Mind Willing Body Screaming

I'm drenched in sweat, my arms ache, It's 1030 Sunday night and I have just collapsed at the end of my second set of diamond pushups. My basement floor is very comfortable. Nice and cool, lost of space to writhe in agony.

I started P90x last night. There are 3 variations of the program, classic, cardio and doubles. Lets forget doubles. Its for the heavy duty fitness junkies with loads of time. The classic variation is a bit more resistance training oriented than Cardio, although both programs have elements of the other.

The first classic routine is Chest and Back. The best way to work those muscles are push ups and pull ups. Different variations of each, with some weight training mixed in. 12 exercises in all, 2 sets. Push ups and pull ups eh? ok, I did Basic once, how hard could this be?

Did I mention I did basic 17 years ago? And that I haven't done true exercise in a while? I completed the program, perhaps setting new lows in P90X history for reps. Pull ups are a special level of hell. Overhand, under hand, wide, narrow, all the different variations, but ultimately pull ups are about one thing, Strength to Weight ratio. Let's see, I weigh 262lbs, and have the upper body strength of a small child. Total Pull ups - 0.

But here is where I like this program, in every routine is a demonstration of a modified version to be used when you are starting out. Use a chair under your foot and push with one leg to assist you doing pull ups, or do your push ups on your knees. All designed to make this program inclusive.

I had to work hard, It was late when I finished, but I did finish. Heart rate nicely elevated the whole time, and according to my bodymedia device I burned about 590 calories that hour.

One of the catch phrases you hear a lot of on the videos is just press play. Don't worry about how many reps, don't worry if you can't keep up, just be here, show up, try. I think that's a lesson for all of us, no matter what we are doing. We can choose to be intimidated, to believe we can't do something, do shy away when we can't do something well. Or, we can press play, we can try, we can approach with the attitude , its not that I can't do it, it's that I currently struggle with it, but I am here, I am going to try, and I am not going to quit.

Don't quit

Press Play

Go do whats hard if it's going to lead to a better you

Tonight: Plyometrics