At some point I mentioned that I am ridiculously out of shape. This is a pertinent topic with aerobatics because it is a highly physical sport, even though you stay seated the whole time. Sustaining high G-forces can wipe you out quick unless you are in tip-top shape. If you want to see what I’m talking about watch the in-cockpit video of Hubie Tolson flying his gold medal four-minute freestyle. (Fast forward to 2:05 to get to the good stuff)
The big problem with this is that I absolutely HATE going to the gym. I don’t enjoy it, I don’t have fun, and I’m simply not good at it. I show up there and do a little of this, a little of that but with no real structure. The last time I tried to play an organized sport was last year and I ended up sidelined with a broken elbow. So the gym is out, and soccer is out. I wanted to do something that was thorough and aggressive. I started doing some research. The ads for P90X caught my eye and I started reading up on it. I was skeptical. No matter how many success stories I read I was still questioning it.
One day my I noticed on Facebook that my dad (yes, he is on Facebook and will be reading this. Hi.) became a fan of P90X. Say wha? I gave him a call and he revealed that he’s had P90X for a year or so. A word about my dad: he is a stubborn marathon runner that knows how to work out, even battling back from almost having his leg amputated a few years ago and running several marathons since. If he says a workout regiment is good, its good. No questions asked. He went one step further and sent me a brand spankin’ new copy of P90X. My dad. Official sponsor since 1981.
I am now through the first week of workouts and so far, I feel great. The workouts are not easy. It’s an hour a day at least. Each day is different with one day working one muscle group at a time with an hour of cardio put in between the strength workouts. There is also an ab routine, 15 minutes long that you do after each strength workout. The whole thing is intense. I feel tight in my back, legs, arms, chest and am loving every second of it. I think I just love being active and doing something.
I had to go one step further and completely revamp my diet. I am notorious for being a horrible eater. I don’t eat a lot but when I do eat it’s usually crap. I’ve subsisted on artificial processed junk for way too long and I think my health has really suffered from it. And so with that I just got back from the grocery store with a supply of foods that I bought according to the P90X nutrition guide (Nutrition guide mind you. NOT a diet plan.) This is going to be harder than the workouts. I picked out foods that I will enjoy though so I should be able to stick with it. There are lots of options and even allowances for Subway (a staple at the flight school).
The airplane gets all the attention. You constantly monitor the engine; change the oil, check the bellcranks, cables, fabric, tires, prop, etc. The airplane is really only a small part of all this. The airplane will only fly as well as the pilot commands it to.
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