Questions for P90X Alumni..

Lynn M.

Lynn M.

Cathlete
Hi there:

I am entering into phase 3 of P90X and with a little over a month to go, I wanted to find out what type of rotations you did after finishing the P90X series... endurance? heavy weight work? cardio focus?

My results have been good.... I have noticed increased definition in my upper body.. but it is weird, because while my arms look smaller, you can actually see more of the actual muscles, but they aren't as bulky. ( Which in my world, I don't actually mind some upper body bulk!) I have been doing heavy reps, more weight too. It is really obvious in my pectoral area.. any suggestions? I do pretty well in the push up exercises of P90X, so I don't know if maybe I should add some heavy weighted fly work or bench presses on another day, or just hold hold out until I am done with the series.. Anybody have some ideas on what to do?

Also, I am getting really sick of Ab ripper X. Are any of you subbing in another ab workout? If so, what have you liked best? I have been subbing in Cathe's Boot Camp Abs on one of the AB Ripper days and that is helping with my need for a Cathe fix.

I do love this series, but I have to tell you.. I can't wait to get back to Cathe again next month. She is really in a class by herself.

Take care, Lynn M.
 
I am on my 12th week of the Doubles rotation and after this I was planning on Cathe Slow & Heavy , plus PS upper body rotation of my own then I will try the Lean rotation and add running and probably more Cathe weight workouts.

I have also added running, another day of leg work, and another day of shoulders, triceps and biceps to my current rotation. I like AbRipper but sometimes I do one of Cathe's stability ball abs workouts instead.

You could try adding some other Cathe chest work to your rotation, I do get a bit burned out on push-ups myself!!....:)...Carole
 
I'm 3 weeks PP90X (post-P90X!). For now, I'm kind of following the P90X rotation set up, but with different exercises, as follows:

Day 1: P90X "halfsies I" (1/2 of chest/back followed by 1/2 of shoulders and arms); this is the only P90X workout I'm doing for now:
Day 2: Slim series lower body + short cardio
Day 3: yoga
Day 4: cardio (usually kickboxing)
Day 5: Full body weight workout (I've been doing Kimberley Spreen's Triple Threat DVD)
Day 6: core workout (TLP)+ cardio
Day 7: rest or stretch

I'm not as faithful to this rotation as to P90X, and I do more substitutions, but I'm pretty much keeping up with it. During my 4th week (recovery), I plan to alternate core workouts, cardio and yoga.

As for substituting for Ab Ripper: when I was doing P90X, I substituted once in a while (or I would "forget" to do it!). I've also added variety to the workout itself to make it more fun for me: using a 2# oof ball, sitting on a rebounder (makes the first few exercises kinder to the tailbone!), doing 30 reps instead of 25 (I get a head start).

For chest, substitute some heavy incline work for some of the push-ups (the ones you don't like: I never did the divebombers, which looked a bit harsh on the shoulder to me).
 
I'm only in week 1 of phase 2, but my Post P90x plan is to do a similar rotation doing Cathe workouts. I think Kathryn posted a "Cathe" alternative a while back that pretty much modeled the P90X plan.

I am really enjoying doing something different, but am starting to get a bit more "itchy" for some Cathe stuff. I am absolutely SICK of Ab Ripper X and told my DH last night that I was surprised that they didn't do another ab tape, just to set off the boredom factor.
 
I had never done Yoga before P90X and I don't want to stop when it's over, so my plan is to do an hour of cardio 5-6 days a week (I'm definitely gonna use the P90X Plyo a couple times a week), a Cathe full body strength training video 3 times a week, and a Yoga video on the 3 days that I don't do strength training. Although not the P90X Yoga video because I get really bored with it after 1 1/2 hours.

Eventually I'll probably incorporate some of the P90X Strength video's into my routine again, but I'm already sick of them. I'm gonna stick it out for the full 90 days, but after that I'll definitely want to stick w/ Cathe for a while.
 
I figured out there are actually about a half dozen upper body "halfsies" workouts possible. Chest/back and shoulders/arms only allow one variation, but chest/shoulders/triceps combined with back and biceps has several variations, since there are no repeats in these workouts. So you can do the first half of c/s/t with the first half of b/b, the first half of c/s/t with the second half of b/b, etc.
 
Hi all:

Thanks so much for your input, ideas, and comments..

Kathryn.. you are so innovative in coming up w/ ways to "make the old new." As usual, your suggestions are really well thought out and fresh.

Thanks again,

Lynn M.
 
Actually, someone else from VF came up with the original "Halfsies" workout idea(1/2 chest/back + 1/2 shoulders/arms) though I did name it!, and I just elaborated on it by figuring out the other combos possible (and it's even possible to add more, by doing 1/2 of the back/bicep workout BEFORE 1/2 of the chest/shoulders/triceps workout).
 
It was I who came up with the halfsies combos. :D I originally came up with this idea when I was trying to help a fellow VFer make these workouts doable for her. Kathryn named them, Halfsies and numbered the combinations that she came up with. :D There really are lots of workouts that can be created by combining halves from each workout.

I've been doing numerous combinations of the P90X workouts and have loved every single workout. I also half the upper body workouts and combine them with half of the Legs & Back workout. For example, my favorite upper/lower body combination is BB and LB. Instead of doing the pull-ups in the Back and Bicep workout, I use my bands and I then do the pull-ups in the Leg and Back workout.

For anyone who doesn't mind a long workout, you can also do a full body workout by combining halves from the upper body workouts and leg workout. :)
 
Hi Kepi:

Great suggestions! You and Kathryn really do know your stuff!

I was curious if after you did the full P90X rotation if you "took a break" from it and did Cathe or another instructors program. If so, what did you do to enhance/maintain the gains you made from P90X?

I am thinking I will need a change of pace from P90X.. I do love it, but it has been fairly rigorous as that I am doing the doubles rotation. I will probably go to S & H , one bodypart/day and add 30-40 minutes of cardio. I am anxious to see if I will be able to lift heavier than I was pre P90X. (All those pullups just HAVE to be doing something! :)

Take care, Lynn M.
 
Hi Lynn. I just took a rest week and then continued P90X using the Halfsies workouts. What I was really worried about was shelving the pull-ups for a long length of time and not doing CST for a long period of time. CST is the most humbling workout that I have ever done!

If you do S&H try subbing subbing at least a set of push ups and pull-ups for a couple of the exercises, just so you don't lose strength in this area.
 
Hi Kepi:
Good suggestion about the trying to work in the pull ups and push ups into S and H !

I think I will be subbing pullups for those pullovers Cathe does on the bench in S and H. I think that workout just got a WHOLE lot harder doing that!!

I agree with you on CST... that is a killer.. esp. the tri work. I was DEFINITELY humbled on that one.

Thanks again, Lynn M.
 
Hi, everyone

I also have a question for the more experienced Xers. I am in my first week of the program and am wondering about the effectiveness of the one-body-part- a-week plan (except for back, which gets worked 2x a week in the classic rotation) I am accustomed to working all body parts 2, if not 3, times a week and I tend to build muscle verrry slowly, it seems. Have you all found that sticking to the rotation as outlined in the manual yields significant enough results or have you been adding on strength workouts to work the body parts more than one time each week? Thanks!

Susan
 
Hi Susan,

Actually I have found that the other tapes actually do work other parts even if they are not labeled that way. I know some cathe fans are adding more lower body, but in my opinion, Plyo, Yoga & Legs & back are all good lower body workouts. I am finishing my 5th week and I find my legs getting more defined and leaner without adding any extra leg work. Also, my biceps get worked out in Chest & Back, Arms & Shoulders and Legs & Back with all the pull ups & push ups. The only parts I think are truly getting worked out once a week are triceps and shoulders. However, they same to be maintaining the same amount of muscle I had before from doing Cathe on them 3 times a week, if not even adding more.

Caren
 
Caren: Wow - really? That's good to know. Thanks for the reply. I see what you mean about the push-ups. Even though I've only done Chest/Back one time, I noticed that my biceps looked pretty toned that day I did the tape, which I wondered if I was imagining or not! But push-ups really do work the entire arm, as well as abs, back. And they do a heckuva lot of them! As for adding more lower body, I am frankly relieved to be rid of my barbell for a while. I was getting tired of hoisting that thing all of the time. And it was aggravating an inguinal hernia I have, too. So, I welcome the break from traditional barbell leg work. I'm glad to hear you have seen such good results with your legs sticking to the rotation as it's outlined. Like so many others, I find it's hard to find the time to fit in more than an hour workout each day, so I hope, like you, I will feel satisfied without having to add on.

Susan
 
Hi Susan:

I tend to agree with Caren... those pushups and pullups are working alot more than just your back when you are doing those workouts.

I do add additional leg work to my rotation as that I just can't make myself do the yoga tape. On the day that is supposed to be designated "yoga workout", I usually do Cathe's Circuit Max tape and use pretty heavy weight but then I won't do any of the arm exercises... making it an all leg workout, no upper body. That has worked well for me. Plus, it gives me a bit more cardio, which I do like to do.

I have a weird observation and I am wondering if those of you P90x graduates would agree... after watching the Olympics for the last week, I think P90X makes you "gymnast strong" ..not necessarily "cosmetic strong".. if that makes sense? I guess what I am trying to say is that the strength gains are much more functional than for looking good. ( Not to say that I can't see physique improvements because I can!) Its just very different than any other way I have trained and I think it is very cool!

Enough deep thoughts... Take care, Lynn M.
 
I found that the 1-day a week for upper body (and I often didn't do the back segment of "legs & back," substituting leg presses or jogging on the rebounder for the back work) was plenty for me. I've had better muscle growth with this than with any other weight training program. Remember that yoga also works the upper body, though in a bit different way.

I did feel that the leg work was not enough (even though, again, yoga also works the legs), and began adding some leg presses to by Plyo X day. Then I started seeing my butt come back to where I wanted it to be!
 
Actually, triceps and snoulders (at least the anterior shoulders) also get worked whenever the chest is worked, so yoga X hits them as well (especially if you do all the optional push-ups between down dog and up dog, and do all the chaturangas).
 
Hi Susan. If you're working your muscle groups to failure, you will be fine with the P90X rotation. :)
 
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