Adventures in P90X: Part 2
by Bryan Stealey
I just finished Day 40 of P90X, and it feels like the right time for my next update on the program. (You can see my first post HERE.) So far I’ve missed two days, and they were planned days. I took Dec. 25 and 26 off, not only because we were traveling for the holidays and I wanted to concentrate on family time, but also because I wanted to adjust my weekly schedule to get my day off moved from Tuesdays to Thursdays. Now when I travel to the Los Angeles Supercross next week, it’ll be a day off, which will make things much easier on me. This program requires so much time that you really have to plan it around life activities in order to stay on schedule.
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| The Yoga portion of P90X is nothing like your typical yoga class. This workout will challenge even the fittest of athletes and is something every motocross athlete should do. - Virtual Trainer |
There have been a couple of days when I really didn’t feel like working out, but I’ve done it anyway, and I ended up feeling fine once I got into it. I’m getting a cold now, so it’ll be interesting to see what working out at this level is like while being under the weather.
I mentioned family time: Therein lies the single most challenging part of doing P90X, at least for a guy like me, with a wife and two young kids at home. My wife is extremely patient with the amount of time I spend working out, but I know it’s not easy on her. Add other family commitments into the equation – getting my kids to basketball, piano, helping with homework, etc. – and P90X makes things really tight. My life would be a lot easier if I’d just work out early in the morning, but I positively hate working out early. So many of my P90X workouts start after 9 p.m. It’s not rare for me to finish at 11, take a shower, and hit the sack. I’m excited that my wife just started working with a personal trainer, so now I get to make concessions to accommodate her workout schedule as well. It feels much more fair.
Since the last time I wrote I’ve gone through a scheduled “recovery” week, and I’ve also completed all of the remaining P90X workouts (with the exception of Cardio X, which isn’t a part of the P90X classic program I’m doing). Some quick thoughts on the workouts I didn’t write about last time.
Stretch X: I’m now more flexible than I’ve ever been in my life, and that makes stretching feel incredibly good. This is definitely an easy day, effort wise, unless flexibility is a problem for you. Some people do Stretch X instead of taking rest days throughout the entire program, and I wish I had time to do that, but I need to take at least one day completely off each week to keep the peace at home. I’ll only do this workout three or four times throughout the entire 90 days, and I look forward to them all.
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| Core Synergistics is a great workout for the Motocross athlete. This workout incorporates every muscle from the hip flexor to the bottom of the chest including the all important lower back - Virtual Trainer |
Core Synergystics: I had trouble with this one, because as I mentioned last time, I apparently have a weak core. The good news is, it’s getting much stronger, thanks to the concentration P90X puts on core strength. I have to admit I whimpered a time or two during my first experiences with CS. I’m looking forward to seeing how I do the next time I encounter it, in my next recovery week. It’s got ab exercises, pushups, and other exercises that focus on the chest down to the upper legs, as well as the back and sides.
Chest and Shoulders: This workout is added to the schedule in Week 5, and it’s great. When I do this, I’m particularly impressed with my ability to do plyometric pushups, where I lower into a deep push-up, then project myself completely in the air and clap my hands. I remember doing clap pushups when I was a kid – I think we called them military pushups – but Tony’s version gets your feet off the ground too. When I saw him do them, I didn’t think I’d be strong enough yet, but I pleased when I was able to knock out 8 or 9 of them, and I’m pretty sure my form is good. I never would have been able to do these a few months ago. There are lots of other good, new exercises in this one too, including a towel pull-up, where one hand is on the bar and the other hand is holding onto a towel that’s draped over the bar. I look forward to this workout each week.
Back and Biceps: This one is also added in Week 5. In a way, this is one of the most intense days in the whole program. It’s not particularly sweat-inducing, and because it mostly focuses on smaller muscles, it doesn’t really punish you like some of the others, but the focus on biceps is nonetheless intense. I’ve never done this many curls in a day, in any other program I’ve been on. I have no doubt that I’ll see a considerable difference in my biceps by the time all is said and done, mostly because of this particular workout. Also, it’s my back that has seen the most muscle mass and strength progression so far, and there are plenty of pull-ups and other exercises targeting the back muscles in this. It’s definitely one of my favorite workouts of all. If you’re currently in the first month of P90X, you should look forward to getting to Week 5 so you can do this one.
I should also mention that, 40 days in, I’ve really gotten better at both Plyometrics and Yoga. Both are amazing workouts.
In the comments section of my last post, Colton Raber said: “I was wondering what you overall thoughts on the P90X Program were? I race motocross in the B Class right know. I am currently in Personal Training for Motocross but it just isn't giving me the overall results i am looking for. I am gaining a lot of strength but ive not lost any fat.”
I love P90X, Colton. I like it a lot more than Power 90 (which I also liked), and I’m already in the second best condition I’ve ever been in as a result of committing to these programs. (My target is to be in better shape than I was in when I was at my fittest, at 19. My flexibility continually surprises me, and it’s also cool to realize my balance is improving, even at 39. And I’m just stronger everywhere – especially in my back and shoulders. I’d grown used to not being very strong, I suppose, and I have to admit that it’s extremely encouraging to feel these changes happening to my body now. I don’t have to look very hard to find the motivation to work out most days.
But I had very little fat to lose compared to many. I still have a little fat on my stomach that I want to lose, and I’m perhaps a little disappointed it hasn’t gone away a bit faster. I’m not as strict with my diet as some P90Xers are, so maybe that’s why. Or maybe the last little bit is just the toughest to get rid off. I’m not sure, and I’m not really in a major hurry, as I’m more interested in long-term changes than short-term ones. Plenty of people have lost a lot of fat doing P90X, though, and if you do it and really stick to the nutritional guidelines, I’d be surprised if you don’t lost fat too.
But I don’t think P90X is enough on its own for motocross training – at least not the Classic program I’m doing. There’s just not enough cardio. P90X is more about strength, flexibility, and balance. I feel like a cardio supplement, or a hybrid P90X program, would be required for the serious motocross athlete.
If you have any thoughts or comments, please leave them in the comments section.
Until next time…
That's it for now, until next time, good luck with your training and remember, if you have a question, log on to the Virtual Trainer Expert Forum and have your question answered by a panel of experts. In addition, be sure and check out the Racer X Virtual Trainer archive section. Your complete one-stop information zone for motocross fitness. 
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I am currently doing my second round of Insanity, another BeachBody product and I feel that it is much more effective for motocross than p90x will be. I lost 15lbs my first 60 days and the program is based on Cardio and Core Strength. I have not done p90x, but think that its better to have more cardio than be jacked for motocross! Just my opinion. Plus Insanity is only 60 days, so I could almost do it twice in the time of 1 p90x round! Good luck and nice job with the p90x can't wait to hear about the end results!
Thanks for the comment, Chris! I guess it really comes down to your overall fitness goals, but there's no question that the classic P90X program is light on cardio. P90X doesn't necessarily result in getting jacked, so to speak. You can concentrate on muscle growth if you want, but you can also concentrate on developing toned, lean muscle, and also on having a strong core, strong legs, and better balance and flexibility.
Some people do a P90X/Insanity hybrid, which I might try some day. You can see the worksheets for that program here: http://www.beachbody.com/text/p90x_microsite/worksheets/print-p90xins-worksheets.html
Good luck with Insanity! Maybe I'll join you if you ever do a third round.
Excellent posts, Bryan! I am finishing up my third round of p90x. I've been a lot more disciplined with this 90 days, and it has helped with my results. I think my favorite workout is Chest and Shoulders, it seems to go by faster than the rest. I still haven't met anyone who can do the entire Ab Ribber workout. I'm with you, I won't be screaming at my friends to BUY IT! But I would definitely recommend it to anyone who has a good base to start with. I'm somewhat embarrassed about it when my friends ask what I'm doing, but at the same time, it works... I don't know how you can do it and go to sleep after, I'm wired for hours after I finally talk myself into doing the workout haha.
Hey, Waylon! So how much time did you take off between your three rounds? And if you race, what effect has P90X had on the track?
As for being embarrassed -- I don't think there's anything to be embarrassed about! I mean, if you were doing Suzanne Somers' 10-Minute Ab-tastic Crunch-a-rama, sure, you might not want to wear that one on your sleeve, but if anyone makes a snide comment about you doing P90X, just invite them along for a round of Plyometrics. Tim gave me that idea.
Good luck finishing round 3!
What programs would you recommend for someone, who is totally out of shape?
I just turned 18 and the last 3 years I've barely done any exercising and last all my stamina, so I'm weak and totally out of shape. This 2012 summer will more than likely be the time when my dad and I start motocross riding.
I wanna get in good shape again and add strength. So my question is what programs would you recommend for myself? Whether it be the p90x or other programs online.
Thanks, Bryan! I will suggest a round of Plyo next time. That's a great idea!
I've been taking 3-4 weeks off between rounds. It may be a little too much time, because the day after starting Plyometrics again I am usually pretty sore. I am still a huge fan of MX racing, but since breaking my back years ago, I haven't ridden. I can say that P90X has helped me make big gains with my mountain bike, especially with climbing, balance, posture, and endurance. I've also noticed I can push myself harder after spending all of this time with Tony. I had a big injury with my back, and would stay pretty sore but after getting into P90X I rarely experience any back pain. I think it has a lot to do with the core workouts.
I started doing Plyo on a yoga mat, but have switched to a double layer of the 2' x 1" gym tiles. a 4'x4' square doubled up with padding has really been the trick for me not having my photos shake off the walls during JUMP KNEE TUCK! haha.
Good luck with the last half, we'll be looking forward to the next update!
Hi, Nathan! Site owner Tim is more qualified to suggest programs than I am, and I'm sure he'll chime in here, though I will say that I don't think P90X is a good program for someone who would consider themselves "totally out of shape." It's certainly possible for a person who's been stagnant to jump into P90X and get through the rigors of the program, but P90X has a pretty high failure rate, from what I've seen, and it's often because people who weren't prepared for it tried to tackle it after seeing a pumped-up informercial on TV.
This is my 3rd round of P90x. It's also my 3rd yr doing it. I start p90x in January and when finished, I roll right into Insanity. Five months later, motox racing season is well under way and I then just concentrate on the bicycle and riding/racing. This has worked very well for me. The first yr with P90x was the best results though. The surprise factor of each work-out was probably the reason for that. FWIW P90X2 is now out. Wifey and I are prolly gonna get it soon just to mix them around.
Thanks for your reply Bryan! That high failure rate wouldn't surprise me either.
And I'd love to hear what Tim would have to say and recommend for myself.
I am finishing up week three on my first attempt of P90X, thatâ
Had an awesome post written but it wont let me post it all the way... Whatever!!! X for Xtreme!!!
I definitely agree that for MX, P90X doesn't deliver enough cardio which isn't really there fault because they are trying to make it cheap for the average person to follow the workout. I recently looked online to see what a Concept rower or Trixster stationary bike would cost and most likely out of reach for most people including myself.
Here is my opinion on why P90X has such a high failure rate. It's actually quite a simple theory. First, let me say this. As far as getting someone in shape and being a quality program, I think P90X is just that. The reason I believe P90X has such a high failure rate is because they market (for the most part) to people who are generally out of shape and overweight. So (in my opinion) if a person is out of shape and overweight, fitness and health is not necessarily the most important thing in their life. If it were, they wouldn't be out of shape and overweight :). So, you take a person who does not like to exercise and hit them over the head with an extremely intense workout that requires a huge time commitment even for the most seasoned of gym rat, failure is imminent for the vast majority. The late night TV impulse buyers will fail.
Nathan, I do NOT believe you have to be in "decent" shape to start P90X. I think you can go straight from the couch to the program. The movements may not be pretty and you may not be able to complete the entire workout, but the purpose of the program is to get in shape! It's silly to say that you are "too out of shape" to exercise. I teach a pretty intense kickboxing class at the local Y, and have people come up to me all the time saying that they really want to take my class but they don't b/c they are too out of shape to take a class that is that intense. I laugh inside each time I hear this b/c I offer so many modifications to the exercises that any person fit or non-fit, overweight or skinny, old or young can take my class. I know the real reason the person says this is b/c they cannot admit to them self that they just don't want to work that hard. It's okay b/c not every one wants to work hard at the gym. But the catch with exercise is you have create a physiological breakdown in order for the body to create new muscle tissue to grow and improve. If you do less each day, the body will do less. If you do more, the body will do more. Its that simple!
There is an alternative to P90X that is specific to motocross. Last year on the site we offered a 19-week periodized training program for guys who have 1 hour a day 5 days per week available to train. You can check it out here.
http://www.racerxvt.com/article/coach-seijis-daily-strength-training-plan
SuZOOKi - sorry you were having trouble posting your comment. If you want, email me and I will post it for you. tim@racerxonline.com
I certainly agree that a person CAN thrive with P90X if they're out of shape to begin with, but does that make it the best program for them? Not necessarily. I know in my case, when I made the commitment to getting into the best shape of my life, I had long-term success in mind and decided to do a slightly less intensive program for 90 days before doing P90X. (Power 90.) It was still tough, but it was a reasonable workload considering my former activity level, I progressed through the program in a sustainable way, and it really trained me to work out six days a week with no exceptions. When I finally started P90X, I was a lot stronger than I was before starting Power 90, and I think I've gotten a lot more out of P90X as a result. I've enjoyed the program from the beginning, which I don't think would've been the case if I'd started with it.
Great point Bryan. While my post above may not have sounded like I agree with this, I certainly think there is merit to "easing" into a workout program. Especially if exercising was not a big part of a person's life. When I consult with people who have not exercised in a while or even a rider who is not used to the rigors of a training schedule, the first 4-6 weeks are always used as a break in period. Is P90X the right program for someone right off the couch? Probably not but I assumed the program started off easy and progressively got harder. If it doesn't then this reaffirms my theory on why the failure rate is so high.
But with that said, it has been my experience that when a person fails with a commitment to exercise it is usually b/c that person decided to exercise for the wrong reasons. Wrong reasons include, "because my wife wants me to" or " I know I should exercise so I will" and "my doctor told me I needed to lose 20 lbs." I find that the only people who are successful at setting a goal and attaining that goal do so because they WANT to. I have always lived by the saying that "if you want to do something you will". And anyone who starts P90X will complete it only b/c they want to. Its way to intense of a program to complete for any other reason.
I am always reminded of something that happened to me back in high school. I was trying to impress this girl b/c I liked her. I was pretty much a muscle head jock back in high school and was always motivated more by how lifting weights made me look than the athletic benefit. I said to this girl one day as I pointed to a really ripped guy on the cover of a magazine, " Wow, I want to look like that guy." She said, without hesitation and its something that has stuck with me for the past 30 years, "No you don't. Because if you did, you would!" That statement sunk in more and more over the years and I think it is one of the most important things I have ever learned in my life. If I WANT to do something, I will. If I don't, I won't.
I don't think there's anything easy about the way P90X starts. While it's certainly true that you can make it easier by not doing as many reps, by using less weight, by skipping exercises, by taking more breaks, by hitting pause, etc ... it's definitely not designed to ease you into anything. I think only being able to do half, or less, of the routines out of the gate would feel discouraging to many. Imagine a round of plyometrics or yoga for a person who's, say, 40 or 50 pounds beyond where they want to be.
"So I can't even hang half the way through these workouts, and I'm lying here in a pool of sweat, my muscles are so sore I can barely walk, and I have 12 more weeks of this? Dear God...."
I think that line of reasoning would be common for the truly out of shape, and increases the chances of failure. But if instead you start out with something more reasonable, that you can complete (or even almost complete), you get to have some successes along the way, which does wonders for motivation.
Wow these are all great and interesting comments.
I like the quote Tim said, "If I want to do something, I will. If I don't, I won't."
I'd admit I struggle to keep working out and honestly it's just me being lazy. I'll go on phases where I work out for 2 months straight than stop for 2 or 3 months. For the last 3 years I have been stuck in this pattern of working than stopping. I truly want to get back in good shape and I want to be healthy and fit. When I start riding again, I wanna be able to ride 20 to 30 minute motos. But I'm lost on what program to use. It seems like the P90x could be a program to use but I also it seems like maybe doing an easier program before to get your body accustomed to working out and getting on a schedule would help before it too.
Nate - try this to start.
http://www.racerxvt.com/article/coach-seijis-daily-strength-training-plan
Bryan,
Thanks! I ended up getting the P90X program before I read this. My first day was yesterday, I deciede to do the "Lean" Program because it incorperates more Cardio then the Classic does. I am not 100% following the diet, I eat pretty healthy the way it is so i decided to just try to incorpate some of the foods its suggested.
Good luck, Colton! Looks like you have Cardio X on the agenda today, which is the only workout I haven't tried yet. Let me know what you think of it.
Thanks Bryan, i think i will need a litle bit of luck to finish this hole thing! The Cardio X workout was farily long, i believe it was about an Hour long. It got my heart rate up and kept it there the hole time, no i wasn't maxed out by any means, I probably could have done more. What makes it difficult is it really keeps your heart rate up the entire time. It only has 1 water break built it. So far in the program i found today's workout, Yoga, to be by far the Toughest!
Going to give it another shot to share my 2 cents:
I wrestled for 10 years and was ranked in the top 10 in my state. I also competed on a national level but came up short of "All-American" status. Top 8 in each weight class gets AA status, I was 10th. That was 9 years ago, sad face. From what I've learned from being a fan of Moto, there isn't much difference between the two. In a nutshell: I wrestled a person where as a rider wrestles the bike. Things like leverage, hips and upper body strength are important.
I got into moto when I realized I missed being competitive. I made a promise to myself never to race due in part I'm scared it will ruin the fun because who wants to lose! So I turn laps for myself and ride for fun. I also like fear and commitment it brings over me.
In regards to P90X: It reminds me of the last hour of wrestling practice. First 2 hours was centered on wrestling and the last hour was conditioning. I mean a lot of the moves and "exercises" are old school and literally what we did in practice.
I am at the end of week 3 and have seen and felt the difference. I do want to point out a huge issue that Bryan has spoken about with time. We live in a "now" culture. We want results now (live timing). We want information quick (twitter, FB, and RacerOnline.com). This doesn't change when it comes to working out and P90X. We want fast results and we want a quick work out. So Bryan- Your issue with time is a cultural battle and you will never win. A good solid work-out that will produce results will take you an hour, 4-5 times a week. At the top of my game in wrestling: I was active 7 days a week, 3 hours at the school with the team and then off to another private practice for another 2 hours. That produced 5% body fat and a weight of 190. I believe P90X is capable of that but you have to make the commitment.
Here are some major, major keys to P90X. Turn off the music and just rock the cues. If you finish before the time is up. Jump rope, jog in place. Never stand or sit. If you can't keep the pace of the dvd and your find yourself struggling: Jump that rope because being active during the time duration is the whole point.
I will end with this: Tony says at least once in each dvd. "Clear your mind" or "focus on task at hand.' I can't tell you how important that is. Your mental status sets the tone for your work out. If you want to understand more of how important your mental status effects your life watch this; www2.netflix.com/Movie/The-Secret/70063484 itâ
I want to add another tip.
Change your enviorment. By enviroment I mean hot or cold. One day crank that heat, make it hot. Then follow that up with cold temps.
I'm not saying wear a ton of clothes but by adding a simple item like a hat will increase heat! When its colder, your body will react in a different way. You will find yourself having to work harder to keep your body hot.
Please: I'm not saying make it a 110 degrees or 40 degrees. Keep it reasonable. Its 55 degrees in my garage right now and a great place to do my jump training. Will you increase your chances of "getting sick?" NO. Cold air doesn't make you sick, its what is in the air that makes you sick. But you can hurt yourself by overheating. I wear a boggen, a long sleeve shirt in about 80 degrees to make it hot. If its to hot, lose the hat and keep going.
Just another trick from wrestling. We had a strick dress code. T-shirt, shorts, shoes with the option of a hat during conditioning. The temp was always different!
I hope my opinion helps. I am very unhappy with myself at 220 but like Byran explained. LIfe happens and when you work 12 hour shifts for 5 years, you lose focus and your body takes the hit. I'm now down to 210 with a long-term goal of 190. I had a 6-pack once and I want it back. I want to thank Bryan for keeping the motivation in me and I feel I have a partner in this! Keep us updated
Great stuff, SuZOOKi! Thanks for taking the time to leave such thorough feedback, there are some great tips there. I'll be doing a third update soon, and will be addressing the whole it-takes-so-much-time thing in more depth.
Hi I'm 16 years old, from Bulgaria. I've been training handball for 9 years, I've been racing Enduro and EnduroCross for 3 years and start training athletics (400m runner) a few months ago because of a fail in the handball team. I can say that I'm in the best shape I'd ever been. I train hard every day doing athletics and these days I started doing some workouts from P90X and Insanity. I've tried a lot of different ways of training to improve my stamina and agility especially for the Enduro competitions(for example interval weight training or strength training) but for me, the P90X style of training is the best way !! Now is the In-Season in the Athletics so I haven't got time to do the whole P90X or Insanity workout routines, that's why I'm doing only two or three workouts per week. After 2 months the athletics trainings will be much lighter so that I will have more time for recovery and I'm going to start the Insanity Workout routine. Personally, I think P90X and Insanity workouts are better than the weight trainings in the gym (especially for MX and EnduroX). I can't wait to hear about the end results !!