P90X2 Day #24 - Rest or Recovery and Mobility

I first started this blog to write my thoughts after each workout. Well as you can see that hasn't happened. I either haven't gotten in the habit of blogging or just don't have the time do update this. However, rest assured I have not stopped working out! I will be finishing the first phase this Saturday and starting the second phase this Sunday. I have decided to try to move on without have the recovery week. I have decided this for a couple reasons. 1.) I can't wait to get into the muscle building phase. I have already seen visual improvements in my muscles and can't wait to see more. 2.) I don't feel all that broken down. I think a vast majority of that is the supplements I've been taking that have help me recover quicker than when I did P90X without them. 3.) I really don't want to do yoga that many times in one week. (This is a week excuse, but I'm just being honest.)

As for the workouts and my progression, I started seeing improvements in the numbers between weeks two and three. From week one and two there wasn't that much improvement, if any. Some of this has to do with just learning all the moves in week one and concentrating more on the moves and form over the actual numbers. In week three I pushed myself much harder and in week four, even harder. And by doing that I have been able to increase all the numbers (at least all the max rep exercises) at a good clip from week three to week four. I am kinda apprehensive on how difficult the next phase will be but I'm also looking forward to it since that is what I loved about P90X, the strengthening. I'll try to include a chart on my numbers in a couple of days (I've said that before, I know) but it will help show you and myself the improvements through the four weeks of the foundational phase.

Thanks for reading, keep pushing play and doing your best!

P90X2 Day #11 - X2 Total Body + X2 Ab Ripper

I love this workout! It is tough, but the muscle pump I feel when finished is awesome! My numbers increased on many of the exercises as I pushed myself harder. Even from the first round to the second I pushed myself to beat the last. I was expecting a little more soreness from doing Plyocide yesterday but I didn't feel it or at least not as much as I expected. I was tight on time again so I didn't do Ab Ripper but I also paused on a few exercises that I shouldn't need to do next time. That should give me the time needed for Ab Ripper.

I still need to get the nutritional side of this down. I need to eat more! Last night I was starving only a couple of hours after dinner so I made myself some scrambled eggs with various veggies and feta cheese and a side of grapes. I also planned today to have more food throughout the day.

Well until next time keep pushing play and doing your best!

P90X2 Day #10 - Plyocide

I haven't keep this blog up to date with daily postings like I was hoping to but I do plan to keep you informed throughout this journey. This past weekend I got another cold however I was still able to do the workouts without too much problem. I did switch a couple of days, a workout day and a rest day so I haven't missed a workout yet! Yesterday was supposed to be the Plyocide workout but since I woke up feeling some of the lingering effects of the cold I switched to the rest day and did Plyocide today instead of resting. It will make tomorrow's X2 Total Body workout a little tougher probably but I will still fight through the soreness and knock that one out.

As for today's notes on the workout. I still find it amazing on how much one can improve in just one week. I was able to get almost all the way through, yes there were still more breaks than the kids and some exercises I didn't get all the way through but for the most part I did and did better than last week. And truly that is all I can ask of myself, give everything that I can and do better than I did yesterday. If I keep doing that then I will continue to improve and reach my ultimate goal!

I'm still not too keen on the working out in the morning, but it is the only time that I'm willing to set aside to do it, and thanks to N.O.-Explode 2.0 I am actually able to feel the energy that I need to get started and last through the workout! That's all for today, keep pushing play and doing your best!

P90X2 Day #4 - X2 Total Body + X2 Ab Ripper

Another morning, another workout. This time it was X2 Total Body and it was different than what I was expecting.  A lot of balancing while lifting. This first section of P90X2 is definitely working on building up the core muscles! That was the plan of it and the key to all the exercises is to ENGAGE the core! Similar to the first day I was pausing and rewinding a bit so I could learn the proper form. So it took me a little longer than I wanted. I also need to get out of bed when the alarm goes off and not lie there for another 10 - 15 minutes. I think that will come. I'm getting back to the point where I love to workout, as difficult as it is. I know from the sore muscles that it is doing the job.

Back to the program, because of the pausing and rewinding (and the snooze-button-pressing) I ran out of time to do the Ab Ripper, but I watched the first few minutes and Tony mentioned that instead of just working the abs this is designed to work more of the core. Which is the premise of X2, get us into the athletic form, and the most important aspect of the elite athlete is a solid core. Everything comes from the core.

Tomorrow is X2 Yoga and I'm a little apprehensive about it, mainly because I wasn't a fan of yoga in P90X. It did help with my flexibility and balance, but I still didn't like it. I'm hoping that it stays more in the 1 hour time frame than the 1 1/2 hours, that was part of my disliking of it, oh and it was hard! Oh well, until tomorrow keep pushing play and just do your best!

P90X2 Day #3 - Rest/Mobility and Recovery

Well yesterday was the first rest day and I took advantage of it! As I've mentioned before I'm getting up early to workout, I think I also mentioned I'm not a morning person!! So instead of the Mobility and Recovery portion I did the Rest, and slept in. Throughout the day my upper legs were still sore and I'm sure will stay that way for a while. Looking forward to seeing what the Total Body workout is like and how painful the Ab Ripper is. Until then keep pushing play and just do your best.

P90X2 Day #2 - Plyocide

Day two was this first day that I actually had to wake up earlier than I usually do. So far the N.O. Explode 2.0 has been good. I felt the energy to actually want to workout that I usually don't have. I don't have the capability to complete everything just yet, but most of that is my physical conditioning, and that is something that will come with time.  I had the time to complete the workout but didn't get through all the exercises, mostly like previously stated just don't have the conditioning yet. Next time will be better! I can't say that this was tougher than Plyometrics in P90X but it was definitely different. I enjoyed it and will continue to do so throughout this process.

P90X2 Day #1 - X2 Core

I started P90X2 this morning and my first impression is if I can wake up and have energy in the morning I'm going to love this! A simple note about me is that I am not a morning person, to say the least! However, I'm trying a new pre-workout supplement, N.O. Explode 2.0, that is designed to give me energy to help accomplish my workout goals. It is also designed to get the muscles ready for a vigorous workout.

As for the workout, I was unable to finish the entire workout due to time constraints (I had forgotten to allow more time than the scheduled hour since many of the exercises i needed to pause to make sure my form was correct.) I did get halfway through it and then watched/fast forwarded through the rest so I know what to expect the next time. It is always nice to get some good core work, not just ab work. If you're wondering the difference the core also consists of the entire middle portion of your body, the back, abs, hips and upper legs.

Also some other notes are that I don't have the medicine ball(s), stability ball or foam roller yet. I do plan on picking those things up soon. Overall I enjoyed this and hope to put up my numbers shortly.