Tag: P90X2 Chest + Back + Balance

R9D30 – Phase 2 – I Messed Up Already (but at least I’m not curling detergent)

So I was supposed to do Chest + Back + Balance & X2 Ab Ripper this weekend as a start to Phase 2 but somehow I got confused and did X2 Shoulders + Arms & X2 Ab Ripper instead. I am not sure where the confusion came from but it is what it is, I need to do a Plyocide workout then do CBB and I will be back on track. It’s bootcamp tonight and probably rest day tomorrow, Wed is bootcamp again and then hopefully Ply on Thursday.

But I’ve been thinking.

I’m not as tired as I should be, I am getting an unsettling feeling that I need to do an extra day per week working out so I think I will do plyo tomorrow between the bootcamps. For a few weeks not I have been taking Tuesdays off but I think it’s about time I picked up that day and did something with it since I tend to take Friday or a weekend day off too (which is inexplicable!). Whatever it is I am consistently having the feeling that I am not pushing hard enough regardless of the fact my back has been sore for a week now. But maybe that’s why… The fewer workouts are working against me.

I’m working my way through Convict Conditioning by Paul Wade, it seems like an interesting read about old school calisthenics and bodyweight conditioning. I will report more once I have read more. It’s in line with my current philosophy that you should be able to train yourself without weights and without a gym using only your imagination and your body weight. Even such extreme things as one arm handstands or handstand pushups should be in the realm of the ordinary athlete if they are training appropriately, but how many people do you know who can do a handstand at all never mind a handstand pushup…

I see so many ridiculous “home workout” clips on line with people using soup cans and detergent bottles as a substitute for the gym weights, it’s just an incorrect interpretation of a flawed approach. I guess teaching proper pushup technique, pullups and squats isn’t sexy enough to make the papers. All those other videos just serve to make the “trainer” look like a fool. Seriously, bodyweight training is a proven, ages old method of developing the human body to perform as it was designed, and I can’t say I can imagine any caveman picking up a couple of rocks to do bent over tricep kickbacks. The whole fitness industry is as flawed as the diet industry, people are lost and confused and I think it’s time to exit the ride and get back to solid ground. Much like we did in the 80’s after the aerobics craze died out and people started going back to weight bearing exercise I think it’s time to get serious again and revisit our past. It’s in line with the nutritional approach of the paleo lifestyle, simplify and get better, faster and more useful results.

 

 

P90X2 Chest + Back + Balance Review

This workout comes with X2 Ab Ripper.

The warmup this time includes the two extra moves as follows:

Warmup:
Stability ball work
twists, squats, side bends, lunge back, shelf stockers.

Foam Rolling – Myofascial release using the foam roller
This is a great section to do daily and even better to go into more detail with when you have tight spots or knots.
Roller Sphinx
Worlds Greatest stretch (runners stretch with a double twist) alternating legs with brief hold each count.
Inch Worm – from standing, hands on floor, walk out to plank and back
Scorpion – Laying face down arms out 90 degrees, bend knee bring your foot up to your butt and lift away from the floor. Gently twist the leg to the opposite side of the body but don’t go too far!
Groiners – runners stretch foot switch
Table – A staple for shoulder stretching
Scapular Retraction – can be done on a chin up bar or with bands, extend the shoulders up and out from the sockets then pull back and together with the shoulder blades

Workout:

Pullup X – Wide hands, wide feet, no beat / kip
Plyo Stability Ball Pushup – Hands on ball, push up and clap
Core Crunch Chin Up – Like Crunchy Lever Pullup start at full extension, pull up and crunch knees into hands and down to full extension again.
Push Up Arm Side Balance – Hands on med balls, push up and extend one arm up towards ceiling
Lever – Gymnasts know this well, from chin up position pull up to bar then bring feet up with straight body until you are parallel with floor and arms are straight. Tip is to push the bar towards your hips.
4 Ball Pushups – Just as it sounds, feet and hands on med balls do some pushups.
Chin Pull – 2 of each palms forwards then backwards
The Impossible/Possible – Feet on stability ball, hands on 1 med ball, do pushups.
L Pullup – Pullups with legs in L position (up at hip height and straight)
3 Ball Plyo Pushup – Using 3 med balls, alternate pushups between middle and left ball to middle and right ball
Water Break
Vaulter Pull Up – deadlift grip pullups (one hand out, one in)
Elevated Stability Ball Pushup – Hands on stability ball, feet on chair
In and Out – Alternating Wide pullup and narrow pullup
Swimmer’s Pushup – Hands on med balls, pushup then lift opposite leg and arm (superman)
4 Grip Pullup – 1 of each wide, hammer, reverse, narrow
Double Wide Pushup – Wide hands on med balls
Double Wide Pullup – Just wide pullups, not sure what’s double about it
Chattarocker – Plank to chataranga, back to sphinx, return to chataranga and up to plank
Towel Pullup – Same as P90X but with 2 towels
Med Ball Plyo Pushups – One med ball, push up on top, jump hands down to floor, do push up jump back onto med ball and repeat

Cool Down