Stretches throughout the P90X workout...

This may or may not be of any interest to anyone, but if you are going to do the P90X workout and you are playing around with skipping the X-Stretch workout (done every 7 days and/or once every 4-5 weeks), this might help.

If you look at all the warm-up and cool-down and active workout stretches that are done on all 12 discs, there are 54 different stretches.  Most discs include a total of 10-15 stretches total.  X-Stretch has the most at 33 with Yoga second at 19.  Ab Ripper X has the least at 3. 

If you skip X-Stretch, you will miss only 7 out of the 54 stretches each week: Back Hero (neck), Back Up The Car (neck), Camel (back?), Child's Pose with Left and Right Stretch (sides, back, ?), Dreya Forearm Stretch (forearm), Roller (back?), Toe Flexor (foot, angle, calf?).  I actually like all of these stretches, but if I wanted to keep them and didn't like the hour of X-Stretch (which I actually do but you might not), I could probably do them in 10 minutes.

By the way, there are a total of 21 stretches on the other discs that are NOT on X-Stretch...that accounts for about 40% of the total number.

Below is the info in a graphical format (boy was I bored tonight).  If you want it in spreadsheet format, drop me an email or make a comment below.

Day 24 (Stretch) Modifying the P90X schedule

Today was supposed to be Kenpo and tomorrow X-stretch.  Well my back was a little tight today, my knees a little wobbly (after Core/grass mowing yesterday) and I was having a stressful day anyway so I swapped them out...Kenpo will be tomorrow.  The overall P90X schedule is pretty good about spacing out workouts...you never really focus on the same muscle group twice in a short period of time.  In this case (during the recovery week), the schedule is Yoga/Core/Kenpo/Stretch/Core/Yoga, so Kenpo is back-to-back with Core no matter what.

I'm not quite sure what to make of X-stretch.  The workout is scheduled as an optional 7th day workout at the end of every resistance week and once during the rest/recovery weeks.  Almost all of the stretches are the exact same ones at the beginning or the ends of the other routines...there are only a very small handful of exceptions...things like forearm stretches, some foot/ankle stretches and a back stretch (I could actually do the Camel as well as Shauna...right down to the ground...although I was a little concerned about getting stuck there).  So it is not like you aren't already doing this workout a small part at a time throughout the week.  That makes me feel a little better about skipping it as the 7th day workout.  You don't really get those stretches during the recovery week so I think I'll keep it in there.  Plus, it is pretty relaxing if you are having an uptight day.  It also keeps you on a routine...6 workouts a week.

Thanks for reading.

Day 23 (Core Synergistics) Rest and recovery my ass.

This week is supposed to be "rest and recovery."  Today's workout was Core Synergistics and for me it is the hardest one so far.  All the exercises engage your core while also doing other stuff (thus the synergy).  Many of the exercises are "maximum reps" in a specific period of time.

I don't know...maybe I was having an off day but my "maximum reps" were pretty minimal on several things.  Some things that come to mind are the Sphinx Push Ups, Prison Cell Push Ups, Plank Run (didn't even attempt the Chaturanga Run), Walking Push Ups, Superman Banana, Reach High & Under Push Ups, Plank to Chaturanga Iso...actually now that I'm typing this out, it is really the push up maneuvers that were killing me.  By the end of the workout, I was spent...I could only do a hand full of Table Dip Leg Raises.

I had to work out in the morning to be able to mow the lawn in the afternoon.  But after today, I'm moving my whole routine to the afternoons.  I think I am having a problem really concentrating and pushing myself that early in the morning.

The bummer about today's workout is that it is only repeated 6 times during the entire 90 days.  So I feel like if I dogged it out today, I'm really losing out.  Oh well, we'll see how I do the next time (which is Monday).

A few things I learned...

• It was really a great idea to go through the workout first last night before doing it.  That really helped.
• A paper plate works well for the walking push ups
• I didn't write anything down on the workout sheet.  There was so little time between routines and it was too hard to keep track of reps...I just did as many as I could in the time allotted.  I may make some notes though.
• Use light weights.  There is no reason to use anything super heavy.  I think I only used 10 pounds when required and that seemed too much on some of the exercises.

**EDIT**
Added scan of workout sheet below with some minimal notes as to the exercises I felt OK about and the weight I used on the exercises.

Day 22...I Quit...

I quit...taking "before pictures" every day.  It was dumb.  I may take them every week or so.

What did you think I was talking about?

Today was Yoga.  Couldn't get in the mindset of doing 90 minutes of Yoga at 6AM so I did it when I came home.  Still improving.  Still stumble in the asanas after twisting triangle.  Couldn't get through the Warrior 3, standing splits, moon, twisting moon routine.  I kept falling out, but I'd get right back in at least.  I rolled over my head trying to do the crane...haven't done that before.  All in all, I really like Yoga.  I can see improvements...I can see I am improving with strength in my legs and with balance and it is cool to see myself get better.

I had toyed with mowing the lawn after Yoga but I felt too...I don't know...groovy or mellow.

Core Synergistics is tomorrow.  I went through the book and the DVD and I'm glad I did.  There are a lot of complicated exercises.  Now I can spend more time doing them and less figuring them out.

Still going strong after three weeks!  Feeling good!

Day 20 (Kenpo...) ...is getting too easy. 3 Weeks down!

Kenpo is becoming way too light of a cardio workout.  Once the workout reverts to arms (which it does often), my heart rate drops way too far down.  I can't complain too much...my HR monitor says I burned 880 calories...but I still feel like I could do MUCH more.  I'm toying around with swapping it out for something else.  The thing that keeps me from doing that is that I still struggle with balance on many of the kicks...specifically the back kicks.  It bugs me to not be able to do something.  I'm assuming that more Yoga and Leg/Back workouts will help with this.  So I'll stick with it until my HR drops way too low (if I'm at 600 or less calories burned) or I perfect the kicks.

The hardest thing about Kenpo today was getting into that Crescent pose at 6AM in high top tennis shoes and then going into a twisting prayer.  I mean...really?  I can barely (if at all) do that after 30 minutes of Yoga.  And you want me to do that as a part of warming up for Kenpo?  What are you stretching?  My soul???

I can't believe that three weeks are done.  I can't believe I actually got up at 6AM or earlier every day and accomplished this.  Especially when I was afraid I wouldn't get through the first workout.  Next week (which starts on Thursday) is the "recovery week."  The workouts are: Yoga, Core Synergistics, Kenpo, Stretch, Core Synergistics, Yoga.  The only unknown is Core Synergistics...I haven't done that workout yet.  But I am looking forward to the Yoga.  Balance appears to be my weakness.

Day 19 (Legs/Back) The worst workout

I've done this workout three times.  I'm never really dreading it...actually I kind of look forward to it.  I've had issues on and off with both my knees for about 8 years.  I like the idea of making them stronger and perhaps getting to a point where I don't have any problems with the knees.

But when Monday hits and I'm doing this workout, my attitude toward it changes.  First, I hate pull ups.  I hate them because it seems like everyone else can do them but I suck at them...especially that switch-grip bullshit (where you hang and switch your grip from overhand to reverse).  I can't even do that at all...I have to release and then re-grip.  But the end of the workout, I can maybe do four.  Today I actually felt forearm pain at the end which made it easier to give up. 

I don't do well at the leg exercises either.  My guess is that some of them are for balance but the TV bastards never waiver or have to hold on to anything (unlike me).  I'm improving a little from last time...at least I don't have to hold the chair for every rep.  I start to feel bad about holding on to something...like I am cheating and not learning to balance...but I have to remind myself that if I can't even do a rep, I'm not getting ANYTHING out of it.  So I might as well do something.  As my previous posts on this workout state...something is better than nothing.

On high rep / no weight / non-cardio workouts, it is also hard for me to really feel like I am accomplishing anything.  You don't "feel the burn" like you do when lifting weights 8-10 reps to muscle exhaustion.  Part of it is because I am careful not to push myself to the point of pain in the knees.

A lot of this also has to do with the fact that it is Monday.  At the time I'm doing the workout, I'm in a hurry and need to get to work (which I dread anyway), so focus is not my thing and the workout suffers.

OK, enough of the pity party.  Kenpo is tomorrow and then I am done with the resistance portion of phase I.

Day 18 (Yoga) Improving at balance...studying the moves

The first 30 minutes or so of Yoga are getting better.  I'm learning to breath and take the tension out of my body and that is helping me concentrate and hold the poses.  I'm able to drop deeper into the lunges and put more pressure on the legs.  However, as I'm able to put more effort into the first 30 minutes, I start dropping off...by the time I'm at twisting prayer off of runners pose, I'm getting spent.  I'm falling apart at right angle poses and I can't even complete Warrior Three, Half Moon or Twisting Half Moon.  But I still try.  As I fall down, I'll try to get back into Crescent and go into it again.  I'm sure I'll be there in a few more sessions.  I was actually able to do the Crane several times for several seconds.

One thing that REALLY helped the Yoga was going through the book and video again to remember the Asanas.  That allowed me to not look at the TV and to really focus on what I am doing.  I actually am doing the same thing for the Leg/Back workout tomorrow.  I'm studying the exercises so I spend less time trying to figure out what to do and more time focusing on what I am doing.

I'm getting better at Ab Ripper (last night) too.  I can push harder though the Scissors, lift my leg higher and feel more crunch.

Happy Easter!