P90X cycle, and then...

[gqkokidko]

6/18/2008
Ok, here’s the deal. I’ve wanted to begin the P90X workout for some time and I’ve acquired a copy from my boss, DVD’s only, and I’ve found a spreadsheet online with the “classic” program along with scanned in photos of all three of their programs. I’ve been procrastinating because there are so many things to do…pre-measurements, BMI, weigh in, photo’s, begin this journal..etc. What I’ve decided is to jump right in. I’m going to do the chest/back and if I still have energy, the ab video. I had a really big lunch, but nothing since 1pm and it is 720. I will eat plenty afterwards and recognize that in order to get the gains that I want I will seriously need to re-vamp my diet. I plan to log my experience as often as possible during the next 90 days. I will fill in more of my back story as time permits.

6/19/2008
Just got home from work and I’m looking forward to the second video. Here’s a synopsis of the video. Push ups, then pull ups (all different varieties) and eventually row’s for upper back w/ weights or cables alternating chest/back/chest/back…etc. After 12 exercise sets then they repeat but this time its Back/chest/back/chest. After an hour its abs for about 20mins. The exercises weren’t anything fancy, but I know that after 90 days I will be able to do many more push ups of many more varieties and the same with pull ups. This has to add mass and fullness. My gym workout up until this point was out of the Arnold S. Encyclopedia of Modern bodybuilding. It was pretty intense and I got a lot out of it, but the 2, 3 day splits usually spanned a week and a half to two weeks rather than 6 days. The problem was sticking to it long term, and I usually cut abs short due to physical exhaustion after what sometimes turned out to be 2 to 2.5hrs worth of workouts. I’ll post that plan for those who don’t have Arnold’s book later. I have prelim photos which I’ll post shortly. The nice thing about p90x is that it should be doable to commit to 1hr per day that I don’t even have to leave my house for. And if the returns are like I expect, then I will be back in the gym in three months to cycle in the Arnold workout, or possibly the 13wk dealy I keep hearing about on this site. Well I’m off to do day2, Plyometrics.

[Commander]

Good luck!

[gqkokidko]

Thank you Commander,


6/20/2008
Yesterday, the Plyometrics DVD was bad (!@#$%^&*). A lot of jumpin from side to side, forward and back, “heismann” poses, mimicking the moves of a pitcher in baseball, or receiving a bball and shooting it, and what I imagine football training to be like with high stepping thru tires and etc.. What I think I’ll get from this DVD is dexterity, ability to jump higher which will help w/ my karate class, speed, and gain the ability to be comfortable in a wide range of motions and activities resulting in overall fitness that I can take elsewhere. The motions last night certainly wouldn’t bulk me up, but I don’t want to be bulked beyond the point that my muscles can be used to facilitate a wide range of activities. I recognize that body sculpting to that point is the goal of many and they don’t appear to want the flexibility that yoga or karate might need.
Today, I worked out Shoulders and Arms, followed by the ab ripper ax that was on the day1 dvd. My room mate worked out with me and since the 25lb dumbbells (which comprise our entire set of weights at this point, we’re buying more this weekend) are his, I had to begin the workouts w/ cables…those stretchy things….whatever the hell they’re called. They were too easy, but I made do. After 5-7 exercises I talked him into switching with me (he has little or no gym experience and struggled with most of the exercises). The 25’s were perfect for me on the bicep exercises and most of the tricep exercises (with the exception of the two arm reverse tricep extension done as a superset supinated and then not supinated (is there a word for that?). They call them “flip-grip twist tricep kickbacks”. Whatever. The Lateral flys were tough w/ 25’s too, I usually use 15’s in the gym to ensure proper form. The patter today in case you missed it, bi, tri, shoulder, bi, tri, shoulder, finishing off after an hour w/ 20 mins of ab slaughter. Its good stuff. Since I couldn’t get up early today, something I still have a problem with, I was forced to choose between my karate class and this workout for today. I chose to keep up, after all, I am only on day 3. I am going to need to properly plan many things that I’m not now, not the least of which is nutrition. If you skim this and have any nutrition recommendations let me know, I’ll definitely peruse the sight, but I feel I have more than a basic knowledge and far from an expert’s.

Breakfast: I skipped cause I was running late, so when I got to work I had a cinnabon thingy and a bagle with cream cheese (If I was fat I'd be worried)
Lunch: smoothie king meal replacement packet w/ 48grams protein and unfortunately not many carbs…banana’s and strawberries were my fruits of choice (large)
Now: Post workout, going to make a protein drink and cook up some chicken, rice, and steamed potatoes…yummy. I’ll probably eat a yogurt too. Aight, I’ve typed enough, I’m out.

[gqkokidko]

6/21/2008
I just finished yogax. Summary: woke up late, rushed off to work, finished at 2, had a double ¼ lb burger w/ fries and a coke (ok, my diet needs serious re-vamping). Had some Chinese around 930 (chicken and rice), and started yoga @11pm this evening. I was worried because this dvd showed a time of 1.5hrs, and the other vid’s had been pretty tough @1hr. The first half hour to 45mins included poses with movements and stretching that required muscular endurance. The second half hour to 45 mins included poses that emphasized balance and 2ndary focus on stretching. All together a great home yoga workout. I’ve done a little bit of Kundalini yoga, and a little bit of yoga at my gym (only a few times). Nothing substitutes a yoga class with a yoga teacher, but I will get a few things from these 90 days of videos. I will have better flexibility, I’ll be able to better reach a few poses, and he does throw out a few tips that I’ve never heard in any of the classes I’ve been to. Probably because they’re group classes and it would more than likely take an individual teacher to get the pointers that I heard, that or attending group classes for a much longer period of time than I have.

[gqkokidko]

6/22/2008
Legs and Back DVD: lots of squats and lunges of all different varieties, a few with the 25lb dumbbells. For every leg exercise there was a pull-up routine afterwards. The DVD finished with 11 different ab workouts w/ 25 reps a piece. I finished most of the leg back stuff and saw improvement in ab endurance, I think this is the third time I’ve done the ab exercises.

[Dave I]

[ QUOTE ]
If you skim this and have any nutrition recommendations let me know, I’ll definitely peruse the sight, but I feel I have more than a basic knowledge and far from an expert’s.

[/ QUOTE ]

There are some basics. A couple of things . . .

[ QUOTE ]
6/21/2008
I just finished yogax. Summary: woke up late, rushed off to work, finished at 2, had a double ¼ lb burger w/ fries and a coke (ok, my diet needs serious re-vamping). Had some Chinese around 930 (chicken and rice), and started yoga @11pm this evening.

[/ QUOTE ]

First, I would ditch the fast food and soda. It will compromise your results.

Second, here are some good links for total nutrition programs:

http://www.abcbodybuilding.com/nutri...4&subId=34

And advance nutrition:

http://www.abcbodybuilding.com/nutri...4&subId=33

The specifics of your diet are going to depend on your goals. However, I think a good rule of thumb would be figure out your caloric needs, eat six meals a day, DO NOT SKIP BREAKFAST, eat a lean source of protein every meal and good carbohydrates, eat healthy fats, drink about one to one-and-a-half gallons of water, and optionally use Creatine Mono and L-Glutamine for muscle growth and recovery. More or less.

The links can provide better specifics. However, a protein shake, bowl of oatmeal, and handful of peanuts or spoonful of old-fashioned peanut butter, or 1 cup of cottage cheese with a spinach salad splashed with olive oil or a vinaigrette dressing, will be much better than a double 1/4 pounder from McDonald's or Chinese take-out (with some rare menu exceptions). Ultimately, those fast food burgers will generally make you fat and unhealthy, and personally I think soda has no redeeming value. Anyway, that is at least one opinion, but I recommend doing your own reading, establish your goals (bulk, cut, firm up what you've got, etc.), and create your own menus.

-Cheers