P90X Legs & Back
It’s been a while since I’ve done the P90X Extreme Training System Legs and Back workout which is just under an hour. As you probably know from reading my reviews, I usually tried to avoid ab work when I tried staying fit using home equipment or the gym. I didn’t pay much attention to my legs either.
I didn’t like to work my legs because I feared they would get bigger. I already had what I consider “thunder thighs” and didn’t understand that I needed to do a combination of strength training and cardio to shape my legs. I knew this at an intellectual level, but somehow, I seem to forget stuff like that when I get around fitness equipment.
That’s one of the reasons it’s so good for me to have a “personal trainer” in my living room. I’ve got a routine and someone to help me stay focused and in form. That’s how you get results.
The P90X Legs and Back workout routine is sure to fatigue all your leg muscles as well as your back muscle group. All of the back exercises in this workout are done using a chin up bar or a resistence band. The leg exercises rely on the weight and position of your body. We’re not just talking about classic squats and lunges. You’ll work your butt off (literally), sweat a lot, and your muscles are going to shake. That’s good stuff.
I can do one unassisted chin up. Prior to P90X, I couldn’t do any unassisted chin ups at all. I know my back is getting stronger though, so I keep doing my best…not beating up on myself if I can’t do everything…refusing to use the difficulty of the exercise as an excuse to not even try.
Excuses steal your health and fitness. Determination develops your strength and stamina. I know this because I can do that one chin up now. I know that because I recently went to an event and wore a backless black dress. I wasn’t self-conscious about my legs. I even got a compliment on my back! What? Where’s a mirror? Let me check that out….I’ve got real muscles back there?
I really needed that compliment. When people mirror back to you the progress they see, it serves as a great motivator to press play. Speaking of motivators, if you want one great motivator to press play on this Beachbody workout guys, check out a picture of Tony Horton’s legs. He has awesome cuts. Gals, don’t worry about getting big leg muscles like Tony…check out Drey and while you’re at it, check out her back muscles. Wow!
Burn It Up Exercise List
Phase III of Debbie Sieber’s slim training workout, Burn It Up, is about 59 minutes in length. After you’ve done this routine several times, you can anticipate what exercise is coming up. I think this program is lacking in one area. It doesn’t have a list of the exercises in writing, so you can follow along, and it doesn’t put the names of the upcoming exercise on the screen.
I guess I was kind of spoiled with the P90X Extreme Training Fitness Guide. Each workout had it’s own section where each exercise was not only listed but a brief description was included. When you had a DVD playing, the bottom of the screen would tell you what exercise to expect next. As you learned the names of the exercises, it was easier to develop a comfortable routine as a member of the class.
I was thinking about this because I did Tony Horton’s July One on One: Cardio Intervals DVD last week. I didn’t have a list of exercises, but Tony had one taped to the mirror in his gym. That kept him on track. He would announce the exercise that we were doing next, but I didn’t have a list anywhere and the screen didn’t provide that information either…read more
What Rocks Your World? Working Out Music
“We whistle while we work…” The Seven Dwarfs never got tired of singing the same old song. As for me, I like variety when it comes to music and workouts. I know I can’t be the only one who’s tired of listening to the same old music in the gym, on fitness walks, and on my exercise dvds?
What would you like to hear? How about a little country, classic rock or R&B for a change? You don’t have to listen to dance music or the oldies to get a good workout. You don’t have to listen to hard rock or pop. You just might want to try something inspiration like gospel or perhaps throw in something motivational from Brian Tracey or Jim Rohn.
I’ve found that different forms of audio help me focus on the routine at hand. I learned this secret from walking with fitness CDs. I’d keep a nice steady pace while listening to the upbeat music and listening to the trainer encourage me to set goals and keep moving. When doing cardio dvds, I did well with both dance music and the oldies. For yoga, it always seemed to be some new age music that I’d never listen to on my car radio. At the gym, I preferred Metallica and AC/DC, but of course the gym never plays hard rock.
It really wasn’t until I started working out with the Beachbody workout P90X that I realized that I could decide what music I wanted to hear. I could listen to whatever motivated me, kept me focused or even inspired me.
The P90X Extreme Home Fitness dvds allow you to listen to music and cues dubbed for the program, but you also have some options. You can turn off the music and just listen to the cues to move from one exercise to the next. You also have the option of turning off the music and the cues. These options give you a lot ways to customize your program.
In the beginning of my P90X journey, I listened to the music and cues on all 13 dvds until I had the routines down pretty well. Then, I started experimenting. I turned off the music and listened to some relaxing flute music or ocean sounds while doing yoga. I tried the Chest, Shoulder, & Tri routine with the 22 themes of 007 blaring in our loft. (Don’t laugh. That really is a good cd to drown out the world and keep your blood flowing!)
Most recently, I tried something totally different. I listened to an audiobook while doing Chest & Biceps. Please don’t try this until you can do your routine with your eyes closed. Listening to words is different than listening to music. You have to focus somewhat on the audio to comprehend what you’re hearing. If you don’t have your routine down yet, this might take too much focus off your exercise session which may affect your performance or make you more prone to injury.
Of course, there are days when I just listen to my favorite music on my ipod. I’m usually walking when the ipod earphones are on. I prefer the freedom of stereo speakers when I’m doing my Beachbody workouts at home. There’s nothing like the adrenaline you feel when the stereo is too loud and no one’s at home to remind you.
Experiment a little and see what works for you. Music is our universal language. Be inspired. Get motivated to move. Feel peace and serenity. Focus. Energize. Perform at your best. Turn it on. Turn it up. Work in silence or at the lowest volume. Let music enhance your workouts. Let music rock your world.
