More P90X

Are you sick of it yet? I promise I will have other blog posts that aren't P90X related in the next three months. But for now, here is how my week has been going.

Today was day 5 - Legs and Back and Ab Ripper X. I have done Legs and Back a couple of times before I started and I have to say it is probably one of my favorites. I like working my legs. I like the variety of squats, lunges, etc. and I like the burn. Wall squats are crazy. There is quite the burn with those. Especially when you have to lift up one of your legs and do a single leg wall squat. Amazing how long ten seconds can feel when one of your legs is holding up most of your weight in a squatting position! I found that I struggled with getting my raised leg up to even level with my other leg. I know that my hamstrings are tight, and that makes it tough, but I was feeling it mainly in my hip flexors. I am sure it'll get easier with time. I have noticed that Legs and Back is one of the workouts that you do once a week throughout the whole 90 days. The other resistance workouts change up after 30 days.

The last couple of days included Shoulders and Arms on Wednesday and Yoga X yesterday. Shoulders and Arms was good. I picked up some 10LB dumbbells as I found the 7LB ones weren't quite enough for my biceps. Definitely felt the burn with the 10LBs. At the end there is an exercise called 'side-tri-rise' which is quite challenging. I found that I felt it more in my pecs and obliques than in my triceps. Almost felt like my pecs were going to cramp on me. I am sure as I get stronger they will get easier.

Yoga X was a crazy marathon workout. It is 90 minutes long! The first half of it involves what I believe is called flow yoga. It involves moving through postures in time with your breathing. It also involves a lot of vinyasas. Still struggle with that chaturanga and my downward dog still needs some work. After the first 45 minutes you move into more balance postures and stretching. I don't mind some of them, but some are really hard! I attempted crane (which I totally could do as a kid!) and managed to hold it for a couple of seconds with my big toes on the ground. I also attempted wheel (which I could also do as a kid!) and got stuck with my head on the floor. There is this one (can't remember the name of it) where you are in a lunge and somehow you reach your hand down between your legs and grab your other hand behind your back. I reached and reached and could not make contact with my other hand. Maybe someday I will find it.....haha. My balance pretty much sucks, so I am hoping it will improve as I do yoga once a week for the next three months.

Tomorrow is Kenpo X. If you didn't know Kenpo is a form of karate. I have done Kenpo X a couple of times but always feel awkward because there is a certain amount of choreography with it. Making sure you put your whole body into the kicks and punches, not just going through the motions. I definitely work up a sweat, but have seen a number of people on the Facebook P90X group that suggest using ankle weights or weighted gloves to kick it up a notch. We will see if I need that at some point. Then Sunday is either my rest or X Stretch day. I like the stretch routine so I might give it a go.

In all honesty I don't feel as sore as I thought I might this week. I can't quite imagine having started this program in January after NEVER having worked out regularly. I was super sore after doing the 30 Day Shred for the first few days. But my body adapted and I felt less sore with time. I have heard that the big factor that makes P90X so effective is the concept of muscle confusion. I have heard people say that once they hit week 5 and the workouts change that you feel like you are starting all over again and you are sore again. I am interested to see how I make out in the next 12 weeks :)