P90X Yoga X – Storm & Calm

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What is it that keeps me coming back to Yoga X, a grueling 92 minutes of P90X extreme training? Is it the sweat that pours from my forehead and drips from my chin? Is it the challenge of completing a push up before going into each downward facing dog? Maybe it’s the thrill of making it through the first 45 minutes of the routine which seems more like cardio than any yoga I’ve ever done.

Yoga X is based on hatha yoga. If you think yoga is easy, you better be prepared to sweat! The first time I did this routine, I was wiped out after about the first 20 minutes. I followed the mantra of trainer Tony Horton who reminds us in each session of P90X to do our best and forget the rest.

This is one of the love/hate routines of P90X. As you focus on each breath and try to work through the discomfort of the pose, you’re secretly trying to watch the timer to see how much time is left in the strenuous pose. When you’ve completed the full routine, however, your whole body is transformed into a relaxed, fully stretched and peaceful state. Oh, it feels so good.

I look forward to Yoga X the day after I do a weight lifting routine because I know I’ll get a good stretch on the muscle tears I formed doing strength training exercised. It’s better than a hot tub for relieving back aches or a massage chair for relaxing the body.

I still struggle with pull ups, and I still struggle with a couple of the poses in Yoga X. That’s ok – I do my best, forget the rest. Over time, I get stronger, more flexible and better able to hold difficult yoga poses.

As with all the P90X workouts, the basic form is demonstrated and then, variations of the exercise are introduced so you can modify to better fit your fitness level. I like the fact that I can always relate to someone in the video. It’s nice to see a super athletic fitness professional float through the moves like there’s no struggle at all, but I relate more to the guy in the gray shorts who shakes in almost every move. He’s my hero. If he can do, I can keep on trying.

So what yoga moves are difficult for me? I’d have to say that the hardest two moves for me are the half moon and crane. I keep trying the half moon sequence. I can feel the stretch in my hamstrings, back, and glutes. I stumble. I fall. I try again. As for the crane, I’m not ashamed to say I do child’s pose in place of crane. I take a mini break rather than fighting against gravity to hold my body up on my elbows.

My favorite part of this Beachbody workout is the “Yoga Belly Seven”. It comes at the end of the routine right before the cool down series. Maybe knowing that the end is near is what keeps me looking forward to reaching this point? It’s not because it feels exhilarating while you’re doing these seven yoga exercises for the abs. My abs burn more during and after doing yoga abs exercises than working them at the gym on abdominal machines, using an ab roller, ab rocker, medicine ball or just doing crunches.

Like most people, I’ve tried a lot of ab exercise machines. I’d take Yoga Belly Seven over those machines any day. And if you really want to work your abs, try the P90X Ab Ripper X. It takes your abs to a new level. Of course you wouldn’t want to do Ab Ripper on the same day you’re doing Yoga X. Once you do P90X Yoga X, I don’t think you’ll want to try Ab Ripper in the same day anyway.

You’ll want to sit back and enjoy the accomplishment of making it through this challenge extreme training routine. You’ll be doing a cardiovascular, strength training, muscle toning, lean gaining, flexibility, core and ab burning, calming exercise routine. You’ll come to love those 92 minutes even if you don’t make it through the workout the first time you push play. Yoga X is definitely one of those routines you’ll want to rant and rave about on the community message boards.

Oh by the way, you can join our Beachbody community and use the message forums for free. It’s a great way to meet people who are doing the same routines as you. We encourage each other and listen to each other as we’re having a hard time. The message boards help you have accountability to stick with your program even when “life” tries to get in the way.

I found a forum that was starting for P90X at about the same time I was starting. This was set up for women in particular. I personally enjoy the understanding and support that comes from other women. We sure talked about Yoga X. We complained about the length of the routine and that it was too hard. Slowly, we worked through our rants and started posting raves…made it through Yoga X, it’s getting better. I truly believe that the message boards set Beachbody workouts apart from any other program available.

If you’re ready to start the P90X Extreme Training System and challenge yourself with Yoga X, I’m ready to help you define and meet your fitness goals as your personal coach. You can get your 13 DVD set here, but if you want to save 10% on your purchase, join the club. And, if you have an interest in helping other achieve their fitness goals, you might be interested in becoming a Beachbody coach yourself and saving 25% on all Beachbody products. Namaste.