Just wanted to keep my self accountable and anyone interested updated on my progress with P90x. I started the program last Wednesday (March 9th) and at the time I wasn’t sure what to expect. I was hoping I wouldn’t be disappointed in the workouts because I’m in decent shape from playing basketball every week and going to the gym 3 to 4 times a week.
Brief Overview
P90x is a 12 week (or 90 day) training program. The package includes 12 DVD workouts that are designed to work on every part of your body.
- Chest & Back
- Plyometrics
- Shoulders & Arms
- Yoga X
- Legs & Back
- Kenpo X
- X Stretch
- Core Synergistics
- Chest, Shoulders & Triceps
- Back & Biceps
- Cardio X
- Ab Ripper X
In my condo I have a loft which is now designated the “BRING IT ZONE”. I borrowed my brother’s bowflex adjustable dumbells, hung up a pullup bar in the door frame and layed out a yoga mat. If you ignore the giant red couch (that is owe so comfy) and the giant red chair, it looks like a Gym…well not really. Anyhow there isn’t a lot of room but I make it work.
Week #1 Review
Day #1
Chest & Back: (1 hr long) I’ve never done so many pushups in my life. Probably about 300 of them in a variety of ways (wide stance, decline, narrow stance, on your side pushups). We also did pull ups which I’ve never been able to do many. Tony was doing 15, I was doing 3. This will be a good measuring stick to see how many pull-ups I can do at the end of 90 days.
Ab Ripper X: (16 minutes) Good Times! My stomach muscles seized up at about minute 4 and had to take a 5 minute break just so I could finish strong…err weak.
results: This was a challenging day and my chest muscles where very sore the next day. Surprising my stomach wasn’t that bad, probably because of the lack of reps.
Day #2
Plyometrics (1 hr): I call these the basketball exercises. Lot’s of jumping and agility type drills that one would do on a basketball court. I liked this day and found it fun to do and a nice change from lifting weights. My cardio level is fairly high from playing basketball and running 2 miles a few times a week, but I still got winded at times and needed to press the pause button.
results: legs where a bit sore, but not to worse for ware.
Day #3
Shoulders and Arms (1 hr): Dumbells where extensively used here. Because this was the first time through this day I wanted to use less weight and concentrate on form and finishing the reps. The result was that I probably didn’t get as much out of it as I could have. I will be upping the anti this week however.
Ab Ripper X (16 min): On day one Tony Horton said that we didn’t need to work out our abs everyday (which I was relieved), but apparently every other day is where it’s at. I’d like to think I did a bit better on this round, but I still struggled mightily. Of the 330 possible situps, I probably accomplished 150 or so. I’m going to start keeping track so I can identify my progress better.
results: not very sore, but my stomach was feeling tighter
Day #4
Yoga X (1hr 30 min): I have never done yoga before and being non to flexible, I was a bit scared. I mean, I can’t even sit indian (cross legged) style and that is the RELAX POSITION! With all that said I think I’m going to benefit most from the yoga. I sweated buckets! This was a hard hard workout
results: i actually felt my body was much looser and relaxed when I was done.
Day #5
Legs and Back (1 hr): Will now hence forth be called “FU**, MORE SQUATES???” day. My favorite was the chair exercise where you would lean up against a wall and slide your but down and bend at your knees until you resemble a chair. This shouldn’t be hard right? I mean your leaning up against the wall. Wrong! Leg shakes ensued 27 seconds into the 90 seconds of fun. Not to worry though, I got a good chance to rest after doing my 3 pullups and waiting for Tony and his super friends to finish up there 25.
Ab Ripper X (16 min): I did better this time, but I’m finding that my back and hip flexure muscles give out before my stomach really gets a good workout on some of the moves. need to get those stronger.
results: Not surprising my legs where sore the next day. Abs felt pretty tight but not sore.
Day #6
Kenpo X (1 hr): This was fun and the time went by very quickly. Lots of kick boxing moves and very active. I swear I almost punched myself in the face a few times because my coordination with some of the moves was not there just yet. Jab – Cross – Hook – Uppercut, Jab – Cross – Hook – Uppercut, Jab – Cross – Hook – Uppercut I was fine while we moved slow, but when I spead up I got out of whack sometimes.
results: felt pretty good the next day, my abs where actually sore from the constant rotations of the moves.
Day #7
Relax or Stretch X: I chose to take it easy and relax since it was my first week. I’ll be doing the stretch from here on out though as I need to work on my flexibility.
Conclusion
I’m very impressed with P90x so far and am enjoying the workouts a lot. One thing I like about doing this instead of going to the gym is that at the gym I wasn’t always sure if what I was doing would benefit me. With P90x I have a professional trainer telling me what to do so I know I’m working my body right.
The hardest part for me so far is my diet. I’ve cut out most sugars and diet soda and have been trying to eat 5 smaller meals a day instead of 3 larger meals. I’m a VERY picky eater so this is going to be a challenge eating more veggies and less sugars.
Anyone else doing p90x and want to help motivate each other?
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Comments 7
Excellent Excellent job Scott. Kathy and I did P90x for 1 day and it kicked our ass! It wasn’t our dvd’s so we had to give them back.
It was such a great workout (even tho we were so friggin sore the next day) that I think we are going to ask if we can borrow the dvd’s again to burn them (I think you need special software because you can’t just burn em the normal way.) We have dumb bells, a yoga mat, a pullup bar and new workout sneaks now…….just need to get the dvd’s again.
I think you’re doing an awesome job Scott. You’re gonna be smokin fit after you finish this for sure!
Getting your own copy (burned or bought) is a great idea. Even when you are finished with the 90 days, you’ll have some great workouts for those days you are tired of the gym.
Really great, Scotty! I don’t do the full program, but I do p90x exercises with Phil twice a week at the gym. Ab Ripper X typically makes me nauseous, but I do it anyway. Plyometrics are fun for me, but definitely exhausting.
I’ve done all the exercises several times with the exception of Yoga X and Kenpo X, which I’ve never done before.
I think you’d like the Kenpo X if you like playometrics. Kinda like kickboxing!
Great Job man. I started last week as well and would have to agree with your assertions about the workouts. I have the same problem as you with my flexibilty so I gave X-Stretch a try and I have to recommend it, it is far different than the other workouts as you feel great in a relaxed and loose way when you’re done. Keep it up.
I will be doing X-Stretch on my day off this week for sure. I need to improve the flexibility in my hips so I can do some of the yoga positions.
Great Job man. I started last week as well and would have to agree with your assertions about the workouts. I have the same problem as you with my flexibilty so I gave X-Stretch a try and I have to recommend it, it is far different than the other workouts as you feel great in a relaxed and loose way when you’re done. Keep it up.