X2 - Chest + Back + Balance

This is one heck of a workout.  I'm really having a hard time showing significant improvements in it.  I am definitely doing the moves better, but there is no speed, so instead of the 20-30 I would get with regular push ups, it's more like 10-12 reps.

To further complicate matters, my efforts in developing my lats doing pull ups has definitely shown some improvement.  The complicated part is I'm using my triceps to help with the pull ups, so they aren't providing the help they usually do for push ups.  So it goes, at least there is improvement.

X2 - Base and Back

Ok, I have a pulled hamstring and a sore elbow.  So this is probably the worst workout for me to do.  I did it anyway.  I did hold back and go about 80%.  I did skip the groiners stretch and definitely did not go as deep with the lunge press exercise.

It's about 100% humidity and supposed to hit mid 80's today.  I'm happy I got this done now, before it gets really hot.  I did not skip any exercises and did better than expected.  I can almost feel my lats now.

Looking forward to a big shake and a rest day tomorrow.

X2 - Yoga

No yoga for me yesterday.  My hamstring was still hurting and I didn't think I would do well with all the warrior poses.  I did spend some time stretching and foam rolling my hamstring which I think helped.

X2 - Shoulders and Arms

When I previewed this workout a couple weeks ago, I really thought I wouldn't like it.  I was wrong, so wrong.  I really enjoy it.  7 moves, repeat three times, have a nice day....if only it was that easy.

Crazy 8's have got to be the hardest bicep exercise I've ever done.  They make 21s look easy.  The myriad of shoulder flies really packs a punch as well.  Never mind the fact you do almost all of the workout on one leg.

My elbow, which I've been trying to take it easy on, has been holding up well.  It certainly isn't 100%, but it is definitely better.  My leg on the other hand, I'm not sure about.  It is definitely a bit less sore, but every once in a while, I bend over the wrong way, or spring off it and I know there is an injury there.  Not sure about yoga tomorrow as I'm afraid all the poses will not be comfortable.  I'll try it in the morning and see what happens...what else can I do?

X2 - Plyocide

I'm a day late on this post, as I did the workout on the prescribed day.  It was a tough workout as my allergies were acting up and it was muggy as hell.  As I neared the end of the workout, I pulled my hamstring.  Left leg, closer to the knee than hip.  More on the outside.  I wanted to wait a day to see how it felt.  It isn't great.

I've tried stretching it and that hasn't helped at all.  I've tried the foam roller, also no effect.  I'm hoping another couple nights of rest, followed by yoga will help, but I suspect this is going to linger for a while.  Arms and shoulders tomorrow, so little impact there.  If a move is uncomfortable, I'll just modify it.

Being hurt sucks.

X2 Chest + Back + Balance

With rest yesterday, I was surprised to find my triceps and lats a little sore/tight this morning when I got started.     I must have actually worked my back during Base + Back 2 days ago.  Allergies definitely made getting up and started a challenge, but my will to press play, and show some improvement here really got me going.

Did I improve?  Some, but not as much as I would have liked.  My push up form was better in most situations as was my rep count, but no huge or impressive gains.  Still, I was proud to get 14 4 ball push ups and 7 impossible/possible ones.

My elbow is not real happy.  It doesn't hurt like it did, but feels more stiff than anything else.  Hopefully that will work its way out and I'll continue healing.  Plyo tomorrow and rest/mobility the next day will definitely help.

X2 Base + Back

This should be named Plyo/Back.  You alternate a plyo exercise with a pull up exercise.  It is amazingly taxing and I can't even do a pull up.  I can't imagine how hard it is for someone who can do them.

I was commenting to myself how there seems to be a long of rest in this workout, but you need it.  In addition to a bunch of pull up/chin up exercise, you get such wonderful things as chair jump, jack in the box knee tuck, and my personal heart attack, plyo lunge press.  Basically a mary katharine with a dumbbell press in it.  My heart rate was through the roof.

X2 - Yoga

Worked my way through yoga yesterday.  I wasn't in the mood, but I pressed play.
Not much else to talk about.

X2 - Shoulders and Arms

So much to say!  Where do I begin?

I went into this workout, not real excited about it.  It's only 7 exercises, repeated 3 times.  I have to say, I really enjoyed it.  At only 53ish minutes, it goes fast and is hard.  I ended up dragging out every dumbbell I had between 3 and 35lbs.

They should have gotten the guy with one leg from P90x Plyo for this workout, because you spend more time on one leg than 2.  You start with the balance curl followed by arnold press, both on one leg....don't forget to switch legs halfway through.  Follow that up with tricep extensions on the stability ball...this was one of the easier exercises for me.  Then it's the six direction shoulder fly.  I wisely used 10 pound dumbbells and was happy with that choice.

Once you get through there, it's time for the monster in the match.  Crazy 8s! with alternating feet.  Think static arm curls, except 8 reps each, but on one foot.  Changing feet every time you change arms.  I help back and used 25s for this because I know static arm curls contributed to my sore elbow.   By the end, I don't think I could have used larger weights anyway.

Next up, Y-T fly.  Tony suggests using no weights, or 5s.  I only have 10s, so I tried those.  Lets just say, for the next 2 sets, I dug out my wife's 3lbers.  Finally, rocket launcher tricep kickbacks.  Tony seems to like the plyo stand for this, but I felt it more in lunge position.

Great workout, really flew by.

X2 - Plyo

Had to keep the pressure on myself and the other guys to keep with the schedule.  Definitely felt better this morning than I did yesterday.  I made the mistake of opening a window for the cat, which promptly let in some humidity.

The week off set me back a bit...or maybe it's been my lousy eating habits.  Either way, I had to suck it up to get through today.  But like Tony says, keep pressing play.  Without a doubt, I burnt a bunch of calories and feel pretty good right now.

X2 - Chest+Back+Balance

So after a week off, I was a little nervous about jumping back in with Chest and Back, but what choice did I have?  I went from nervous to downright worried when the equipment list did not include any dumbbells.  I feared the worst at that point....100% push ups and pull ups, and I was right.

Tony opens the hour long workout, 20 exercise workout, with pretty much the same warm up.  I think we skipped the scorpion stretch, but otherwise, cookie-cutter.  You then dive right in with X pull ups, followed by plyo stability ball push ups...You do a push up, with your hands on the stability ball, come up high enough for them to leave the ball, clap, come down, and repeat.  It isn't that hard, especially once you realize you can cheat a bit using your butt. Tony even mentions it at the end of the exercise.....this leads me to my second biggest complaint about the workout.  Several times, Tony mentions something key about an exercise, AFTER you've completed it.

On to my biggest complaint...I can't do a pull up.  So 10 different pull up exercises don't do that much for me, even when I use the chair to minimal effect.  I can't imagine how hard this workout is if  you can do pull ups.

There are some great push up exercises in here, from the 4 ball med ball push up(I got 10) to the Impossible/possible push up, they all really work your balance, core, and chest.  For those curious, the impossible/possible push up is feet on the stability ball and hands on one or 2 medicine balls. I opted for 2 balls, Tony for a second one.

One obvious tip here, watch what Tony does...every time he uses the 12lb med balls...Those are great, they're huge for putting your hands on.  They likely offer more range of motion, but definitely make things easier.

All in all, a decent workout.  This was my first time through, so I had to learn the exercises and definitely struggled getting into position on a couple of them.  I don't think I'm as wiped as the first time I did P90x chest/back, but I suspect that next time, I'll definitely work harder.

Were have I been?

With no entries for a week, you might think I gave up on X2.  Not the case.  The tendinitis in my elbow decided to flare up at the end of week three.  With recovery right around the corner, I decided to do the smart thing....I must be getting old...I rested.

So after a week off, it feels better, not great, but well enough to dive back in with phase 2....resistance.

X2 Yoga

"It's all about enjoying the journey."  That's what Tony says a couple times during the workout.  Today I did not get to enjoy the journey.  My lower left back was tight, and didn't really loosen up.  The kids were up 10 minutes into the workout and watched the end of Cars.  I could hardly hear any of the cues from Tony.

I have to say that Yoga is one of the most frustrating workouts for me.  It's very tough to begin with.  All the downward dogs leave my upper body screaming, but the biggest issue is I just show so little improvement from workout to workout.  In P90x, you do yoga 15 times per round.  I've done 5 rounds, so I'm somewhere over 75 workouts into yoga and while I'm certainly better than when I started, I'm just not seeing much improvement.

First recovery week, right around the corner.

X2 - Total Body

So I had my rest day and needed it.  Then yesterday I got up and just could not workout.  Mentally and physically, I just didn't have it.  So I took another rest day.  Do I feel guilty about that....a little, but it's not the end of the world.  I'll probably make up for it during recovery week, just to get on the schedule with the other guys in my group.

Today I was back at it with total body.  I really enjoy this workout.  It gets everything, leaving me a puddle of sweaty goo.  The mule kick burpees really spike my heart rate and leave me gasping for breath.  I'm now at the point where I'm starting to be able to listen to Tony's banter and have it make sense....he is entertaining.  How he does some of the exercises and keeps talking amazes me.

X2 - Plyocide

After a paltry 13 hours of rest since Core, I was back at it with Plyocide.  I also ended up staying up a bit later than I wanted to last night, but much to my surprise, I was up and felt pretty good this morning.

Ran through the warm up and decided I needed to commit to the 8lb medicine ball today, because that's what my brother has, and he can't use heavier weights than me.  That's not allowed.

The workout is still a tough 35 minutes.  Some of the exercises are really how hard you want to push yourself and others are keep count with Tony and the kids.  I still have trouble with the full minute of jumping exercises like the slalom ones.

I definitely think I improved on the final exercise and many of the other ones.  I look forward to seeing how I'm doing with this at the end of round 3.

X2 - Week 3 - Core

After enjoying a rest day on Monday, Tuesday morning was slated to be Core.  I got up, got ready and realized half my equipment was hidden away in bedrooms because of a Sunday party.  In the end, I couldn't get the workout in yesterday morning.

Looking at my evening schedule, I decided my only option was to squeeze it in while my little one was at dance class.  Dance class is 3-5 minutes away and runs an hour.  So I had to make a few cuts to the workout.  In the end, the longer than usual roller segment got cut as did most of cool down stretch.

It was a humid day and the pellet stove was cranking out a bit of heat, so I got a great sweat.  So great, I was still sweating a little when I picked up my daughter.

Like Tony says, just press play.  I'm real happy I squeezed Core in yesterday and didn't fall behind.

Overall, I continue to show slow gains in this workout.  The one legged medicine ball burpees continue to plague me.  I had 7 poor ones.