P90x

[red sky]

Originally Posted by worth

You use powerblocks? Oh man, I would like something like that. Do you recommend a specific one?

With me p90x is kind of a set schedule thing. Like you guys are saying, right when I walk in the door, I start my workout. If you have stuff to do on your way home from work, it's easy to bypass the gym. If you workout at home, whatever time you get home, you know you need to work out. That's how it works for me anyway.

I have the 5.0's. They range from 5-50lbs, in 5 lbs increments, which is good for everything except certain back excerises where I could stand to do more weight. Instead I just increase my reps. I am a huge advocate of them. I did two weeks with bands last time and said screw this and went and bought them. Haven't regretted it once.

[worth]

Where did you get them from?

[red sky]

Well I got them a Fitness Depot by Chinook centre. I just did a quick search on their website and it seems that there is a new generation recently released and they are about $100 more than what I spent. Mine weren't the Urethane set. Also, I signed up for some Aspire website and saved $20 on my purchase.

Here is the link anyways: http://www.fitnessdepot.ca/shop/stor...t-P1210C0.aspx

You could check online in the States as well with the loonie doing so well. Although I would hate to see the shipping charge for something like that.

[Flame Of Liberty]

Originally Posted by username

I have a question for all you p90x folk - have any of you ever worked out a gym before? If so, do you prefer the gym or p90x. Assume for a second that you live by yourself and have no kids so basically you have all the time in the world to hit the gym 5 times a week (at least).

It depends on what you want to achieve. P90x is great if you want to lose weight and get lean. But if you want to really beef up, heavy weight lifting in the gym is the only way to go. All that jumping and twirling around in your living room without a break is great if you want to burn calories but if you want to put on some serious muscle you've got to hit the gym.

Personally, I've added some p90x core exercises into my routine, but yoga, kenpo and plyo is pretty much useless for me.

[red sky]

Very good point, P90x isn't for everyone.

[red sky]

Still going strong. On to my third day of my recovery week today.

Monday was Core Synergistics. I really enjoy this workout as it is a mix of everything. It seems to go really quick.

Tuesday was Yoga. I probably had my best yoga session ever. I put up a dvd box to block the time and just breathed through all the movements. I still have lots of trouble with the latter half of the moving exercises but I felt huge improvements from my first time around.

Tonight: Running.

That's all for now. Hope everyone is still kicking it.

[worth]

I have had trouble the last little while.

First off, i'm not getting enough calories in my diet. I'm thinking i'm 300-500 calories short per day. Anyone have any recommendations as to something quick and easy I can add to my diet?

Last Thursday I did my plyo. I had a cold really coming on and I struggled a bit through this one but made it through.

Friday I didn't get home until 10:30pm. I was fully sick and I only made it half way through legs and back and I didn't do ab ripper.

Saturday I was going to do Yoga but felt like crap so I skipped it.

Sunday I forced myself to do yoga and it felt good. I'm actually really liking yoga now. Especially with a block.

Monday Chest and back was another tough one. I think because of not having enough in my system before I work out. I lost a few pounds over the weekend from not eating properly while I was sick. I can't really afford to lose weight. I need to put it on. Mind you, at 145, i'm the heaviest i've ever been.

Plyo yesterday I thought was going to be terrible. My legs are sore for some reason and I think I hyper extended my right knee somehow. I started off and I didn't think I was going to make it, but as the workout went on I began to losen up and finished pretty strong. My heart rate was over 160 the whole workout.

I'm hoping for a good performance tonight, but I know I need to get more food into me before working out otherwise i'm going to run out of steam.

[Human Torch]

Protein bars/shakes work pretty good. You should be eating snacks in between your 3 main meals.

[worth]

My diet already includes both, and I don't really want to add more of them. They have a lot of sugars and other things in them.

[Human Torch]

Originally Posted by worth

My diet already includes both, and I don't really want to add more of them. They have a lot of sugars and other things in them.

Well there's a bunch of suggestions in the diet guide that comes with p90x...if you were following it you shouldn't really have this problem. The first thing the guide shows you is how to calculate the amount of calories you'll need for each of the 3 phases. Then you just have to add up the calories during the day...I'm pretty sure there's an app for that.

[worth]

I'm aware. I've followed the diet guide in my previous run throughs on p90x. Just seeing if anyone has a secret weapon of sorts that they add to their diet.

[red sky]

Originally Posted by worth

I'm aware. I've followed the diet guide in my previous run throughs on p90x. Just seeing if anyone has a secret weapon of sorts that they add to their diet.

Perhaps try some plain almonds 30 minute before your workout. Maybe even some green tea for that little bit of caffiene.

[Human Torch]

Ya nuts and fruits are always good. Depending on how strong your blender is sometimes I use the almonds as a replacement for protein powder in a shake.

[Komskies]

Buy one of those giant bags of trail mix from Costco. It's mixed nuts with raisins and a few M&Ms. A small handful of this can give you that extra boost of energy you need.

[Temporary_User]

Just been thinking about doing this since I don't know anything about working out.
I live in an apartment on the second floor, the apartment is wood so I can't be jumping around or anything. What all does this program entail? lifting weights and doing pull-ups? Would I be able to do it in my apartment, or should I forget about this program and just go to a gym instead?

[Starfishy]

Originally Posted by Temporary_User

Just been thinking about doing this since I don't know anything about working out.
I live in an apartment on the second floor, the apartment is wood so I can't be jumping around or anything. What all does this program entail? lifting weights and doing pull-ups? Would I be able to do it in my apartment, or should I forget about this program and just go to a gym instead?

You could definitely do this program in an apartment. One workout in particular (plyometrics) would be very annoying for your neighbors below, as it has a lot of jumping jacks, jump squats, jump, jump, jump...

I have found it to be a great replacement for a grossly under-utilized gym membership. Just keep in mind that the routine basically calls for 1-1.5 hrs a night workout.

[worth]

I do p90x in an apartment on the second floor. The only exercise I don't do in my apartment is Plyometrics for the very reason you mentioned. You have to jump around everywhere and I don't think the people below me would appreciate their ceiling fixtures falling off.

All the other workouts can be done in an apartment.

I put the plyometrics workout on my ipod touch. I go to the "gym" in my apartment complex (read: wooden box @ 35C) and do plyo there because there's no one around. So you will need a place you can go and jump around. I basically have the full exercise memorized, so I only need the audio cues to know what I should be doing.

[HOOT]

There are probably a few exercises that wouldn't work for you as your neighbors below would hate you by week 2 but you can always fill that time in with a similar exercise which may not be as noisy for those below you. I have the opposite problem where I'm too tall for my suite so I had to mix in some different exercises so I wasn't smashing my head or hands into the roof.

[red sky]

Okay so it is has been a while since my last update, I am sure you are all sitting on your hands waiting to hear it!

Anyways, last week was my recovery week. Everything went well except for the last day of Yoga which I just didn't feel like doing. Instead I stretched for about an hour and incorporated some of the yoga moves. My flexibility has improved drastically and my lower back has strengthened. The recovery week is a bit difficult to stay “pumped” about without any really lifting exercises. I enjoyed core synergistic though and can definitely feel the benefits when you “engage” your core.

As for the first 30 days, my body has trimmed up considerably. My back and arms are getting bigger and overall I feel much better.

I was excited to start some new exercises. On Monday I had Chest, Shoulders, and Arms and that went quite well. There are a lot of push-ups involved but I enjoy the workout (sans one handed push-ups). Ab ripper went really well. I can definitely feel the benefits of strengthening and stretching the body when doing all of these ab exercises.

Tuesday was plyo and I was able to push it harder this time around although I am having slight issues with my knees.

Tonight is Back & Biceps. From what I recall this was one of my favorite DVD’s… perhaps because it is so short.

@Worth: I hope you are still going at it strong. I know you had a few bad days a few weeks back but that just means you have to “Bring It!” even more when you are healthy. Haha… so lame.

[worth]

Awesome to hear RS. I know those days when you just don't feel like doing it. Especially Yoga. I think it's partially a mantal thing as well. It is for me anyway.

One problem I have: hockey. I'm playing in 2 leagues right now. League 1 is playoffs, league 2 is just starting. League 1 has decided to cram playoffs into 1 week. So I basically play 5 games in 8 days and then add on a league 2 game, so that's 6 games in 8 days.

I played hockey on Saturday (league 1), so I postponed yoga to Sunday. Then I had hockey Monday night (league 1) and I didn't have time to do yoga after work, so I did core synergistics instead so I could fit everything in. My game on Monday night was at 11pm, so I got 4 hours of sleep and felt like crap Tuesday. I was going to do yoga, but just did not feel like it. I went to bed early.

Tonight I have another 11pm hockey game (league 1). Tomorrow I have a 10pm Hockey game (league 2). Friday I think I have a 6pm hockey game (league 1) and if we win all of those I will have another game on Saturday (league 1).

After that league 1 is done (I think) but then I have two league 2 games the following week, Tuesday and Thursday.

The combination of getting less sleep due to late games, and just too much to do makes me think that this weeks recover week will not go well. I don't really know what to do. If I should postpone a week and try next week? I'm thinking 2 weeks between resistance workouts is too long. Maybe I just use hockey as my recovery week and do what I can.