Ok, fantastic may be a little bit of an exaggeration, considering I feel muscles in a way I haven't in a long, long time. As in, sore to the touch and can't-get-up-without-feeling-it pain, but it's GREAT. I know the P90X series is working.
Yesterday, the Lean version called for Yoga X, but being Sunday, I didn't have an hour and a half to devote to my workout, so I did a 20-minute High Intensity Interval Training video from BeachBody's Turbo Fire workout program. I sweated more during those twenty minutes than I have in a long time during a cardio workout.
Today was Legs and Back and Ab Ripper X day. Wowza. I did close to 100 pullups over the course of the workout (about 50 minutes) and so many lunges, squats, and wall squats that my legs and butt scream at me every time I get up from the couch. I'm afraid to see what I'm going to feel like in the morning!
I swapped out a few of the ab exercises in the Ab Ripper X program to sub in some police-specific sit ups. I also added in some bicycle crunches (a la Jillian Michaels). Now I can feel ab muscles right up under my breasts, which is fairly rare for me.
Tomorrow is Kenpo X day, which I'm not too sure about, but we'll see. I've adjusted the plan to include a Chest and Back workout on Day 1 instead of Core Synergistics. I'll probably throw a run in there on that day, too, so I don't lose my running progress. I have to include a run on one other night of the week, too. I still have to figure that out.
Overall, I think it's a pretty tight program. I've got three cardio days and three strength days, as well as a rest day or stretch day. I think I'll go with the stretch this week and see how it goes. I need to work on flexibility so it might be good for me. I just realized...one more day and then I've got my stretch day! Kenpo X tomorrow...oh boy.
Monday, January 31, 2011
Saturday, January 29, 2011
Day 3 of P90X
I can't remember if I mentioned I'm doing the Lean version of P90X. Basically, the Lean version has more cardio and less strength moves, but don't get me wrong...there are still plenty of great workouts in this version. I need to work on my pullups and pushups, so the Lean version should help me to get to the "Classic" level for round #2 (after I take a couple weeks off when round 1 is completed, of course).
Weeks 1-3 are the same in the Lean version. Day 1 is Core Synergistics, Day 2 is Cardio X, Day 3 (which I've just finished) is Shoulders & Arms and Ab Ripper X. Day 4 is Yoga X, Day 5 is Legs & Back and Ab Ripper X, Day 6 is Kenpo X, and Day 7 is rest or Stretch X.
Today is Day 3, and so I've just completed the Shoulders & Arms and the Ab Ripper X workouts, back-to-back. Together, they are about 60 minutes in length, including the warm-up and cool-down. I was pretty satisfied with the arm workouts, aside from the fact that my dumbbells are a little too light. I'll have to pick up some 10, 15, and 20 pound dumbbells for upcoming back workouts. Apparently my heavier 8-pound ones are at my parents' place so I'll have to get those as well. I was using 5 pound weights and that's really not enough for a good workout. Not that I didn't get a workout- I can certainly feel my arms right now, but it could have been a lot tougher. Some people might prefer bands, but I like using dumbbells.
The ab workout was killer. It's only about 10 minutes, but during that time, you do 349 ab exercises. Each exercise requires 25 reps, except for one where we did 40 plus ten bonus. OUCH!
This morning, my outer thighs, hip flexors, and obliques were killing me from all the kenpo and wacky jacks in yesterday's workout. I can only imagine how I'll feel tomorrow!
I'm considering buying some adjustable dumbbells, maybe you've seen them advertised. I know Jillian Michaels has a set for a reasonable price. I'm going to check out some reviews and maybe pick up a set off of Amazon. Her two-dumbbell set only goes to 12.5 pounds (each) but she also has a 25-pound option, which is adjustable in 5-pound increments. What a fantastic idea - save space and have all the weights you need. The only problem is that this price is for ONE dumbbell, so shipping would be killer. Maybe Fitness Depot carries weights like these, I am going to check it out.
Weeks 1-3 are the same in the Lean version. Day 1 is Core Synergistics, Day 2 is Cardio X, Day 3 (which I've just finished) is Shoulders & Arms and Ab Ripper X. Day 4 is Yoga X, Day 5 is Legs & Back and Ab Ripper X, Day 6 is Kenpo X, and Day 7 is rest or Stretch X.
Today is Day 3, and so I've just completed the Shoulders & Arms and the Ab Ripper X workouts, back-to-back. Together, they are about 60 minutes in length, including the warm-up and cool-down. I was pretty satisfied with the arm workouts, aside from the fact that my dumbbells are a little too light. I'll have to pick up some 10, 15, and 20 pound dumbbells for upcoming back workouts. Apparently my heavier 8-pound ones are at my parents' place so I'll have to get those as well. I was using 5 pound weights and that's really not enough for a good workout. Not that I didn't get a workout- I can certainly feel my arms right now, but it could have been a lot tougher. Some people might prefer bands, but I like using dumbbells.
The ab workout was killer. It's only about 10 minutes, but during that time, you do 349 ab exercises. Each exercise requires 25 reps, except for one where we did 40 plus ten bonus. OUCH!
This morning, my outer thighs, hip flexors, and obliques were killing me from all the kenpo and wacky jacks in yesterday's workout. I can only imagine how I'll feel tomorrow!
I'm considering buying some adjustable dumbbells, maybe you've seen them advertised. I know Jillian Michaels has a set for a reasonable price. I'm going to check out some reviews and maybe pick up a set off of Amazon. Her two-dumbbell set only goes to 12.5 pounds (each) but she also has a 25-pound option, which is adjustable in 5-pound increments. What a fantastic idea - save space and have all the weights you need. The only problem is that this price is for ONE dumbbell, so shipping would be killer. Maybe Fitness Depot carries weights like these, I am going to check it out.
Friday, January 28, 2011
P90X!
Sorry to all my readers - I've been super busy with writing, parenting, and life! I've had a major change in my workload so pretty much everything has been put aside so that I can keep on top of my writing commitments. Having said that, I've also made a monumental decision...I'm going to apply to the Toronto Police Service and get back into policing. I was born to be a cop. I went to school for it, I worked as one for 4 years, then circumstances made me leave the career I loved. Now I'm ready to go back....but it's gonna take a ton of work! I need to dial up my fitness level! So who's with me????
I started P90X yesterday. I'm doing the Lean version, which means more cardio (so I can get into good cardio shape) and less strength compared to the regular version. I'll still be doing pushups and pullups, so I'll be building strength and whittling myself down to my top shape. I'm looking forward to the challenge!
Yesterday was my first day with the program. We started with Core Synergistics. It's not quite what I expected, since there was a lot more arm and leg work than I would have thought, but boy oh boy did my glutes ever hurt when I was done! They hurt just sitting down!
And today was Cardio X day. Seemed kind of tame while I was doing it (even though I hated it almost all the way through)...there were a lot of kenpo moves, and I don't really have a lot of room for kicking, but whatever. I did it all. There are some plyo moves, some kenpo/kickboxing moves, some core moves, some yoga, and that's pretty much it. It doesn't seem very extreme to me, but I don't have a heart rate monitor since mine broke. It's hard to tell how hard you're working, without a heart rate monitor. I recommend anyone who is doing a workout plan like this should have a heart rate monitor, just so you know if you're hitting your target zone.
The only drawback to doing a program like this is the fact that, if you're training for something specific (like policing, for example), and you have to be able to pass certain tests (like running a 1.5 mile run in under so many minutes), then you have to consider that this program will not make you a better runner. Sure, it might increase your endurance, cardio-wise, but the only way to get better/faster at running is to RUN. So add in a couple of days worth of running into this program just to stay on your game.
Is there anyone doing (or has done) the P90X program? What do you think of it?
I started P90X yesterday. I'm doing the Lean version, which means more cardio (so I can get into good cardio shape) and less strength compared to the regular version. I'll still be doing pushups and pullups, so I'll be building strength and whittling myself down to my top shape. I'm looking forward to the challenge!
Yesterday was my first day with the program. We started with Core Synergistics. It's not quite what I expected, since there was a lot more arm and leg work than I would have thought, but boy oh boy did my glutes ever hurt when I was done! They hurt just sitting down!
And today was Cardio X day. Seemed kind of tame while I was doing it (even though I hated it almost all the way through)...there were a lot of kenpo moves, and I don't really have a lot of room for kicking, but whatever. I did it all. There are some plyo moves, some kenpo/kickboxing moves, some core moves, some yoga, and that's pretty much it. It doesn't seem very extreme to me, but I don't have a heart rate monitor since mine broke. It's hard to tell how hard you're working, without a heart rate monitor. I recommend anyone who is doing a workout plan like this should have a heart rate monitor, just so you know if you're hitting your target zone.
The only drawback to doing a program like this is the fact that, if you're training for something specific (like policing, for example), and you have to be able to pass certain tests (like running a 1.5 mile run in under so many minutes), then you have to consider that this program will not make you a better runner. Sure, it might increase your endurance, cardio-wise, but the only way to get better/faster at running is to RUN. So add in a couple of days worth of running into this program just to stay on your game.
Is there anyone doing (or has done) the P90X program? What do you think of it?
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