R2 Day 24 - Kenpo X, ARX

No dramas today. Feels like I just did this one yesterday, but it was two days ago. Those back kicks are hard. I never feel like I'm doing them right.
Hey, check it out. I got a mail from 365 Tomorrows, a website that publishes short science-fiction stories (very short, 600 words or less) and they said they were going to publish one of my stories soon. Maybe tomorrow. It's called "The Survivor". I submitted it about ten months ago, so they must be scraping the bottom of the barrel. I've forgotten how it goes myself, so I look forward to reading it.
www.365tomorrows.com

R2 Day 23 - Cardio Intervals

I think that in the P90X schedule, Core Synergistics is scheduled today, but I don't like the idea of doing it twice in one week because it is a monster, so I substituted this one with Cardio Intervals from the P90 Master series. I love this workout. Tony is in good form with his Eastern European accents, and it absolutely messes me up. Sweated heaps.
I have done very little of anything so far today. Watched Flash Forward this morning, looked after Jo Jo while Junko and Will go and get their flu shots. I'd like to get out of the house and do something, but I can't think of anything to do.

R2 Day 22 - Kenpo X, ARX

It was good to get back into it this morning. Ripped through Kenpo, but Ab Ripper X was a struggle as usual, in particular the oblique V-ups. I can usually get through them okay, but not today. It's a great day today and I'm feeling refreshed after a nice social drink last night and a big workout this morning. I just went and bought some new shoes because I'm sick of wearing sneakers all the time, and we had Mos Burger for lunch, the nicest fast-food hamburgers in the world (though not the biggest). I still owe P90X a Yoga and an ARX, which I have decided I will pay back on Wednesday, my usual rest day.

R2 Day 21 - Another Rest

Nori cancelled on me, but I really felt like just getting out of the house and going somewhere. I rode into town and went to a pub where I thought there might be a few foreigners, and there were, some interesting people. It's weird to think that I've lived here for 6 years and never gone out here. I've always worked out of town and gone out in other cities, so it was nice to meet some expat locals.
Of course, I'm a little disappointed that I missed the workout, but I'll get stuck into it tomorrow, but after three beers I didn't think it would be a good idea to do a full-on 80 minute workout. I'll squeeze it in this week some time.
As the ledger stands, I owe P90X one Kenpo X and one Ab Ripper X.

R2 Day 20 - Rest

Today was meant to be Kenpo X and Ab Ripper X, but I'm resting today and I'll do them tomorrow. I'm not really that tired, but I know I needed a good eight hours sleep. I've got my Recovery week coming up too, so I really want to concentrate on getting my body right, doing a lot of stretching, and maybe I'll go get a massage somewhere and see if it can loosen up my neck.
It was only a matter of time. Japanese men are wearing skirts.
http://mdn.mainichi.jp/mdnnews/national/news/20091024p2a00m0na019000c.html

R2 Day 19 - Legs & Back

It rained all day today. When I got off my train at the station near my work I got my phone out to check the time (my phone is basically a pocket watch - no calls, three mails this month) and I dropped it. There were people everywhere and we all watched it tumble and clatter across the platform and down between the edge of the platform and the train that was stopped there and onto the tracks. I did say fuck and I didn't smile, but I didn't make a fool out of myself. So I waited around for the train to go and then I jumped down onto the tracks, grabbed my phone and jumped up again. Only a foreigner would do that. I should have called a station attendant and had him use an extension pole or something to pick it up but it would have been a big scene and it would have taken ages. No station attendant saw me so I was spared a lecture about being safe.
Today was Legs & Back. That pain in my neck came back again, big time. The first round of reverse grip pull ups, I strained to do 11, and bang! It's really painful and I can't find a stretch to get at it so it's really hard to warm up and prepare for it. For the rest of the workout I was careful not to overdo it. I would do five pull ups, get down, stretch a little, then do as many as I could without straining too much, then stretch a little, then do one or two more. When I do this, I'm careful to start at the bottom for my first pull up and not jump up to the bars, and conversely not let go from the top on my last one but lower myself down all the way. Otherwise I'm not doing it properly and the numbers won't mean much. I can do more than when I try to do as many as I can in one go, plus I don't get the pain in my neck (as often).
It's so nice knowing that Ab Ripper X doesn't come after Legs & Back. I'm doing it on the cardio days, not the resistance days. I'm also going to do it during the Recovery weeks, too. I didn't like not doing it last time. Felt like I was taking a step back. My first phase ends tomorrow. 3 weeks already. My results are comparable with the last week of round 1, so I'm going to really get strong the next two months and expect big things. A couple of things I can work on are ARX form, and diet. I bought a new yoga mat yesterday, but the skin on the sole of my big toe is still giving me trouble. I had to finish yoga in my sneakers, and I hate doing yoga in sneakers. Need to pay more attention to that. Also my right ankle is still aching a bit.
I finished the workout a little later than I wanted, and sat down to watch Mad Men at around 10:30. I thought I'd watch half of it and watch the rest at work tomorrow, but in this episode Don Draper was confronted with his secret past and spilt the beans, so I couldn't turn it off and I ended up watching the whole thing.

R2 Day 18 - Yoga, ARX

I reckon if you asked any parent of grown children for one piece of advice about raising a child, they would probably say "Let them do what they want." One of my mum's friends said this once, and I asked her if she meant moment by moment, or more long term, like school or job-wise. She said both. I was reminded of this tonight when Will wanted to brush his teeth before dinner. I said "Wait until after dinner, Will. Will, after dinner, mate. Wait until after dinner. Don't brush your teeth now, wait until after dinner. Will. Will! Brush your teeth after dinner! Wait until after dinner!" like a fucking moron. So what does he do? He pays no attention to me and puts toothpaste on his brush and brushes his teeth. Just let him do what he wants to do. Who cares if he brushes his teeth before dinner? He can brush them after dinner,too.
I thought about this during yoga, which I loved. Gotta learn to go with the flow, let him do what he wants to do, let him be a child, let him be free. Stay relaxed in an uncomfortable position! That's what's so great about yoga. It literally forces you do this, and then helps you apply it to your life outside exercise.
Will and I went for a walk to Iga Hachimangu this morning, an old temple near my house which they have done up recently. It's more than five-hundred years old. If you didn't know, the city I live in, Okazaki, is the birthplace of Ieyasu Tokugawa, the greatest Shogun in Japanese history, whose family ruled Japan until Tom Cruise killed the last one. Rumour has it that on the night before a great battle, he had the team stay over at this temple, and paid some ninja to come and and move the big stone tori a few feet, which is the ornamental gate you see in most Japanese shrines and temples, so when the soldiers woke up in the morning they saw the tori had been moved and believed it was a sign that the gods were on their side. Will and I used to go there all the time, so the monks remembered us. Monks, priests, I dunno what they are. One monk said he remembered when they were re-thatching the roof of the main temple they invited Will and I to join a group of them climbing the scaffolding to have a close-up look. It was pretty cool. I think they do it every hundred years or so. I remember they took photos of everyone posing beside the roof, and I asked the guy to mail me the photos and gave him my e-mail address, and I remember it was like he couldn't believe I'd asked such a thing. He said he would, but we both knew he wouldn't. It was really confusing. I wanted to say, "You're Japanese, and you're a priest! That means you're supposed to do what you're told, plus be forgiving of other people"s improprieties!" This guy did neither.

R2 Day 17 - Shoulders & Arms

Felt really good today. Numbers great, pump awesome. I was a little worried that I would get the headache/muscle pain in my neck again, and I did feel it a little, but it went away quickly. I was looking at my notes from when I was doing P90, about a year ago, and I complained about the same pain once when I pushed a little too hard during maximum push ups. I said I thought I was having a stroke or something. Might even have been early in the blog when I was doing P90 Master. Dunno. It does feel like I'm having a stroke. It's horrible.
Had a nice, relaxing day. Did some study, ate okay, played with the boys. I just finished watching "Moon" with Sam Rockwell. Good movie. It probably would have made a really good computer game. Dunno why I think that. *SPOILER ALERT* The science fiction novel I've been half-finished (or half-started, depending on how you look at it) for about two years now also involves clones and a friendly, helpful on-board computer (mine has the face of a lego-man, this one had a simple smiley face). It's called "Control Damage". Fuck it, I might post the first chapter of it one day and you can tell me what you think. Tell me what you think is wrong with it, because if you tell me it's good I'll just think you're lying. Hah! I'll tidy it up and post it in a week or two. Give me something to do during the quieter moments at work instead of whatever else it is I do.

R2 Day 16 - Plyo, ARX

I spent most of the day translating a manual which, in Japanese, is titled the "Operation Preparation Confirmation Function Operation Manual". No shit. Basically it is a function that, if enabled, will force the operator to click "Yes" one more time before being able to start the machine. No one will enable it. This is my job. It has contributed to the feeling I've had all week that professionally I am a coward/loser. The only way out is hard work, and I feel like I'm banging against a wall I've built that prevents me from doing what I need to do to improve my situation. Working out and getting fit, that daily victory over being lazy and putting things off and taking the easy way out has almost got me over the wall. It's not really about looking good or feeling good for me anymore. It's about being in control. When I feel the motivation slipping or I feel like I'm not on top of things, things get to me, and it only makes what I need to do harder.
So when I got home from work today I used all this frustration and tension to power me through Plyo, and I bust shit up. After round 3 I turned it off and did ARX, and when I did that, I turned Plyo back on and finished it. It felt awesome. I'm really getting back into the swing of it again, and I'm looking forward to some great results in a month or two. I saw a punching bag in the shop on the way home. I'd like to get one and just pound on the fucker, and I think Will would enjoy it too, because he's always punching me.

R2 Day 15 - Chest & Back

This one messes me up. The numbers were better than last week. I'm still getting a little pain in my neck when I'm really straining. It's not so bad now, though. I made a nice chicken and vegetable soup for lunch, and ate really well all day. Will and I went to the bathhouse before dinner. I'm working tomorrow, so I'm going to have to squeeze in Plyo and ARX sometime. Probably after work. I'm a day behind my Japanese study, so I'll catch up tomorrow.
Till then, see ya.

R2 Day 14 - Rest

No workout today. Busy at work, busy when I got home, then a lesson with Nori, but I got home feeling a little empty and hopeless. Nothing achieved.

R2 Day 13 - Kenpo X, ARX

Kenpo X flew by again. I was really able to maintain the intensity the whole way through. ARX just flat out hurt. It destroyed me.
My equipment is starting to feel the pain. My yoga mat is slowly disintegrating. I've been using it just about every day and now when I use is I get covered with little bits of rubber. Time to turf it, I think. I think this is what is causing the skin on the sole of my big toe to split every time I do Yoga or stretching. Which sucks. My set up is pretty good, with my fan, TV, dumbbells, pull up bar, crappy CD player that I bought years ago, but it's still kind of all over the place. I would like to fix the space up a little. It definitely needs a clean. My pull up bar is starting to suck, too. I'm going to have to spend some yen to fix it up, which I might do on the weekend. There are two problems with it. Basically it's like a towel rack, but the bar turns inside the brackets. It's a pretty snug fit though. I can't get a layer of tape in through the brackets. It gets all wrapped and and ripped at the edges of them. So I want to somehow stop the bar from turning. Maybe I night try hammering some wooden wedges in between the bar and the brackets just to jam it in place. That might work. Second problem is a little easier. The tape I used for grip is just normal insulation tape and it sucks. If I can get the bar to stop turning, I'll definitely get some tennis racquet handle tape or something like that. But with the bar turning, I can't use any energy in a lateral direction, if you know what I mean. Everything has to be straight up or down, or the bar turns. It might be helping my form, I don't know.

R2 Day 12 - Legs & Back

It's funny but I'm not finding this workout as daunting as I did last time. Maybe because I'm taking a few breaks here and there. Chair pose is an absolute killer. It's funny how a move that involves not moving can make you out of breath. I did 68 pull ups tonight. I forgot to bring my schedule home from work, but I'm sure it's more than I did last week, and probably near where I finished last round. The first set of pull ups gave me that bloody ache in the back of my neck again, but it was fine after that. I have to learn how to relax my neck when I'm doing them, though it gets really hard to do during the last few pull ups. My right ankle is aching, and the skin on my right toe has split, but these are small things. Other than that, feeling fine. No sweaty left side last night either.

R2 Day 11 - Yoga, ARX

Yoga today was much better than last week. Real strong. Faded away at the end a little, but next week should be even better. Ab Ripper X hurt, as usual. My headache or strained muscle in my head or whatever it is is good today, no problems. Another weird thing is happening though. I will wake up in the middle of the night, and my left collar will be wet with sweat. This has happened every night for the last week. I'm guessing that I'm sleeping on my left side, and the new blanket that I bought a couple of weeks ago is too thick and I sweat. Tonight I'll be sure to be on my right side when I fall asleep and see what happens. Really odd. Also Junko says I'm talking to myself in my sleep, which I do sometimes. I have to take care not to run myself down. 8 hours sleep a night and all that.
I am a little annoyed at myself, actually. I have been doing a little studying, very little, but looking at one of my textbooks this afternoon, and seeing the amount of shit that I don't know and need to memorize, I don't think I will pass the level 2 test. I probably could if I devoted every single spare waking moment to it, but I'm not going to do that. I don't want to do that. So what I've decided to do is to make a realistic study schedule with the aim of passing the test in July. I will still take the test in December, but I am not expecting to pass. I will be studying, but not enough to assure a pass. I'd say the chances are 50/50. I'll get in in July, and I'll get an experience of what the test is like (the last time I took it was in '02 or something) in December. And hey, if I do happen to pass, I'll forget July and spend a year of consistent, planned study and get my level 1 in December '10. I should have done all this months ago, but hey. Nothing will change the fact that I have better things to do than study. Or that I can think of better things to do than study. I just have to do it.

R2 Day 10 - Shoulders & Arms

I like this workout. It's fast, hard, and the results are right there. Bang! Arm pump! Halfway through and it feels like my arms are pumped up with blood and the skin is being stretched. I suppose that's what's happening. Recently I've been getting a weird feeling in the back of my neck and behind my right eye when I'm straining. I'm probably pulling a muscle deep down in my neck. I do feel a little out of line in the upper back/neck area, so maybe another trip to the chiropractor's is in order. Get my back cracked.
I took Will to a park today. There was a festival there, and lots to see and do. I'll put some photos up later in the week. Spiderman was on TV tonight, so he went and got the Spiderman costume I bought him and looked at it. Didn't put it on, though. I think he was just trying to get his head around it.

R2 Day 9 - Plyo, ARX

I did ARX in the morning and then followed it up with Plyo a half hour later. Big day. Plyo is such a grind. I can't wait until I'm back in the shape I was two months ago when I could just power through this and other workouts. I'm over the initial soreness now, but I'm feeling pretty tired and I'm getting crabbier as the days go on. I'm hoping for a solid eight hours tonight. The diet is suffering a little becuase of this too, I think. Whenever I get a little run down I start to get a bit lazy with my eating. The main meals are fine; porridge, salad sandwiches, slop on rice, but in between is where the problems are. It doesn't help when Nori, the guy I 'teach' English to every week, brings me a cake he bought from the best bakery in the best department store in Nagoya, Takashimaya. Best cake I've ever had. Never been much of a cake guy, but this was the shit. Anyway, after Plyo I went to the bathhouse and got cleaned up and had a good soak in a hot bath. Felt awesome.

R2 Day 8 - Chest & Back

This one made me feel sick again. Pushups and pullups, pushups and pullups. Numbers where a little higher than last week. The second round is so tough. At least I managed to do 7 diamond pushups yesterday when last week I couldn't do any!

My Trip To Australia

I haven't said much at all about my trip to Australia, so I thought I would. The flight to Singapore was fine, though there was a group of about 50 Indian people down the back of the plane, and it got a little funky down there, I can tell you. What's up with the B.O.? Singapore airport was awesome. I bought some Burger King (straight into it) and a Lacoste shirt. My first taste of non-Japanese customer service. The lady at the Lacoste store was busy talking to her friend the whole time I was in there buying a shirt, and it took her three goes of going out the back to find me the shirt in the size I wanted. I would get used to this kind of service during my trip. I think I'm going to write a book about Japanese customer service and why it just kicks ass. On the plane to Melbourne I sat next to a guy who plays golf all over the world and is a member of Kingston Heath, the second most beautiful spot on earth next to Royal Melbourne. I wondered that if I was a more outgoing and impressive man if he would have invited me for a round of golf there, but I'm not, and he didn't. He talked and talked, and at about 2 a.m. I put the earplugs in and grabbed a couple of hours.
I landed in Melbourne, got a phone and a car. Cold! Windy! Drove down to Mount Martha to see my sister and her family. It was great to see them. Had a nap, and a shower (the first of only three I would have the whole trip - and I still didn't smell as bad as those Indians!) and started to feel normal again.
The next morning I went for a run. It was really cold, and my legs got really itchy. Not sure why, but I'm sure it's a common problem. Then I was off to Mikka's for Grand Final day. I started drinking at about 1 and didn't stop. Got too drunk, really, and I can't remember going to St Kilda after the game, but I was there, and everyone had gone elsewhere while I was in the toilet. I looked around for them for a while, but decided to go home. The first taxi driver refused to drive me anywhere until I gave him money. I showed him the money in my wallet and told him that he would get the money when he provided me with a service, but he said no. "You give money now!" So I got out of the cab. Ah, Melbourne's taxi drivers. A fucking disgrace, really. The second guy drove me back to Mikka's, where I paid him. I forgot where Mikka had left the keys, so I sat in my car with the heater on and feel asleep. Woke up and for some reason couldn't find my wallet or phone and panicked, then found them in the back seat of the car after a half hour of hate. Found Mikka's keys a minute later, so that was a good minute. I was inside under a blanket having a coffee watching a replay of the Grand Final ten minutes later. Nice.
The next day I drove up to Gisborne to visit relatives, then on to Avoca to see Dad. Usual topics covered with Dad over a few beers. Avoca is a nice place. Stayed over and got up the next day to get back to Mikka's for lunch and to chill out a little after such a busy weekend.
Spent the next few days doing some shopping and walking around. Went into the city. My honest opinion about Melbourne? The action is going on everywhere except in the actual city. Swanston street and Flinders street are still shitty. It still seems like the city is where people go to work and homeless junkies go to bum smokes, and that's about all. Why else would you go there? Southbank looks incredible though.
Played golf with Brad. 78, good stuff. Chip-in bird on 10. Went to the movies and saw Inglorious Basterds, or however you spell it. Meh. Two old guys, like over 70, were sitting in front of me, and visibly flinched at every violent scene, while I just chuckled. Tarantino doesn't take many risks when you think about it. I wish he would make a conventional thriller or something instead of these silly horror slasher movies. Give me Danny Boyle or Michael Mann anyday.
Otherwise I just hung around and saw friends. I went back to my sister's for the weekend. We went out on their boat and put mum's ashes into the bay like she said she wanted us to. It was a beautiful day, and I'm open to offers if anyone wants to sell me a nice house down there really cheaply. Then back to Mikka's for the night then to the airport. I did nearly 1200 kms in nine days in the rental car! A lot of driving. While I was waiting for the flight I thought about the state I arrived in; fit, primed, clean (!) and the state I was leaving in; tired, disheveled, stinky. I thought about which was better, and became even more determined to do another round of P90X.
The flight back was uneventful. It was great to see Junko and the kids again, especially Will who beamed when he saw me and loves the snow dome with the tram that I bought him. He's not too sure about the Spiderman costume, but that's because he doesn't know who Spiderman is.
I have to go back every year if I'm going to live here successfully. After a year or so, I begin to miss Melbourne and my family and friends, and resent the people and things that are keeping me here, and I just become (even more of an) asshole. Next time I'll be bringing Will and maybe Junko and Jo Jo with me, so it'll be different, probably better. A great trip though, and I'm back here feeling good and positive and enjoying life.
Classic line from a chick at Oakleigh McDonalds when it took ages to get our order down at the drivethru. "Sorry about that. I was serving another customer while I was serving you." That'll go in my book for sure.

R2 Day 7 - Rest

My head still isn't where it needs to be. I'm having a rest today, when I really should be doing X Stretch, but that would mean another 11 o'clock finish, and I'm pretty buggered from work and the week's P90X workouts. I need a rest, but I also need to be clear to myself about my plans. I can't just um and ah about what I want to do. Something to work on next week.
Also, I take back anything bad I have said about Japanese TV. How's this for a candid camera. The guy is a small-time TV talent famous, if that's the word, for his weird face. When the guy comes in he asks him what he's heard, he keeps yelling "This isn't the place to answer!" And at the end he says "You're shitting me."

R2 Day 6 - Kenpo X, ARX

I am so sore I can hardly move. Legs & Back from the other day has just destroyed the ol' glutenous maximuses. I'm looking forward to the stretch today. Kenpo X went well last night. Tony's right, the time does fly by. Worked up a good sweat. The guy who apparently helped Tony create the workout and is in the video, Wesly, is really out of shape. He dogs it the whole video. The black guy, Tony, is the guy to watch for technique. And then Ab Ripper X. The Pfiffer scissors still kill me, though I somehow always manage to do the 25 reps. I didn't finish until 11 last night, and then had my shake and watched TV for a little bit. I guess when you go to bed so soon after a workout and a protein shake you are bound to have funny dreams. My dreams have been really vivid since I started P90X again. I dreamt I was escaping from the authorities into North Korea with a bunch of other people, including, amazingly, Jimmy Bartell, who said he wanted to get away from all the fame and attention that being a superstar AFL player brought with it. Strange. Jo Jo woke me up around 4, and I could sense that Junko had had enough and wasn't going to get up herself, so I took him into my bed and he soon fell asleep. It's great sleeping with your baby. I used to do it all the time with Will, and I should do it more with Jo Jo. He woke up again two minutes before my alarm went off this morning.
Someone stole the light off my bike yesterday. It was a good one, and I had just bought new batteries for it. It was detachable, so every morning, when I parked my bike at the parking area near the station, I would think, should I take my light? Nah. Well, I rolled the dice once too often, and now it's gone. Apparently, and I've had Japanese people people confirm this, the Japanese taboo on stealing other people's shit does not apply to bicycles and umbrellas. Fair enough.
I think the Kathleen Turner character on Californication is the filthiest woman I've ever seen on TV. She reminds me of William Shatner.
Here's a photo of Will's Sports Day.

R2 Day 5 - Legs & Back

I think that I'm going to concentrate more on the exercise than my life and feelings in this blog during this second round of P90X. Talking about my life and Japan usually turns into a rant which does no good for no one.
A couple of things about yoga. I remember two months ago when I was at the end of P90X round 1 just how awesome I felt doing Yoga. It's probably the best gauge of where I am at fitness-wise. I felt really strong and flexible, and I really looked forward to the end bit when it gets tough, warrior 3 and the slow motion pushups and all that. Yesterday showed me what slacking off does to your fitness. In the two months since I finished round 1, I have done a couple of weeks of P90, and a month of Chalean Extreme. Basically half an hour a day of pretty easy exercise. Then I went to Australia and ate and drank like, not like a pig, but like I would have normally. Lots of beer, fish n chips, pizza, subway, Hungry Jacks. And bang. After a few days back on P90X I'm aching like a bitch, and my endurance has completely gone. I can do half a workout like I used to a few months ago, but then my energy and strength just goes. It is amazing how the body can adapt and adjust either way. Yesterday's Yoga was tough, but nowhere near as tough as it was in week 1 of the first round, and in a couple of weeks I'll be back where I was in July, with another 2 months to go. That is exciting.
Time is going to be a problem. Let's assume that a workout will take an hour and half out of my day, every day. That's workout and shower. I have to study for my Japanese test which is in 7 weeks. If I don't start now, and I mean today, I will definitely fail. So in other words, if I don't study now then I effectively choose to fail. I can hear the voice getting louder. "You can always do it again in July. You'll definitely pass then, so don't worry about it. Who knows, you might even pass this time!" So my voice is effectively telling me that I can get what I want even if I don't do the work required to get it. A big reason for doing things like P90X is to teach myself to take responsibility for myself, and do the hard work to achieve the things I want to achieve. How many times does that voice have to be wrong before I stop listening to it? Studying is another hour a day. I'll try to get it in at work, but we are pretty busy at the moment so I don't think I will be able to.
I want to rid my life of all of the stuff I don't need. Just pare it back. Now that the AFL season is over, I have only a few shows to watch. Mad Men, Californication, Real Time with Bill Maher, and Lost when it comes back on, and a movie here and there. That means that on some nights, there is no need for me to be sitting in front of the computer. If I find myself trawling through YouTube looking for people falling on their faces, I have to turn it off and do some study. What else. Get rid of all the shitty clothes I don't wear. Clean up the stuff that needs to be cleaned, do what needs to be done when it needs to be done.
I've got Legs & Back tonight. I don't care what Tony says, this is the Mother of all P90X workouts. The "X" in P90X. The Fucker. Just thinking about it now gives me simultaneous conflicting feelings. Ambivalent. Like Tony says about Ab Ripper X, "I hate it, but I love it". Exactly. Even though I said I wouldn't, I'll have a half serving of Black Powder tonight, just to give myself an extra boost, even if it is only psychological. Then tear it up! Lots of pullups tonight, and when I can't do anymore unaided, grab a chair and use the rest of the time to work on technique. When I finished P90X last time I could do 16 pullups before I couldn't do anymore. By the end of this round I want to be able to do 25.

Update: Kicked ass. 59 pull ups, which is about where I was in week 9 of round 1. I'd like to double that by the time I finish this round.

R2 Day 4 - Yoga, ARX

Yoga is the best. My arms were sore from yesterday which made all the upward and downward dogging tough, but I got through it okay. Followed it up with Ab Ripper X. Took a break half way through and nearly fell asleep! I had a shitty night's sleep last night. I had some more of that Black Powder stuff before my workout last night, and I think it really messed with my synapses. I dreamt that my mother's father, who died before I was born of a brain hemorrhage, actually died of cancer, a strange cancer that disfigured the face and body and made bones grow outside the skin in concentric patterns like a peacock's feathers. I saw pictures of these people with this cancer like out of a Victorian freak show. I can still see them. Then I dreamt that mum had this cancer too, and she was being really horrible to me, and I just wanted her to die. When I woke up I forgot for a moment that she had actually died last year. I went back to sleep, and then I dreamt that I was meeting the Sydney Swans, maybe I was training with them or something, and they were all really shy and quiet, with the most pathetic handshakes you can imagine. I know other people's dreams aren't really that interesting, but I'm surprised I can remember them, so I wanted to get them down before I forgot. So I don't think I'll be having that powder again anytime soon.
I went to the Osu Kannon festival. Little disappointing, I must say. Just lots of food stalls and shops. I was expecting more performance artists. They were there, but not many of them, and kind of a sideshow to the main Japanese pastimes of eating and shopping. Still, Will and I had a great time. I'll put up some photos tomorrow. It's just that I'm not at work at the moment, so I don't have much time.

R2 Day 3 - Arms & Shoulders

My chest was really sore from the other day, so that made even the stretches tough. But the numbers were really good initially, then dropped off a little at the end just like they did the other day. I guess this is a pattern I can expect for a week or two until I get back into proper shape. Again, left the Ab Ripper X until the next day, and I'll do it after yoga. Doing it after a cardio workout isn't as daunting to me as doing it after a resistance workout, so I think I'll keep doing it this way.
I'm taking Will to Osu Kannon today for a festival they have there every year. I think it's where all the buskers and street performers meet up and do their stuff. I saw a little on the news last year and it looked freaky.

Round 2 Day 2 - Plyo, ARX

Lots of breaks. Brought it though. My legs where a little shaky for a while there, but came good at the end. What a workout this is. Awesome stuff. My upper body is sore from yesterday, so I'm expecting similar stuff from my legs tomorrow. I've got Will's sports day, so that will be fun. I'll put some pictures up. We had a great day today and yesterday. Forgot to mention the hurricane that come over yesterday morning. Nearly blew the house down, I swear. The weather after a hurricane is always great. The air is clean, skies are blue, like everything has been given a wash. Today when Will got home from Kinda we went to the park and he had a great time. He's into Momotaro, which is a Japanese fairy tale about a boy born from a peach or something who is incredibly strong. So lately I have become the evil ogre that Momotaro fights, so he's attacking me all the time. I love it.

Round 2 Day 1 - Chest & Back

I have to say, it's good to be back. I ate a lot of crap and drank a lot of beer in Australia, and it was great fun, but this time it's for real. I want to get into awesome shape, and then decide what I want to do with my fitness at the start of next year. Hiking, maybe some light mountain climbing? Whatever.
When I was in Oz I saw some N.O.Explode at the health shop. This is a pre-workout drink, basically just flavoured caffeine powder you mix with water. The tubs cost about $120 each, so I didn't bother, but I did buy some little satchels of something called 'Black Powder', which is just another brand of the same stuff. These were 1 serving packets, so I had half last night before my workout because I didn't want to be up all night. It didn't have much of an effect, though I did feel a little jittery, and it wasn't pleasant. I can only guess what two or three scoops must feel like. I won't make a habit of using it, and I'm glad I didn't buy a tub of the stuff, though some people swear by it.
Anyway, the workout went okay. The first round numbers were good, almost as good as the last week of round 1 P90X. The second round was a different story. How do you know when you bonk? When you can't even hold yourself up when you're doing the cat camel stretch at the end. Seriously, I did that on my elbows. Round 2 diamond push ups? Zero. Couldn't do one. I just had no energy left. It was great. I left Ab Ripper X for this morning, which was as tough as usual, though I did all of it.
So, it's good to be back. I'm sore today, and looking forward to bringing it for Plyo tonight.

Going Home Tomorow

I'm going back to Japan tomorrow. I've had about ten days living like an unemployed man. Watching movies, drinking beer in the afternoons etc. It's all good, but I'm looking forward to seeing the family again. Especially Will. I can't wait to take him to a festival in the city next weekend. I'm also looking forward to the fitness test on Wednesday. I'm going to start my second round of P90X. I'm having second thoughts while I type this, but have relaxed on the fitness and the food this week because I know that this is what I will do when I get back. I'll also have two months of study to pass the Japanese test. Going to be busy, but the weather will be great and I know I can do it. At the moment it's difficult to justify spending all this money to basically come here and bludge, but I needed it, and I feel really positive going forward as everyone says here.

Quick Note From Australia

Grand Final was awesome. Got really drunk, and went out afterwards, but caught a taxi home at a pretty reasonable hour and straight to bed. Saw sister, father, friends. I'm in the city proper right now, in a net cafe. A lot more Indians here than there used to be. Most people out of shape, look like slobs. I haven't done any exercise. I haven't been eating much crap or drinking much beer, but... I am seriously considering starting P90X again. Do another round of it when I get back and be done by the New Year. We'll see. Missing kids and wife, and canned coffee.