P90 X

[TheDon]

Do you gain muscle from this or is it more about losing the fat. I have quite a bit of body fat around the abs, strangely enough you can kind of see a six pack when i tense it though. I would like to lose that fat but also gain some muscle in the chest, back and biceps etc. Is this going to help me achieve that?

This is mostly down to eating.

Eat at a deficit, you'll lose weight, eat above maintenance, and you'll gain Weight.

If that weight comes from muscle or fat is a combination of eating and exercise.

If you're eating at a deficit you'll either lose fat, or muscle, or both. Easiest way to ensure you lose fat is eating high protein (so your body doesn't have to break down muscle to get it)

If you're eating above maintenance you'll either put on fat or muscle, or both. Easiest way to ensure you put on muscle is eating high protein combined with resistance exercise, so your body has the protein available to synthesis muscle.

Gaining muscle whilst losing weight is possible, but EXTREMELY difficult. This is why people do Bulk/Cut cycles, bulk up then burn fat (because adding muscle will also cause you to gain fat). You have to do a stupidly committed highly structured regime like CKD or Intermittent fasting built around an extremely structured workout regime. Basically, it's out of the hands of most people.

[TheDon]

I'm not so sure about using the bands. I'd imagine you will maybe achieve a lean look but may struggle building some real muscle/bulk. Depends what your after I guess. Changing the weights can be an issue with the dumbbells. I'd suggest you invest in another set of dumbbells rather than a set of bands. Then you can have two separate weights set up. I personally set one set of dumbbells up at 22.5kg ( each dumbbell so 45kg total ) and one set up at 15kg ( each dumbbell so 30kg total )that then allows me to quickly take or add 2.5 kg to the 22.5kg ones taking me up to 25kg each dumbbell or down to 20kg or to take or add 2.5kg to each of the 15kg ones taking me up to 17.5kg each dumbbell or down to 12.5 kg dependent on what I am doing.

Bands are fine.

Ripcords go up to 60lbs of resistance each arm on the black sniper band.

I doubt anyone considering P90X needs anywhere near that amount of resistance.

In fact, bands are arguably better for a beginner as they work the stabalising muscles more than weights. You also get a completely different sort of work out, whilst with free weights you get to rely on momentum a fair bit to help you out that's missing with bands.

[regular_john]

Bands are better for avoiding injury as well; there's a gradual increase in resistance rather than the rapid increase you tend to get in weights, mostly because people use poor technique and use uncontrolled momentum, this isn't really possible with the bands.

Had my weight and measurements taken today - down to 13 stone and a 32" waist, six months ago I was 15 stone and 36". Unfortunately I'm too poor to afford new jeans so I'm having to carry on wearing my 36" jeans, and my ring no longer fits on my finger!

Part one of my fitness plan has been accomplished, the next part involves bulking up lean muscle, we'll see how I get on over the next few months.

[markavfc40]

I'm not so sure about using the bands. I'd imagine you will maybe achieve a lean look but may struggle building some real muscle/bulk. Depends what your after I guess. Changing the weights can be an issue with the dumbbells. I'd suggest you invest in another set of dumbbells rather than a set of bands. Then you can have two separate weights set up. I personally set one set of dumbbells up at 22.5kg ( each dumbbell so 45kg total ) and one set up at 15kg ( each dumbbell so 30kg total )that then allows me to quickly take or add 2.5 kg to the 22.5kg ones taking me up to 25kg each dumbbell or down to 20kg or to take or add 2.5kg to each of the 15kg ones taking me up to 17.5kg each dumbbell or down to 12.5 kg dependent on what I am doing.

Bands are fine.

Ripcords go up to 60lbs of resistance each arm on the black sniper band.

I doubt anyone considering P90X needs anywhere near that amount of resistance.

In fact, bands are arguably better for a beginner as they work the stabalising muscles more than weights. You also get a completely different sort of work out, whilst with free weights you get to rely on momentum a fair bit to help you out that's missing with bands.

I'd possibly agree for a beginner. I was speaking as someone who has been weight training for around 9 years although only started the P90X program coming up on 16 weeks ago.

Ripcords up to 60lb of resistance each arm so that's around 27kg. That's actually pretty impressive as the most I've had to use with the P90X program is 25kg ( 55lb ) dumbbell each arm when doing the lawnmowers/heavy pants/locomotives/rows.

[Milfner]

Could anyone send me the calender/schedule for P90X?

Cheers.

[guyavfc]

and me please

[Milfner]

Check your PM's.

[Milfner]

Just done the first two, enjoyed it more than I thought I would.

I don't have a pull up bar, so could anyone recommend an alternative? For the reserve pull-up (I think), it does your biceps, so I just replaced them with some curls.

Found Ab-ripper frustrating, I'm not the most flexible of people, so I just subbed in some sit-ups instead.

[regular_john]

Just done the first two, enjoyed it more than I thought I would.

I don't have a pull up bar, so could anyone recommend an alternative? For the reserve pull-up (I think), it does your biceps, so I just replaced them with some curls.

Found Ab-ripper frustrating, I'm not the most flexible of people, so I just subbed in some sit-ups instead.

See if you can acquire Ab-ripper 100 from the old P90 videos, it's a fair bit easier and is a good way to work up to Ab-ripper X if you don't have the flexibility or, like me, the abdominal strength.

There's a great pull up bar called 'iron gym' on amazon, costs £20 and is a really good bit of kit.

[markavfc40]

Just done the first two, enjoyed it more than I thought I would.

I don't have a pull up bar, so could anyone recommend an alternative? For the reserve pull-up (I think), it does your biceps, so I just replaced them with some curls.

Found Ab-ripper frustrating, I'm not the most flexible of people, so I just subbed in some sit-ups instead.

If you haven't got a pull up bar I'd highly recommend getting one. As John says the iron gym one will be fine and just put it inside the door frame when using it and then take it down. Pull ups in all their slight variations are absolutely superb for the back and even though the reverse grip pull up will have some secondary effect on the biceps it is very much a back exercise so substituting it for bicep curls is not going to do the job.

As for the Abripper X routine just persevere mate. Do what you can, get as far through it as you can and you will be surprised at how quickly you will improve and with in a few weeks you will be able to do the whole routine.

[Milfner]

Did the Plyo for the first time, enjoyed it actually, I think my fitness/stamina is a lot better than I thought. I did take a 5 minute break in between though, but that bit me on the arse because I accidentally went back 6 minutes, and only noticed til during the water break, I could remember what he'd said.

EDIT: It's taken a while to settle in, but my God, my thighs are on **** fire.

[Stevo985]

PLyo is awesome. Probably the best exercise for me when I did it.

Not necessarily the most enjoyable, but I could do it the whole way through, yet it still killed me physically. That's what you want!

[Milfner]

I'm dying.

[guyavfc]

I'm going to start the diet but not sure exactly what to be eating. I was thinking a typical day of eating would be like this;

breakfast - boiled eggs on toast

snack - protein bar/shake

lunch - chicken salad

snack - protein bar/shake

tea - chicken breast and some vegetables.

Would that be a sufficient diet? Or do i need to include other things. From doing PE at A level i seem to recall if you have too much protein it turns to fat anyway and there seems way too much protein in that diet.

[YLN]

I want to quit the gym...

Over the next two weeks I'm gonna be studying for an exam and i don't want to do p90x during this time. I'm at the beginning of week 6 now. Do you think I can jump back in in a couple of weeks and just restart from week 6 or should i head back to the recovery week.

[markavfc40]

Over the next two weeks I'm gonna be studying for an exam and i don't want to do p90x during this time. I'm at the beginning of week 6 now. Do you think I can jump back in in a couple of weeks and just restart from week 6 or should i head back to the recovery week.

It doesn't really matter mate. Unless of course your just planning on doing the 90 days and thats it on to something else. I am now on my 17th week as I just continued the program after the 90 days from day one. I'll keep it going until I either feel I am no longer getting results or get bored.

[Milfner]

Is the yoga really worth an hour and a half of my time?

[Stevo985]

Yes.

I was genuinely surprised by how much I enjoyed the yoga. And it is very tiring! Probably the most difficult routine I did.

First 45 minutes are the hardest. Once you get through that, the final 45 minutes is all balance work, so it's not as physically tiring.

[Stu_The_Villan]

Soooooo.....

Is this better than spending an hour 1/2 in the gym 4 times a week? I gotta say im getting bored of the gym, would like to try something new.

[Tubby]

I want to quit the gym...

Over the next two weeks I'm gonna be studying for an exam and i don't want to do p90x during this time. I'm at the beginning of week 6 now. Do you think I can jump back in in a couple of weeks and just restart from week 6 or should i head back to the recovery week.

If you are quitting the gym it could go one of 2 ways; regression or improvement. it takes a lot mentally to stick with the programme day in day out when you are also juggling a career etc. I believe that the only way to combat this is to change it up and move the exercises around. I went off plan about a month ago and will be changing the routine again after next week. Adversely you could just take some of the exercises / techniques to the gym to compliment what you already do.

As for stopping for 2 weeks, personally I wouldn't recommend it. I had a somewhat sporadic week on purpose a couple of weeks back and I noticed a performance dip in everything. Maybe keep up some of the shorter exercises like plyo, cardio x, ab x and then pick and choose the odd muscle workout if you want to kill some time.

As for results I am getting stronger and stronger every time, all the exercises work. Ab Ripper X gives incredible results too, I've been doing it for about 10 weeks and I've never had results like it.