P90X2 Reviews – All The Info You Need

I am often trying to locate my reviews for P90X2 and since they are really the only reviews I did I decided I would link them here in one place. They are not so much my personal feelings about the workouts but rather listing of the moves so that you can decide more easily which one will fit best with your schedule especially if you are cherry picking like I am at the moment.

So here are the links, and for reference the length of the DVD.

X2 Core 56 minutes
X2 Plyocide 56 minutes
X2 Recovery + Mobility 58 minutes
X2 Total Body 63 minutes
X2 Yoga 68 minutes
X2 Balance + Power 63 minutes
Chest + Back + Balance 60 minutes
X2 Shoulders + Arms 53 minutes
Base+ Back 56 minutes
P.A.P. Lower 62 minutes
P.A.P. Upper 53 minutes
X2 Ab Ripper 17 minutes

Christmas Crackers

crackersLast week ended with dabbling into P90X2 (PAP Upper) and Tapout XT (Yoga) and I have to comment on how poor the latter was. It was a very watered down version of any yoga workout, not helped by the grating personality of the so called leader. On Monday it was weights day at bootcamp so we grabbed our dumbbells and did the workout below. I think I am going to have to make a New Year’s Resolution to post more since I am losing track of my workouts and my statistics keeping is also suffering.

Here’s weights:

Wallball Complex
6lb 10 wallball with 10 burpee
8lb 10 waqllball with 10 vsnap
10lb 10 wallball with 10 crunch

Chest Press
Chest Fly
Chest pullover
Single arm hammer tricep
Kneeling press
Kneeling curl
Wallball Complex

Plank row
Plank row with pushup
Military on db
Kneeling press
Kneeling tricep extension
Kneeling bicep curl against knee
Wallball Complex

Chest press alternating
face up overhead fly alternating
Overhead pullover alternating
alternating shoulder press
alternating bicep curl
Single tricep extension overhead
Wallball Complex

High Pull
Halo
Ribbon (extended halo)
Hammer double curls
Military clap
Regular Clap
Plyo Pushup with clap

cooldown
Twisting half moon both sides
warrior 1-3 both sides

DVDs Are Back

dvdchairMixed in with the bootcamp classes I have been doing DVDs again, since it’s been below zero a lot here lately. So far I have done Insanity Plyo, P90X2 PAP Upper, P90X2 Plyocide and I have to admit I am getting bitten by the indoor bug again. I thought I would curse not being able to do Olympic lifting and RKC but I think that replacing them with fun, entertaining workouts is just the ticket.

Today I am hoping to do something cardio related since it’s my 4 day on stint and I have to mix in some Yoga or Balance too. I also have to try and use this as more of a record of my progress and affection for the workouts since I have a possibility of something like 58 DVD workouts to choose from. That includes Insanity Asylum which I think I will probably never do again because it just irritates me too much.

My go to DVD? Don’t really have one but I am going to try and fit as much P90X2 into my program as I can just to become more familiar with it since I think it’s got the best research behind it and even though I hate to admit it the best cast. If you don’t agree, just try Tapout XT or Body Beast and you will come grovelling back to Tony for forgiveness!

 

Getting Behind But Staying On Top

Work has been tough the last while, major issues, big projects and lots to do however I am not allowing my workouts to suffer.

Bootcamp week 2 included lots of abs, day 1 was so that the wrist issues would not be a factor, day 2 was designed specifically for my one 100% healthy participant and was an absolute killer:

Monday – Abs and some legs

6.2.1 Improvised Abs

20 crunch
10 full situp
10 vsnap
20 side crunch
10x 2 crunch 1 full
10x 2 crunch 1 vsnap
10x 1 full 1 vsnap
20 side crunch

Add Med Ball and repeat

20 squat jacks
5 level 1 drills (4+8run)
20 ski abs
10 in and out

20 mb crunch
20 mb full situp
20 mb vsnap
10 mb burpee
Repeat

6.2.2 Body Beast

10 regular pushups
10 military pushups
10 sphinx to plank step or drop
10 pushup side hold
10 pullups

10 Pushup with Military alternating
10 sphinx to plank with side hold
10 pushup with in and out
10 military with groiner step in

20 shoulder crunch
20 leg up crunch
10 full situp double twist
10 side crunch
10 hanging leg raise

10x 2 shoulder 1 full
10x 2 shoulder 1 vsnap
10x full with 2 side crunch

20 Air squats
20 step back lunge front kick
20 belt kicks
20 front lunge
10 pullups

20 air squat with pop squat
20 front lunge back lunge
20 belt kick front and back
10 chest pullups

20 shoulder touch
20 hip touch
10 spider each side
10 knee to elbow each
10 knee to opposite elbow each

20 shoulder touch with pushup
20 hip touch with military
10 spider each with in and out

20 single leg knee raise
20 super skaters
30 second chair pose
20 side lunge
10 pullups

20 super skater knee to elbow
20 side lunge leg raise
30 second chair twist each
10 pullups alternate hands

10 pushup step out
10 clap pushup
10 plyo pushup
10 pushup side raise leg raise
5 Worlds slowest burpee with / out clap, plyo etc

Bootcamp Round 6 Day 2 – Weights

There were only 3 of us tonight, but that just meant I could keep my eye on the other two and increase the chances of them doing ALL the work!! Here’s what happened using dumbbells, stability balls and medicine balls.

D6.1.2 Weights

10 Clean
10 Swings
10 Clean and Press
10 Swings
10 Curl and press
10 Swings

Stability Ball sets of 10

x2
Overhead pullover
Laying Fly face up
Sitting press
Sitting curl
15 Wallball
10 Military Pushups
10 pullups

x2
Plank row
Floor laying chest fly
Low kneel shoulder press
kneeling single arm curl
Single arm tricep kickback
15 Wallball
10 pullups

10 Clean
10 Swings
10 Clean and Press
10 Swings
10 Curl and press
10 Swings

x2
Overhead pullover alternating
face up overhead fly alternating
alternating shoulder press
alternating bicep curl
Military pushup feet on SB or MB
15 wallball

x2
High Pull
hero fly
Halo
Hammer double curls
Diamond Pushups
15 wallball

Bootcamp Round 6 Day 1

I thought I would add a little one leg balance work to the workout this week since it was only my girls and they really could use some balance and fine motor control work. I also was a big fan of the 1-10 at the end, I will have to do more of this.

D6.1.1 Bodyweight

Legs x2

20 Air squats
20 Single Squat knee lift
10 Warrior 3 knee cross
20 Squat jump
20 Super skaters

Arms x2

10 Pushup step in military
10 Pushup side raise
20 side tri rise
10 squat walkout to plank pushup
10 clapping pushups

Abs x2

20 leg up alternate toe touch
15 vsnaps
10 roll to boat
5 falling tower hold 10s

Combo x2

10 single leg walkout to pushup with knee raise
10 single leg worlds slowest burpee
20 super skater with kick
20 pushup side raise with toe touch
20 in and out with military pushup

Bonus

1 – 10 Pushup Vsnap jacks

Following Through – Winter 2012 Part I

Since Wednesday when I did the last bootcamp it was the first test of my resolve to get my winter schedule up to speed. On Thursday I think I did the last of my Olympic lifting for the year, barring a warm spell because it’s getting very cold out in the garage. As a quick reminder here is what I was doing in general for my Oly days:

55lb KB warmup swings, snatches, clean and press halo etc.

Using 155lb bar:

5×5 Deadlift
5×5 Power Shrug
4×5 Squat
4×5 Clean
3×5 Clean and Press

That’s 125 movements which is about the max I ever did.

Friday I was supposed to do WOD at the gym but I had 1 kid and a very sore back so I took the day off. Saturday was supposed to be the first day of the Winter session being Dec 1 and all so I decided on Plyocide.

That’s because I was still sore and wanted to make sure I got some cardio in this week. Returning to P90X2 is going to be fun since I only did 1 real round of the workouts and so I am still unfamiliar with them for the most part. I am hoping to mesh them with the bootcamps and try to ensure a balanced workout schedule, and I think that taking some Insanity workouts also will help to increase my cardio output since I seem to be sadly lacking in that department. So day 1 for winter 2012 was cardio. Day 2 I decided on X2 Core since it is the first of the P90X2 workouts and I wanted something relatively easy because I have to teach bootcamp tomorrow.

That’s the problem.

For some reason now I have developed this “cushion” around my bootcamp workouts where I am overly cautious with them. I forget what it was like to do rounds of P90X with 6 days on at a time filled with tough back breaking quad burning lung busting effort. I think I need to suck it up a little.

That said, X2 Core was  enjoyable, it’s not overly taxing but it’s a well thought out bodyweight workout that touches all the bases from head to toe. No pullups though!

To review a couple of things quickly because of my back problems my last 90 day participation rate was only 60%. I also have been trying to get back into my VLC diet which has caused a little “adjustment” in my weight but that is settling down now and my most recent scale numbers are:

236.6 @ 22.1%

Not great but I am moving in a good direction now.

Bootcamp Weights and Balance

Today is the last class for this session, although I am not sure why we really bother keeping track since it’s a punchcard system and there is really no difference in the workouts from session to session. Anyway, we did some more weights and balance which is getting easier as time passes, at least for me, I can’t say the same for some of the participants!

Bootcamp Weights and Balance

Huggers
Twists
World’s Slowest Burpees
Inch Worm
Worlds Greatest Stretch
Groiners
Scorpion

Sitting on Stability Balls
x2
Laying fly face down
Laying Fly face up
Sitting press
Sitting curl
Double Tricep extension
Swing Kicks over SB
Leg hold SB raise

x2
Plank row
Floor laying chest fly
Low kneel shoulder press
kneeling single arm curl
football throw extension
Swing Kicks over SB
Straight arm full sit up with SB
x2
Face down front fly
face up overhead fly
alternating shoulder press
alternating bicep curl
Single tricep extension
Swing Kicks over SB
Pass SB situps feet to arms

x2
Pushup row
push up side balance with db
plank walk 360

Winter Schedule

I feel lazy, if only because I haven’t really pushed myself this month so far. I am happy to stick with the bootcamps and days off that I should be cranking out workouts. So it’s time for a shakeup. Each year around this time I clear out the garage in preparation to park the car overnight and in doing so, remove the Olympic lifting platform and weights. So it’s back to the basement for a few months of DVD workouts which will give me a chance to get some P90X2, Body Beast and Tapout XT workouts in and possible reviewed too! I guess I will be starting this week too since the weather forecast is telling me that temperatures won’t get above zero again any time soon. It’s not that I can’t take the cold, but rather that it’s dangerous for me to allow my back to get cold and stiff while I work out and my experience has taught me that rotating back to the basement is a welcome change, in addition to being a more stringent workout schedule. Since I will still be doing bootcamp by the looks of things it will have to look like this:

Monday – Bootcamp
Tuesday – Rest or Yoga/stretch
Wednesday – Bootcamp
Thursday – Critical Day Option
Friday – WOD at Gym or RKC at work
Saturday – Full DVD workout
Sunday – Full DVD workout

Also, to update my diet changes I feel a little better, a little stronger and a little bigger but I think my weight is up slightly as I adjust back from the heavier carb cycle. I was thinking it would take at least 2 weeks to see any significant change and of course I am frustrated even though it’s only been a week. I will keep on for another week, it’s hard getting used to the trick of only eating when you need to rather than allowing yourself to snack on fruits all day. I am just waiting for the ketosis to kick in so I won’t feel hungry at all, and in fact, I am already seeing a significant change in my appetite. In addition, I am not yet into the dvd workouts as listed above and so my activity is slightly lower than it will be in the coming weeks. At this rate I am hoping to break through the 232 sticking point and hit 220 by Christmas or New Year.

Bootcamp Final Week

5.12.1 Bodyweight and Balance

x2 in a row 1 off bosu 1 on bosu
10 regular pushups
10 military pushups
10 sphinx to plank step or drop
10 pushup side raise
10 pullups

Sit on bosu

20 in and out
20 crucnhy frog
20 knees to elbow alternate
20 in and out abs hands on upside down bosu
20 side crunch per side

x2 1 on BOSU 1 on SB
10 SB pushup boing
10 SB Burpee lift ball
10 SB Plank to sphinx
10 per SB elbow plank side raise

Feet on SB

10 regular pushups
10 military pushups
10 sphinx to plank step or drop
10 pushup side raise
10 pullups

20 Crunchy Frog
20 vsnap
20 laying triple bicycles
20 full situps

Arms on SB 20 360’s
Arms on SB plank to sphinx
10x feet on SB walk out and back
20x feet on ball face down roll ball in to chest
20x laying hamstring pull

20 laying leg lifts
10 per rainbow leg lifts
10 per scissor hold on count
25 per side to side scissor rapid

BONUS ROUND!!

10 military pushup
10 diamond pushup
10 Hindu Pushup
30s crane