p90x help?

mehaffeymk

Ok, so I own the P90X dvds. Never been able to complete more than a week due to lack of motivation and it's straight up HARD. But I'm reading all these success stories on the boards and seeing how amazing people look and I'm thinking about taking it up again. One problem I had with the dvds is using the resistance bands to do the pull ups and stuff. I didn't have anywhere to hook the bands so it was lots of modification which I felt like didn't give me a great workout. Actually, no matter what I did with them, I never felt like I got a good workout with the resistance bands for anything, especially the pull ups. But I don't know if I wanna buy a pull up bar (how much are they, ps?) and I DEFINITELY can't do an inkling of a pull up. If I spend my time going through the dvd, I wanna do it right and I wanna know how yall modify the workout with the bands to get the burn you need.

Right now I do an hour on the elliptical six days a week and strength training three days a week and my trainer has said not to push too hard on the elliptical and to keep my heart rate in the 60-80% range to burn fat. So if I should stick with that, yall let me know too.

Any advice?

gogojodee

Bump! haha - I JUST did Shoulders & Arms with the bands - didn't work out so well.

Lady_Bane

When you really are dedicated to being fit, you will just DO IT. There will come time where you just say, *kitten* it, its ON!

taxidermist15

i was thinking about these pull up things today

i also do p90x with the bands, and interchanging them is a B*tch.

do you reckon handstand push ups would work the same muscle groups? i know its a push motion rather than a pull.. and you couldnt do all the modifications, but dam those are hard

Greenrun99

You need a door anchor for your bands to do pull ups with them.. also if you feel your not getting a good workout with the bands, or they are too light, you need to make a loop with them to make them tighter when you start.. they show that on the videos as well.. A pull up bar is nice and if you can't do one, you can always use a chair for support until you can.. they usually run between $20-50

alyssa92982

we (me and hubby) borrowed a dumbell set from his brother for all weight workouts, so maybe you can borrow from someone??? we also never did a single pull up with a bar and also used bands for the "back workouts" instead which worked. If you have the little connector thing that goes in the opening of the door-use that at the highest part of the door by the ceiling and sit on the ground and pull the bands down then like on the dvd's. you will feel this in your back. this is what we do and has worked tremendously for us. good luck!

brett1117

it's hard because it WORKS!! The end result will be worth the hard work!! Give yourself 90 days of your life to feel and look great!! You're wasting your time doing elliptical 6 days a week. You do elliptical because it's easy. sorry hope I don't come across rude!! I'm just trying to make a point..P90x and Insanity are the BEST workout programs I've ever used!!

KNarrainen

I got a chin up bar for £25 which is good quality, I could only do 3 pull ups to start with a couple of weeks later I am up to 5. I hope to keep increasing this as i progress. It's hard work, because it works.

ctooch99

Hey All - sorry if I am repeating anything (I did not read every post).

First - I can attest to P90X - it straight up RULES. I have used gyms and played sports for years, but I really love the workouts I get with P90X now. I started in January (not in horrible shape - still pretty active) at 205LBS. My weigh in yesterday I am now 171LBS. For the first time ever (all through sports as a kid, collegiate wrestling, weight training etc.) I am developing a six pack at age 44).

So I am a HUGE endorser of P90X (no I do NOT work for Beach Body nor care to... kinda bummed at the direction they are taking but that is a topic for another thread).

I currently do P90X, P90X plus 5-6 times per week, I mix in cardio kung foo (on a heavy bag) and I play league hockey - for what it is worth here are my tips for being successful at P90X

1) Have a dedicated area with a decent TV/DVD player readily available
2) Use dumbells and a pull up bar - most of the people who fail use the bands (however for some exercise the bands do work well)
3) If possible buy a whole set of fixed weight dumbbells - I have the kind where I need to change plates and it does slow some of the workouts down a lot.
4) Use the playback mode where you can here Tony talk - he is a bit over the top (I love the guy), but if you listen to his instructions carefully, you will succeed.
5) Do NOT try to keep up with Tony Horton or Dreya Weber when you first start - if you have not been working out before starting, you will not be able to keep up with them - they are both super fit. Dreya Weber is a freakin' aerialist - use the modified moves.
6) Don't give up on the pull ups even if you cannot do one. Use the chair like Horton says - I assure you within 3 weeks you will be strong enough. When I started I could do 10 pullups. Now I can do 30 - P90X JACKS your strength if you do it right.

Good luck! BRING IT! XXXXX

ctooch99

it's hard because it WORKS!! The end result will be worth the hard work!! Give yourself 90 days of your life to feel and look great!! You're wasting your time doing elliptical 6 days a week. You do elliptical because it's easy. sorry hope I don't come across rude!! I'm just trying to make a point..P90x and Insanity are the BEST workout programs I've ever used!!

THIS!!! 100% On THE MONEY

stylistchik

Can you get one of those hooks to screw into your wall or ceiling for the bands? We have this weird shelF they hook onto great but if we didn't have that I have no clue what I would do!

ctooch99

i was thinking about these pull up things today

i also do p90x with the bands, and interchanging them is a B*tch.

do you reckon handstand push ups would work the same muscle groups? i know its a push motion rather than a pull.. and you couldnt do all the modifications, but dam those are hard

All you need is a $25 door frame pull up bar - they work awesome - I started at 205LBS and had no problem using mine. Here is a link:

http://www.amazon.com/Iron-Total-Upper-Body-Workout/dp/B001EJMS6K/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1341748682&sr=8-1&keywords=Pullup+bar

kregerems

If your watching the videos, Tony explains how to do everything and how to modify the workout. As for the pull-ups you
can use a chair as they show in the video. Go by a pull-up bar, and mount it over a door as it explains. You can then attach
the bands to that if needed. It works, when I first started P90x I couldn't do a pull-up if you held a gun to my head, now, I'm
in phase 2 and can do as many as 10 to 12 pull-ups. Keep with it and don't give up, you will see progress in time.
Good luck.

pinkwhisk

get a stronger band? Try a red or green. I didn't like the bands for pull ups either so I now use a chair to support one leg for pull ups. Has a far greater impact - but still miles away from a pull up

you need a pull up bar if you're serious about doing the programme (I'm guessing you're not ready at the moment)

usernamekelly1

With you saying you have a trainer, I'm assuming you have gym access??? If so, you can always take a copy of the workout in paper form or listen to the audio on a mp3 player and do it there, I have done this as I also only have the weights that you need to change and it sucks, so I do these at the gym with just the print out. My gym has an assistant pull-up / dip machine also so I've also done chest & back there, and TBH I actually push more at the gym!!!!

pinkwhisk

it's hard because it WORKS!! The end result will be worth the hard work!! Give yourself 90 days of your life to feel and look great!! You're wasting your time doing elliptical 6 days a week. You do elliptical because it's easy. sorry hope I don't come across rude!! I'm just trying to make a point..P90x and Insanity are the BEST workout programs I've ever used!!

THIS!!! 100% On THE MONEY

exactly. You're wasting your time on the elliptical trainer

relly1008

I only use the bands for pull ups workouts, for the other ones i use dumbells it works for me.

laddyboy

When I first stated P90X I couldn't pull my fat *kitten* out of my chair let alone a pullup. I used the bands like Tony shows in the video and now I can do 20+ pullups. I agree with the earlier poster...give your self excuses as to Why you need to workout not why you can't. This program is hard cuz it works. I went from 235 to 190 in 90 days. Just listen to Tony and press play every day. In 90 days you'll be thanking everyone who supported you.

greggags2

I would suggest a pull up bar for the door frame, they aren't very expensive and can be found at local fitness stores. To modify your pull ups use the back of a chair and put your feet on it to make them easier but still push yourself. After a little while you will get stronger and then be able to do a full unassisted pull up

ctooch99

When I first stated P90X I couldn't pull my fat *kitten* out of my chair let alone a pullup. I used the bands like Tony shows in the video and now I can do 20+ pullups. I agree with the earlier poster...give your self excuses as to Why you need to workout not why you can't. This program is hard cuz it works. I went from 235 to 190 in 90 days. Just listen to Tony and press play every day. In 90 days you'll be thanking everyone who supported you.

Awesome post

HildeDanmark

Like everyone else said, use a chair with the over the door frame pull up bar. It is what I do and that is enough of a workout for me at the moment.

Maybe you could modify P90X? I only sort of supplement with it 3 times a week or so. The legs/back, core synergistics, plyo, and abs are what I use most and the 3 (minus the abs) pack a pretty powerful calorie burn. The Cardio is also pretty good at calorie burning.

On other days I dance, walk, or bike.