Rich (and Steve Ford) P90X Thread
So in case you haven't already heard, I have a date with 17+ women on the IMWI course this year, in a pink Speedo. Unfortunately, I'm the one in the speedo 
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In the spirit of not embarrassing myself any more than absolutely necessary, I've purchased my first training-plan-esque product, ever. You could say this is the first time I've tried to do what someone else tells me to do vs what I want to do. Joanne has bets on how the whole "do what you're told" thing will work out, based on her experience.
First impressions:
- Gotta say I'm pretty impressed. The documentation is pretty comprehensive, clear, well organized, etc. I could do without the admonitions to "bring it, you're gonna beg for mercy, etc." Whateva..
- Haven't done any of the routines yet, just skimmed the manuals and materials last night. A lot of looks very familiar from my USMC days I find it ironic that I'm paying to get "quarterdecked" for an hour at a time. Any Jarheads or Squids in the Haus will know what I'm talking about.
I'll probably do the core routine tonight, the testing tomorrow, and start on Monday, though I have friggin' three doctors appointments next week associated with lasiks surgery on Thursday (yay me, no more Mr. Magoo!)
I'm planning on sticking with my weekly routine of 3-4 runs of about 20 miles and 6-8hrs/wk of very hard cycling. I'm going to bail on any difficult cardio or leg routines. So about 4hrs of P90X + 20-25 miles running, 6-8hrs hard cycling...this thread could be an example of what NOT to do...but it's all for the laydeez! 
Mommy told Sonny that Daddy bought some Jazzercise DVD's. He's waiting at home with his pink legwarmers and flashdance ripped sweatshirt...
Comments
quarterdecked, I'm still laughing. I served in the Corp in the early 80's and started to sweat just thinking about the quarterdeck. I was an 18 yr old kid and freakin. Alot of guys at my firehouse do the P90 and I'll jump in when they do the ab ripperX. It is no BS and you will bust ass for 15 mins and that's it. It's like 350 movements in 13 mins so there is no singing or holding hands, but your right about the "I hate it but...BS)
I was 27yo college grad at Parris Island, stoopid fit going in. I pretty much stayed off the 'deck and actually got out of shape and gained weight at PI
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EYEBALLS!!
ah, the memories, leaving the barracks for drill with no pop in our step and not even making it to the parade deck and that turned into about 30 mins. in the sand to get our minds right.
You eyeballin me boy?
Personally, with all the running and cycling, I'd say skip the leg workouts.
The guy in the workouts, Tony-something-or-other, he's obviously egomaniacal, so just get used to it. Most of the video time is transition from one exercise to the next, filled with his 'fluff'.
Also, I took the chest/back, arms/shoulders and ab ripper workouts and made cheat/cue sheets out of them, so I don't have to watch the DVD everytime I wanted to workout.
Email me (salexand652@gmail.com) if you'd like those. Nothing fancy, just MS word docs with page prints/copies in the doc so you can visualize what he is doing.
Hehe. Funny story but years and years ago I was being dropped of at the airport, ATL, I think. I had a suit bag with a big ass USMC logo on it. A Skycap, about 75m away, yelled "EYEBALLS!" in _that_ voice and my head just involuntaryily snapped to look at him. Like a damn trained dog. It was pretty funny.
I downloaded and printed out some workout sheets where you record reps and stuff. Looks like its all on the order of the progression of the DVD
@Rich, I don't know if there's enough P90X for you or anybody else, given what's currently going on in the "Rich's speedo" thread
Good luck with the tapes. I did the chest and back, and agree, it's legit. I'm planning to do the program this year after my tri season is done (post-Placid) to round out my overall general fitness before next year's OS.
Mike
I like the push-up/pull-up one and the chest/shoulder/back and ab ripper is good. The plyometric one is a killer and usually cripples me. FYI, for anyone interested, I ended up with two sets of the DVD's. Can send one out to anyone interested in exchange for starbux mojo.
Tony Horton is pretty full of himself, but actually entertaining in his own way.
I agree... I liked doing it and got stronger, but ran out of time/energy trying to do training and full program. The first week is the worst, then y ou just accept being sore.
AB RipperX
Ok, just did this routine. Paul will appreciate this when I say I'm a "soup sandwich," technique and flexibility-wise. I have a long way to go but it's quick and efficient. I like it...for now. Might have a difficulty getting out of bed in the morning though and god help me if I sneeze
Tony's talk gets OLD- VERY FAST! I either mute him or just FF to next exercise. Usually don't even pop in DVD anymore, just follow the book and git it done.
I agree- skip the leg routines.
Am doing Ab Ripper exercises for my Mon/Fri core work, and other stuff.
When you can get through Ab Ripper and it's not hard- look to change things up. "GET INSANITY" also from Beachbody.com has a killer ab routine as well.
Good luck!
Can't wait to see you at IMMoo.
No, I have coordination confusion.
Not very sore today. This afternoon I'm doing the chest/back routine and Ab Ripper X (stupid friggin' name) again. Sunday = cycling, beer, chili and football, then I start the program, officially on Monday.
300w, 155lb, 4.3w/kg by ToC or bust,
Monday = Day 1:
Pushups = 190
Pullups = 48 during the session + 42 as extra credit during commercials later = 90
Ab Ripper X = Done
Run: 5.5mi with Riley in the hills
Weight: 176lb, 1300 cal deficit. Too high but really wasn't hungry. I REALLY diggin' the simplicity of the LoseIt iPhone app. You enter age, height, weight, goal weight and say you want to lose .5, 1, 1.5 or 2lb per week. It then gives you a daily calorie budget and says if you do _that_ you'll reach your goal by Date X. I think mine is like April 22 or something. But my budget is ~1500 cals
, which really drives home how difficult it is to lose weight if not exercising, especially aerobic exercise. 1500 cal is nothing on the typical American diet. My run + P90X session bought me an extra 1200 cals that I could eat and still come in 500 cals under "budget."
The program sez I'm supposed to take a picture on Day 1. I didn't do that...sure wish I had my IMWI duds for the true before/after contrast. I could just borrow a pair of Joanne's fancy pants and hook it up.
I'm not sure I'd want to see the "before" with the ideas we've been cooking up!!!
I have been doing the routine as well, it appears Rich and I have about the same goals (other than wearing a pink speedo).
Its hardcore and Yes Tony needs to learn one phrase "you have the right to remain silent"
Tonight I am doing Ab Ripper and some stretching.
The program sez I'm supposed to take a picture on Day 1. I didn't do that...sure wish I had my IMWI duds for the true before/after contrast. I could just borrow a pair of Joanne's fancy pants and hook it up.
MY EYES MY EYES make it stop
I'll see if I can get Joanne to play along with a photo session.
I did the arms and shoulders routine, also did the ab ripper x program:
Today is yoga...should be very entertaining.
On the body comp front, I leveraged the lasiks yesterday to guilt Joanne into hooking me up with a pint of Hagen Daaz strawberry last night. Kicked it all in bed with eyes closed
I will be impressed if you can do all of the Yoga forms. That DVD gets harder and harder as you go. This is probably the most humbling DVD for Tony.
I have this and Abs on my ipod so I can do it when on vacation.
We'll see if it happens today. With this iPhone ap limiting me to 1500cals per day, I now HAVE to run or ride every day to earn the right to eat so I'm not friggin' starving myself. So I plan to run 45' today (sans Riley, first time in forever, I doubt he'll let me out of the house) with Yoga after that....= yoga not looking so good.
1500cal/day = 2lb/wk weight loss. Figure my RMR might about 2200cal = 700cal/day deficit x 7 = ~5000cal/wk = ~1.5lb per week. Don't worry, I'm not stupid, know how to manage pre/post workout nutrition and, if history is any guide, I'm at little risk of going all Kate Moss on you
. All I gotta do is run about an hour = ~900cal per Garmin, or ride 1000kcal worth per Ergomo = my food budget goes up to 2500cal/day = I'm not really hungry at all. The big opportunities are on the weekends where I can do 2-3 x 3000cal rides and create a 1500+cal/day budget while still eating a good bit (3000+cals) and not be hungry.
Frankly, I just want to get it done quickly so I can get back to management vs weight loss mode. I've already "gained" a belt hole in about a week
As testament that logging nutrition helps, 6 x Joanne chocolate chip cookies have survived on the kitchen counter in plain view for about 5 days. Pre logging....wouldn't have last 5 minutes.
I've been more impressed that Rich is actually running!
I've been looking into an upper body/core dealio, might give this a shot. I need more muscle so I can get more.
What would I need for this that doesn't come with the package?
I went to the website and bought the package that comes with the pullup bar but not the bands. In retrospect, should have bought the bands also because I found out, after the fact, that dumbells aren't cheap. I had to spend another $40 on 2 x 25lbs and will likely need to buy 2 x 15's...and could also use 40-45's for other stuff...so buy the bands, will save you money in the long run.
I'll probably write up some thoughts about this stuff from the triathlon perspective. I see lots of people on the net trying to integrate P90X, Crossfit, barefoot running and other stuff into IM training. 10:49 AM here right now and I'm 7.5 miles running, 212 pushups, 72 pullups, and 115 x shoulder-type reps. Should finish the day at 250/100 + core. No. Friggin. Way. I could have a quality swim with my arms like this. And I bailed on the Yoga yesterday and didn't do the plyometrics on Tues like I supposed to cuz I rode 1:45 very hard.
Point is, for us, the program really is just a guide, not a program. I have a feeling it won't play nice with full-on tri-training, at all. Google Alerts sent me a link to a woman's blog who bought our IM plan, just started it, and is starting Crosfit as well. Talking about kettleball this, lunges that, air squats, etc....in an EN training plan. I'll likely need to swoop in for an intervention at some point, that's just a trainwreck waiting to happen.
I started down the path of getting smaller weights, but like you saw - you just have to keep buying and buying.
I ended up buying the soloflex SelectTech dumbbells (http://www.bowflexselecttech.com/bst_microsite/products.jsp?adID=DOSG2DSL1), that support various weights. Really quite ingenious if you ask me. I wish they had a large weight bar (like bench press-size) with various weights too, I'm sure they will eventually.
@Rich- Sooner rather than later for that intevention would be my guess. She might drown if she lifts and then tries to swim. As for Plyo- I couldn't walk well for 2 days. Very painful. I would advise against doing it unless it is in place of running/biking.
Arms and shoulders: Tony likes working the biceps. I was like....ok, I get it. Do I really need to do like friggin' 6 different types of curls? And the 25's I have are just too heavy for the triceps work.
Ab Ripper: I think it has you using your hip flexors a bit more than I'd like to see in a core program. On Wednesday I ran, did the arm stuff above, then Ab Ripper (I hate typing that name, just stoopid) and my hip flexors, post run, were the limiter on some stuff. So I'll likely do core every day, alternating AB (that's better) and a balance ball routine.
Did chest and back today sans video. Dogs follow me around and like to lay on the yoga mat when I'm not on it