P90X Rut Busters X Check-in Week of 1/31

Well, I received TWO spinervals via the ya ya swap today and did one tonight as my cardio. I love spinning!!! It is so intense, according to my polar heart rate monitor, i was "in the zone" for 40 minutes".


I'm so glad we are doing this checkin! It's exactly what i needed.


Tomorrow i'm doing a leg workout, i know shoulders and arms is on the agenda, but i'm exchanging it for legs. I missed legs last week, and i think they need it.

I picked up this months Oxygen ABs magazine (someone on the cathe forum posted about it earlier). OMG, this is such a great magazine.
i'm going to try to work the ab routines into my workouts.

Lots of diet info too, if anyone is interested.
 
I did Chest & Back and Ab Ripper. Whoa baby, that's a workout. I feel like I've improved some, though, from last week!

RACH, here are the breakdowns. You are supposed to as many as you can on the pull-ups and push ups. Just set a goal, they say, and do it. For the other exercises he tells you to do 8 to 10 to build strength, higher reps to "tone" (something I don't believe in, "toning"!) and pick the weight that makes you struggle on the last three reps.

Standard Push-ups
Wide Front Pull-Ups
Military Push-Ups
Reverse Grip Chin-ups
Wide Fly Push Ups
Close Grip Overhand Pull-ups
Decline Push-Ups
Heavy pants (these are where you have heave dumbbells resting at your feet, you make a staggered stance, then pull the dumbbells up as if you're pulling up your pants, with a flat back)
Diamond Push-ups (put your thumbs and pointer finger tip together to make a diamond shape and place that on the ground)
Lawnmowers (make a lunge stance, rest the matching forearm on the thigh of the front leg and do a dumbbell row with the other arm)
Dive-Bomber Push-ups (hard to describe and I can't do them, somebody help me out here!)
Back Flyes (like shoulder flyes, only lower so they affect your back rather than your traps or your shoulders)

Then you start the cycle all over again, only in this order:
Wide Front Pull-Ups
Standard Push-ups
Reverse Grip Chin-ups
Military Push-Ups
Close Grip Overhand Pull-ups
Wide Fly Push Ups
Heavy pants
Decline Push-Ups
Lawnmowers
Diamond Push-ups
Back Flyes
Dive-Bomber Push-ups

I hope I got this right. I'm writing it up from my notes and that second cycle with its reversed staggering always confuses me.

Then you do Ab Ripper: 11 core/ab exercises:

In and Outs
Bicycles (forward/reverse)
Crunchy frogs
Situps with wide leg (cross legs make them harder)
Fifer (Phiffer?) Scissors
Hip Rock and Raise
Pulse Ups (with heels to ceiling)
V-Up/Roll-ups (A.K.A. Devil-Spawned Core Stuff I Can't Do Yet)
Oblique V-ups (right and left)
Leg Climbers (right and left)
Mason Twists (I can never do them as fast as they do)
 
HALFWAY THROUGH WEEK #2!!!!

How's everyone doing? I did shoulders & arms this morning - I love this workout. I really push myself hard on this one - go really heavy (for me) and struggle to get 8 to 10. I never really tried that method before (usually did light with more reps) so I'm curious to see the difference it will make - besides making my arms all shaky and sore!!

It DOES get tougher to get yourself to do Ab Ripper X as we go on, doesn't it?? Towards the end of the program last time, I did the workout in the morning then the Ab Ripper at night. It was good to break it up, and I seemed to have more energy to get the forms better in ARX since it wasn't right after a workout.

Ima - I'm tired just looking at all the workouts you do! Very impressed! How do you do it!

Wendy - what exactly is a spinerval? It's something with a stationary bike? I've heard about the Oxygen magazine, I have to check it out. Or is it only a particular abs issue that you recommend?

R A C H -

Let's see - I'll try to put down as much as I remember for Chest & Back (someone chime in if I miss something). For pushups and pullups you do as much as you can. For weighted things you can do heavy weights 8 -10 reps or light weights 12- 15 reps, but you should really feel it the last three reps.

#1. Standard Pushups
#2. Wide Front Pull Ups
#3. Military Style Push Ups (elbows stay along your side)
#4. Front Grip Pull ups (standard width but your palms are facing you)
#5. Wide arm pushups (hands wider then shoulder width
#6. Close front grip pull ups (palms facing you but your hands are close together, where if you stuck out your thumbs they would touch each other
#7. Decline push ups - your feet are up on something while you're doing a standard push up
#8. Heavy pants - two weights on each side, lean over with your back straight, and pull them both up at the same time - like hiking up your pants - or like two arm rows at the same time
#9. Diamond push ups - hold your hands below the center of your chest in a diamond shape - fingers spread, thumb to thumb and pointer finger to pointer finger, making a diamond. Feet wide.
#10. Lawn Mowers - do each side separately, take a weight and do a one arm row, but it looks like they have more range of motion, kind of like starting a lawn mower.
#11. Dive Bomber push ups - hold your hands out standard width with your butt high in the air (almost like a downward dog). Then bend your elbows so you nose kind of grazes the ground and pull yourself up to where your butt is near the ground and your shoulders are up. Then do the same move back. Hmm.. this one's hard to explain. Sorry!
#12. Back flys. Sit on the edge of your chair and have two weights behind your ankles - lift them both up at the same time and squeeze your back.

You do these twelve moves once - then do them all again!!

Hmmm.. that was fun! I can't believe I remembered them all- and I think in order!! Nice break from work!

OK guys, I definitely used up a lot of our message space already - so I'll check in again later!

Yeah!
 
Oh my gosh Amazon we are on the EXACT same wavelength, girl!!! How funny is that!!!! We must've been writing at the same time!

R A C H, got enough info??

Hhahahahahahhahaa

You beat me in thoroughness though!! I didn't think of going into the Ab Ripper!!

hehehehe
:7
 
I did PLB today for my leg workout. I haven't done that in a while and probably won't do it again for awhile. I forgot how that one is really endurance focused. I am focusing on strength inthis rotation.

Ima- what workouts your doing! How long are you working out everyday?

Ruppie- spinervals are spinning workouts on either road bikes in trainers or spin bikes. I get most of my spinervals from
www.coachtroy.com they are simply the hardest cardio workouts i ever did (aside from running).

The oxygen issue i was referring to is the ABS issue. It was posted in the cathe forum last week sometime. I came across it at the store yesterday. what inspiration and ALOT of good clean eating articles.

Tomorrow think i'll tackle another spinerval and keep shoulders and arms for friday.

I haven't been doing Ab ripper x instead i've been doing cathe's abs.
The ripper workout kills my hip flexors:-(
 
Hey ladies :) Day #10 under our belt ;) I am very happy to report that I increased weight for about 90% of the exercises in Shoulders & Arms and that I used the more difficult modifications for some of the non-weight moves (ie I did my triceps dips with one leg extended). I hope to feel it more than I did last week! AbRipper went better and I pusheed as hard as I could on form and to get more reps in.

As for Abs, I decided today that on Friday I am going to warm up and do Ab Ripper BEFORE Legs & Back. Let's see if that makes a difference!

Do you guys think that doing the same ab workout three times a week for this long will lead to adaptation? I would think that variey would be better. Thoughts?

No time for individual shout outs - but YOU GUYS ROCK! Stick with it - YogaX tomorrow!

:)
Christine
 
I'm actually wondering if adaptation is the key to why this program works - At least for the three weeks at a time they suggest to do the exact same thing!
But ab ripper is consistent throughout (except our break week), so maybe the core is harder to adapt?
Or Ab Ripper X is hard enough that it still challenges us even as we do it for a long time. I know as soon as it starts feeling doable, I can focus on one thing in each excercise (like straightening my legs) and it suddenly is super hard again.
 
O.k. Ladies, I did my Shoulders and Arms. Ab RipperX and then ran on the treadmill. I have a confession, a few actually...I LOVE working out so my workouts are long everyday. I am usually at it for 1.5 - 2 hours a day. I am addicted to good, sweaty cardio sessions so I do that 6 days a week. I know that I don't need all that cardio but I really enjoy it, it clears my mind and I am addicted to that "chemical release" (some say is a myth) that occurs when the heart rate gets jacked up. Finally, I am a stay at home mom of two toddlers so I am able to make time for my workouts. I returned to exercise once my babies were 2-3 weeks old so it is a part of their routine as well. They don't know a day when mommy didn't workout. Since it is part of their routine, they let me do my thing!

Christine, How are those push-up coming along? Have you given it a shot yet? Did you get your total gym?

Dom, where are you? Haven't seen you in a bit.

Wendy, I subscribed to Oxygen mag on 12/24/04 but haven't received my first isue yet. I am dying to see the issue. I almost bought it at the stand last Saturday but as soon as I do...I'll get it in the mail. Just like on Sunday I took a pregnancy test (I was a little late and felt *funny*) just to test negative and get my period THE NEXT FREAKING DAY! $10.00 down the toiletx( x( x( .

I want to say more but have gone on long enough...sorry to bore you!:*
 
Bubbles....where is Bubbles? Hey sister, are you following the P90X diet plan? How is it going? I did for a few days, became slightly derailed for a few days and I am back at it again. I refuse to toss my hands in the air for good!:p

You ladies may have to ride me hard in a few weeks to keep on this once Hardcore comes in. I am a little bummed out because I don't think these workouts are nearly as fun as Cathe's. I KNOW my body needs something new and different in order to progress, but I am getting a little tired of Tony pushing the website and the recovery drink on me! The workouts are also informercials...in a way. I hope I am not coming off as a complainer, I just miss Cathe. I think my additude will change once I start seeing some results, and I know I will because I am sore! Man, I love being sore!(Seriously):p :p :p I think all the push-ups and pull-ups will make a difference....please tell me they will make a difference!
 
. Just like on Sunday I took a
>pregnancy test (I was a little late and felt *funny*) just to
>test negative and get my period THE NEXT FREAKING DAY! $10.00
>down the toiletx(


LOL, that has happened to me MORE THAN ONCE!! (before my dh had his vasectomy that is).

I wish i could work out more than an hour a day!! I'm an endorphin junkie as well. Cardio has to be a**kicking hard for me to do it.
I doubt i'll even touch low max, give me the high impact high intensity anyday!
 
Ima, I will become a Hardcore Deviant in the P90X check-in the moment those DVDs arrive. Just anybody try and kick me out!

For me, P90X is just a crutch to bust my rut, because I could never follow it as it was planned. Not enough weight training for the legs and I don't like the cardio.

We may have to hunt Bubbles down and drag her back. You can check into the Rut Busters any time you like, but you can never leave.

}(
 
Amazon and Ruppie,
Thanks!!! This helps a lot!!! Yesterday I was on that pull -up thing wondering if I should just do 4 sets. Which was what I did with dips super setted. Someone suggested palms facing in ( close grip )and they were easier and felt better. I could lessen the assistance required for those. I think it's silly that they put that machine right in the middle of the room...surrounded by threadmills and bikes and the squash room. Look at the girl on the tower everybody!!!
 
Hi All!

Our internet service was knocked out all day and we just got it back. This morning was shoulders and arms and ab ripper. I went heavier on the weights and got a better workout. I'm also doing better with the ab ripper sequences. Those mason twists at that end are killers for me!

Hey Ima! I quit the P90X nutrition plan as of today. It was too much work, and for some reason I cheat like crazy on it. I'm back to my own plan. Occasional fish or chicken (maybe twice a month) and lots of fruits, whole grains, vegetables, and beans.

About the question regarding ab ripper, I wonder the same thing myself. Will our bodies just get used to this routine and will it become ineffective?

These workouts seem to be easier than Cathe's workouts, but I'm more sore from them. I don't get that.

Tomorrow is Yoga. Can you believe we sweat so much in a Yoga workout?

Talk to you tomorrow!

Margaret (Bubbles)
 
Hi Everybody,

Sounds like everyone is doing great. Had to substitute one of the timesavers this morning with arms and abs. I actually almost skipped my workout and then just felt too guilty.

I'm thinking of staying on my planned out routine for the 90 days, but putting in some of the new Cathe workouts- using a Gym Style arms or legs for the planned days.

I was also wondering about Ab Ripper. I really don't feel it that much. Am I doing them wrong?

On to yoga tomorrow,

Sabine
 
Ima – YES! I did 5 “big girl” push-ups yesterday after the shoulders& Arms workout!! I just did it as an after thought but succeeded! I had pushed super hard on the S&A w/o so I made 5 my goal and belted them out. I am still only going about halfway down but I can work on that. Tonight I will try again and report back ;)

Ruppie – good words on the Ab Ripper! I feel improvement with each go-round and I figure by the end, I really will rock it! Every time I try to make at least one improvement. Like yesterday I tried to do at least 10 of the leg climbers without using my arms at all (like the girl does them). The last exercise is still being done with legs down though…I just bounce all over the place if I keep ‘em up and the focus leaves my abs completely.

Margaret – I am feeling some soreness too. I think that these workouts are different than Cathe, but I am not so sure that these are much easier (depending on your level of push). I didn’t feel soreness last week fo Shoudlers & Arms so I increased weights a lot yesterday and today – my arms are SCREAMIN’! Holding those yoga poses was challenging at times this morning (with sore arms and sweat dripping off my nose).

Sabine – for Ab Ripper, are you finding the exercises difficult during the workout?

I am surprised, but I am not missing Cathe or hating Tony yet! I like the differences in P90X and really am pleased with these workouts. Cathe certainly is sweeter, spunkier and difficult but I like variety too (as long as the variety workouts are still tough). I plan to do the rotation completely and then pick up Hardcore. I really want to see what 90 Days of this rotation does to my body!

Christine
 
I always feel daunted by the thought of doing yoga for 1 1/2 hours, but the time goes pretty fast. I really hate/love that workout!

Christine - woohoo! Good job on the pushups! I should try to pound out a few when I think of it. I also try to remember to do the tree pose during the day to improve my balance.

I also like the differences in P90X, but really am missing Cathe. I may do KPC instead of Kenpo on Saturday.

Leg climbers WITHOUT using your hands (like the girl does)? Sheesh. Now I have to try it. You all encourage and push me in this thread. Good thing I log on!

Enjoy your day.

Margaret
 
Hi Ladies!!!
I have still yet to do my Yoga X - had to be in early today. My hubby's home today so he better not distract me from getting it done. Maybe he'll do it with me! I'll let you know how it goes.

You guys kick butt.

Hey, do you guys get the beachbody newsletter in your email. I like reading those things. The success story of the day in the last one has the guy saying how he was disheartened when he didn't notice any big changes up to 30 days into the Program. But he stuck with it, and after that 30 day mark he noticed big changes and fast! Then he was rejuvenated (or something like this).

So anyway, I'm not saying it's going to take 30 days, I'm sure it's different for each of us, but I'm just saying it really may be worth it to STICK IT OUT!! I didn't do it the whole 90 days (and the days I did it I didn't stick to it 100%) and I noticed a big change in my back muscles. So I can't wait to see what might happen if I stick to it.

AND, for another motivator - did anyone see Carole's pic? Carole, you're a rock star!! And Carole's a BIG advocator of P90X!!! Right, Carole???
If that's not motivation, I don't know what is!!!
 
Hey all, real quick... I had cardio today but being short on time and remembering my last cardio fiasco I did an easy/quick one: Step & Intervals.

See you tomorrow!
 
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