Most people that I know always target there upper body and forget to workout the most important part.  Yes the legs and back!  Try and notice yourself picking something up next time and you will realize that you bend over Like a hinge)to pick something up and not bend your legs and grab the item.  We as adults get lazy and try to find the quickest way possible of doing something.  This routine will help you with your core muscles in your back as well as your legs.

Your workout will consist of using weights, a wall, pull up bar and a chair.  That is the nice thing with P90x is that there is no need to buy several pieces of equipment to workout.  So balanced lunges are first and all they are is lunges with one foot laying on the chair and the other on the floor with your knee over your ankle.  A total of 50 and your ready to move to the next p90 exercise.  The next are calf raise squats and with a set of weights in your hand you bend down and touch the weights to the floor and go back up on your toes.  So by now your thinking that it seems pretty easy or maybe you don’t but I promise you it gets harder.  Reverse grip chin ups are next and when I started P90x on 4/20/09 I couldn’t even do one chin up and now on my second time through I can do 13 in a row without any assistance. 

Super skaters are  next and just picture yourself skating on ice with the whole hand movement thing but doing a lunge as well.  The fun really begins when you still haven’t had a break and you have to do wall squats for 90 seconds.  Talk about a burn.  Every 10 seconds your allowed to come out of the 90 degree hold but then right back in it.  After a fun 90 seconds you give your legs a break and move back to the bar for some wide front pull ups.  I wanted to mention that beachbody has a patented pull up bar as well if your interested.  My biggest weakness on the bar is definately wide front but I am getting better at it.   The next few are lunges and with the third one being closed grip pull ups.  My biggest strength on the bar by far.  I started with doing zero to now doing almost 15.  The next two exercises are squats with the second most hardest one.  Single leg wall squats.  These are not fun nor easy but the longer you do this workout the better your legs will be.  If you want to be a better football, soccer or baseball player then keep this up.  Your doing wall squats and lifting one leg in the air parallel to the ground.  OUCH! 

Now the hardest pull up is next and its called switch grip which entails 2 front pull ups and then 2 reverse pull ups.  I have been doing p90x for almost 6 months and still can’t figure this one out.  There are a series of lunges which are by far a good break but always a killer on the legs.  After another round of chin ups comes chair salutations.  Try this.  Picture yourself sitting in a chair with your feet touching the ground.  Then put your hands up as high as you can.  Now do all this without using the chair and doing it twice with a 10 second break in between.  Not hard anymore but lots of bad words came out of my mouth for the first several months of doing legs and back.  Good thing I have lots of practice with Yoga X because that move happens a lot there too. 

You get into a rhythm of lunge and then back to the pull up bar for pretty much the entire video so it gives you a quick break between the two.  You end up finishing with what they call groucho walk.  This is a squat while walking forward 4 steps and then back.  Another set of calf raises but three different angles with weights.  25 per position totalling 75 raises.  My favorite pull is next and that is close grip.  Its just good old pull up with your hands close together.  I lifting my body weight of 168lbs and can do 12 but at this point 6 is plenty.  My results with p90x have been tremendous and I encourage you to try this program out. 

You close out the series with 80-20 Seibers speed squats and my not so favorite switch grip pull ups.  80-20 squats are deadly at this point because your putting all your weight on one leg and doing a squat as fast as possible.  Then at 15 Tony Horton wants you to jump in the air another ten times.  Oh wait then while that leg is on fire your have to give the other leg the same love.  Lastly, is switch grip pull ups and by this point your beat up but getting 6 done is magnificent.  Don’t forget to do Ab Ripper X after and then when completed take your recovery drink.  I hope this gives you a better idea of another exercise in the P90x program. 

If your interested or have any questions feel free to contact me at Gianni@phattyfit.com or check out the free membership and see what others are doing.  If you have been doing P90x and are not benefiting from the coach opportunity then read more about it here.  If you become a coach now you will get a hefty discount on all products but please contact me first before you sign up.

8-31

Chest, shoulders and triceps.

This is still my favorite workout since I started P90x because it just tightens your upper body up so much.  I can now do 3 one arm push ups on each side.  The heaviest dumbbells I use for this workout is about 20lbs.  Always keep a 5, 10, 15lb dumbbell around because the closer you get to the end the harder it is to keep up with the heavier weights. Don’t forget your Ab Ripper X when your done.

9-1

Plyometrics.

I now can say that this workout is getting easier.  The sports bonuses the best.  I can keep up with every exercise and not be gasping for air.  I did this workout as my wife Lisa was feeding our little girl and she was just looking at me so funny.  She would look at me with this look of confusion wondering why daddy wont stop jumping like a monkey.  The best part was I got a hell of a workout and she ate all her food.  Try it for entertainment purposes!

9-2

Back & Biceps.

This workout is all pull ups and curls.  I couldn’t even do one pull up when I started in May and now I can do 15 pull ups without stopping.  I think my wife is impressed too.  This one isn’t my favorite but man do the pull ups never stop.  Use a chair as it will help you with range of motion.  Ab Ripper X to follow so don’t forget!

9-3

Yoga X

Now I hate how long this dvd is but I can do things after Yoga X that I never thought I could do.  1 hour and 30 min of Yoga is not easy but if you just stay focused and concentrate you will eventually fall in love with it.  It tests your balance, flexibility and strength.  I have never dripped sweat by stretching before but I can see why men don’t like Yoga.  I recommend a Yoga block and mat as it has helped me out.  Also do this one at night because you will sleep like a baby.

9-4

Legs & Back

I enjoy this workout simply because its not as difficult as the others.  My legs have always been strong so I still get the back workout.  Lots of pull ups here as well so make sure you have a chair handy.  Soccer is in two weeks so I should be prepared.  Even at 30 I still feel that I can play with the youngins.  Ab Ripper to follow

9-5

Kenpo X

If there is one workout you have to miss don’t let it be this one because its FUN!  I cant tell you how much I love this dvd.  The punching, kicking and blocking that makes you break out into this sweat.  The ending is the best because you get into a horse stance and punch 150 times as fast as you can and then its all over.  I will also be watching lots of college football. FINALLY

9-6

REST DAY!

One more week until NFL kicks off! Today Im going to make sure my girls(daughter and wife) have there bags packed because baby #2 is due any day now.  Is it a BOY or a GIRL?  Filp a coin becuase we dont know either. 

8-28

Kenpo X

This is probably my favorite cardio workout becuase its all punches and kicks.  Helps with karate moves and teaches you to kick really high.  when I usually do this workout I get all my frustrations out for the week.  When I first started this program I never thought I could kick really high but after doing P90x for the second time through I can kick as high as someone chest. 

8-29

Rest Day 

Today I hung out at my house and did more things to prepare for our second child.  I repainted my wifes grandma’s old rocking chair white so we can put it in the baby’s room.  The first coat took me 3 hours because I can’t paint and too many spindles.  I also cleaned my wifes messy car out and went to pick up my altered pants from my parents house.  I lost so much weight that my suit pants for work were sliding off my waist.  I also found out that my brother in law Joe is now down 11 pounds since he started P90X 4 weeks ago.  Good for you Joe!