PAP Lower Week 3

So today was the last PAP Lower workout.  After two-and-a-half weeks of listening to Tony Horton tell me that I shouldn't wear running shoes for this workout, John and I finally went out and bought some inexpensive training shoes at Big 5.  Although I wanted the pink LA Gears, I ended up with black LA Gears. LA GEARS! Seriously, I did not think this brand still existed!

The shoes did make me feel a bit more stable, so that was a plus.  AND, I realized that it didn't matter what shoes I was wearing, because I'm working out on laminate flooring, my feet are going to slip.  So, since I'm using my yoga mat to pad up my elbow, I used John's yoga mat to provide some stability for my feet.  And hallelujah, on the last round of the Side Bridge Leg Lift, I was able to hold the pose for the entire 30 seconds on each side, with my arm raised in the air (which somehow made it seem easier!).  This has been a difficult exercise for me, and I thought I would need to be content with just staying in the position with my hip up, but bringing my leg up and down to rest.  Today I just breathed, and rocked it!

Here are some other things I improved on:

• Step Up Convict - from 3 lb weights to 8 lb med balls in each arm, adding a heel raise at the top of the position.  
• Squat Cross Reach - from 5 ugly reps to 8 pretty reps 
• Skater Plyo - I could always do the 8 reps, but I definitely got faster and more powerful doing them 

I still need to work on my one-leg line hop and my monster slalom.  I'm just not confident with my left knee on the monster slalom.  

It occurs to me that I have not gotten a cold since I started this workout.  I mean, usually I get a cold sometime in the first few months of the year.  But nothing.

I'm looking forward to Round 2 of P90X2.  Here are some things I'm looking forward to in particular:

• Adding running, alternating 3 miles and intervals each week
• Adding the push-up in between upward dog and downward dog in yoga
• Continuing to work on the pull-up
• Continuing to work on this blog
• Med Ball Push-ups 
• Having pizza (John and I agreed to have some when he is done with his last phase!)
• Doing Insanity the week we are in Maui in May

Calories Burned = 691 (compared to 774 in Week 1) 

Average Heart Rate = 139 (compared to 143 in Week 1) 

Peak Heart Rate = 177 (compared to 182 in Week 1)