Day 3

Asylum, Back to Core: Calories burned, 225
Average Heartrate: 106

Probably the area of my body that needs the most work is my core. I always say "stomach" when I finish that sentence, but after today's workout, I would definitely say "core." This workout is KILLER. I felt muscles I haven't felt in a long time--a lot of them in my lower back. That should prove interesting tomorrow. The warm-up? Basically 6 minutes of jumping jacks with shoulder work. I made it through it...but kind of feel like if I can do Insanity warmups, I can do anything Asylum has to offer on the warm-up front. There's a section of floor work where you're specifically targeting your back and core by doing a couple of swimming moves...brutal. The lat pull-downs with a resistance band killed my left shoulder...I know it's not right, but I'm trying to ignore it, and this workout didn't let me ignore it. The hardest part for me was definitely the reverse plank work...very hard on my shoulder and my left wrist (stupid gymnastics)(not really), and I was sinking in my hips before I wanted to be. At the end of the workout...I felt good. I will hurt like a maniac tomorrow...but today it felt good.

I love this program. I know I'm only three days into it, but I think this has the resistance piece I've been missing in Insanity (and not as hard core as P90X). I do miss the straight cardio every day, but a friend reminded me that sometimes we hit plateaus in our weight loss or progress because we get stuck in a rut. I'm definitely stuck in a cardio rut. I am missing the muscle building that I got started last summer and because of that lack of muscle building, I'm also not burning fat as efficiently (as is evidenced around my middle). I really hope this kicks it up for me. I think when I finish this round, I need to be more conscious of adding in resistance workouts throughout the week, no matter what program I choose. I still don't know what I'm going to do after this round.

I didn't wind up doing relief last night...I ran 3.5 miles at the gym instead. I have decided that I sweat like a man. I mean, yay for sweating out toxins and burning calories, but jeez. Don't talk to me about "glistening." I am a sweat factory. My chest strap for my heart rate monitor needs to go through the wash daily. And might need a serious deodorizing soak. Blech.

Tomorrow: Vertical Plyo. When I will die. Wish me luck.