P90X2 Total Body Review

 

 

P90X2 Total Body Review

62 minutes of PURE foundation work.  X2 Total Body is insane, and I’m using that term lightly.  I have never, in all my years of playing sports, going to the gym, ever been through a workout like this and I must say, it was AWESOME!  Everything is based upon stability and balance.  Curls from warrior 3, side arm balance push-ups on med balls, every single muscle is getting worked just trying to stay balanced.  Is it going to be difficult to master, heck yeah.  But I’m going to get there.  On a side note, my wife (also a Beachbody Coach) is doing this with me and she rocked it again this morning.  Oh, and I’ll be getting the haircut soon if you know what I mean.

**Note:  You’ll probably be using less dumbbell weight on these than you’d expect because not only are you doing a lift/press/curl/extension, you are also trying to stay balanced.  Tony has you increase your reps to 10-12, instead of the normal 8-10 from P90X.

P90X2 Total Body Tools

 

 

 

 

 

 

P90X2 Total Body Warmup

 Stability Ball

• Twist – A simple move but it does get the heart pumping.  Hold the stability ball directly out in front of you and rotate right and left keeping your head and eyes pointing forward.
• Squat – Just like it sounds, but at you squat down you raise the ball above your head.
• Side Stretch – Sort of like the straight-arm stretch however you are using the weight of the ball to go right and left, bending over as far as you can to each side.
• Alternate Back Lunge – As you lunge alternating your right and left leg, you lift the stability ball up above your head with your arms straight.
• Atlas – Like in P90X Core Synergistics, you’re picking up the ball from your left side and extending it up into the air on the right side like your setting it on a shelf.  Switch sides and you’re done.

Foam Rolling

The RumbleRoller is amazing, however the foam rolling in this DVD is just too short.  You can definitely hit the pause button to get those tight spots.  In X2 Total Body, this is a real rush and I’m not sure why they put it in the workout.  To get the full benefits of the RumbleRoller you will need to slow down and extend this workout.  You start on your lower right leg, then switch to your lower left leg (achilles and calf muscles).  After the lower legs you hit your upper legs to include your quads, IT band, and hip flexors.  Once that’s done you quickly do your upper right side and left side (arms, shoulders, pecs, triceps). 

Roller Angel – You finish off stretching with the roller angel.  This is where you lay on the RumbleRoller with it pointing directly up your spine.  You relax and pretend like you’re making a snow angel with your arms bringing them up and down parallel to the floor.

Roller Sphinx – You put your forearms on the RumbleRoller and get into plank.  For the first time, I realize what plank really is!  Tilt your pelvis and push your heels to the floor.  Hold the position for about 40 seconds.  I started shaking a bit after about 30 but was able to finish just fine.

Additional Stretching/Mobility

Inch Worm – Just like it sounds.  From a standing straight position you do a forward bend and then crawl your hands away from you to the plank position.  Hold plank for a second or two and then begin tiptoeing your feet into your hands.  Rinse and repeat for a total of 8 times.

Scorpion – This one is really hard to explain so you’ll have to see it for the first time but here goes nothing!  Laying flat on your stomach with your arms extended out to the side you bend your right leg to a 90 degree, lift your knee off the ground, and then rotate that bent leg over to your left.  It’s not necessarily a back stretch but does get your glute and leg. 

Groiners – From a left leg lunge (both hands on the instep of your right foot) you alternate jump lunges going back and forth between your right and left legs keeping your hands in the same spot.

Table – Open up the chest and shoulders.  Hands and feet on the ground, stomach facing up to create a table.  Hold for 30 seconds.

Scapular Retraction – A hard one to explain, but use your bands with hook or pull-up bar.  Hang straight arms and then contract your scapula, basically bringing your chicken wings together in the back.  This should raise you up just a couple of inches.

P90X2 Total Body Workout

You complete this entire sequence in order and then repeat it.

1 Arm Chest Press (Stability Ball/Weights) – I went heavier than I thought I would be able to here (45 lbs).  You lay against the stability ball with a dumbell in one hand, your other arm on your hip or across your midsection, whatever is comfortable.  As you press up, turn your wrist inward and do 10-12 reps.  It was odd, because you’re encouraged to do higher reps because you have to use a lower weight just to keep your balance.

4 Position Pull Up – Wide grip, wrists facing, overhand close grip, reverse chin up.  Nothing complex here.  It’s cool because you’re hitting your back from 4 different angles.

Pushup Side Arm Balance (Med Ball) – Max reps on this one.  These were difficult for me on my left side because I have a broken wrist, a little painful but I was able to get through it.  These are just like side arm balances in P90X except you’re doing them on your two 8 lb medicine balls.  My wife kicked my butt on these.

Switch Lunge Press (Weights) – Whew, heart rate up.  Shoulder presses while lunging forward and backward.  Wrists facing out and then press on the forward lunge, twist the wrist backwards and press on the backward lunge.  Switch legs in the 2nd round.

Break

Warrior 3 Kickback (Weights) – LOL, you’re kidding me right?  Just like it sounds, tricep kickback WHILE in warrior 3.  I had a tough time finding balance the first round because I think I went a little too heavy.  It was my first time and didn’t know.  The second round, I lightened up by 5 lbs on each side and it was much better.  Plus, I think I was warmed up a little more.  More stabilized.

Warrior 3 Curl (Weights) – Same thing as the kickbacks, except you’re doing curls from Warrior 3.  My first round I went a little light because I thought I’d have the same issue as the kickbacks but I didn’t.  The second round I upped my weight by 10 pounds and pulled out 10 reps.

Boing Push-ups (Stability Ball) – Fall down on the stability ball, do a push up, and then spring back up bouncing the ball off your chest.  Don’t come all the way back up between each rep, think BOING!

Crunchy Lever Pull-ups – My wife couldn’t do these, even when I tried to spot her.  She’ll get there though.  These are killer, you just have to see these on the X2 Total Body DVD, hard to explain.  You’re getting up into standard grip pull-up, then you crunch your knees up towards the bar and then hang upside down (arms straight).  With your arms still straight you bring yourself back over into the up position (you never come down to the floor). I was able to get in 8 reps the first round and 6 reps the second round.  Lots of improvement needed.

Break

Mule Kick Burpee – I accidentally did my first handstand trying to get the hang of these!  Hands down to the floor, kick your straight legs way up into the air and control them down (almost like ‘floating’ into Chaturunga in Yoga).  Then you do prison cell push ups, right knee in, push-up, left knee in, push up, jump up and repeat as many times as you can. 

Swimmer’s Curl Press in Half Chair (Weights) – Another stability move on one leg.  Think chair pose from yoga, now take your left leg and cross it over your knee while your right leg is still in chair pose.  Now do as many swimmer’s curl presses as you can (bicep curl, shoulder press, reverse bicep curl, repeat).  Second round switch legs.

Balance Kickback on Stability Ball (Stability Ball) – I could not get into a perfect plank on the stability ball on these.  I think practice understanding your center of balance over time is going to help.  Put your left arm across the stability ball, get into plank on the ball, and then do right arm tricep kickbacks.  Both sides and your done.

Rocket Launcher Preacher Curl (Weights) – First round, right leg forward.  Second round left leg forward.  Get into a leaning forward lunge (think sneaky lunges in P90X Legs and Back but not on your toes).  Now do preacher curls from this position, both arms at the same time.

P90X2 Total Body Cool Down

Shake it out, bring the heart rate down for 30 seconds or so.  My wife and I were soaked, even though it isn’t a cardio workout.  Shakers, head rolls, love yourself and then move on to the same type of stability ball stretching from X2 Core.

As always, I’m starting challenge groups about twice a month and they’ve been filling up quickly.  If you’re looking for a way to stay accountable please hit me up at http://www.facebook.com/bbcoachmike.  Or, set me up as your coach and I’ll help you through any of our programs.  Get your Free Team Beachbody Membership.

If you’re ready for P90X2, you can get it through Team Beachbody.  Below is a link to the Ultimate Package, be sure to check out the other packages too!

==> Order P90X2 <==

Enjoy life!

–Mike

P90X2 – Recovery + Mobility Review

 

 

 P90X2 – Recovery + Mobility Review

Again, fitness science has made some great strides and this workout takes full advantage of them.  P90X2 doesn’t have a pure stretching routine like P90X, it has been replaced with a new workout called Recovery + Mobility.  And… you get to do it on Days 3 and 7 per the P90X2 schedule.  Recovery + Mobility is 56 minutes and some change.

Recovery + Mobility is intense, and when I say intense I don’t mean from a cardio or strength perspective.  Ever had a deep tissue massage?  I haven’t and now I know what it feels like (and this is a whole lot cheaper than paying somebody to shove their elbow into your quad!).  One word, painful.  It hurts like heck.  But it’s one of those things that hurts and is uncomfortable at first, but you come out of it feeling soooo much better, so much more loose, so much more open and flexible.  And I can’t say this enough, RumbleRoller, RumbleRoller, RumbleRoller.  If you are looking for an excuse to get the P90X2 Ultimate Package, this is it! 

This foam roller with knobs all over it is incredible.  My wife uses a standard foam roller and it works good, but the knobs on the RumbleRoller dig into those knots you have in your calves, quads, lats, tris, bis, everywhere.  You find the knot, you try to relax on the knot, and let the RumbleRoller do it’s thing.  If you can stand the intense pressure, the muscle will eventually release and all will be right with the world again.  Foam rolling is something one of those things that requires consistently over time, and don’t expect to get the technique the first time you do this, it takes some practice. 

P90X2 – Recovery + Mobility Tools

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

P90X2 – Recovery + Mobility Warmup

Recovery + Mobility starts off simple with sun salutations.  You’ve done these before in Yoga X and X Stretch.  My wife, Rachel, and I workout at 5am before the kids are up, so I’m pretty tight and really have to work hard to get loose.  Loose for me is reverse palms on the floor, nose to knees.  As Tony says… 3 sun salutations and you don’t need coffee in the morning.  I agree, these get you moving.

Next up are leg swings.  Hold on to your RumbleRoller (or chair or wall) with your right hand for balance and start kicking your right leg forward and backward, each time trying to open up the hip a little more, getting a little higher on each side.  After 10 swings, place the RumbleRoller more in front of your body and swing your leg out and in across your body.  Repeat on the left side.

P90X2 – Recovery + Mobility “The Practice Test”

Now you get to see how open and flexible you are (before the foam rolling) by doing a round of different mobility exercises.  Play close attention to your tight spots.  Is it your lower back, your glutes, your shoulders?

Step Back Lunge Twist – Get your broomstick or weight bar and stand tall, hands holding bar straight out at chest height.  Lunge your right leg back while moving the bar to the left.  Step back in lunge left leg back, bar to the right.  You get the picture

Squat Press – Start off standing tall with the bar behind your head on your traps, squat down, lift your arms straight up over your head, and stand up. 

Single Leg Touch Down – Just like in Plyocide, stand on your right leg, lift your left leg just a little and dorsal flex.  With your left hand, reach down to the outside of your left pinkie toe, and then stand back up, left arm high.  5 on each side.

P90X2 – Recovery + Mobility Warmup – Foam Rolling

If you’ve never done or seen foam rolling, it’s pretty difficult to explain in writing.  You’re going to need to watch the DVD and learn.  It’s all about micro movements and finding those tight spots, settling on them, getting through the pain, and having the muscle release.  Sometimes, it just won’t release and you move on.  This is not rolling back and forth on the roller like you’re in a circus.  It’s concentrated movement.  You will probably not be able to keep up with the pace because the cast is moving fast so feel free to hit the pause button.  I probably add 12 additional minutes to this workout depending on how many knots I hit.

For a good 20 minutes you are using your foam roller to work each and every muscle in your body.  You start on your lower right leg, hitting your calf from all directions.  I never knew how tight my calves were until I ran into quite a few knots.  Be patient and hit pause if you need to, it takes some time to work through those.  After 2 minutes, move to your upper leg.  Focus on your IT band and quadricep.  I think I get the most pain in my quad, it’s a tough one to work on for me.  Roll up to your hip flexor and finish off with your glute.  After your right leg is loose, move over to your left leg and repeat the upper and lower sequence.  Again, use the pause button, you will probably need more time, especially if this is the first couple of workouts for you.

Now comes the pain (for me).  You work your inner thigh and knee area on both legs.  Ouch, I have a stinging pain on my inner right thigh, I settle in, breathe, and eventually it works itself out.

Now it’s time for the upper body, right side first.  Use the RumbleRoller against your lats, shoulders, pecs, and biceps.  Lots of tight areas on my triceps that I never knew were there.  If the pressure is too much in some areas, they’ll show you how to back off and vice versa… if you need more pressure you can do that as well.  Repeat this entire process on your left side starting on your lower left leg and move all the way up to your shoulders.

Lastly, you’ll get your middle and upper back by leaning against the roller and rolling up and down and side to side.  Bridge to get more pressure, I guarantee you’ll have lots of uncomfortable lumps back there! 

P90X2 – Recovery + Mobility “The Post-Test”

Remember how you felt before the foam rolling (write down your problem areas) and let’s do a couple of the mobility moves again! 

Step Back Lunge Twist, Squat Press, and Single Leg Touch Down

P90X2 – Recovery + Mobility Stretching

Vinyasa to Pigeon (Like P90x Kenpo) – Start with a sun salutation, forward bend, flat back, float back into plank to upward dog.  Downward dog, right leg up and swing it through.  But… swing your right ankle towards left wrist, knee outside your body.  Breathe, relax, and settle for 90 seconds.  Switch sides for another 90 seconds.

Frog – Frog is really uncomfortable, just not that flexible here.  I’ve gotten better over the last year but it’s still the toughest of all stretches for me.

Hamstring Stretching – You hit each leg, right leg first.  However, there are three different techniques to use depending on your hip flexibility.  Use a yoga block if you need more stretch (I use 2 blocks stacked). 

Roller Angel – Lay on your RumbleRoller so it goes directly up your spine, ouch!  Tuck your pelvis so your lower back in on the foam roller.  Now extend your arms and move them up and down getting your elbows as close to the floor as you can.  Just like you’re making a snow angel.  How cute!!!  If you’re like me, you’ll feel the knobs pinch and jump over all the little tight areas in your middle back.  This is one of my favorites.

Shavasana (Corpse Pose) Foam Roller – The same Shavasana from Yoga X and X2 Yoga, lie flat on the roller, extend your arms, relax, and breathe.  Forget everything, focus on nothing other than relaxation and breathing.

Done.  Ahhhh.

Although this doesn’t compare at all to X Stretch, it’s a whole new way to get loose and flexible.  After a couple times doing this and getting familiar with foam rolling and how to use micro movements to get those hot spots, I feel better coming out of Recovery + Mobility than I ever did coming out of X Stretch.

As always, I’m starting challenge groups about twice a month and they’ve been filling up quickly.  If you’re looking for a way to stay accountable please hit me up at http://www.facebook.com/bbcoachmike.  Or, set me up as your coach and I’ll help you through any of our programs.  Get your Free Team Beachbody Membership.

If you’re ready for P90X2, you can get it through Team Beachbody.  Below is a link to the Ultimate Package, be sure to check out the other packages too!

==> Order P90X2 <==

Enjoy life!

–Mike