^FWIW i'm on day 24 of classic with no days skipped and have gained ~4 lbs

2/22/2011 2:00:31 PM

man, I wish i had a more reasonable schedule. after i got through week 1, I've been pretty much looking forward to working out every day (except yoga day) now that I can get through the entire hour without feeling like i'm about to puke (I'm still not able to do every rep of every set, but i can at least get enough rest while skipping a few reps to make it through the next one).

2/22/2011 2:07:47 PM

That definitely seems like that's the problem for most people. Especially people who have unusual work hours, wives, kids, etc. Obligatory do your best...

2/23/2011 9:40:33 AM

haha, i won't complete the sentence.


I did back and legs last night. I pushed it a little too hard and 2 minutes into ab ripper I almost puked and had to stop. I'm pretty wasted today, but hopefully will be able to finish that off today after kenpo x.

2/23/2011 9:44:23 AM

I really need to start up on this again perhaps next Monday. I'll have to sub out plyo for some outdoor running or something because I feel certain the people who live below me will not approve of a 225 pound guy doing that routine above them.

2/23/2011 10:31:29 AM

Ugh, just finished Chest and Back, week 3 of Round 2. Dang I hate that workout, how does Marine stay so happy the whole time?

2/23/2011 6:52:18 PM

Quote :

"Given that i'm not able to consistently do the workouts in consecutive days, how much does this affect progress."

I am fairly sure you know the answer to this question already, but here's how I like to think of it. There are basically two factors you have to consider when discussing fitness - the "person" and the "program". So basically, each individual person has a threshold that they need to exercise, a meal plan that is right for them, supplements they should take, etc, to obtain peak results for own personal body. I like to think of it as a huge polynomial with hundreds, if not thousands of variables. By and large, most people's equations are "similar", but no two equations are exactly alike. So when you experiment with different foods or workout routines, you are basically messing around with your equation, experimenting to see what "x" number of calories you need, or "y" grams of protein, or "z" minutes of cardio per day will maximize your own personal results.

So that's the "person". The other factor to consider is the "program". Obviously, there is a program out there for you that will absolutely maximize your results. Your optimization will fall somewhere between exercising 0 hrs/wk (totally sedentary) to exercising 168 hrs/wk (or all the time). Just from empirical data alone (the results of thousands of people who have completed P90X), it is fairly safe to say that P90X has found the solution that is, at the very least, in the ballpark of maximizing results. Like I said, everyone has their own equation, and some people might maximize their success by exercising 2 hours a day, while some might find their peak results occur after exercising 30 minutes every other day. So for the vast majority of people (probably the old 3 standard deviation from the mean rule), following the P90X plan as it is written will give you the best results.

That's a lot of words to say this - any exercising that you do is good for you. I won't bullshit you and say you will get the same results completing the 6 required workouts in 12 days, instead of 7 days. But, assuming you follow the diet plan, or at the very least don't eat like an idiot, you'll probably see 80% of the results you would otherwise see (I totally pulled that statistic out of my ass). And the funny thing (and frustrating for some) is, that while you could complete the 6 workouts in 12 days, and they could do it in the required 7 days, you might still get better results.... it all goes back to personal body types and each individuals' equation.

2/23/2011 11:01:19 PM

i think i weighed the most i have ever been over the winter at 165. It wasn't bad but I couldn't stand how chubby my face was getting in pics. I'm 5'8"

i checked in at 153 this morning. Good to know if I need to lose 10 pounds quick I can just do 2.5 weeks of this. I have been eating tuna, eggs, and chicken like a T-Rex.

[Edited on February 24, 2011 at 10:27 AM. Reason : .]

2/24/2011 10:27:04 AM

Quote :

"For one, it is hard - really hard. I love a challenge, but the people doing the videos can't even complete the workout without taking breaks, so that really says something."

lol, for the reason you do not like insanity is why i LOVE it.
i can easily use this for the rest of my life without getting used to it.
hell shaun t can't even do a whole workout, thats badass.

(that and shaun t is a really good video instructor, as weird as that sounds!)

2/25/2011 4:12:35 PM

So P90X is too damn long, and Insanity is too damn hard lol.

I pretty much got to the point where I was dreading Insanity workouts, it's just straight punishment on your body, like a good Drill Instructor beating, and like Feeble said, usually by the time you get to any strength work, you're too wasted from a cardio standpoint to really get much benefit. But Shaun T is incredibly motivating and brings the energy and is not super cheesy and annoying like Tony Horton.

2/25/2011 5:50:45 PM

I saw a guy driving a BMW that said "P90X-GUY" on the license plate. Didn't look like anyone from the videos though.

2/25/2011 6:00:10 PM

Since this thread has been devoid of pictures for the past few pages I figured I should contribute.

I finished day 30 today. I've only missed one workout (second yoga of the first recovery week) due to a snowboarding trip. I don't think it's really a big deal though as repeatedly throwing yourself down a mountain tends to be a pretty solid workout.

FWIW I've gained 5.6 lbs since I started.

front


side

3/1/2011 11:10:55 AM

Congrats, you can already notice changes.

3/1/2011 11:18:25 AM

yeah that's a pretty noticable change in the midsection

good work sticking to the program

3/1/2011 5:45:18 PM

starting my second week. will likely post some pictures when I get a little further through. something has to be different by then considering how sore I've constantly been since starting.

3/1/2011 6:00:53 PM

i'm about to enter my second month. this diet is much more managable and i can finally eat bread again.

3/2/2011 10:26:53 AM

I fucked up and never took a before picture.

3/2/2011 10:34:08 AM

me neither. i already lost all my winter fat and can see the top part of my abs poking through. its been a while since i've seen those things. if i can see it in the mirror then that is all that matters.

btw i watched an insanity workout last night and am terrified of trying it. good lord. i think i'll wait until after my second time through p90x to try it or at least until i can make it through 90% of the reps in plyo.

[Edited on March 2, 2011 at 11:00 AM. Reason : .]

3/2/2011 10:51:06 AM

I got plyo tonight. YAY.

3/2/2011 11:21:04 AM

It seems like everyone on earth is doing this right now (facebook updates) and that bothers me for some reason. I think people do ab ripper every now and then and post it up on facebook thinking they are bad ass. The way I see it is I have to religiously follow the routine and not half ass it like I believe everyone else on earth to be doing.

3/2/2011 11:43:51 AM

p90x hipster?

3/2/2011 11:45:45 AM

Believe me most people are indeed half assing it including myself most of the time. We just feel good about ourselves to post updates making us think we are doing something haha. When I took it seriously I was too tired after each workout to imagine posting about it on facebook.

3/2/2011 11:48:09 AM

I'm just a spiteful bastard. I do find it humorous when chunky girls do ab routines thinking that their waist is going to magically disappear when in fact they are just making things worse.

3/2/2011 11:57:51 AM

for the first couple sessions of ab ripper i did about 80% of the reps. so rather than doing 25 of each exercise i'd do 20. recently i've been doing 100% of the reps with longer breaks (30 seconds or so) in between exercises and mid-set pause breaks when necessary. i've also been trying to improve my form which makes it a bit harder. i can definitely feel improvement but i still think it'll be a few weeks until i can just burn through it.

3/2/2011 12:14:16 PM

I should try that. I really suck at V-Up Roll Up Combos. I can't even lift myself when my legs are in the air after the 5th one. Of course, I suck at a lot of stuff in these routines.

3/2/2011 12:21:27 PM

Yeah you cant really target fat loss or work one muscle group hoping that area will magically lose the fat. From what I understand you basically lose fat all over in layers so if you wanna get to the point of your abs showing the rest of your body is gonna be pretty lean by that point as well.

3/2/2011 12:28:09 PM

^I think that's correct. From what I've heard you lose weight over your entire body equally

3/2/2011 12:34:10 PM

My gf works out almost twice a day and can't trim down to where she wants to be. I think she is fine (who knows she may be stalking me on here without me knowing). I read an article that says women lose a few pounds of muscle when they reach their mid 20s or sometimes earlier. I told her to do more weight training and do the Phase I diet if she wants to lose weight but she is stubborn. Personally, I really am not into the Dreya look but the girl in the legs and back workout has a smoking body. She finally decided to switch to the Phase I diet. I'm not sure if its because of me losing fat or what. I try not to poke around when it comes to this stuff or I get yelled at

3/2/2011 12:44:56 PM

Smart man haha

3/2/2011 12:48:57 PM

Haha absolutely. Definitely a dangerous girlfriend conversation topic

3/2/2011 12:53:41 PM

just finished shoulders/biceps/triceps workout. between this and core, they are my 2 favorite workouts... probably because they're the only two i can make it through completely

3/2/2011 10:07:51 PM

The time has come. It's been a good run but after serious contemplation and self examination I have decided to graduate from doing pull-ups with a chair assist. I've gotten to the point where the chair is pushed far enough out that it's become more of a balance tool than a support one and it's a bit problematic. So now I begin the likely arduous task of doing unsupported pullups/chinups which will hopefully force me to use more of my back and less of my arms. I am also thinking about employing a personal trainer who can help me target the correct muscles and check forms. R.I.P. HR we hardly knew ye.

3/3/2011 12:25:57 AM

For me, the chair assist is too easy, but i can't do a whole lot of unassisted pull-ups, so I end up wrapping a resistance band around my pullup bar several times to get more resistance, but I still can't find the "sweet spot"

I usually do as many unassisted pull-ups as I can before switching to the band, but i'm not seeing as much improvement as i'd like.

3/3/2011 9:22:18 AM

Yeah I use the highest resistance band I have and that doesnt seem hard enough, but trying to do unassisted is fail for me. I think it hurts that I am 6'3 so my knees can touch the floor basically making it hard to get any sorta pump to help bust out one or two more.

3/3/2011 9:57:57 AM

yeah, door frame pullups just don't work for taller people and those of us with broad shoulders. the "wide grip" for my bar is shoulder width for me. I'll just keep cranking, i may not get the optimal benefit from the pull-ups at home, but it's way better than what i was doing before (nothing).

3/3/2011 10:12:28 AM

i can definitely see how door frame pull ups could be awkward for tall people. I'm 5'9" and I feel like I could use more vertical and horizontal space.

i can do anywhere from 5-16 pull ups/chin ups/etc depending on which variation it is. (which is significantly more than when i started) it seems like i am probably right in between where you should use bands/chair or just do legit pull ups. what i ended up doing last workout for the first time was as many true pullups as i could, immediately followed by as many chair assisted as possible. previously i was maxing out true pull ups and then standing around until that exercise was over. i definitely feel it more today than i have after previous arm workouts and i wish i had done that from day one.

definitely a facepalm moment.

/blog

3/3/2011 10:52:19 AM

i hate using the chair. i do as many as i can normally and then starting doing negative pullups (jump to the top of the bar and let my self down as slow as possible). wears me out.

3/3/2011 11:15:36 AM

If you're a big guy (or a girl), especially starting out, using a chair is pretty much necessary. It's also going to focus in on the same muscles. The key is not depending on your leg to push you up while really putting in maximum effort.

3/3/2011 11:43:33 AM

I absolutely hate doing the bands. I feel like I get a much better workout using at least assisted with the chair. I just recently moved and I've had trouble finding any doorways to accommodate my pull-up bar.

3/3/2011 12:27:56 PM

So I've had P90X for about 2.5 months now. I've been trying to do it when I could, but I'd often skip days and sometimes an entire week.

This week I completely changed my schedule and I think it's for the best.
Now I do my workout in the morning, instead of the evenings. I get up at 6am but still don't get into work until 9am (45 minute commute, but I have flextime so starting at 9am isn't a big deal.)

It's rough getting used to waking up and exercising so early, but it's worth it. I feel better about myself all day and in the evenings I can make plans without having to try fitting P90X in (or skipping it.)

I'll still probably miss the occasional day or two (especially on Saturdays out of town), but at least I can reliably do 5 days a week.

3/3/2011 1:31:18 PM

So, is there a Power90 thread for those of us that were too fatty-fat-fat to start P90X right away?

(Been doing Power90 consistently for two weeks and have lost four kilos and an inch from the gut. Woo!)

3/5/2011 5:25:25 AM

Get your Communist kilos out of this thread. We only talk in Freedom Pounds here.

3/5/2011 9:47:43 AM

I don't have an AMURRKIN scale over here.

Let's see... carry the one....

About 8.8 lbs. Woo!

3/5/2011 10:13:38 AM

What additional equipment is required for this program? It is necessary to buy the pull up bar and bands? if so is there a cheaper place to buy them? (the beachbody site seems pricey) I saw a few on ebay but they looked kinda cheap..

3/5/2011 3:39:39 PM

It's pretty necessary to have a pullup bar or bands, and some hand weights. You can get them for cheap on Craigslist, or for a not-horrible price at Walmart.

3/5/2011 4:52:42 PM

i got the gold's gym pull up bar at walmart for like 40 bucks and it came with pushup handles. it is actually not a piece of crap. very sturdy

3/5/2011 7:16:06 PM

tj maxx. i bought a generic iron gym for 12.99 and a 40 lb weight set for 24.99

3/5/2011 8:20:47 PM

Day 1 complete!.. God it was longgggg! and whats the deal with all the pushups? is he insane?!

3/7/2011 10:00:03 PM

congratulations. pretty sure he is insane. wait until you get to the chest shoulders and triceps video in week 5.

[Edited on March 7, 2011 at 10:22 PM. Reason : ]

3/7/2011 10:22:04 PM

i just did that one for the first time last night. how the hell am i supposed to do one arm pushups after 50 million pushups? i feel like i got shot in the triceps (not buttocks)

3/8/2011 10:22:15 AM