P90X+: Round 3: Day 6: Kenpo/Cardio Plus

Today was the first time for this disc, other than having run through rather quickly on a preview. I should have taken more time to preview the moves, because I found some (many, actually) to be more complex than my Stegasaurus-like brain could handle. I must have looked like a complete idiot (not unlike the first time I did Star Blocks in Kenpo X), with arms and limbs flailing about like someone drowning. This is supposed to be raising my heart rate and giving me toned muscles?

A little time spent previewing the moves in super slow motion will certainly be worth it. I'm going to take the time to do so during the course of next week, in an attempt to develop some muscle memory. I recall the first few times I did Kenpo X, I had a similar difficulty, so I'll try to learn from my mistakes.

The workout looks good, once I put aside my complete lack of coordination. Frequently, the moves come too quickly, and I had some difficulty trying to process which limb should be raised at which time (right arm, then right leg? Right arm, then left leg?). A little more instruction would have been helpful.

I was concerned that I wasn't going to get a very good burn with this workout; however, by the time it was over, I was drenched. Even cycling into the office was really tiresome. I was bagged just turning on the computer. This workout looks very promising, moreso when I learn the moves correctly and can forget about proper form and focus on Bringing It.

Favourite move today: the last one on the disc: high blocks, high leg burn.

Toughest move today: gladiator. Supreme lack of coordination. Clearly, there's a learning curve for me here.

End of week 1. Looking forward to improvements during week 2.

P90X+: Round 3: Day 5: Upper Plus/Abs-Core Plus

Upper Plus

Not that I'm the world's most buff guy, but I've been thinking throughout the week that perhaps P90X Plus isn't really for me. I've been thinking a lot about Shaun T's Insanity program (intensive cardio), released today, and about obtaining Tony Horton's One on One, volume 1 (12 discs). I suppose the idea is to make a commitment to daily exercise and to mix up the workouts in such a way as to keep encouraging muscle confusion, and, as long as that is adhered to, you can't really miss the mark too badly.

I approached Upper Plus with somewhat more zeal than previously, because I had done the workout once and was somewhat more familiar with the individual exercises. I still find the first exercise somewhat ridiculous (or humiliating, depending upon your point of view) because I cannot make my legs scoot between the PowerStands the way Mark Briggs does (or should I say, "I currently struggle with..."). Well, do your best and forget the rest. I end up doing a step move in both directions. I think I need longer arms to be successful. At any rate, the push-up part of the exercise is a nice way to start the workout.

Most of the exercises went well. It's surprising that I'm using the maroon(!) resistance band for many of the exercises. This is due to the elongated time frame of most exercises. This is a departure from P90X, which stressed 8-10 reps for bulk and 12-15 reps for lean. Most of the exercises in this workout seem designed to encourage lean muscle. Fine with me, as that is how I approached my last 2 rounds of P90X.

It was a good workout, and I think I'll improve over time.

Favourite move today: spiderman push-ups.

Toughest move today: 2-way flys.

Abs/Core Plus

I really stepped on the bike pedals on the way home, and, upon my arrival, immediately popped in the Abs/Core DVD and hit play. I was motivated to finish this workout without pausing the tape, and managed to succeed. In the process, I also succeeded in working up a good, dripping sweat.

I realized that there is a coordination issue between the Plus manual and the workout sheets. The manual calls for Abs/Core only twice a week: day 1 and day 5. The workout sheets show three slots per week. It did feel strange not to be doing ab work on day 3. I'll make sure to include that in future weeks. This week, I inadvertantly gave myself a break.

Favourite move today: banana masons.

Toughest move today: cherry bombs.

P90X+: Round 3: Day 4: Yoga

I had a difficult time falling asleep last night. The Toronto Blue Jays dropped a difficult game to the Tampa Bay Rays in 11 innings, a game which definitely was within reach for the good guys. As a result, with the game on my mind, I was restless and didn't drop off until after 1AM, leaving a painfully short time for decent REM sleep. I woke up this morning on the groggy side, and wasn't particularly in the mood for 92 minutes of Yoga X. So, I opted for Fountain of Youth. Even then, it took me about 45 minutes to get my act together and press play.

But press play I did. The more I do this workout, the more I like it. I like the increased level of Tony's instruction and the intensity he has when performing the various moves. What seemed like simple moves on Yoga X (crescent pose, warrior 1) are explained in greater depth, resulting in greater focus. When in crescent pose, I'm now really concentrating on straightening the rear leg and getting a big stretch out of my upraised arms, with my front leg tracking straight out over my middle toe and my forward knee bent to a 90° angle, then breathing. The sweat rolls.

As a result of my recent tumble from my bicycle a few weeks ago (the bruise that ate Manhatten is fading nicely, thanks for asking) my left side is a bit stiffer than my right. Enter Yoga. This is the best exercise I can think of to straighten out my body and cure my ills.

Again, a great workout.

P90X+: Round 3: Day 3: Total Body Plus

In retrospect, Interval Plus was a better workout than I gave credit for. I'm feeling the affects of this program: my arms and shoulders are a bit sore, and my legs felt the impact (no pun intended) of having done the intervals. Today, time for total body. I've done some total body work with 10 Minute Trainer, but it's nothing compared to Total Body Plus. I found the 9-minute warmup moved too quickly for me (reminiscent of 10 Minute Trainer), so I just went at my own pace, listening to what my body wanted. I was also hampered somewhat by the low ceiling in my basement (1.9m high!) so I can't get my arms fully extended above my head.

The workout is, like other workouts in P90X Plus, sprinkled with colourful names for the individual exercises. If exercise names were a revenue source, the company would be rolling in dough based on that factor alone. I personally don't find the names particularly memorable, nor do they help in defining what the objective of the exercise is. I found myself yearning for the simplicity of P90X -- push-ups, pull-ups -- just plain and simple good old hard work. No "Plank-o-crunch-twisting-moon-spiderman" stuff. Sounds like some kid's breakfast cereal.

Regardless of the titles, the workout was a killer. I had to pause the tape several times, taking numerous breaks, and sweated bucketsful. Muscle confusion reigns here. I was a bit slow in the uptake during the exercises, and found myself watching, then rewinding, then working out with the kids, but my form was lacking somewhat due to unfamiliarity, even though I had previewed the DVD. I also found that there was insufficient time to write down my information following each exercise, so again, I was forced to pause the disc.

Overall, a great workout, with lots of room for improvement. I'm looking forward to it.

P90X+: Round 3: Day 2: Interval X Plus

I had heard that Plyometrics does nothing to prepare you for Interval Plus, so I was really eager to put on this disc and get sweaty. It didn't take long. I had previewed the disc prior to the workout, so I was somewhat familiar with the moves. Some of the moves are taken from 10 Minute Trainer, with which I had great familiarity (September to December 2008, just prior to commencing P90X). Revisiting those moves was like catching up with an old friend, although they were performed with greater speed and intensity. I managed to get half-way through the disc, and paused at the break to catch my breath.

The second half of the disc is repeating the same moves, in reverse sequence. I had to pause the disc again, with just two moves left in the workout. Had I known that, I wouldn't have paused. The next time, I'll likely only pause the disc once, during the break, then hopefully run through the entire disc without any pausing.

I enjoyed the workout, but I wouldn't say that it's MUCH harder than Plyometrics. It took me about 6 times before I could do the entire Plyometrics workout without pausing. I doubt very much that I'll have a similar experience with Interval Plus. Nevertheless, it was a good workout.

P90X+: Round 3: Day 1: Upper Plus/Abs-Core Plus

Upper Plus

Day 1 of the new program: P90X Plus. I was a bit apprehensive approaching this workout series, because I wasn't entirely sure whether my body would be able to take it. I recalled it was much the same feeling when I first started P90X last December. The first week of workouts was a killer, then, more familiar with the routines, I became much more comfortable. Commencing P90X Plus was similar. I had reviewed the discs prior to actually doing the workouts, so I had a basic idea of what to expect. Of course, doing the workouts is another story.

The P90X Plus workouts are shorter than the P90X workouts. The Plus workouts are about 40 to 45 minutes in length, including warm-up and cool-down. The stage is smaller, as there are only 2 people working out, Tracy Morrow (mother of 6) and Mark Briggs (law-enforcement officer). Tony acts more as a trainer than a participant; he spends much of his time introducing the first few reps of an exercise, then comments on form. He is still slightly goofy in the videos, but not as enthusiastic as he was during the P90X workouts. He looks slightly older (well, he is) but is more ripped than ever.

If there's one thing I've learned from two rounds of P90X, it's to do your best and forget the rest. I decided not to sweat it if I couldn't keep up with Tony and the kids, especially during week 1. That turned out to be a good approach. On exercise 1, Double Dip'll do Ya, I ended up tripping over my feet and falling down backwards several times. A good time was had by all. I'm pretty sure that over time, I'll be able to deal with the mechanics of this move. The difficulty is not in the push-ups or in in the dips, it's the transitional moves between them that caused me to stumble. Good times.

I didn't find the workout to be a killer. I thought it was good, but not a killer. We'll see how the others go. I was challenged by the pushups: spiderman pushups, and combat pushups.

Abs-Core Plus

Again, I was really intimidated by the length of this workout: 20 minutes. When it's broken down into chunks of time ranging from 30 seconds to 90 seconds, it's not too bad. Since I don't have a pull-up bar, I decided to substitute the pull-ups and hanging variations with exercises from Ab Ripper X (Fifer Scissors, In and Outs, Leg Climbs, VF Rollups and Cross Leg Situps). Overall, I didn't find this workout to be an ab killer. Actually, I thought ARX was tougher. Some of the moves were interesting, particularly Banana Mason and Cherry Bomb. I'll stick with this routine for awhile, attempting to focus on form, but if I don't feel challenged enough, I'll go back to ARX or perhaps try the ab exercise from Tony's One on One series.