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| Overhead Press with Leg Raise |
Things are getting really serious lately with the Body Revolution Week 7 and 8 workouts. I mean, it was tough before, because I was going for the more difficult moves, or putting in the extra effort where possible. As a matter of fact, there were days that I did back to back resistance and cardio workouts, for about an hour total, just because I had the extra energy and it seemed like a good idea. Well, for the past two weeks, I haven’t done that on very many days. As a matter of fact, with my crazy schedule and the increasing difficulty of these workouts, I was happy to follow Jillian’s recommended daily workout routine.
Workout 7 is for the “Chest, shoulders, triceps, quads, and a little bit of abs”. There are several plank position exercises in the first circuit, including the dreaded (for me) plank push up (or as it is called in P90X, the Sphinx). I have written before about how I struggle with these! Ditto when it comes to walking push ups, which are also in the first circuit.
I did better in circuit 2, which focused more on triceps and shoulders (including the exercise pictured above, which I learned about from P90X2). The cardio move in this cicuit was a nice surprise: The Cross Hop, which is familiar to any P90X fan since 2003. Apparently, some truths are universal.
Circuit 3 features push ups with a raised leg (also seen in P90X2), and Jillian makes either a joke or a mistake when she asks us to switch legs right away and keep going at the end of a set. The laughter tells me it was a mistake. A Boat Pose is another example of the new yoga influence in Jillian’s workouts. The cardio move here is a Star Jump, and I hate to repeat myself, but I’ve seen something like this in P90X Kenpo.
Circuit 4 is a combination of floor exercises, with and without dumbbells. This is classic Jillian! It’s a welcome relief after what she put us through for the first 20 minutes.
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| Anita Demonstrates Dumbbell Row |
Workout 8 is for the “Back, bummy, biceps, and abs” (Yes, she says “bummy” a couple of times). The warm up includes a yoga Cobra pose, and a Swimmer stretch (lying down, reach out one arm and the opposite leg, then switch). In this workout, she begins to refer to the supplied resistance band as a “Torture Tube.” I’m not sure if that’s good marketing.
Circuit 1 combines dumbbell rows, lat pulls, squats and ab exercises. As with previous back and bicep workouts, heavier weights can be used at your discretion.
Circuit 2 begins with a classic Jillian move: Pendulum Lunges with a Bicep Curl. She has added a balance component by raising the leg at the midpoint of the back-and-forth movement. I still have trouble with that part. The abdominal exercises include use of the “Torture Tube” and seem to evoke some sexual imagery in Jillian’s mind. Hmm.
Circuit 3 is brutal! It begins with a deep lunge (the yoga Crescent pose), combined with Rear Delt Flies (elevating light dumbbells with extended arms to the sides). This is followed by another one of my weaknesses, the Warrior 3 pose with arms (and weights) extended forward. Aaaaaaarrrrgh! Of course, every circuit is repeated twice, for double the punishment. The cardio exercise here is the Rock Star Jump, which seems like a relief.
Circuit 4 was a little easier for me, except for my lack of coordination at certain spots. There was a Good Morning (forward bend with a weight held behind the neck, supported by the abs), a Crossover Lunge with Bicep Curls (requires coordination!), Bicycle Lunges with the Torture Tube (to engage the biceps and restrict the feet), and Suicide Runs for cardio.
Am I ready for Phase 3? Honestly, I wonder if I am ready for another notch higher on the difficulty scale. If I can get away from those plank moves and Warrior 3, I would be willing to work harder. Somehow, though, I doubt I will get off that easily.
Related Posts
My Jillian Michaels Body Revolution workouts
Jillian Michaels vs P90X (comparison and criticism)
A few months ago, Jillian Michaels announced that she was expanding her online presence beyond her website and podcast to include a YouTube channel called Daily Dose with Jillian Michaels. These 5 to 10 minute video clips include additional interviews with guests featured on the podcast, or replays of caller questions, or topics not covered on the podcast, such as Jillian demonstrating exercises for specific muscle groups. I’ve been watching this channel lately at lunchtime, as a quick break to see Jillian and Janice (the podcast producer and co-host) do their thing, and of course learn something as well.
Daily Dose is part of the Everyday Health network of YouTube channels. There are a lot of good shows here, but this one I love for its mix of fitness and humor: Fitness Guinea Pig. More on that topic in a separate post. My only complaint about this channel, and this may be a problem with YouTube in general, is that it’s difficult to find and subscribe to specific shows within the collection of videos on the network.
As YouTube performers love to say, please subscribe to these channels, so you won’t miss an episode! It also helps their ratings with advertisers, so you’re supporting the shows you enjoy.
Related Posts
The Jillian Michaels Show (comments about specific episodes)
My review of Fitness Guinea Pig
I’m sure there are many people like me out there, who would love to purchase the P90X Extreme Home Fitness Workout DVD Program , if it wasn’t for the price tag. I mean, it’s a good deal if you add up the cost of all those DVDs, plus the other stuff that’s included, but it might be more than you want to spend right now. If you add up the cost of the DVD package plus the recommended equipment, it can be quite a financial commitment. Honestly, I was given P90X as a gift, and I had some dumbbells around the house, but I still had to buy resistance bands as a pull up bar replacement. As an alternative, what if you could get started with P90X-style workouts, developed by Tony Horton, contained in an inexpensive book? I think it would be a great way to get to know Tony and his fitness philosophy.
Bring It!: The Revolutionary Fitness Plan for All Levels That Burns Fat, Builds Muscle, and Shreds Inches was published at the end of 2011. P90X was almost 10 years old, and had been followed by P90X+ (5 videos for P90X “graduates”) and the P90X One on One with Tony Horton series. The book was published a year before P90X2 was released, but influenced by the principles found in the previous workout programs.
When I looked at the reviews of the book on Amazon, there were a lot of complaints such as “This is for non-P90X users” or “Not enough information” (compared to P90X or other health/fitness programs). Of course, everyone is entitled to their opinion, but they are overlooking the point of the book. It’s Tony’s fitness philosophy in written form, meant to be accessible for anyone, from beginner to advanced. There’s a fitness test, to determine your fitness level. If you’re looking for a new workout, it’s in here. As a matter of fact, there are Phase1 and 2 workouts for each fitness level. If you’re already at Striver (intermediate) or Warrior (advanced) level, but you need to work on your healthy eating habits, there’s a nutrition plan. Along the way, there’s motivation from Tony, in the form of Feel Good Fitness, The Cycle of Success, and 11 Laws of Health and Fitness. Again, there are many similarities between the book and what is found in P90X, which is no surprise, but it is not meant to be a direct replacement, with apologies to the Amazon reviewer who was disappointed that it does not include all the P90X exercises.
I purchased this book as a package deal when I attended a Tony Horton book signing (which included a live workout with Tony, of course). I had already completed several rounds of P90X, so I wasn’t starting at the Beginner level of fitness or nutrition. I still got a lot out of the book in terms of motivation, Tony’s nutrition plan (which is different than the P90X or P90X2 plans), and a P90X-style workout that is simplified and portable (in book form, or a couple of photocopied pages per workout). The downside, for me, which no one mentions on Amazon, is that he did not include worksheets for the workouts. He didn’t even recommend them, the way he always does in P90X. So I created my own worksheets. Problem solved.
If you’re looking for a lower-cost P90X alternative, here are the pros and cons:
Pros
- A much lower price! You will still need a lot of the same equipment required for P90X (pull down bar, dumbbells, and/or resistance bands, and an exercise mat).
- Written instructions for workouts, which sometimes can be easier to use in situations where you can’t play a video.
- Just like P90X, the workouts include resistance work (push ups, pull ups, bicep curls, etc.), cardio (plyometrics, martial arts exercises, and more), and yoga.
- A nutrition plan which includes a progressive “cleanse.” A certain food group is eliminated each week, to see how your body benefits or changes as a result.
- Motivation and education from Tony Horton which is based on, or even adds to what we’ve seen so far in P90X and the subsequent programs.
- The Beginner or Striver level workouts can be used as preparation for a P90X purchase. It can help you decide if Tony’s style of training works for you, and you’ll be ready for the challenges of P90X or P90X2.
- Check out my vacation workout blog entry, when I did the Warrior Phase 1 workouts (except for yoga) in a hotel exercise room. When you’re familiar with the workouts, all you really need is the workout exercise list, the right exercise bands, and a mat.
- For users of the Kindle app on Apple devices, there is a follow up e-book called CRUSH IT! which provides both pictures and video demonstrations of the Warrior level workouts. Unfortunately, the videos do not play on other Kindle devices or apps.
Cons
- Tony estimates that each fitness level will take about six weeks to complete. That’s three weeks using the Phase 1 workouts, three weeks for the Phase 2 workouts, at each level (Beginner, Striver, Warrior). That’s about four and a half months total, if you start as a Beginner. On the other hand, if the fitness test indicates you’re a Striver or Warrior, you might not need to complete all the workouts in the book. How do you feel about skipping phases, or spending more than the now popular 90 days to complete the program?
- Each Phase is composed of three workouts: Resistance, Cardio, and Yoga. You have three Resistance and two Cardio days per week, and one Yoga day. Unlike P90X, each week is the same until you progress to the next Phase or Level, so there isn’t as much variety.
- As a beginner at yoga, I found it difficult at first to follow along with the P90X Yoga workout. When reading a book, it’s probably even more difficult for a beginner to put together all the exercises described on separate pages when it’s time to do them as listed in the yoga workouts.
- No worksheets! As I mentioned above, Tony talks about worksheets all the time in P90X, and they are available online, but there are no worksheets available for the book. Just make your own.
- There is a list of exercises for each workout, of course, but no page number reference for each exercise description (listed in a separate section of the book). If you’re not familiar with one or more exercises, you have to flip back and forth. I photocopied the workouts, then wrote the page numbers and short descriptions of each exercise.
- The Beachbody-branded workouts (including P90X) have an online support community at the Team Beachbody website, but I couldn’t even find a promotional website for this book. There’s no Internet resources “for more information or support” provided in the book, either. That’s unusual for a book published in the age of social media.
Whatever you decide, I wish you all the best with your workouts. As Tony says, “Do your best, forget the rest!” and find the plan that you enjoy and gives you the results you want. If you liked my review, and are considering purchasing the book, please support the blog by visiting the Amazon Affiliate link. Thanks!
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Full Name: Mark Briggs
P90X2 Introduction: Tony Horton calls him “A fighter, a brawler. Don’t get him mad, ’cause he’ll hurt you so bad.” (December 2013 update: Mark is back for P90X3!)
Current: Mark’s Biography page talks about his long history with Beachbody (as one of the 41 Founding Coaches in 2006). He was a cast member in the P90X+ series (additional P90X workouts released in 2007). He transitioned from a career as a police officer to full-time coaching in 2009.
Mark’s fitness transformation started in 2002, when he was an overweight, divorced policeman. He ordered Power 90 after seeing a commercial (featuring 40-something Tony Horton), and lost 40 lbs in 90 days. Wow! You can read the details on Mark’s site, but there was some rebound weight gain, then Slim in 6, and being featured in an infomercial. Since then, Mark has completed several Beachbody programs, for multiple rounds. He has earned every bit of his success!
My Comments: I couldn’t confirm (at first) that Mark was the inventor of the Briggs Ram exercise found in Bring It! by Tony Horton, and in Mark’s own Cardio Monster workout, but then he told me via Twitter that I was correct. The Briggs Ram is a side-to-side motion similar to swinging a battering ram into a door. I like to hold light weights to form a small “ram” with more force behind it. I purchased Bring It! a while ago, so I recognized Mark’s name right away when I started using P90X2.
The News from Mark page on his website is a blog-style collection of his travels, fitness tips, workouts, and other great info. What’s Your Why? is a video of Mark sharing his fitness story and Beachbody career, in January 2012. This is worth watching!
Official/Personal Websites:
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All Cast Profiles
P90X2 Cast Profiles
My P90X2 Plyocide Workouts
For the past two weeks, I have been using the Jillian Michaels Body Revolution Phase 2 workouts 5, 6, and Cardio 2. According to Jillian’s schedule, I should have stayed with Phase 1 workouts for a month, but I switched early because I am not a beginner when it comes to home workouts, and I wanted to challenge myself a little more. OK, this is more like it!
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| Sumo Squat and Press |
Workout 5: There is a yoga warm up (Sun Salutation), then it’s time to work out “The chest, shoulders, triceps, quads, and a little bit of abs.” I have to admit, the warm up reminded me of Tony Horton, since he first introduced me to yoga in P90X, and he uses that warm up in particular for several workouts. After the warm up, the circuits include a lot of Jillian’s signature “super sets” which work the same muscle groups for two sets in a row. For example, two intense arm exercises! The plyometric exercises are back, just as in Phase 1. There are more combination moves, such as Tricep Presses in a Crescent pose (forward lunge). There is an abdominal exercise at the end of each circuit, but many of the exercises include a twisting or core-related element as well.
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| Jillian and Natalie Encourage Us |
Workout 6: This one is worth watching because of the interaction between Jillian and Natalie at the very beginning. I guess they were having a conversation about motivating us to keep going, even as it becomes more difficult, and Natalie doesn’t seem convinced. Still, it’s nice to see the end of their chat, and hear Natalie speak. Anyway, this is a workout for “The back, biceps, glutes, hamstrings, and a little bit of abs.” I noticed Jillian’s use of the light, medium, and heavy weights here (very specific). I even pulled out heavier than usual weights for bicep curls, where Jillian was using the resistance band. There are familiar moves here from 30 Day Shred, such as Superman (now with light weights), and new ones, such as a Dumbbell Row in Stork Stance. The “Stork” is what Jillian calls my nemesis, the yoga Warrior 3 pose. This is similar to one of the common exercises in P90X2, which I have mentioned many times in my P90X2 blog entries.
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| Hey, Lana, how YOU doin’? |
Cardio 2: This is similar to Cardio 1, but some of the exercises are more difficult, such as the Burpee at the end of each circuit. There are two sets of jumping jacks (one normal, one crossing arms and feet). There are plyometric moves, including a Plie Hop. Cast members are featured at various points of the workout, such as David, Mimi, Hayley, and Lana (my personal favorite). There are a couple of boxing moves, and I decided to use my light weights for those, even though Jillian did not suggest it. I wonder if the punches with weights (as seen in 30 Day Shred) will make an appearance in later workouts?
There is a noticeable increase in difficulty from Phase 1 to Phase 2, but it is not a huge difference. There is always someone demonstrating a more challenging version of the exercise. More combination moves, and more “super sets.” Some days I did the scheduled workout followed by Cardio 2, but most days I was happy to do the scheduled workout all by itself.
I’ve done these workouts for two weeks, as the schedule recommends, so I’ll be switching to workouts 7 and 8. I think it was just enough time to get used to the workouts and almost get tired of doing them. Well, I won’t get tired of Cardio 2, for some reason…
Related Posts
Body Revolution Phase 1 Workouts
Jillian Michaels vs Tony Horton Comparison
Cast Profile: Natalie
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