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P90X2 Day 16: Plyocide

I wasn’t sure if today’s workout was going to turn out so well. First of all, I got four and half hours of sleep last night. Second, the previous night’s sleep wasn’t so great, either. I decided to “do my best and forget the rest” anyway, because there is a “Recovery and Mobility” day tomorrow.

I got through the warm up and “rolling,” of course. Have I mentioned that the updated version of the side stretch includes a stability ball held overhead? I substitute the “hotel modification” of a towel, simply because my basement ceiling is too low to use the ball. I’m sort of impressed that the warm up works equally well for Plyocide as it does for the other workouts. It’s easier to learn than a different warm up every time.

Some notes on today’s exercises:

  • For the Weighted Katherine (modified Mary Katherine lunge), I am still using an 8 lb dumbbell rather than a medicine ball, because I don’t have a ball. The only Plyocide exercise which seems to require the ball shape is the Toe Tap 360, in which you hop around the ball and tap it with one raised foot.
  • I had better foot control this time on the Fast Feet Chair Jump.
  • I took the time to put down a tape “X” for the slalom line jump and other hopping moves.
  • My Warrior 3 Lunge is getting better. It’s still not great!
  • The Spartan Lunge is a little easier for me too, compared to last week, but I’m still clumsy.
  • After the Super Skater Kick, I did 9 Plyo push ups to make up for toe taps. BTW, I think the plyo pushups are getting easier for me. It might be a small improvement compared to what I did before, but I will take it!
  • I did seven reps of the Frog Burpee Hop in the allotted time.
  • After the Single Leg Squats, I did 10 more Plyo push ups.
  • I mentioned that I put down some tape on the carpet this time, to use with the hopping exercises. It turns out the Power 90 Cross Hop is a lot harder when you are trying to aim your feet for a specific spot!
  • I am still wondering about the split screen shot they did for the Flying Fighter Kick. Did they use the technique in Phase 2 or 3 as well? Today I noticed that it’s actually three side-by-side shots, not two.
  • I tried to keep up with “Tony Says” at the end (Set Plank Plyo etc.) but I was pooped! Overall, I did pretty well, even compared to days when I was better prepared.
I cut the neuro-integrated stretch a little short, but I am getting the hang of it now. Pull this way, push that way… For some reason, it’s easier for me to psych myself up for a cardio workout when I am tired than it would be for a weightlifting workout. What do you do on days when you are tired and want to skip the workout? Do you prefer one type over another in that situation?

January 11th, 2012 | Category: P90X2, Plyocide, plyometrics, sleep, stability ball, stretching, Tony Horton | Comments are closed

P90X2 Day 15: X2 Core

Today I decided to do a little more foam rolling (my soda bottle variation). If you can’t beat ’em… It really does take time to do it right. At this point, I will call it an even swap for stretching, although some studies indicate stretching before workouts is ineffective or even harmful (see item 1). At the very least, the body should be warmed up prior to stretching, which is what P90X has always taught us, and P90X2 does prior to the new warm up stretches (World’s Greatest, Scorpion, Inch Worm, etc).

Before the workout, I inflated my stability ball a little more, and it was not exactly “easier” to use, but it was usable for more of the exercises. It’s even more diffiicult to lean on a mushy ball, apparently.

Comparing my worksheet from last week to this week, I see fewer toe taps and better control of my raised foot and ankle. There is also an improvement in my coordination for the Holmsen Screamer Lunge. I am finally paying attention when Tony says to “engage the core,” or at least learning to do it at the same time as everything else. I am definitely improving, but I still don’t need that medicine ball to make it any harder for me yet.

Some cast notes… I noticed Barbie’s smirk during the warm up, as she is moving the stability ball up and down. I don’t know if she was going for cheery, or cool, but it looks silly to me. Also, this is the workout in which Tony says “There’s fire in my buttocks!” during the Single Leg Walk Out to Sphinx, which I think was an unfortunate choice of words. Oops.

At the end of the workout,  I cut the stretching section short because I was running late.

Does anyone have any helpful tips for “engaging the core”? Tony just keeps telling me to “Squeeze it!”

January 9th, 2012 | Category: foam roller, P90X2, stability ball, stretching, Tony Horton, X2 Core | 2 comments - (Comments are closed)

P90X2 Day 14: Recovery (no Mobility)

I took a rest today, and I needed it! Not much more to say, really. Several nights of poor sleep in a row will do that to me. Back to it tomorrow!

January 8th, 2012 | Category: Exercise recovery, P90X2, sleep | Comments are closed

P90X2 Day 13: X2 Total Body

This was my second (official) time through the X2 Total Body workout. As Tony Horton says, “Pull ups, military presses, bicep curls” and all the rest. It took me a longer time that I would have liked, start to finish (about an hour and 45 minutes).

I briefly tried running upstairs to my pull up bar when it was time, but I went back to the bands for the second set (30 lbs resistance per side). Ever since I began with P90X a couple of years ago, I have wanted to be able to use a pull up bar, but my basement exercise area is not right for it. The ceiling is too low, and I don’t have the right door frame. Maybe sometime I will add a pull up bar in the adjoining garage, which would be a little chilly in the fall and winter, but it might be worth the inconvenience.

I wonder if my calorie burn will increase as I get better at the “balance” part. I found myself going through the motions, party because I was tired and also because I was having difficulty with the moves.

January 7th, 2012 | Category: P90X2, pull ups, Tony Horton, X2 Total Body | Comments are closed

P90X2 Day 12: Yoga

Good news and bad news: I did my yoga today, as scheduled… but not all of it. More on that later.

Some exercise-related comments:

  • I have difficulty with my shoulders in the downward dog position, especially when we do it so much during the single/double/triple
  • My nemesis is still the Warrior 3/Half Moon/Reverse Half Moon/Standing Splits combination
  • The Abrinome appears here and in Ab Ripper. I didn’t do well, but I did get through the abs section, at least.

As I implied, I managed to cut this workout short anyway, because I was running late. I skipped the last 10 minutes, which included the Frog stretch, Pigeon stretch, and the relaxation time.

A cast-related note: It’s funny how Tony corrects “Missy” (full name?) to “Melissa” at first, then gives up. I wonder if that was her preference, or Tony trying to avoid using her nickname, but she didn’t really mind.

January 6th, 2012 | Category: Melissa Costello, P90X2, Tony Horton, X2 Yoga, yoga | Comments are closed
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