Am I in Shape or Not?

As some of you know, Melissa and I have been doing P90X for the last couple of weeks. I think we are doing pretty well all things considered. We even managed to wake up early one day to get the Plyometrics workout out of the way before work so we could go to a great documentary later that night after work. The movie was "Sick, Fat, and Nearly Dead. " I will talk more about the film in a later posting.

As far as P90X is concerned we are mid way through week 3 and so far have been bringing it hard. We are still sore although maybe not quite as much as during the first week. The workouts are pretty intense and require some serious self motivation to push through. But I am certain we will see results that will help us in many aspects of our lives so I continue to bring it. There is research suggesting that resistance training is not only good for the mind but can also ward off dementia. The way things are going for me, I need all the help I can get in that department.

In addition to doing P90X everyday, we are also doing small amounts of running mostly on the weekends and I did manage a 3.5 hour mile bike ride on Sunday in addition to a 2 mile barefoot run on the gravel track plus our 1 hour of StretchX. It is a lot for sure and so far I have enjoyed all the workouts and feel like I am in great shape. That is, I felt like I was in great shape - until this morning.

This morning, I threw a new workout into the mix. I woke up at 5Am to go to my first ever coached swim class. The class was tough-very tough. I thought I was in decent shape but clearly I am not. The other swimmers in the class were graceful, fast, strong, near perfect. I on the other hand was the opposite. The coach has me doing "Catch Up" which is a particular swimming drill. I feel so uncoordinated and 1 gulp of water away from drowning. And my heart rate races and my lungs heave as I make my way through the water. Picture Michael Phelps who I believe is pictured above. Now picture the opposite. That is me. Twenty minutes into the workout I questioned what I had gotten myself into. Here are some of the thoughts that went through my head.

"Do I really want to be a swimmer?"

"This is too hard."

"Forget this!"

"No way can I do this."

But at the end of the training session, I gave the coach my $130 dollars so now I am in. She is a great coach and gave me immediate feedback and corrected my mistakes. One thing is for sure. I am going to have to practice if I want to make it through these swim sessions. People in the class told me it would all seem easy soon enough. And the coach said I would see big improvements with each class. And finally my lovely wife gave me some very encouraging words later in the day when I told her about what I was thinking about the workout.

She was in the same position I was in when she started swimming with this coach. And I must say, seeing her all suited up with her swim cap and goggles, getting ready for the 7AM session was also nice encouragement. I probably would have been more down about the workout but seeing her and getting her words of encouragement later in the day were a huge help.

The best part of the swim was the effect it has on my knees. They felt great afterwards and have felt great all day. Strange how a certain type of exercise benefits my knees. Of course, that is one big reason I decided to swim in the first place.

After swimming and working all day, Melissa and I came home and did our P90X Shoulders and Arms workout followed by Ab Ripper X. We are now thoroughly pooped.

If you think you are in shape, go swimming and find out if you really are.