Round 3 / Day 94: 2K5 Turbulence Training Workout A + RKC Man Maker + P90X Ab Ripper X

For Memorial Day, I took a day off from watching any workout DVDs. Of course, I didn't get a break from actually working out, but I did get to watch regular TV while exercising. ("Hoarders" is horrifyingly compelling.)

I'm trying to gain a little more weight, so I'm trying to lift heavier and eat more. I'm super-sore from the former, but pretty happy about the latter. With the start of summer, I should have lots of opportunities to throw meat on the grill and dig in with gusto. Tonight, we cooked up some grass-fed beefalo rib-eye from Pampero Longhorn Ranch, and it was all kinds of awesome.

Round 3 / Day 87: 2K4 Turbulence Training Workout A + RKC Man Maker + Insanity Cardio Abs

When the alarm went off this morning, I turned it off and fell back asleep. An hour passed before I groggily peered at the clock again, it was 6:40 a.m. -- only twenty minutes before the kids would pop out of bed. No time to fit in my entire scheduled workout.

Still, Man Maker training takes only 12 (interminable-seeming) minutes, so I knew I could squeeze in some kettlebell swings.

I'm glad I did, because after dinner tonight, when I finished the rest of my workout, I could feel the fatigue setting in. I'm not sure I would have had the energy to heave a kettleball around after lifting weights and doing Insanity-style core work.

Plus, I still had to take out the garbage. Garbage night is the bane of my existence.

Round 3 / Day 80: 2K3 Turbulence Training Workout A + RKC Man Maker + Insanity Cardio Abs

I worked my ass off this morning, cranking out pull-ups and push-ups and dumbbell rows and kettlebell swings and tuck-knee jumps. I went all-out, and completely wiped myself out by the end of my hour-long workout.

Why?

Because I knew we had dinner reservations at a Brazilian churrascaria this evening, where we had a rodizio-style chowdown, cramming into our open maws as many different cuts of various meats as our distended stomachs would allow.

And even now, hours after my last slice of lamb off the server's big-ass skewer, I'm way too uncomfortably full to go to sleep. Which means I'm not going to get enough shut-eye before tomorrow morning's yoga.

Sad but true: Outside of family and work, my life revolves around eating, sleeping, and making time for exercise.

Round 3 / Day 73: Original Turbulence Training Workout A + RKC Man Maker + P90X Ab Ripper X

Tony Horton is full of douchey mottos, dripping with chest-out machismo ("BRING IT!" and "X ME!" come to mind), but there's one that truly resonates with me: "Don't just kind of do it."

Before P90X, I was just kind of doing it. I dutifully but half-assedly climbed onto my elliptical or lifted weights each night, but on a scale of 1 to 10, my exertion level rarely rose above a 6.

And even now, there are times when I suddenly realize that I've been dogging it. This morning, for example, I was in the middle of my Man Maker kettlebell routine when I noticed that my form was shit. I wasn't pushing my butt back far enough when I lowered the kettlebell, and my knees were drifting in front of my toes. On the upswing, my pelvis wasn't thrusting forcefully forward, and my arms weren't locking out completely. I was phoning it in. Sloppily.

It's been nine months since I started P90X and holding myself accountable to daily workouts, so I suppose it's not surprising that I'm prone to occasional lapses in attention. But I need to keep reminding myself to not just kind of do it.

Maybe I should tie a string around my finger. Or tattoo a message on my face like this gentleman.

Round 3 / Day 59: 2K5 Turbulence Training Workout A + RKC Man Maker + Insanity Cardio Abs

At long last, I'm finally becoming proficient in swinging a kettlebell properly.

Yes, it's taken me two months.

And yes, I'm a slow learner.

Round 3 / Day 56: RKC Man Maker + One-on-One with Tony Horton - Recovery 4 Results

I have a cold. But I did my recovery exercises today, and threw in some kettlebell swings nonetheless. It didn't make me feel any better, but hey -- it didn't make me feel any worse, either.

Round 3 / Day 45: 2K3 Turbulence Training Workout A + RKC Man Maker + Insanity Cardio Abs

I (stupidly) stayed up past my bedtime last night to play with my new iPad (which, by the way, certainly doesn't replace my computer, but is a mind-blowingly awesome toy nonetheless -- especially for someone like me, who owns neither an iPhone nor an iPod Touch). So when I staggered into the garage this morning to start exercising, I already knew I wouldn't have time to get all three sections of my workout done before the kids popped out of bed.

The problem with rushing through a workout is that I tend to lose focus, and end up sacrificing form for speed. And both my Turbulence Training workout and my Man Maker kettlebell routine require careful attention to form -- the former because it involves heavy resistance, and the latter because it involves repeatedly heaving a large iron ball between your legs. Thankfully, I avoided any serious nutsack injuries this morning.

And don't worry: I finished Cardio Abs this evening. I am, after all, slavishly devoted to my workout routine.

Round 3 / Day 38: Original Turbulence Training Workout A + RKC Man Maker + Insanity Cardio Abs

The "Original" version of Turbulence Training Workout A isn't too tough -- there are, after all, only two full supersets to complete. Man Maker training lasts for "just" 12 minutes. And Cardio Abs doesn't take long, either. All three components of today's workout -- combined -- take less than an hour to complete.

But that doesn't mean I didn't get my ass kicked today.

Tomorrow, after my morning workout, I'm off to Phoenix for a few days, so I was thinking about doing Insanity Max Cardio Conditioning and saving yoga for my hotel room. But depending on my soreness level, I may just stick with some nice, easy stretches.

Round 3 / Day 24: 2K5 Turbulence Training Workout B + RKC Man Maker + Insanity Cardio Abs

I was scheduled to do Workout A from the 2K5 version of Turbulence Training, but being the idiot that I am, I flipped to the wrong page of the manual and ended up doing Workout B instead.

Workout B starts with a quick warm-up sequence (done twice) of Prisoner Squats, Elevated Push-Ups, and Stability Ball Leg Curls. And then it's on to the main event:

Superset One:

• Pull-Ups (8 reps): No description needed.

• Dumbbell Floor Presses (8 reps): I did Dumbbell Bench Presses instead. (Our garage floor's a little dirty.)

Rest a minute, and then repeat the superset twice, for a total of three times.

Superset Two:

• Chin-Ups (8 reps): You know -- Chin-Ups.

• Dumbbell Incline Presses (8 reps): Nothing you haven't seen before.

Rest a minute, and then repeat the superset twice, for a total of three times.

Superset Three:

• Dumbbell Rear Deltoid Raises (15 reps): Holding a pair of dumbbells, stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and knees slightly bent. Lean your upper body forward so that it's parallel to the floor. Let your arms hang vertically. Laterally raise the dumbbells up and out to the sides. I did these a week ago, but today's workout requires upping my reps.

• Decline Push-Ups (20 reps): Nothing out of the ordinary for fans of P90X Chest & Back.

Rest a minute, and then repeat the superset twice, for a total of three times.

Workout B was pretty damn tough, but then I started my 12 minutes of Man Maker practice. Swinging a kettlebell puts things in perspective; there are few other exercises that kick my ass quite as much. I'm getting (slightly) better at it, but it's one heart-pounding, leg-burning interval workout that still intimidates the hell out of me.

As for Insanity Cardio Abs, I ran out of time this morning, and still haven't done it (yet). But mark my words: I will squeeze in a core workout before bed tonight.

Maybe.

Round 3 / Day 17: 2K4 Turbulence Training Workout A + RKC Man Maker + Insanity Cardio Abs

On the menu today:

2K4 Turbulence Training Workout A, which -- after a brief warm-up -- consists of three supersets that emphasize upper-body resistance moves (to the chagrin of my still-sore chest and back):

Superset One:

• Dumbbell Incline Presses (6 reps): Heavy dumbbell presses performed while lying on a slightly-inclined bench.

• Dumbbell Rear-Deltoid Raises (10 reps): Holding a pair of dumbbells, stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and knees slightly bent. Lean your upper body forward so that it's parallel to the floor. Let your arms hang vertically. Laterally raise the dumbbells up and out to the sides.

Rest for one minute, and then repeat the superset twice for a total of three times.

Superset Two:

• Dumbbell Rows (6 reps per side): Go heavy.

• Dumbbell Floor Presses (8 reps): Just like dumbbell presses from a bench, but on the floor instead. The hardest part for me was figuring out how to get the heavy dumbbells off the floor and up into the starting position while lying down.

Rest for one minute, and then repeat the superset twice for a total of three times.

Superset Three:

• Dumbbell Triceps Extensions (8 reps): Just like the ones in P90X Shoulders & Arms (but given that we're only going for 8 reps here, I upped the weight).

• Dumbbell Incline Curls (8 reps): These are the same as the ones from last Monday's workout -- but to increase the difficulty, I actually did Lean-Back Curls from P90X Upper Body Plus instead.

Rest for one minute, and then repeat the superset twice for a total of three times.

I don't know if it's just because I'm getting used to these types of sessions, but today's Turbulence Training workout felt easier than the previous versions of Workout A I've done in past weeks (Original and 2K3).

Next up: 12 minutes of RKC Man Maker practice. I'm getting better at swinging a kettlebell.

And for dessert: Insanity Cardio Abs.

Thank god for yoga tomorrow (assuming I wake up early enough to squeeze in all 90 minutes of Yoga X before the kids spring out of bed).

Round 3 / Day 10: 2K3 Turbulence Training Workout A + RKC Man Maker + Insanity Cardio Abs

For the sake of maximum variety, I've decided not to linger on any one particular version of Turbulence Training during Round 3; rather, I'm doing a different Turbulence Training workout each week for the first month (before doubling back in subsequent months).

Last week, I tried out the "Original" flavor of Turbulence Training. Today, I got a taste of Craig Ballantyne's "2K3" version. (By the way, "2K3" just means he developed it in 2003.)

Workout A starts with a quick warm-up sequence (repeated once), consisting of Reverse Lunges, Close-Grip Push-Ups (a.k.a., Military Push-Ups), and Stick-Ups.

Stick-Ups look super-easy: You basically flatten yourself against a wall, reach your arms straight up, and then move them down to a "stick-up" position -- keeping your arms, shoulders and back against the wall at all times. It's a super-low-impact move, but I was surprised to find that this was a challenge for me; my flexibility, mobility, and range of motion aren't as great as I thought.

After the warm-up, you move into the three supersets that form the core of this workout:

Superset 1:

• Chin-Ups (8 reps): No description needed, right?
• Dumbbell Chest Presses (8 reps): I'm pretty sure you know this one, too.

Repeat twice for a total of three times, resting for one minute between supersets.

Superset 2:

• Dumbbell Elbow-Out Rows (8 reps per side): Just like Elbows-Out Lawnmowers from P90X Back & Biceps, only done using a bench rather than from a low lunge position.
• Dumbbell Low-Incline Press (8 reps): Same as Dumbbell Chest Presses, but with the back of the weight bench angled up slightly to better hit your upper chest. 

Repeat twice for a total of three times, resting for one minute between supersets.

Superset 3:

• Decline Push-Ups (15 reps): Same as the ones from P90X Chest & Back.
• Dumbbell Incline Curls (8 reps per side): These are similar to the Lean-Back Curls from P90X+ Upper Body Plus, but with some back support. This is a great isolation move, and keeps you from cheating -- I definitely felt the burn in my arms.

Next, it was onto 12 minutes of Man Maker training with my kettlebell. It's tough as hell, but I'm slowly getting into the "swing" of things. (Ha! Get it? GET IT??? I fucking love puns.)

Last but not least, M joined me for a round of Insanity Cardio Abs. As I've said before, I prefer Ab Ripper X (Cardio Abs overemphasizes hip flexor movements, in my opinion), but it's nice to break up the monotony with some jumps and planks.

Tomorrow: Fountain of Youth yoga! (I'm genuinely looking forward to it. Fer real, yo.)

Round 3 / Day 3: Original Turbulence Training Workout A + RKC Man Maker + Insanity Cardio Abs

From my long-winded title for this workout, it sounds like something that's off-the-charts crazy and complicated. And I admit to being a little nervous about trying to cram so much into an hour.

But in the end, it worked out great. Workout A from the Original Turbulence Training routine took just 20 minutes to complete, and the Man Maker kettlebell routine is limited to 12 minutes. That left Cardio Abs, which clocks in at just over a quarter-hour. Add 'em all together and my entire workout this morning took about 50 minutes -- shorter than most of P90X workouts.

I loved mixing up three different programs in one session; as they say, variety's the spice of life. (That, and MSG.) And as an added bonus, I got a great full-body workout that incorporated intense resistance and interval training. This one's a keeper.

Post-Round 2 Recovery Week: RKC Man Maker + P90X Ab Ripper X

More test-driving today. On this morning's agenda: kettlebell training -- more specifically, Pavel Tsatsouline's "New RKC Program Minimum" from "Enter the Kettlebell!" As Tsatsouline puts it:

The New RKC Program Minimum will deliver

• The conditioning of a world-class fighter;
• Rapid fat loss without the dishonor of aerobics;
• A back of steel;
• Muscular, flexible, and resilient shoulders;
• A skill base for the rest of the RKC drills.

Regardless of your goals, a simple routine of swings and get-ups makes a powerful introduction to RKC training ... these two moves will give you the biggest bang for your kettlebell buck.

The New RKC Program Minimum consists of two simple but ass-kicking workouts:

1.  Twice a week, do 12 continuous minutes of "Man Maker" training. What's a Man Maker, you ask? "Its template is simple: alternate sets of high-rep kettlebell drills -- swings in our case -- with a few hundred yards of jogging. Do your swings 'to a comfortable stop' most of the time and all-out occasionally." Sounds easy, but it's hard as hell.

[UPDATED: Just to clarify, the Man Maker video clip below shows snatches, not swings. I'm not yet proficient enough to do rep after rep of snatches without something going horribly, horribly wrong.]



2.  Twice a week, do 5 continuous minutes of Turkish Get-Ups, switching hands with every rep. Get-Ups sound easy, but aren't: You start by lying on your back holding a kettlebell up in the air with a straight arm, and "without jerking or unlocking the elbow, stand up and then slowly lie back down."



I did the Man Maker today, but instead of running, I did jumping jacks. And even after adding Ab Ripper X at the end, my total workout time today totaled less than half an hour. But it was brutal nonetheless. Ab Ripper X wasn't any more challenging than usual, but the kettlebell swings were exhausting. This is classic HIIT combined with resistance training for the legs. By the end, my glutes and hamstrings were on fire.

Quite frankly, I was worried I wouldn't be made into a man.