Kenpo Karate Kicks Tips
Kenpo X is a favorite routine for many who are undergoing the challenging extreme home fitness program, P90X – a Beachbody workout with trainer Tony Horton. What’s not to love? Jabs, cross, hook, upercut…kicks, blocks, something different from the usual grueling workouts. That doesn’t mean this workout is for beginners. The kicks alone can make your hips and butt hurt for a couple of days.
I enjoy this workout as much as any other fan of P90X, but I struggled with the back kick. It just didn’t seem right when I attempted this move. For weeks, I just kept trying. I kept doing my best. I kept moving. I focused on this move because it was hard for me.
Then, Tony’s words just hit me one day. He used the phrase “mule kick.” It hit me! The form should be more like the kick of a horse, donkey, cow, or mule. The form should feel more like the kick back machine at the gym that is designed to work the glutes. The difference is the back kick should drive with the heel of the foot. I’m sure if I made contact with anything or anyone, the ball of my foot or toes would be what was hitting.
I gave this some thought and realized that I was doing the same thing on my front kick. I’d certainly break a toe the way I was kicking! I felt silly envisioning myself kicking someone and then, falling to the ground because I’d either broken a toe or had been flipped by my opponent because I threw such a pansy, soft kick.
The key to kicks in Kenpo Karate and
Speaking of Wesley, observe how he leans away from the direction of the kick. The further you lean your body away from your kick, the higher you can get your kick. The fitness manual for P90X observes that the “real weapon is not the fist or the foot, but the whole body.” When you learn to use your whole body, not only does the form feel better, you also get a great workout. I’ve never participated in any form of karate as a fitness routine, but I can really get my heart rate up with this workout and still have fun.
This workout is about cardiovascular fitness, flexibility, balance, strenth training, toning, and focusing. The routine starts out slowly and builds momentum as you learn the moves. It’s just under 56 minutes, including the warm up and cool down. And, I’ve read nothing but positive comments from men and women on this routine. Hats off Tony! This is one of our favorites!
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.
Plyometrics Jump Training Not For Everyone
I talked about interval training in an earlier post and Shaun T’s upcoming Insanity program that incorporates MAX interval training. Well, I thought about interval training a lot today as I worked my way through the P90X Extreme Home Fitness Plyometrics DVD.
I remember being overwhelmed the first time I pressed play on plyometrics day. It was day number two. I was feeling my workout from the previous day (Chest & Back, Ab Ripper X). I hoped I had what it would take to do the whole 90 day program. Tony Horton started talking about something called “plyometrics” or “jump training.” He went on to say that plyometrics was designed to increase speed, strength, and sports performance. Ok, I thought. I can handle that.
I didn’t make it through my first plyo workout. I wondered if I had made a mistake. I decided to take Tony’s advice and keep pressing play, give it my best and…forget the rest. Then, he’d really push me harder by saying you can do anything for thirty seconds. Believe it or not, that was enough to keep me going. I’m much better at plyometrics these days, but there are a couple of moves that are still very difficult for me, and I can always count on a workout that maintains a high heart rate.
The plyometrics session is just over 58 minutes. It’s no joke! It works in a series of four exercises that repeat themselves followed by a short (30 second) active break. The first three exercises are usually 30 seconds long and the fourth one is 60 seconds with a higher intensity. Once you work through one series of exercises two times, a new series is introduced which kicks up the volume a little. Sweat pours off every square inch of your body.
Plyometrics follows the philosophy of all Beachbody workouts. It uses real people in the DVD, not perfect models. There’s always someone in the video you can watch as a mentor. Some participants are extreme and can jump high and wide. Other participants are more like me and typical family members – giving it their best and forgeting the rest.
The hardest two exercises in plyometrics for me are the Jump Knee Tuck and Rock Star Hop. The Jump Knee Tuck requires you to jump vertically, pulling your knees in towards your chest. It sounds easy, but the execution if far from easy!
The Rock Star Hop is a variation of the Jump Knee Tuck. You don’t bring your knees to your chest in the jump move. Instead, you kick your feet to your butt like a “rock star” strumming down on an electric guitar. I’ve got to say that the Rock Star Hop is more entertaining whether you’re doing it or watching someone else do it.
Plyometrics jump training may not be for everyone, but if you want to get some high intensity cardio interval training, you’ve got to add plyometrics to your routine. If you have any questions about plyometrics or any of the P90X Extreme Home Fitness DVDs, don’t hesitate to ask. My best advice for plyometrics? Don’t give up before the miracle and keep pressing play. You’re going to grow to love this extreme workout.
Mary Kay to Top Beachbody Coach
Erica Falcon, Top Mary Kay Director, finds true calling through Beachbody Slim in 6 program.
Coach’s Diary: P90X Extreme Home Fitness!
Hello! Welcome to my coach’s diary. I’m Julie Butts, and I’m an Independent Beachbody Coach.
Tomorrow, I will celebrate Day 60 of my Beachbody P90X 90 Days of Extreme Home Fitness! What does that mean? It’s time to get out the measuring tape and digital camera again. It’s time to set new goals and to adjust my exercise and eating routines. It’s time to BRING IT!
I hope you’ll follow me in my fitness journey as I seek to live a fit and healthy lifestyle. I want to share my experiences with you because I’ve learned that a support system is one of the biggest factors in staying consistent. You can have all the knowledge in the world about eating right and exercising, but if you’re not consistent, you’ll probably get the same results I did – mediocre at best. (Read my personal bio and transformation story to learn more.)
Through the Beachbody P90X Xtreme Fitness DVD program and the support I received from WOWY, the Beachbody forums, and my personal coach, I’ve taken my fitness to a new level. I’m so consistent now that I get up early to do a workout if I think I’m going to have a busy day that might interfere. I even hate missing a workout because I’m not feeling well. I guess you could say I’m hooked. Somthing special is happening, and it’s happening to me!
