P90X Grouop to Finish the Year Strong

smpreston

I’m getting ready to start my second full round of P90X on 11/28. I know there are several people starting this week, so I thought I’d get a group going. It’s a tough time of year to get started into working out, but I think the benefits are there. You can be a little lighter for the holidays. Plus, you can have your metabolism going just in case you over indulge a bit this season.

I found that having a group to be accountable to really got me through my first round of P90X. I had tried and failed three times to get through the program. Having a group to post to helped a ton. Now I want to help others. I know it sounds corny, but it is true. I’ve lost 40 pounds between my first round of P90X and my most recent round of a P90X/TurboFire Hybrid. It is a fantastic feeling. I still would like to lose an additional 10-15 pounds, and lose the remaining belly and love handles. I feel adding muscle is the best way to do that. I also want o get a little stronger before I give P90X2 a shot.

So, if you have just started P90X or are ready to, join us for the ride. It’s going to be great.

manvsfood

Joining in! Started P90X Lean Monday (11/21/11), already feel so much better. I actually did all pushups today... I love the progress of it. Tony.. dude, you kicked my *kitten* today.

Good luck to everyone joining!

pmcder10

As soon as I get over this cold, I will be joining in. I cannot wait to get started!

smpreston

That's two already. Who else is out there starting this week or soon?

pmcder10

Just started P90X Classic today and the videos kicked my butt. My upper body strength is lacking. I am looking forward to seeing myself progress over the next 90 days!

Scorpioangel

I think it is great that you are starting this group! I wish I could join but right now I am finishing up Insanity and I am going to be done just in time almost for P90X MC2 to come out!!!! Best of luck - I also did P90X and loved it

drcrystallee

I'll be starting Dec 1st!

smpreston

Day 1 - Chest and Back, ARX

The first day of the round always kicks my butt. I took a full week off last week when my P90X/TurboFire Hybrid came to an end. It felt good, but I was itching to get back to the workouts. I lost42 pounds so far and only think I need to lose tn or so more. I would like to concentrate more on strength gains this round. I started that change by pulling out the push up bars I've had for a while. They did add some extra work to my pushups. Between the bars and the few weeks since my last workout of Chest and Back, my reps did go down a little bit. Pull ups didn't suffer as much. I still need the chair after the first few reps. That is one thing I really want to change this round.

A full two weeks off of Ab Ripper X had some effect. Mason Twists turned out to be my challenge this time. I think I may have consumed too much water during my workout as I thought I could hear and feel the water sloshing around in my empty stomach.

I need to get back on track food-wise. I still have leftovers from Thanksgiving to eat. Tonight is Asian Turkey Noodle Soup. That should knock the left over pile down a bit. Plus, warm soup feels good now that we are getting pretty chilly here in Houston. It was 37 degrees this morning when I woke up.

ralison

I'm starting the classic version this week with hopes of sticking it out the entire 90 days. I've tried about 5 times already and just could not motivate myself to keep at it.

smpreston

Now you have a thread here and other people to keep you motivated.

mbody1

I'm beginning my first ever round of P90X today! At 3:30p.m. central time to be exact

I'm excited to see how my body will change. I've always been active but over the past year I fell off the wagon a bit and put on a few extra pounds- mostly due to my diet not inactivity. I'm comitted to finishing and sticking to the portion plan outlined by P90X. I'm 5'1'' and 120 lbs. now. I'm looking to lose between 10-15 lbs. and add a lot of muscle and tone up!! So pumped!!

smpreston

mbody1 - Nice to see you join the group. Make sure you post when your workou t is done. If you have any problems or successes, let us know. You'll get the help you need. Are you doing the Lean or Classic version?

mbody1

I'm doing the classic version. I finished the workout yesterday and only had to pause the Ab Ripper a few times. I wanted to do as many as I could but didn't want the DVD passing me up too much. By the end of Chest and Back I wasn't even able to do one single girly push-up- My arms were shot. I've got some improvement to do. haha. I've tossed the idea around of doing the 30 Day Shred once in a while after the P90X workout- like maybe 3X a week. Or should I just stick to the P90X DVDs and call it a day? Let me know what you all think. Thanks!

smpreston

Day 2 - Plyometrics

Since I previously did a P90X/TurboFire hybrid, it had been about seven weeks since I last did a Plyo workout. It taught me a lesson about leaving it for so long. My heart rate was up there a lot and my watch kept beeping to let me know I was exceeding my max. I actually had to hit pause a couple times to catch my breath and get my heart rate down. I always set my goal for Jump Knee Tuck. After that set, I feel the workout gets just a bit easier. I got a 999 calorie burn this morning.

I hit my target weight, but would like to lose another 10 pounds or so. I've adjusted my calories to a 250-500 calorie deficit. I'm hoping that keeping a lower deficit will allow me to make some strength gains this round. It's hard to build muscle and lose weight at the same time due to a calorie deficit. I just have to make sure I'm eating the right food. I will mix in doubles, but probably not as many as last round.

mbody - Adding a few 30DS workouts as a double would be a fine idea. I plan on using TurboFire as my doubles, but 30DS would be fine. I would do them later in the day, after your resistance workouts. Doing them back to back would be tough. I would definitely do your P90X workout first. I used to pause Ab Ripper all the time.

manvsfood

Day 9 - Cardio X

Here I am... day 9, week two of P90X Lean and I'm sore everywhere, seriously. The first week was an exhaustingly elongated wake up call; each exercise worked my body like I never worked it before. I started the first week with Core Synergistics, which I think was a pretty awesome way to start P90X because it features a little bit of every workout. Day after day, exercise after exercise, I worked through, *kitten* kicked, truly worked... midweek, I admit, I skipped Yoga X because I couldn't bare doing the LOONG intensive workout so I did Cardio X instead. Kenpo... WOW. I loved it. The jabs, hooks, uppercuts, I felt like I was kicking someone's *kitten*. That, by far, is my favorite DVD next to Chest & Back!

Today was great, Cardio X was sooo much easier, still hard, but I did EVERY move Tony directed me to do. I felt pretty good thinking about last week compared to today -- I DID IT. After the workout I caught a glimspe of myself in the mirror and I can finally see my abs coming through... now I just need to work on my damn arms.


I'm excited for tomorrow which is Shoulders & Arms + the dreaded Ab Ripper, more updates to come xxx

smpreston

Sure, you can get away with doing P90X, or any other exercise program with just the basics. However, there are a few tools that I think are essential to success. I know they were for me.

Heart Rate Monitor – This is very important in my eyes. A good heart rate monitor gives you an accurate picture of the calories you are burning through exercise. They can vary in cost and honestly, the cheaper models are just not worth it. There is a Timex Ironman available for about $60 that is the minimum that I would go with. I use a Polar FT7 myself and love it. The chest strap is comfortable. It even works well for women. You enter all of your stats and it will use them, along with your heart rate to determine the calories you burned in your workout. It also beeps to let you know when you exceed our maximum heart rate. It is fine to do so in short burst, but it is a good sign to pause for a minute.

You can enter your calorie burn into myfitnesspal and it will adjust your calories accordingly. This keeps you from over or under eating. My Polar unit also stores each workout, so you can go back to previous ones and see how they compare.

P90X Excel Spreadsheet – You can find this file at the bottom of the Workout Sheets Page under the Get Fit tab at the Team Beachbody site. You can setup the worksheet with your stats and goals. It works with both the P90X Classic and Lean Programs. It will automatically schedule your workouts. You enter your heart rate information to track it. I added two columns to mine; One for Calories Burned and one for Weekly Totals. Having that record in a form you can see is very helpful.

P90X Work Sheets – You probably already have these. But, I cannot understate how important they are. By writing your weights and reps down, you know what to do next time. Make notes on how you feel too, especially if one move was particularly tough or easy. I use an up or down arrow to indicate if I should raise or lower my weights the next time.

alpha2omega

I'm in. Just started 2nd round today. 1 day behind due to weekend but I'll get back on track.

smpreston

Day 3 - Shoulders and Arms, ARX

Shoulders and Arms has always been my favorite workout of the program. I can do all of the exercises without a problem. I don't need a chair like would with pull ups, I don't lose my balance like in yoga and I don't pass out like in Plyo. It's a simple workout that really is effective for your arms. The only moves I dislike at the Flip Grip Tricep Kickbacks and Crouching Cohen Curls. The flip grip thing just feels awkward to me and I want a mirror so I can see what my arms are doing to make sure they aren't moving. I do Crouching Curls against a wall and that helps a lot with body sway. I just don't find it to be a comfortable move.

For those of you tackling it for the first time, worry more about form rather than your weights. Use a lighter weight and get the form nailed down, then step up the next week with the heavier weights. Avoid swinging your body in curls. It is easy to do and will take away the work from your arms.



alpha2omega - Welcome aboard!

mbody1

Yesterday's workout: Plyo- it was a b*tch to say the least. Ha. I wear a HRM and it was beeping at me every 2 seconds. I kept having to hit pause and take a walking lap around the basement. My goal was to complete the workout and I did that so yay!

I'm looking forward to today's workout- Shoulders and Arms, ARX. I like working my arms and shoulders. I'm still really sore from Monday's workout. I'm hoping my triceps don't give out after one go around. I couldn't even laugh yesterday because my abs also hurt so much. I'm going to try my best to power through.

What weight do you suggest I begin with and graduate to for arms? I'd like to be "super ripped/toned" (ha) by July. I've got dumbells at 4,5,8,10, and 15 pounds- and I'm always willing to go buy more. Thanks for the tip on form over weight- I'll keep that in mind today when I do my workout!

pmcder10

I completed the Shoulders and Arms video last night. Due to earlier than normal work schedules my morning workouts have turned to evening workouts. I struggle with the shoulder and arms video though. Not because I cannot complete the moves, but because I find myself losing interest in the video. Any suggestions?

I am looking forward to the Yoga video tonight! I am pumped that I am almost done with my first week!

smpreston

mbody1 - I can't really hazard a guess for what weights you should be lifting in this workout. You do each move twice, so you can raise or lower the weights the next time around. You can also hit pause or the back button on our remote if you feel the need to change your weights. Plyo is a tough workout and I'm glad to see you made it through the whole thing.

pmcder10 - I don't know how to advise you in terms of keeping your interest level up there. I would try concentrating on the moves and your form. Look at your arms as you do the moves. Try to beat your previous totals in max rep moves like Chair Dips.

pmcder10

Thanks. I will give it a shot next time around. I just get bored with the video. I think a lot of it has to do with the fact that I am stationary (aside from the arms of course) for the most part. It's a mental thing that I will have to overcome.

smpreston

Day 4 - Yoga

Not a great yoga session today. I felt a little off balance. Prayer twists, which I usually handle with ease, got me tipping. Tree was fine, but Royal Dancer and those Leg Extensions had me very wobbly. I ate enough yesterday and didn't do a double, so I don't don't know the cause. I guess my mind wasn't clear enough.

For many of you, this will be your first yoga session. Try not to get frustrated. Yoga can be difficult at first, but you can make strides quickly with it. You may not be able to do all the poses, but eventually you will.

If you feel the time is too much or you just refuse to do yoga, then please do Cardio X on Thursdays. It won't be as beneficial as yoga, but it will give you a workout so you don't end u taking a day off. When I first started, I replaced yoga with Cardio X for the first six weeks or so. Eventually my coach nagged me enough to try it. I've done it ever since and get better at it each time.

mbody1

Yesterday's Shoulder and Arms went well. I liked this workout a lot- especially because I'm trying to build and tone those muscles. I stayed with my 8lbs dumbells for most of the work out. A few I used 10lb and for a few I used my 5lbs. Maybe I'll stick with those for one more week then bump them up.

Yoga will be an entire experiment for me. I've only done one yoga class ever which was my freshman year of college- about 8 years ago and my friend and I were in the front row and kept making faces at each other in the mirror and cracking up. Needless to say, I didn't do very well and never returned. Tonight will be interesting.

Question/Comment/Observation: So I've been sticking to the portions diet plan pretty well. I eat dinner around 7 each night and feel full after. Around 9:30 my stomach feels like I haven't eaten in days- a pit feeling and growling. This never used to happen to me. Is it because I'm just overall eating a bit less than I'm used to or only after 3 days, is my metabolism that much more efficient?

smpreston

I didn't really like teh portion plan, so I don't know how my body would have acted. I stuck to the ratios and used MFP to track my calories. I would have a snack at that point. Maybe some cottage cheese or natural peanut butter with some celery. I'm not a beleiver in the "Don't eat before bed" camp.

ralison

I am starting P90X classic tonight with Chest & Back. I'm also making it doubles. The doubles workout is one of the 10 minute trainer DVD's. I'm hoping to do that DVD in the morning and P90X after work. It sounds like everyone has started off very well:) Good luck to everyone!

manvsfood

Day 11 - Yoga X :smokin:

After constant hesitation to do Yoga X, mainly because of the huge time length, I decided to take the next step and do it. The first forty minutes were indeed difficult but I tried my best to hold my balance and not focus on the clock. The hardest workout at that time was definitely the Triangle Pose & Reserve Warrior Twist, but after stumping a couple times... I DID THEM! The rest of the first half was difficult... I even found myself saying "Really Tony!?" when he wanted me to do a CRAZY pose then I sucked it up and tried again.

The last 30 minutes was great! It felt soooo great stretching places, I've never stretched before. Balance stretches were a little tough at first, but after stumbling a couple times I finally go them down. Oh, and "the frog" felt great on my hamstrings. By the final minutes, and the "Lotus (Meditation Pose)" was very needed while my mind was calm, and relaxed... then all of a sudden, it was over. What a workout!

This will definitely be one of my favorites!

:happy:

jdawg1105

I will be starting P90X for my second time on Dec 3. So I will join this group if that is ok. My first attempt ended after 4 weeks, I ibroke my ankle at my sons soccer practice. That was Nov last year and I guess now that I am sick of feeling like crap all the time it is time to get the weight off. The hardest part ,and from what I have read, the most important part is going to be the Nutrition. With a son in soccer all year round with all the running he does he can't put on weight and eats non stop so there is always junk food of some sort around the house. With that being said I have went the last 2 weeks with no beer which I think is a record for me.

I will repost after my first workout good luck to all

smpreston

ralison - Let us know how Chest and Back goes! It killed me the first time I tried it. Don't worry if you have to drop to your knees on push ups or havea hard time with pull ups. You aren't the only one.

manvsfood - Good to hear you enjoyed yoga. That is a tough workout and even I can't say I "enjoy" it.

jdawg - You are more than welcome to join the group. I had my best weight loss with P90X when I cut out the beer too. It really is just empty calories, even if it tastes so good.

ralison

ralison - Let us know how Chest and Back goes! It killed me the first time I tried it. Don't worry if you have to drop to your knees on push ups or havea hard time with pull ups. You aren't the only one.

I do modify the moves quite a bit. I decided to start off with the push ups on my knees. I can only do about 3-4 regularly and the crazy push ups they do.....there's no way I'd be able too much if I did them normally. For the pull ups.....I use a band, strap it around the leg of the couch. So I might be using some different muscles than what it's supposed to be.

Overall though I know it works because I'm always sore. Just gotta push through it.

How was your workout?

smpreston

Day 5 - Legs and Back, ARX

I was just not feeling right this morning. I walked the dog and had a couple glasses of water before starting my workout. I felt tired and dry mouthed. By the end of the workout, I was feeling worse. I guess Christmas Lights X in my front yard yesterday was more of a workout than I thought. Or, I could be coming down with something like a cold, SARS, Swine Flu, Yellow Fever, The Plague, etc.

Legs and Back is a workout that I seem to like, but I don't know why. It has a lot of pull ups, which are tough. It has a lot of balance and isolation moves which are also tough. Maybe it's just the chance to see Sophia smack Tony in the face with her bands that keeps me going. Alternating Side Lunges always get my heart rate up there and my knees sound like a box of Rice Krispies.