P90X, injuries and no measurable strength gains

F

fitmom24

Cathlete
Hi. I am about to start week 12 of my rotation with P90X. I am doing a modified doubles rotation in the higher rep range of 12-15 reps.

I have encountered several injuries since starting this rotation that I have yet to experience in my past fitness life. I have worked out with trainers in the past, so I don't believe my form is bad. I have hurt my neck, upper back, shoulder and knee. (I think the knee is from doing HIIT though.) Has anyone else experienced this? I have been lifting weights for many years and only injured myself here and there. I could always pinpoint how it happened. With these injuries, I have no clue. I wake up one morning to discover the pain.

Also, I have seen results loosing a bit of fat but haven't been able to lift any heavier than when I started. I haven't lost a single pound but my husband has made several comments about my arms looking more cut and my abs showing. I am curious about why I am not able to lift heavier after reading about so many others who say they made great strength gains. I do use a recovery drink but not the P90X diet. I don't really need to loose weight. I'm 5'6, 126 lbs. and people complain about how thin I am. I never see myself that way but hey, that's another thread.

Thanks for any thoughts or experiences you would like to share.

Michelle
 
I'm not following a rotation but do incorporate the upper body workouts. I have been able to lift heavier after using these workouts just a few times. I love the shldrs and arms. after completing this workout my arms feels tighter than they ever have with any other workouts. I hope to get great results like the other people following a rotation when I do start a rotation cycle!I think as far as your injuries go, lifting your own body wt is different than lifting barbells. Pull ups for instance, takes great strenth and are a very tough physical exercise in itself. Have you modified them by using the bands or chair for assistance? If you are trying to just go into a pull up head on never doing it before then yes you could cause injury to yourself just like if you never took my bootcamp class and you came thinking you could do it at everyone elses pace or what they lift. you would definately get injured.
So I guess what I am saying is that just like in any other workout you have to monitor what you body can do in each workout no matter how long you have been into fitness. I am an instructor and there are things I know if I attempted I would hurt myself because I dont have the physical strength or flexability. goodluck!
 
Michelle, I am just curious if you don't need to lose wt then why do the doubles? I think that may be your problem. This is just a guess but perhaps doing the doubles is overtraining leading to your injuries and lack of strength gains. I know I've done the classic rotation 3 times and there was no way I could do doubles. But I did make good gains. Also make sure you are supporting all that working out that you are doing with plenty of good calories. Everybody is different and of course you're almost finished with your rotation. Maybe after a rest if you feel up to it do a classic rotation and see. How often are you doing HIIT? And what are you doing for HIIT? It is my understanding that you shouldn't do HIIT more than twice a week. Also I find that the more cario I do the more my wt workouts suffer. That and again, I have to support my wt workouts with good nutrition. If my eating stinks then so does my lifting. Just some thoughts ;)


Catherine

http://www.picturetrail.com/photos/fit_fairy

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Michelle,

First of all not everything is for everybody!

I have 3 weeks left of p90x classic modified doubles, I'm doing my own cardio, and I've experienced significant strenght gains. Possibly 15-25% over what I was previously lifting. I'm not doing the diet either, but I have had to increase my protien intake to support all of the weight work and I don't eat any junk at all. I agree with other posters that lifting body weight with pull ups is much different that the traditional 3 sets of 15 reps; I think it is much harder. I've been very careful about increasing my weight and I've basically added a pound or two each workout. I think that when there is only one set of each exercise it is possible to do it the first time, then realize the next day that it might have been too much and you don't have the fitness level, muscles, to really support the exercise and when doing it you compromise with another body part and create an injury. Also, if you do not need to loose weight or won't be focused on cardio after why do the extra cardio? I think that with p90x it is very easy to fall into the trap of overtraing. JMO.

Tracy
 
Hi. I am doing assisted pull-ups with a chair.

I do the extra cardio because after Phase 1, I had gained and wasn't looking as fit as I did when I started. I posted on the BB forum and received many suggestions to switch to the Doubles rotation. I chose HIIT based on info I read here. I hate long cardio sessions and used to do HIIT years ago. The HIIT training involves a lot of jumping, hence the knee problem. I don't have a treadmill or a cycle so I use plyometrics. I cut it out this week and only did one session last week due to the knee.

Maybe I should have stuck with the Classic rotation afterall?
 
The higher rep range doesn't really lend itself to lifting heavier. If you want strength, you should be going for the 8-10 rep range, with the last couple of reps being difficult.

I'm sorry about the injuries, but my guess would be the doubles rotation is too much on your body and you are in overtraining mode. Also, additional cardio does not promote strength gains and rather often has the opposite effect.

Are you following the diet plan?

I hope you find what works for you!

Marie
 
Hi. I am about to start week 12 of my rotation with P90X. I am doing a modified doubles rotation in the higher rep range of 12-15 reps.

I have encountered several injuries since starting this rotation that I have yet to experience in my past fitness life. I have worked out with trainers in the past, so I don't believe my form is bad. I have hurt my neck, upper back, shoulder and knee. (I think the knee is from doing HIIT though.) Has anyone else experienced this? I have been lifting weights for many years and only injured myself here and there. I could always pinpoint how it happened. With these injuries, I have no clue. I wake up one morning to discover the pain.

Also, I have seen results loosing a bit of fat but haven't been able to lift any heavier than when I started. I haven't lost a single pound but my husband has made several comments about my arms looking more cut and my abs showing. I am curious about why I am not able to lift heavier after reading about so many others who say they made great strength gains. I do use a recovery drink but not the P90X diet. I don't really need to loose weight. I'm 5'6, 126 lbs. and people complain about how thin I am. I never see myself that way but hey, that's another thread.

Thanks for any thoughts or experiences you would like to share.

Michelle


Hi Michelle,
I'm sorry you're not getting out of P90X what you were hoping to get. Doesn't sound like you need to lose any poundage at all. I'm at the end of 6 weeks now and doing the Classic rotation. I do add one Cardio Coach session for about 30-40 minutes a week and then a more moderately paced bicycle ride on the weekends, but I've only started the Cardio Coach workouts in Phase 2 as I want to be sure to really have the strength to "bring it". I'm following the P90X portion plan and found that in Phase 1 with the reduced carbs, I felt somewhat weaker. With Phase 2 eating, I feel absolutely fantastic and may just stay on this during Phase 3 also. I did increase my calories by probably 300-500 more a day from before P90X and definitely eat way more protein. I'm following more of the high rep (12-15) strength workouts as I have short arms and legs and don't necessarily want bigger muscles. I have been able to increase my weights/reps on almost every workout. I am pretty competitive with myself, so mentally, I get pretty psyched to beat my last session (writing down the weights and reps is a huge part of the success of this program for me). I, however, am a chicken about getting hurt so the moment I feel I'm pushing it with really bad form, I back off. What I am amazed about with P90X is that by the time I get back in the rotation to doing, for example, Chest & Back, my muscles are completely recovered and I can lift or push more. I have not lost but maybe a pound, but look leaner in my upper body for sure. I'm also concentrating on drinking lots of water to keep away puffiness, which I find happens when I do too much cardio.

My guess is that you are maybe not eating enough or enough protein and doing too much cardio, which may be sucking the energy from your strength workouts.

Hope you get more opinions from other P90Xers.

Jeanette
 
Have you contacted the folks at P90X? I think in every workout Tony says if you have ANY questions whatsoever to contact them. You also might want to vist their boards where EVERYBODY is doing P90X.

Just a thought. ;)

Suz

"Until one has loved an animal, a part of one's soul remains unawakened." - Anatole France

http://www.picturetrail.com/dogs2birds
 
Thanks for all of the suggestions!

I haven't contacted a BB rep. yet. I'll see if I can get some help there.

I do eat fairly "clean" (a slip here and there and light ice cream on Saturdays) but may need to up the calories. I'm on a sodium restricted diet due to an ear disease anyway. I was trying to follow the phase 2 eating plan ratios but got tired of entering it all in to Fitday. I think I'm pretty close most days. I would be lacking in protein if anything.

I will take a break when this rotation is over and maybe try just doing the Classic one as written.

Thanks again!

Michelle
 
Sorry, you're hurting, Michelle.

I had to stop P90X after the recovery week because my shoulders were grinding.
I don't want to get flamed, but here goes, I think the system is too shoulder heavy. I think for me or some people doing power yoga after Shoulders and Arms is a little too much, then you're adding kickboxing, which can be hard on the shoulders.

Cheer up and take a rest if you need it.
 
>Michelle, I am just curious if you don't need to lose wt then
>why do the doubles? I think that may be your problem. This
>is just a guess but perhaps doing the doubles is overtraining
>leading to your injuries and lack of strength gains.

I agree.
ONe of the keys to P90X muscle building is not doing too much cardio, which will use the calories that could otherwise go to muscle gain.

Also, you may not be giving yourself enough recovery (with the doubles especially). I found that I needed to add in an extra day off every 1 1/2 or so when doing my P90X rotation (and it seemed beneficial).

I've had shoulder problems off and on for years, but P90X (the initiall stretches especially) helped my shoulder get better.
 
Michelle-
I agree w/ posters talking about over training. I have been doing Cathe Cardio 6 days a week for a year (plus have always been avid exerciser) ... I am in my final 2 weeks of P90X and after week 1 of doubles found it was way too much. The good news is that when I just did classic as is My bodyfat and weight and inches all went way down.
 
I have to watch myself with the pullups. Strained my neck really good last week. I think there is a reason for alot of shoulder work which will just add more strength in definition in the end. jmho. Seems to be a rhyme and a reason with P90X...everything working together to bring better results.

Charlotte~~
 
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