Workout Update: P90X Day 16

Day 16 was Plyometrics. I felt pretty shitty during the workout, so I modified a lot, even modifying some of the modifications in the video. But I got through it, even if it was not the greatest workout I have ever had. 

Workout Update: P90X Day 15

Day 15 was the final chest and back workout for Phase I. My numbers did not increase substantially from last week, but I was able to increase the amount of weight I used for the standing rows (what are called heavy pants) in the workout up to 35 lbs.  For ab-ripper, I continued to do 15 reps on most exercises, except for the twists at the end. I did 50 reps of that one.

Workout Update: P90X Day 14

On Day 14, I just took a rest day. It was very much needed, and I feel like I have recovered well from the prior week's workouts.

Workout Update: P90X Day 13

Day 13 was yoga. It was not as bad as last week, but I am still not attempting moves like the shoulder stand and crane. The first 50 minutes or so was not as hard (at least until the half-moon sequence at the end) as it was last week, but was still not what I would call easy.

Workout Update: P90X Day 12

Day 12 was the legs and back workout, followed by the ab-ripper routine. The pull-ups (which, to me, besides yoga, is the best measure of progress in P90X) were not as hard today as they were in week one. I again did 15 reps in ab-ripper, which were a bit easier today than on Monday.

Workout Update: P90X Day 11

On Day 11, I switched the order of the workouts and did Kenpo. That was in large part because I was going out to dinner and did not have time to do the 90 minutes of Yoga. I also shortened the workout by skipping the beginning because I have always hated that he goes right into cold static stretching (which he says in another video not to do). Essentially, P90X was when extended warmups and cooldowns were a big deal. So I just used the twist-and-pivot and punching sequence to warm up. 

Workout Update: P90X Day 10

Day 10 was the shoulders and arms workout (and ab-ripper). I was able to increase the amount of weight I used for some exercises from last week, and I was able to get to 11 reps on a couple more this week. So, I am making progress. 

Workout Update: P90X Day 9

Day 9 was plyometrics. It was pretty much the same as last week. As hard and tiring. In fact, on a couple of the exercises, I had to back off more than I did last week. So, I definitely feel the first week of the program. 

Workout Update: P90X Day 8

Day 8 was the second round of Chest and Back during Phase I. I improved slightly on some of the push-up and pull-up exercises over week 1, but those where mostly the same. I was able to hit 10 reps on a couple of the weighted exercises, so I will be increasing those next week. I also increased the number of reps in ab-ripper to 15, and that was a bigger change than I expected. 10 reps were easy, but 15 of all reps were very challenging, especially on the last few moves. 

Workout Update: P90X Day 7

I mostly used day 7 as a rest day, however, I did do ab-ripper, since I had not done the third ab-ripper workout after either Legs and Back or Kenpo. I stuck with the 10 reps, and will bump up the number of reps to 15 next week. 

Workout Update: P90X Day 6

Day 6 was the Kenpo routine. It had been a while since I had done this one. It is probably the P90X routine closest to what was done in Power 90, as a good portion of the Cardio workouts in Power 90 included moves from this routine. For the first workout, I did not focus on following the number of reps the cast were doing, I just stuck with the time. If I could do more reps, I did. If I could not do as many reps as they did, I didn't. During the breaks, I skipped the x-jumps and just drank water during the last 30 seconds. I did not end up doing ab-ripper after the workout as I intended, so I will do it tomorrow. 

Workout Update: P90X Day 5

Day 5 was the legs and back workout. It is the second workout in Phase I that works the back, but this time, all with pull-ups. There are no weighted back exercises. Some of the leg exercises did use weight, but many of them are high-rep (24-25 reps) bodyweight exercises. I did not do ab-ripper after the workout since I had done the end of the Yoga workout yesterday, which includes a core component toward the end. I will probably save it for after tomorrow's KenpoX workout.

Workout Update: P90X Day 4

Day 4 was the workout that is the bane of the original P90X, Yoga. I did the entire 90-plus minutes for the first time in a long time and did much better than I anticipated. It is a double-edged sword: it is a much harder routine than it should have been, but it is also the routine where you can really measure your progress across all facets of fitness as the program progresses, because it involves strength, flexibility, and cardio endurance.  

I say it is much harder than it should have been because the original Power 90 workout, of which P90x was supposed to be an extension, had about 4-5 minutes of yoga at the beginning of the cardio workouts. It didn't have a separate yoga routine that could remotely prepare someone for some of the shit that gets thrown at you in P90X yoga. And, it is just way too long. It should have been 45 minutes to an hour tops, not anywhere near 90 minutes. But I got through it. I am definitely not as good at it as I was back around 2008-2009, but I got through it and will hopefully get back to being as proficient at it as I was years ago.

Workout Update: P90X Day 3

Day 3 was the shoulders and arms workout, followed by ab-ripper-x.

Shoulders and arms was not too bad. I was able to use the weight I finished Lift More with as the starting weight for this workout. Because I am doing 8-10 reps, I will be able to increase the amount of weight I am using for a few of the exercises next week. I still just did 10 reps for the ab exercises, and will evaluate whether to bump that up to 15 next week; as of now, I am leaning toward doing so.

Workout Update: P90X Day 2

Day 2 was the plyometrics workout. It is really the first "real" cardio workout I have had since the last round of Lift 4. It was challenging as I thought it would be, but thankfully, my cardio strength was good enough that I could make it through. I did have to do the low-impact modifications for some of the exercises, and I swapped out speed skaters for the guitar jumps because that one messes with my back, even when I was in great shape. But I was able to do unmodified versions of some exercises I thought I would have to modify. I definitely have room to improve, but I am happy with the first plyo workout of the program.

Workout Update: P90X Day 1

Today was day 1 of my original Beachbody program, and the third structured workout program I did (after Body For Life and Body Rx) when I began lifting weights: P90X. I know BODI released a new version of P90X with a new trainer, which was stupid for many reasons, including that Tony Horton recently created a new 90-day workout on the BODI platform. So I, like many people, wanted to support the original program. And, frankly, the best shape I have ever been in is after doing P90X and the original Insanity program. So that is my plan — to do a round or two of P90X, then transition to the OG Insanity.

So, today was Chest and Back followed by ab-ripper x. It is the P90X workout that uses the fewest weights. It consists mostly of variations of push-ups and pull-ups, with a few weighted exercises. I definitely found I'm no longer in "pull-up" shape, as I could only do 3-4 of each. That said, I did push-ups on my toes the entire time, and while I was only getting 10-12 per set (unlike the 20-30 that the cast were getting), I did not have to do them on my knees, and was getting lower down than I have in a long time. For ab-ripper, I did ten reps of each exercise (except for the mason twists at the end; I did twenty reps of those) and plan to increase by 5 reps each week until I hit 25. We will see how that goes. Ultimately, it was a good workout. It was tough, but it was very nice to have time between the exercises for the first time in a long time.

Workout Kit and Program Review: P90X2 Series Ultimate Kit

This is the Ultimate Kit for P90x2, which comes with the Tony Horton Power Stands, a foam roller (the rumble roller), and two 8-lb medicine balls. I love this workout. I actually like this a lot more than the original version. Since most people who are considering this have already been exposed to P90x, I will highlight some of the differences for you.

1) Like P90x, it is a three-phase program. The big key for me in X2 is there is more variety. For example, in P90x aside from the recovery week, you did the same legs and back workout every week. In X2, the only program you do in more than one month is the plyometrics workout. That is in phases I and II, but not in III. There is a recovery and mobility DVD that you can also use on your rest days throughout the program.

2) X2 yoga is much better. It takes all the good stuff from the original p90x yoga but compresses it into 61 min as opposed to 90 minutes. It flows much better, and I never found myself getting bored or wishing it would stop.

3) Foam rolling is awesome. In P90x you had a stretching DVD that you could use on your rest day. Here, there is a recovery and mobility DVD, the bulk of which is foam rolling. It is hard if you have never done it before, but if you stick with it, it will make your body feel so much better. The rest of recovery and mobility is stretching and low-impact movements.

4) There is less cardio in X2. X1 had the karate workout, plyometrics, and an optional cardio DVD. The only traditional cardio workout in X2 is plyometrics, and it is very different than the X1 version. The circuits in the regular workouts however kept my heart rate up so I still burned a lot of calories. And, in phase III you basically alternate two different workouts which do have quite a bit of cardio in them, and you do the 4 moves in the circuit back-to-back without stopping, then repeat the circuit 4 times. While it does not get your heart rate up like a program such as Insanity does, it does make you winded.

5) They focus a lot on the modifier in X2. They really set the workout up so you do not need all the equipment for people who are not ready to be balancing on medicine balls and stability balls, or who are traveling and cannot take all the equipment with them.

6) While some of the workouts are similar to what you saw in X1, they are more challenging. There are still lots of pull-ups and push-ups, but you are doing push-ups on medicine balls or stability balls, which are much different than they are on the floor. Even if you have done several rounds of P90x, there will be somewhat of a learning curve in X2.

Obviously, the best workout for you is the one you can stick with. I like rotating the beachbody workouts because, let's face it, the same workout over and over gets boring, and even when split into phases your body will begin to adapt. The price on Amazon is pretty steep (you can find it for a lot less), and you always have to watch out for bootlegged copies from third-party sellers. There is always some subjectivity in what you are going to like or dislike. For people who are fans of the original, I think X2 definitely will have something to offer.

 

Workout Kit Review: P90X DVD Workout Base Kit

 

I think the infomercial has been out there long enough to know what the program is all about, so I am going to list my opinion of the pros and cons. I have done multiple Beachbody programs, and actually, this is not my favorite. That said I still think it is very good.

Pros:

1) It can eliminate the need to go to the gym. While there are some benefits to going to a gym for sure, I definitely find that working out at home saves time and money.

2) It is a highly structured program. This is a good thing if you are a beginner, because it tells you what to do on what days, and requires very little guesswork.

3) It uses resistance training and cardio but is not excessive on either one. Most of the workouts are slightly over an hour or shorter.

4) It comes with a good, easy-to-follow nutrition plan, which is essential to getting good results.

5) there are different versions depending on your goals. There is a lean, classic, and doubles version of the program. The lean is for people who do not want to put on as much muscle (it eliminates some of the resistance workouts and subs in cardio). The classic is the regular version of the program, which incorporates all the workouts, and the doubles add a second cardio workout on the resistance days.

Cons:

1) It may be hard if you are a true beginner. If you have never worked out at all, or have had a long layoff this will be hard at first. It presumes you are in decent shape to start with. It does have a person doing modified moves, which usually means using resistance bands instead of free weights and lower impact version of the body weight exercises. While a beginner can do the program, you may need to ease into it a bit.

2) It can require a substantial equipment cost beyond just the DVDs. At the very least you will need a set of resistance bands. You can get a good set of relatively inexpensive bands. You need to get a set though so you have different levels of resistance because you will be stronger on some moves over others, and will just generally get stronger during the program. However you will probably want to, at some point, get a set of weights and a pull-up bar so you can do the program fully. That can get quite expensive. You also need a good pair of cross-training shoes (not running shoes) for the plyometrics workout, because it involves a lot of jumping and quick lateral movements.

3) The program gets repetitive. Unlike P90x2 where you get new workouts each month, in this one you do the same 6 workouts for 4 weeks, then take a recovery week, then do a new rotation of workouts, which rotates in two new workouts, but the 4 others remain the same. Then in the last month, you do month one's rotation for two weeks and month two's rotation for two weeks. Some people get really bored with the workouts by that point.

4) The yoga DVD is really long. It is the longest workout clocking in at just over an hour and a half. The first 50 mins or so is great, but then it kind of transitions into a stretching and ab workout. Since the program already has three days of abdominal work built into it, and an optional stretch DVD you can use on the rest day, I personally would cut it off after the first hour or so.

Ultimately, the best workout for you is going to be the one you stick with. I think P90x is a good overall investment despite the cons I gave it. If you order from Amazon make sure it is being fulfilled by Beachbody, which is the company that produces the DVD. Some of the third-party sellers make bootlegged copies and pass that off.

Product Review: Tony Horton Power Stands

 

I got these with the P90x2 deluxe package through Beachbody. They are very sturdy and work well. They are much heavier than the push-up stands that have the "h" shape if you look at them end-on. These are especially good f you are doing wide-arm push-ups ( which were done more in p90x than x2) because they will not tip and roll on you like other push-up stands. 

Like other push-up stands (or using dumbbells) these will give you more range of motion throughout the push-up movement and are great if you have any wrist pain. I have broken my left wrist twice, and it makes doing regular push-ups hard. I have no wrist problems at all when using these. Also, these can be used to do triceps dips while you are seated on the floor, which is not something that is possible with a lot of push-up stands. So, whether you are doing P90X (or X2 or X3), or just incorporating push-ups into your workouts, these are a great option to have.

Workout Update: Insanity Max 30/Chalean Extreme/Body Beast/P90X Hybrid Day Round 2 Day 53

Day 53 was the last day of this hybrid workout, with the last Friday Fight 2. I was able to again Max Out ten minutes in (10:36 to be exact) while mostly doing unmodified or semi-modified moves for the first ten minutes. Then I had to do a combination of modified and unmodified. 

Overall, I would say that this round went okay, but not as well as I would have liked. My big takeaway from Max 30 is there is a huge difference between how hard the modified workout is versus the unmodified. There is a reason the modifiers can make it through the workouts without maxing out or making it nearly to the end before they max out, while the people who are not modifying generally max out 6-7 minutes into the workouts. 

I have decided that for the next round of workouts I am going to do doubles, but doing a low-impact beginner's pilates as the morning workout to help with my flexibility and core strength, and then Lift 4 as the evening, intense workout. Lift 4 is a four-day workout that combines living heavy weights focused on one or two body parts for the first half of the workout and then doing HIIT cardio for the last half of the workout. The idea is to fatigue your muscles with the heavy lifting and then do intense cardio when you are already spent. I am definitely curious to see how my body will respond to that. 

The Beginner Pilates workout is a six-day-a-week workout that runs for three weeks while Lift 4 is an eight-week program. Right now, my intention is to just do the Pilates workout for the full 8 weeks that I am doing Lift 4, and then switch routines again to go back to Max 30 and see how much better I can do after doing Lift 4.