Day 85: Making a Splash

I guess there was one benefit to being fat--I was a rock star at the pool. During adult swim last summer, my boys and many other kids would line up in the "splash zone" and urge me to do a cannonball. And, believe me, I could deliver.

Partly because I know how to get a big jump off a diving board and partly (mostly) because I had a wide, uh, surface area, I generated quite the splash. I was definitely the cannonball king at the Woodley Gardens Pool. (Actually, I do jackknifes, but you get the point.)

Today, the kids were back in the splash zone and I was back on the diving board. Yes, I'm 25-30 pounds lighter, but I'm also stronger and can generate even more force off the board. The result was the same...big splashes, lots of cheers, high fives.

But I think I look a little better doing it (well, at least I do in my mind).

Another positive sign: Last year after doing all my cannonballs, I would be wiped out. This year, I had enough energy to hang out in the pool, cut the lawn when I got home and do various tasks around the house. Hey, even the Cannonball King has chores.

One thing I did NOT do today was workout, but it was going to be a light day anyway. One five more workouts until Day 90 and I will do each and every one of them.

Day 84: The Best Workout Partners in the World

Over the last--gasp!--12 weeks, my boys have each watched me workout and, a couple of times, one of them has tried to do some of the moves. But I've never had both of them working out with me at the same time....Until today.

About halfway through KenpoX today, my 8-year-old and my almost 5-year-old came in and began trying to do all the kicks, punches and blocks. (That's me with the big sweat stain, the eight-year-old in Spiderman pajamas and the almost five-year-old showing off his physique).

Truth be told, it was a bit difficult to maneuver in my small workout space. I couldn't really do full kicks for fear of inadvertently hitting one of my kids in the face. (Wouldn't that be an interesting conversation at the hospital? "Mr. Tofig, exactly HOW did this happen? You were exercising? Really?").

But that very minor inconvenience aside, this was perhaps the best workout ever.

My boys and I did it together (and my 8 year old actually was able to do plenty of the exercises very well). At the end, after more than 100 vertical punches, we celebrated, high-fived each other and--because it was Kenpo--we bowed.

This was exactly why I've been doing this for the past 84 days. And this is exactly why I won't stop after Day 90.

Well done, boys. And just remember....we don't do any of these punches or kicks at school!

Day 83: Taking Off My Shirt

Today is the opening day at the Woodley Gardens Pool, which is a very exciting day in our house. Daniel was so stoked that he woke up at 7 a.m. and immediately put on his bathing suit and sandals. Unfortunately, the pool doesn't open until 11 a.m.

Last summer, when I was at about my heaviest, going to the pool was a mixed bag for me. On one hand, I love the pool. I was a swimmer as a kid and, despite my girth, I'm still pretty quick in the water.

But the pool was a place where I had to take off my shirt and I was extremely self-conscious about that. I was the "fat Dad" who could play in the pool with his boys for a little while, but would get extremely tired and have to sit out for a while.

This year will be a little different. I'm certainly not thin by any stretch of the imagination, but I'm in far better shape. I'm 25-30 pounds lighter and I actually have something resembling a physique, including biceps and triceps.

I'm still self-conscious about taking off my shirt. I probably always will be (hence why you haven't seen any such pictures on this blog). But, maybe, just maybe, I'll feel a little better about it and, most importantly, I'll be able to play with my boys in the pool without breathing heavy.

And that should make for a great summer.

Days 81 & 82: What a Pain in the....

I know exactly when it happened. As I was pushing for just one extra rep during one of the bicep exercises yesterday (May 26), I stupidly jerked my arms really hard up and--oof--I felt a pain in my neck. I kept working out, but I knew I had pulled a muscle and for the rest of the day I'd be feeling it.

As expected, I spent the entire day was walking around like Mr. Roboto. And this morning, my neck is still pretty stiff.

Over 80 days of P90X, I've stayed relatively injury-free and now, with Day 90 in sight, I hurt my neck. Truth be told, a little Advil and some stretching will loosen it up, but I'm gonna be really careful the rest of the way not to tweak, pull, break, crack or hurt anything. I've decided that Yoga--at least the way I do it--is probably not the best choice for me this morning.

No more Mr. Roboto dance for me.

Domo Arigato.

Day 80: Don't Be the Utah Jazz

In the 1990s, the Utah Jazz were a really good team. But I wouldn't say they were great. Why? Because they couldn't finish. The Jazz, led by Karl Malone and John Stockton, won more than 50 games every year, went deep in the playoffs and then--every year--came up short. They just couldn't finish. It didn't help that there was this team called "Da Bulls" with a player named Jordan.

Still, I'm a little worried that I'm acting like the Utah Jazz. With just 10 days left in my first round of P90x, I am losing steam. I'm not getting enough sleep, I'm not getting up early enough and, while I'm still working out hard, I can't say my intensity level is where it should be.

I did plyometrics this morning, but I started late and, at the beginning, I felt like I was just going through the motions. As the workout went on, my intensity level rose and I did get a good workout in. But it wasn't my best.

I won't be too hard on myself. There's a lot going on elsewhere in my life (more on that in a future post) but that's no excuse. There's always going to be distractions. My challenge is to remain focused and finish these 10 days strong.

I need to be like Da Bulls and finish what I started.

Day 79: Plyo after Eating Mexican?

With a Board of Education meeting that ended at 10:30 p.m. on Monday and a 7 a.m. meeting this morning, Plyometrics did NOT happen this A.M. However, I will do this workout, especially because I am definitely in the home stretch and don't want to miss one.

Unfortunately, it's "dine-out" night for my the preschool my almost five-year-old attends and the event is at California Tortilla (which is kinda like Moe's or Willy's for my friends in Atlanta). The question is: How can I do "jump training" after eating Mexican food? I would imagine that Burritos and Plyometrics do not mix very well.

This could get ugly...fast. Will report the, uh, outcome.

UPDATE: The mind was willing, but the digestive system was not. I did not work out, because I feared seeing my "Burrito Bowl" a second time. Instead, I moved all workouts up a day, meaning Plyo happens on Wednesday.

Days 76 & 77: The End is Near!

With the Rapture predicted for yesterday (May 21), I held off on my Legs and Back workout. After all, if I was going to ascend into Heaven, I don't think leg strength would matter. And if the Rapture occurred and I didn't ascend into Heaven, I don't think the my thigh and calf strength would really matter. Once 6 p.m. passed, I realized the End was not coming (at least not now) and I would need to do my workout.

However, the end is near--the end of my 90 days.

In just 13 short work outs, I will have made it through my first round of P90x. As I've blogged before, it is important for me to know what's next before I finish the 90 days. Too often, I have reached a weight or fitness goal and then shut it down, giving up all the progress I made and gaining all the weight back (and then some).

I am determined that will not happen again.

Once I finish my 90 days (June 4 for those keeping track), my plan is to take a couple of weeks "off" (meaning only working out three days a week) and then do it over again.

I may make some changes. I've considered getting a pull-up bar (remember, I'm using bands this time through). I've also thought about getting P90x Plus, five additional workouts that you work into the rotation. Or maybe doing P90x "lean" which focuses more on weight loss than muscle gain. Regardless of what I choose, I know I'll keep doing P90x.

With no end in sight.