreciate it.
April 20th, 2010 - 09:53
Just wanted to leave a quick note saying I really enjoying reading about your experiences through this program. I’m on day 16 today and its nice to hear what you have to say about what to expect and your progress through the DVD’s. Thank you for taking the time to document you and your daughters journey!
April 20th, 2010 - 10:18
I’m glad you’re finding it useful. It has been an amazing journey so far for my daughter and I, and now several of my friends, as well as my wife, have started the program, too. It really is incredible what this program can do, and specifically what you can do, as you progress through it.
And FYI, it gets so much harder in the Max portion
. But I already know it will be totally worth it. Although I am in pain like I was for the first few days, I can say, as Shaun T does, “I’m smiling because I love it.”.