6mo of SL5x5...but P90X kicked by butt!

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McCloud33
McCloud33 Posts: 959 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
So I lost about 50 lbs and started doing Stronglifts 5x5 about 6 months ago. I've definitely brought my weights on those lifts up. Here are my current 5x5 numbers:
Squat: SW 110 => CW 300 (Max 365)
Dead: SW 175 => CW 350 (Max 405)
Bench: SW 135 => CW 210 (Max 235)
OH Press: SW 85 => CW 135
BO Row: SW 100 => CW 205

So anyway, I was ready to take a break and switch over to P90X (I had gone through the program a couple years ago) and figured that it would somehow be easier since I've been lifting so much and gained so much strength. STRENGTH DOES NOT EQUAL ENDURANCE!!!

Holy cow was I surprised when I couldn't even make it through the 1st Chest/Back workout. For those of you that have done it, it's mostly alternating different variations of push-ups and pull-ups for 30+ minutes. It's a circuit that you complete twice. I made it through the first circuit ok, but by the time I got to the diamond push-ups (about 2/3rds through the second round) I went down to the ground and my arms refused to push me back up.

I'm sure the endurance will come back with time, but I was just surprised at my lack of endurance.

Replies

  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,695 Member
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    Like any other exercise, if you aren't consistent with it, then likely it will be difficult when you attempt it. You went from an anaerobic to an aerobic/muscle endurance program which is training 2 different fibers of muscle.
    Even a long distance runner would have a difficult time with 10x40 yard sprints even though they may have ran several 10K's in a year.

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  • McCloud33
    McCloud33 Posts: 959 Member
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    I expected some sort of drop off in muscle endurance, I just never expected to not be able to finish the workout.
  • Sam_I_Am77
    Sam_I_Am77 Posts: 2,093 Member
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    McCloud33 wrote: »
    I expected some sort of drop off in muscle endurance, I just never expected to not be able to finish the workout.

    There's no reason you can't do pull-ups / push-ups (or dips) with SL5x5. I know they're not part of the program per-say, but you can effectively add them in. You won't want to do them in cardio fashion, but getting in 50-100 of each per week is still doing something.
  • dbmata
    dbmata Posts: 12,950 Member
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    So a cardio program laid you out. Yeah, that isn't a surprise man. Gotta work the endurance with the heavy liftin'.
  • McCloud33
    McCloud33 Posts: 959 Member
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    Sam_I_Am77 wrote: »
    McCloud33 wrote: »
    I expected some sort of drop off in muscle endurance, I just never expected to not be able to finish the workout.

    There's no reason you can't do pull-ups / push-ups (or dips) with SL5x5. I know they're not part of the program per-say, but you can effectively add them in. You won't want to do them in cardio fashion, but getting in 50-100 of each per week is still doing something.

    I had been doing pull-ups and dips as assistance exercises with SL...the difference being is the time between sets. Like I said, I was fine through the first half of the P90X workout, but the 15-30 second rest periods between exercises just caught up to me at the end.
  • McCloud33
    McCloud33 Posts: 959 Member
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    dbmata wrote: »
    So a cardio program laid you out. Yeah, that isn't a surprise man. Gotta work the endurance with the heavy liftin'.

    It wasn't the cardio aspect of it necessarily, but more just muscle fatigue. I've been running biking on my "off" days with SL to still do cardio and It's not a slow jog either. I usually do anywhere from a 2-4 mile run during the week and 4-6 mile run on the weekend maintaining between a 7 to 8 min mile depending on the distance.
  • lishie_rebooted
    lishie_rebooted Posts: 2,973 Member
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    McCloud33 wrote: »
    dbmata wrote: »
    So a cardio program laid you out. Yeah, that isn't a surprise man. Gotta work the endurance with the heavy liftin'.

    It wasn't the cardio aspect of it necessarily, but more just muscle fatigue. I've been running biking on my "off" days with SL to still do cardio and It's not a slow jog either. I usually do anywhere from a 2-4 mile run during the week and 4-6 mile run on the weekend maintaining between a 7 to 8 min mile depending on the distance.

    A 7min mile isn't really comparable to a cardio circuit...
  • McCloud33
    McCloud33 Posts: 959 Member
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    603reader wrote: »
    McCloud33 wrote: »
    dbmata wrote: »
    So a cardio program laid you out. Yeah, that isn't a surprise man. Gotta work the endurance with the heavy liftin'.

    It wasn't the cardio aspect of it necessarily, but more just muscle fatigue. I've been running biking on my "off" days with SL to still do cardio and It's not a slow jog either. I usually do anywhere from a 2-4 mile run during the week and 4-6 mile run on the weekend maintaining between a 7 to 8 min mile depending on the distance.

    A 7min mile isn't really comparable to a cardio circuit...

    I guess I'm finding that out LOL

  • mcblevins
    mcblevins Posts: 74 Member
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    I do SL MWF and I do P90X Plyo and Yoga on Tuesday and Thursday respectively. Every once and awhile I'll switch it up and do a week of P90X, and like McCloud33 said, it kicks your butt!

    It hurts my man stuff to not be able to finish a P90X workout like I did when I did the full 90 days. Oh well.
  • dbmata
    dbmata Posts: 12,950 Member
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    Yeah, it's just different man, it's a different kind of cardio.

    Only way to get good at something like 1 minute AMRAP is to do 1 minute AMRAPs. lol. Have fun with it man.
  • MeanderingMammal
    MeanderingMammal Posts: 7,866 Member
    edited December 2014
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    .
  • McCloud33
    McCloud33 Posts: 959 Member
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    Still feeling it two days later. Not as bad as the very first time I did the program (when I did it the very first time it hurt to raise my hands up to wash my hair LOL).

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