Tracking your reps and weights is invaluable.  Last week it showed me that I was dogging it.  This week it showed me that I was making improvements.  I managed more reps in all the pull-ups and increased the weight for all of the arm (bicep) exercises.  Felt good to be able to write down these higher numbers each time.

Ab Ripper X was also a good one last night.  I really felt the burn in my abs by the time we got to hip rock’n raise.  Good workout.

Gah!  Resistance exercise can really humble you.  I’ve made that extra effort to write down my reps and weights to better track progress.  Besides losing fat, one of my goals is to begin to gain muscle.  I’ve always been on the leaner side, which suited me fine in swimming and track while in High School.  Now I’d like to be a little stronger.  I’m a guy with an ego so a little more mass would fluff up that self image.  When you can’t increase your reps or weight and even fall short of previous reps; it can really bruise that same ego your try to please.  I still felt like I got a great workout and I was pushing it hard. Some how I just wasn’t able to improve and in some cases I fell short.  This is where it’s time to remember that I did my best and I should forget the rest.

What were we talking about? Oh yeah, Ab Ripper X.  Talk about getting things right.  In & Outs, seated bicycles, crunchy frogs and wide leg sit-ups all got the full 25 rep treatment.  First time I nailed the start of Ab Ripper X.  Wow that felt good.  I was feelin it after that but who cares right?  Fifer Scissor remains a real bastard.  After starting off so strong I couldn’t even do the first 6 without resting.  Hip Rock ‘n Raise continues to be a good one for me and Pulse-Up is getting easier each time.   Roll-Up/V-Ups continue to improve and can almost do the full 25.  Oblique V-ups I’m still stuck on 12-15.  Leg Climbs I don’t really count or care.  It just get’s me from Obliques to the finale, Mason Twists.  This time I stuck with Tony and the gang for all 49. Ab. Ripper. X. I hate it but I love it.

I don’t think I could even feel my biceps after this one.  I kept looking for the pump in my arms you sometimes feel after a good resistance workout but my arms were just numb.  Feeling a nice little soreness today though.  This was a pretty cool workout.  Loved the glamour muscle concentration.  As a I guy, we always look for that bicep bulge right?  Guilty.  Mine have always been conspicuousluy absent though.  Hopefully a little dose of Tony Horton and P90X will fix that.

Ab Ripper X gets the short stick in most of my posts.  Barely a mention.  Probably because it’s done at the end of a hard workout and my mind is already numb with fatigue.  Last nights was a pretty good one though.  I hit 25 reps for in and outs, bicycle, reverse bicycle before having to take a break with crunchy frogs.  Even did 25 reps of wide leg sit-ups for the first time.  Fifer Scissor remains a tough one usually getting me after 8 and forcing me to rest.  The last two ABX sessions I was able to do 40 mason twists.  Definitely seeing improvement with Ab Ripper X.