Monthly Archives: March 2012

P90X2, Recovery + Mobility

Foam Rolling For Recovery

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Day three into the week of downtime between phase two and phase three of P90X2. It’s more of the foam rolling for recovery. Increasing the stretch and pliability of muscles. I really like the mellower vibe of this particular part of the program.

I’m still not finding any knots. Not even when I’m doing the full pressure style of being on the roller. Obviously it’s a good thing to not be tight in terms of muscle knots.

Tomorrow is another day of Yoga X2.

Until then, it’s time to make a gourmet meal and make more music. Catch ya tomorrow post foam rolling for recovery.

P90X2, Recovery + Mobility

A Week Of Recovery And Mobility Plus Yoga

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It’s a sunny day. Snow melting. Ski season pretty much dun. D. U. N. Done. With the back back and abs workout yesterday my phase two came to a close. Now I have a week of recovery and mobility plus yoga for sprinkled fun.

I’ll be taking some photos for my 60 day interval in a few minutes. Then it’s a trip to the shower, an organic breakfast and finally some music business stuff to attend to.

The trip down the foam rolling lane today was great. I’m not sure what it releases, but it sure feels good. Technically I know what’s supposed to release. What I mean is that, I’m not all tied up in knots with my muscles. So I don’t find myself finding too many spots to sit on that need to release. Once in a while I do, but it’s not the pain that I see others hit on the DVDs.

What I do notice is that I feel a little more relaxed afterwards. That’s probably the true goal. Another thing I’ve noticed is that my flexibility is increasing. I’m nearly able to palm the floor in a forward bend. I’m about 1/2inch from being able to do that. That’s the closest I’ve been yet.

Maybe after a week of recovery and mobility plus yoga next week I may be palming the floor, who knows. Where are you at with your journey? Need help? Need a coach?

 

Base Back & Abs, P90X2

Final Base Back And Abs Of Phase Two

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Today marks the end of my 2nd phase in the P90X2 journey. I inserted an extra day due to a chance yesterday for a free day of skiing. One can never pass up a free day of skiing, especially when it’s an awesome spring day. As I say, a day spent skiing is a great day. Besides, Tony Horton is a skier and I’m sure he’d understand. As I mentioned at the beginning this is the final base back and abs of phase two.

Things I noticed. I got more reps on the pull ups. Most I’ve done unassisted. While I was an ardent follower of the “assist” method in P90X, I found that while I could do a lot of reps, I couldn’t manage to do a lot of pullups at all unassisted. Maybe it’s harder for a taller person to really do pullups. However, I’m finally working up numbers past 5 reps. That’s great for me. Being that I previously couldn’t do more than 3. Thus that’s a big 50% jump in reps for me.

For the plyo portions I was keeping up. Only had one moment where I had to pause the DVD as I was winded and needed to catch my breath, but I’m pushing it hard too. Despite a slightly weak start in this phase, I’m now feeling ready to take my recovery week then start phase three.

There were a couple of moves in the ab ripper where I lost momentum, or the ability to complete the move due to exertion. Beyond that I completed the rest of it. Hardest one right now is still Abernome and also Phelon. Ooof. But I keep my mind at it and continue to push.

Wrapping up the final base back and abs of phase two leaves me feeling great. Time to eat, and conduct the rest of my day. What have you accomplished today?

P90X2, X2 Yoga

Impromptu Break Into Yoga X2

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Got sidetracked for a couple of days. Ended up doing some work on a video thing. Then got a call to do music for a trailer. Deadlines and a little massage ended up giving me an impromptu break into yoga x2.

I was feeling a bit more relaxed going through the moves this time around. I think that’s a good thing. Mostly because I was getting further into the moves than I normally do. Had a couple of bobbles on the the left side of the warrior 3 part, but otherwise pretty solid.

Even had a moment of brilliance with the Crane move where I got fairly well balanced before losing it. It will be a great day when I’m able to move into Crane and hold it.

Time to get on with the next workout tomorrow which will end my phase two and begin my recovery week. Looking forward into getting through the final phase of the P90X2 journey. Once in a while life happens. When it does, don’t be bummed if you get an impromptu break into yoga X2. You’ll swing right back in and keep moving forward.

P90X2, Shoulders Arms & Abs

X2 Shoulders Arms And Abs Part Three

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Midway through my third week of Phase Two in the P90X2 Journey. The fun thing about this particular workout is that my upline coach is in it. Plus he’s a musician like me. Good ol’ Jason Scheff. While two weeks ago I thought I might be thinking I’d need fou weeks of phase two, I’m now thinking I’m ready to move on. I’m keeping up with the peeps in X2 shoulders arms and abs part three which is awesome.

Normally I would have done this workout yesterday, however I was out getting some X2 skiing in. Couldn’t ask for a much better day to get outside and carve some turns. It’s even better when a friend who works at the resort offers up the tickets. Sunny with recent two feet of snow fall = awesome day. Even better is being in tip top shape so you can last the whole day carving and skiing hard.

Today I was upping reps and increasing weight. Thus I think it’s time to push this week out (two more workouts) then move into Phase Three of P90X2. Oooh, oooh, also means it’s about time to take the next round of photos. Rather than posting them as they are taken, I’ll likely post the beginning middle and end photos in the final post about this 90 day excursion.

Saying so long from X2 shoulders arms and abs part three. See ya tomorrow. Eat healthy. Eat well. Exercise with beachbody and join me in the journey to a happier healthier life!

P90X2, Plyocide

Getting That Plyocide I Mean Plyolife

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Ah yeah, Plyocide. Last week, if you can recall, I ended up bonking out in the middle of the workout. I’m pretty darn sure it was due to a couple of things. One, being on the road and not getting the same amount of nutrition as I normally would. I wasn’t eating bad, just not to my potential. Two, a lack of sleep. I normally have a schedule that is shifted from most people. I go to bed late, but I also get between seven to eight hours of sleep. Usually eight. When I’m doing that I’m getting that Plyocide I mean Plyolife type of workout without bonking out.

Today was full on. I was keeping up. I nailed all the moves. I brought it and brought it 110%. No bonking. I did get winded a few times. Apart from that it was as strong as I’ve ever felt doing any kind of plyo type workout.

When you’re feeling this good it’s amazing what you feel like you can accomplish. I know I’m going to push the next workout. I can feel it already. May mean that I’ll move into the Phase Three sooner than I anticipated.

Have you been getting that Plyocide I mean Plyolife into your day? Are you pushing it? Are you phoning it in? Let’s get you into the discussion, let me know how your workouts are going. Join me in my NRG.

Chest Back & Balance, P90X2

Third Time Is A Charm With Chest Back And Balance

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As I mentioned yesterday I had somehow gotten off by a day. Normally I’d let it go, but instead, this time around I decided to get back in sequence. So I put two workouts back to back that would normally have a day off in between. Wow. Kicking off week three I can say that the third time is a charm with chest back and balance.

My goal was to do no pullup with any assistance. I made that goal. However the reps went down a lot. I started strong with my highest unassisted number ever, but by the end I was petering out and still did a few unassisted. There was one, the “Lever” to which I only got 1 done. I went for a second and got half way up. Damn hard that is.

The Impossible/Possible got 3x better. Instead of 1, I got 3. That’s improvement there. Overall I felt a lot better about the workout. The only thing I could have done better with is the Chattaroll and the rest of the bonus. I did do 3 of those as well, compared to 1 last time too. But I couldn’t quite get to the final two bonus moves. I’ll chalk that up to putting to workouts back to back where there should be a rest day.

Looking forward to plyocide tomorrow. Weird to say that. But then I’m feeling good having had a third time is a charm with check back and balance kinda day.

Where are you at in your journey? Join me and start blogging about your exploits here. I’m looking for a few P90X2’ers to start bloggin.

Base Back & Abs, P90X2

Base Back And Abs

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Ooops.

That’s the word to start this off. I didn’t really get into Base Back and Abs while on the road last week. Somehow this week I accidentally forgot to do it. I’m still scratching my head on that. Cause I knew I was supposed to begin a new week but wondered how I was a day early. Then it dawned on me that I hadn’t done the workout. So oops.

I did actually managed to do a little of it last week. But I didn’t have access to bands or a pullup bar. Thus it was only the plyo part and I didn’t have the full time to do the whole workout. This week was mucho differenté. [I made that last part up].

This is a wild workout. I’m happy that it’s got 30 breaks between most of the moves. It’s definitely needed once you’re doing the whole thing. I made sure that I didn’t do any “cheating” on the pullups. Damn hard.

Anyway, time to get on to the rest of my day. I’m happy I finally got through base back and abs. Ready to start the next week tomorrow. No rest day.

P90X2, X2 Yoga

Ah Yoga X2

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Today was week two of phase two and with it came yoga. Sometimes I really enjoy it. Sometimes not so much. I’m here to say that today I enjoyed it. So ah yoga X2. Made me feel good.

I was a little stiff to start, but after the first 15 minutes or so I was really opening up. That’s kind of a first for me. I usually don’t open up if I’m stiff going in at the start. I see that as a plus for me.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, yoga X2 is nice in that it’s barely an hour. That makes it more doable compared to the yoga in P90X. Thank you Beachbody. I’m off to a great start today and I believe it has to do with that workout.

Ah yoga X2, I did it. How about you?

P90X2, Shoulders Arms & Abs

X2 Shoulders Arms And Abs

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Ah, today was much better than a couple of days ago. No bonking. Keeping up with the workout and feeling good about it. Unlike last week where I was on the road and didn’t have weights with me. This week’s X2 shoulders arms and abs had some weight behind it.

What a workout. So much better with weight. In fact I could really feel it. I started with a slightly lighter weight but upped the reps. Next week should allow me to increase the weight a little.

The thing I’m noticing about X2 is the size of things like my arms and pecs. They’re growing. It’s a good thing that Beachbody suggests taking measurements prior to starting the program. If I can see the results, I’m thinking the measurements are going to show the results.

It’s certainly invigorating when you get through a regimen like P90X2. Especially when you have a workout where you bonk out the day before.

The real bonus was getting through the X2 Ab Ripper. This was my best showing with it yet. I made it through the whole round, minus 4 of the final reps of the last move. So close. So close. Could the next round of abs see me get the entire routine? I think so.

Happiness is getting through a round of X2 shoulders arms and abs.

How’s your P90X2 Journey going? Leave a comment.