P90X – HIKES & HAMSTRINGS

Yoga: 40 is the new 30

Isn’t Orange the New Black or something like that, according to the hit TV show? If that wasn’t enough, 40 is the new 30. And this post has everything to do with yoga. Random!

Yesterday was the last day of my self-imposed yoga challenge. The deal I had with myself was that I would do 30 yoga or stretch sessions of at least 25 minutes each in 30 days. If I missed a day, then I could double up. This task will be simple, I thought.

I failed at the task. I put a lot of pressure on myself, and I can say I’m disappointed with how it went. Once I started missing days, it was excruciatingly hard to double up! In the end, the 30 day yoga challenge turned into 40 days. Stretching is so important to prevent injury, help recovery and increase mobility and flexibility. I definitely have noticed a difference over the course of the last 40 days, so am I glad I took on the task? Absolutely.

But did it feel like a chore? Absolutely! Difficult in the sense that although I enjoy yoga, once or twice a week is good for me. To schedule stretching or yoga each day tested my ability to just push play. What I’ve learned over the many rounds of P90X and the different Beachbody programs is that variety in the workouts is key, and it’s so important to be able to remain engaged in the fitness journey. I did not feel engaged with my yoga challenge, so it’ll be quite some time before I take on another one.

I noticed, however, that the half-hour-or-less mark seemed perfect, which is why T25 Stretch and Yoga Meltdown 1 had the highest frequencies of plays. I’m even more excited now about P90X3, where all the workouts are 30 minutes long, and the workouts are highly varied.

So lesson learned: days upon days of yoga- maybe not so much for me. But if I have a program in which I can fully engage myself, like P90X (and hopefully P90X3)- then I’m a machine! So stoked.

For posterity, here are the numbers by workout. There’s a reason that P90X’s yoga is at the bottom with the lowest frequency… and full disclosure, I only completed the first half of it. At 90 minutes and many rounds of P90X, I just can’t seem to sit through it anymore. It’s still an amazing DVD though!

Focus T25 Stretch: 15
Yoga Meltdown 1: 6
Stretch X (P90X) or equivalent stretch: 5
Yoga (P90X2), at least 45 minutes: 2
Yoga Meltdown 2: 1
Yoga (P90X), at least 45 minutes: 1

P90X3. So. Stoked!

P90X3!

I can’t believe it’s already here. The release date was December 10th, and according to the interwebs, orders are being placed like crazy! Even though I had a disastrous go at P90X2 (i.e. injuring myself on day one and then never finding the motivation to attempt it again :S), I’m very excited about this new program. It has been quite a while since I’ve completed the many rounds of the original P90X, and though my activity level in general has shot way up with half-marathons, hiking, and other Beachbody fitness DVDs, P90X will always have a special hold on me. It was January 2010 when I decided to commit to the program and I completed my first round without missing a day. Success! I had awesome results, my nutrition changed completely, and I knew that going forward, fitness, health and athleticism would always be important in my life :). I continue to advocate for Beachbody programs because I know they work and can be truly life-changing.

And now it’s time to challenge myself again (and anyone else who wants to join!) with the same gusto as before. I’ve put my order in, and now I’m waiting patiently for its arrival. Until then, here are a few things I’ve learned about P90X3:

1. Workouts are exactly 30 minutes long, with the warm-up being the first two minutes. How awesome is that? After completing Focus T25, I’m loving the approach of completing intense workouts in a shorter period of time. And it’s 6 days a week. That’s only 3 hours a week of working out to get in the best shape of your life :).

2. P90X3 is for anyone, beginner or advanced. You do not need to complete P90X or P90X2 before conquering this program. It’s actually the opposite- according to Tony Horton, creator of the P90X series, P90X3 can actually set you up to have a stronger foundation for P90X and P90X2.

3. Some of the workouts include isometrics (strength/balance/flexibility), cardio with weights, and mixed martial arts. FUN!

4. The base system has 16 workouts, and the deluxe system includes 3 additional routines: Complete Upper Workout, Complete Lower Workout, and X3 Ab Ripper.

5. In the test group, 39 out of 40 people lost at least 10% of their body fat!

I’m curious to see the workout calendar. I believe there will be multiple goals from which to choose, whether that’s becoming lean, or building muscle. I’ve also decided to go with the Deluxe version for the extra workouts and the bands. My 2014 goals are in the formulating stages, but they centre around fitness and travel. The two are not mutually exclusive, and for me, travel is no longer a reason to pause the fitness and ‘let myself go’. The bands are easy to pack and will be great for those times away from my adjustable weight set.

Undoubtedly, this will be an awesome program. With the number of varied workouts, I think P90X3 will keep anyone interested and engaged for a full 90 days. And with 30 minutes a day, there are no excuses. We all lead busy lives, but carving out 30 minutes from the schedule to devote to working out is very doable and achievable. I can’t wait to get started!

My 30-Day Yoga and Stretch Challenge

One of the items on my list for quite some time has been to complete a 30-day yoga challenge. I always assumed that I would join a yoga studio and dedicate myself to 30 days of Bikram or Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga in the company of other yogis where I, too, would be wearing my yoga gear and drinking coconut water. But alas, yoga is expensive. I’m not saying it’s not worth it, but it’s very pricey. And since I let my Bikram yoga passes expire *gasp*, I figured it would be best that I didn’t purchase another block of classes.

With that said, I realize that I am most committed when I have a fitness routine going at home. Ever since I discovered P90X, at-home workouts have kept me on track, and my living room has been the venue of choice. So why should my 30-day yoga and stretch challenge be any different? I’m equipped with an arsenal of fitness videos: P90X yoga, P90X stretch, Jillian Michaels’ Yoga Meltdown, and Focus T25 Stretch. And there are also many online yoga instructional videos if need be. So yesterday was Day 1 of my newest challenge, and I already know that it’s going to make a difference to my fitness once it’s all done.

Day 45: Mid-P90X Progress :S

Insanity: Thank you for helping me stay somewhat on track! (Photo courtesy of www.beachbody.com) — Insanity: Thank you for helping me stay somewhat on track! (Photo courtesy of http://www.beachbody.com)

Ugh.

That’s pretty much how I feel about reaching the midpoint of my P90X fitness schedule. Today is Day 45, and I can say that even though I started strong, I have dropped the ball in the last few weeks. Phase 1 of the program was awesome. Then I flew home for a weekend, and I’ve never fully recovered since. I do put a lot of pressure on myself, so in my mind, the last 45 days have been a disaster/failure. However, I know this isn’t the case. I’m still doing regular exercise, and this is a good thing. I really want to pick it up for the next 45 days, but I have to keep in mind the following:

1) Work within the injury. I feel like a broken record with my injured left foot and consistent pain on my right arm, but it really does impede the performance of certain workouts. There’s no sense making the injuries worse… so I need to alter my program. Thank goodness for “Steam Engine”, my go-to abdominal workout when I’m substituting an exercise.

2) I enjoy cardio more than strength training. Well, right now I do. Since my genetics make it quite difficult to bulk-up and maintain muscle mass, my focus has been on general fitness, cardio, and trying to stay lean. Which brings me to the next point…

3) I will incorporate more Insanity. I enjoy Beachbody’s Insanity. And even though I’m exhausted by the end of the workout, I really feel like my cardio strength is improving. This will be good for running season when it starts up for me :). Hmm… maybe I should…

4) Do more fun cardio. Maybe I should try this cold-weather-running thing that people do. Or try to do more cross-country skiing. These are great, enjoyable aerobic activities that will get me outside. And with the days becoming longer, there’s no better time than now to push myself a little more and just get out there!

5) Life happens. There was a time when I did a solid P90X program. This is no longer too realistic for me. It’s not that I can’t do it (because I already did!), but sometimes more than one rest day in a week is okay. It may seem ludicrous, but I really do have to tell myself this from time to time, else the result is not a happy Rick. It’s okay to rest a little more once in a while.

So my harsh self-assessment will give myself a C+. It just means that there’s definitely room to improve over the next 45 days. Time to bring it even more!

Tony Horton, So We Meet Again…

“Curse you Tony Horton and your P90X!” I believe I start every single P90X-related post this way. And I always have high hopes for a successful 90 days. However, this time I’m going to be more realistic. The fact of the matter is: I have an injured foot, as well as weird chronic pain in my right arm. I’m currently seeing a physiotherapist for these issues, and she’s applying IMS (intramuscular stimulation) techniques to help resolve the problem. I’m hopeful, but I know I have to take it easy. Tomorrow is Day 1, and I may only be able to complete Day 1 before finding another mode of exercise for 90 days. I may make it half way before another part of my body decides to break. Either way, I’m going to do my best and move forward with my 2013 goal- to make exercise and fitness a priority, in whatever capacity that is. Let’s Bring IT! And good luck to my bro who is doing his Insanity challenge, starting tomorrow. We’ve got this, bro!