Power 90 Sweat! Cardio 1-2

I wasn’t feeling well this past week, so I took it easy with my workout schedule. I tried to keep my eating fairly clean although I have to admit that I did enjoy an authentic Italian pizza with a few of my friends. I think it’s ok to back off from your exercise routine every once in a while and have a meal that isn’t as strict. What’s important is to remind yourself of the delicate balance between nutrition, food, and fuel for the body. If you have a day you don’t work out, adjust the amount of calories you’re eating that day to compensate for the reduced calorie expenditure.

I felt like doing something different today, so I pushed play on Tony Horton’s Power 90. Power 90 was produced by Beachbody prior to P90X and was the foundation used to design the P90X Etreme Home Training System. Power 90 consists of six workout routines – two cardio, two strength training, and two ab routines.

I started my workout with the Sweat 1-2 dvd. As you might’ve guessed by the name, it’s a cardio routine. The one and two refer to phase one and phase two of four phases in the Power 90 program. I think I like the three phase system (30 days for each phase) in the P90X program better than Power 90’s four phase system which relies on the participant to decide on when to move from one phase to the next. I’m more motivated by a program which has a beginning and end already set.

Sweat 1-2 is just under 36 minutes in length. I didn’t work up a lot of sweat, but the workout felt good as a transition back into working out after having a few days off. I think this program will be good for those new to exercise or those who need a slower pace due to weight or health. It’s an excellent preview to P90X.

Sweat 1-2 begins with stretching and then progresses to power yoga. The routine also pulls in some plyomtrics and kenpo karate. Tony uses a series of three exercises he calls a round. Once you go through the first round, you repeat the same exercises for a second round. After the second round, a new set of three exercises are introduced and repeated for a total of five exercise groupings.

This method allows you to feel the exercise the first time around and adjust your intensity up or down during the second round. It’s kind of nice knowing what’s coming in the second round, too. Tony uses this technique in his P90X program as well. Although P90X is a more intense exercise program (13 dvds & hour long workouts), Power 90 lays the foundation for the methodology and exercises.

I was familiar with front and side kicks, knee ups, punches, power yoga, and some of the other exercises in Power 90 because they were done in different variations in P90X. If you don’t know if you’re ready for P90X, you’re probably ready for Power 90. Try Power 90 for thee months. When you’re ready to go to the next level, P90X is your program.

I like mixing up different Beachbody workouts, and I like being able to tell you about these workouts because I’ve actually done them. I plan on doing all the Power 90 workouts and will write about them for you. Two last thoughts on Sweat 1-2…

I think this workout would be good for morning cardio. The stretching at the beginning and end is excellent. It’s only about 36 minutes long and gets your heart rate goind without putting you in overdrive. In other words, it will help me wake up while doing something good for my body.

My second thought is that it is such a good summary of P90X that it makes me want to do another round of P90X! Yes, that is in my future. I know I’m going to do another round of P90X because I just love that program. And, when I do press play on the X again, I just might do Power 90 on my rest day or on those occassional days when I need a less intense program. Click on Power 90 to learn more about what comes with this program and it’s 90 day money back guarantee.