Week 3 kicking off

Hey everyone. Monica and I are still going strong with P90X. I'm continually impressed with how well Monica is doing. And let me tell you, if you can manage to do a workout program with your spouse, significant other, friend etc, it makes things so much easier.

Its great having her there to motivate me and vice versa. She pointed out a problem in my form that I've been doing wrong probably the entire time I've been doing P90X. I help her out with some tips and tricks to get through dive-bombers. We help each other and keep each other motivated. Its a great feeling.

This weekend was a good one for us. We didn't have any plans. I helped out at the club this weekend on Saturday and Sunday morning. We got our workouts in yesterday, took some naps, and watched our friend's dog, Kona. Kona and Buster (our puppy) spend their days wrestling, napping and staying out of the way of our cat.

Well, we're in the middle of week 3. Recovery week is just a few days away.

Keep bringing it.

John

Second Amendment Freedom Rally

Monica and I are at SAFR Chicago today. A great excuse to bust out
our "gun grabber" shirts.

You can find them at www.zazzle.com/johnkopecky

Ouch...Yikes I'm sore

Hey everyone. My blogging effort lately is going to be limited. My role at work has expanded a lot lately. It's a great thing for me as I recently received a promotion etc. However it has me a lot busier and I don't have as much time for blogging etc. So, you won't get as much of my rambling BS here at toughfitness.com.

Anyway, I wanted to give you a quick report. Monica and I have completed 3 days of P90X and have some Yoga X in store for tonight. I'm so proud of Monica. To see her grunting through Chest and Back, Plyo and Shoulders and Arms makes me so proud of my babe. I couldn't imagine her doing these workouts a year ago. Yet yesterday, she was saying how she didn't have enough weight for an exercise. Way to go Babe!

I have to say my injury set me back a bit. My back isn't bothering me right now, but taking as much time off as I did was necessary. However it has me a lot more sore going though these P90X workouts. On Monday, I could barely straighten my right arm completely. However, P90X works, and yesterday's Shoulders and Arms workout limbered up my arm real quick.

I'll keep you posted. I'll try to get in 2 posts a week at least.

Keep pushing play folks!

John

Worst Blogger Ever

I've been rather busy with work lately. And I've been recovering from my back injury slowly but surely.

I don't have much to report lately. However Monica and I are starting P90X tomorrow. We're going to go through it together day by day. We may continue through the entire program, or stop it when Insanity finally releases. We're not totally sure just right now. We'll feel it out as we go.

Talk to you soon.

John

Not much to report

I have to say my back injury has put me into a funk. I haven't worked out regularly in 3 weeks. I've managed a few workouts, and I do a lot of stretching and occasional pull-ups as those help my back pain. However, I haven't been on a routine.

I'm heading out to Denver and Colorado Springs for a couple days and hope to get a workout in with my cousin Chris who's almost done with P90X. When I get back, I'm confident my pain will be manageable and I can get back into a solid routine.

More to follow...

John

Healing

The last 10 days have kinda sucked.  I tweaked my back about 10 days ago while running.  I didn't realize it to the next morning when I had some sharp pains in my mid back.  I've been unable to really workout.  However, I'm healing nicely.

I don't have a lot to post today.  However, the lesson is to listen to your body.  If your back hurts so much that at times its hard to breathe, you need to take it easy.  I visited a sports chiropractor and he's helped out a lot.  I still have some more work to do to get my back to 100%, but I'm well on my way.

I'll ease back in to some simple workouts over the next week and I plan on making sure I'm at full strength by the time I get back from Colorado (we're going out for a family wedding the last weekend in May.)

Take care, I'll keep posting.  

John

Flip the mental switch: I'm an athlete!

Monica and I have loved watching this season of the Biggest Loser on NBC. While I get slightly annoyed that the show seems to focus only on weight loss, and less on body fat, the inspiration one can gain from the show is enormous. One thing caught my ear yesterday while watching the finale.

The winner of the show, Helen, said something to the effect of "I'm an athlete now."

Its that simple folks. Helen changed her mental attitude. She now sees herself as an athlete, able to take on any task with some determination.

I don't think I've yet made that switch in mental attitude myself. Sure, I've gotten in great shape. I'm more fit than I have been in a long time. Yet I haven't yet started to think of myself as an athlete.

Making this mental switch is critical. When your mental filter starts to look at the world through the perspective that "I am an athlete," your decision making changes. You start to focus on these factors throughout the day.

When deciding what to eat, you think, "what would an athlete eat?" When you are digging for that extra motivation in your workout, simply letting that inner voice in your head scream "I'M AN ATHLETE!" will make it easier to dig down and find that extra 10% of effort.

Every decision comes from a different motivation when you stop thinking of yourself as someone trying to lose a few pounds, and start focusing on the fact that you are an athlete, and your body is your tool to accomplish your goals.

So, to the world, I'm declaring "I'm an athlete."

Can't wait to see what happens!

Bring it folks.

John