Favorite Thing #141 - P90X

P90X is my favorite lunchtime workout. One of my colleagues purchased this DVD set a few weeks ago and ever since then we have been doing the work outs twice a week. The set includes 12 very intense workouts (some cardio, some weight training) most of them are about 50 minutes long. Included in the set are the following work outs-

1. Chest and Back - This superset chest-and-back-blasting workout emphasizes two classic upper-body exercises, push-ups and pull-ups, to build strength and develop shape. The combination of these two push and pull movements will help you burn loads of calories while simultaneously attacking, strengthening, and developing multiple muscle groups.

2. Plyometrics - Get ready to go airborne. With over 30 explosive jumping moves, you won't be spending much time on the ground during this highly intense cardio routine. Plyometrics, also known as jump training, has been proven to dramatically improve athletic performance. If your sport involves a ring, rink, field, court, or track, then this training will give you the edge. Just be prepared to "Bring It" for a full hour when you leap into this workout, because there is no letting up.

3. Shoulders and Arms - Nothing rounds out the perfect physique like a pair of well-defined arms and shoulders, and with its potent combination of pressing, curling, and fly movements, this routine will leave you feeling stronger and looking sexier. Whether you want to build muscle mass or just slim and tighten what you've already got, these targeted shoulder and arm exercises will get you the results you want.

4. Yoga X - Yoga is a vital part of any fitness regimen, and is an absolute must for an extreme program like P90X. This routine combines strength, balance, coordination, flexibility, and breath work to enhance your physique and calm your mind. Yoga X will leave you feeling energized, invigorated, and maybe even a little enlightened.

5. Legs and Back - Get ready to squat, lunge, and pull for a total-body workout like no other. While the main focus of this workout lies in strengthening and developing the leg muscles (quads, hamstrings, glutes, and calves), there's also a handful of great pull-up exercises to give your legs a quick breather while you work the upper body.

6. Kenpo X - Kenpo X was created to give P90X users a high-intensity cardiovascular workout packed with lots of punching and kicking combinations to improve balance, endurance, flexibility, and coordination. During this workout you'll learn some of the most effective ways to defend yourself, while at the same time getting your body in peak condition.

7. X Stretch - Stretching is the one thing that will help you achieve a higher level of athleticism over a longer period of time. The X Stretch routine is an integral part of the program that will help prevent injuries and avoid plateaus. The extensive full-body stretches that make up this routine use disciplines from Kenpo karate, hatha yoga, and various sports to ensure that your body is fully prepared to meet all P90X challenges head-on.

8. Core Synergistics - Each and every exercise in the Core Synergistics workout recruits multiple muscle groups to build and support the core (lumbar spine and trunk muscles), while at the same time conditioning your body from head to toe. Loaded with a variety of fun, unique, and challenging exercises, this routine will get you moving in all directions to maximize your P90X results.

9. Chest, Shoulders, and Triceps - Packed with an array of moves that target both large and small muscles, this workout will do wonders for your upper body. In just one full sequence you'll get a healthy dose of presses, flys, and extensions to push you to the brink. The results will be a stronger, leaner, and highly defined upper torso that will leave you looking awesome, with or without a shirt.

10. Backs and Biceps - With a host of curls and pull-ups, this routine will make it fun to flex those powerful biceps. But don't worry, ladies—by using lighter weight, you can focus on toning and tightening these showcase arm muscles without adding the size that most guys covet. Additionally, this workout will also provide some great back definition that everyone can appreciate. No matter what your goals, you will achieve them in dramatic fashion if you dig in and max out your reps.

11. Cardio X - This low-impact cardio routine can be used in a variety of ways to meet your P90X goals. Use it in addition to your standard P90X workload when you want to burn some extra calories, or as a substitute if your body needs a break from the program's high-impact workouts. Whatever your reason for using Cardio X, you'll find it to be a fun, full-throttle, fat burning workout that will leave you feeling lean and mean.

12. Ab Ripper X - The combination and sequence of movements in this unique workout taps into not only abdominal strength, but true core strength as well. Master these 11 highly effective exercises and you will achieve vital abdominal muscle strength to benefit your overall health and physical performance. You'll also develop that highly coveted 6-pack as you take Ab Ripper X to full throttle. It's extreme work that's better than any machine in any club.

Here's a review of the ones that I have done -

Chest and Back - This was the first one we did. This workout was A LOT of push ups of all different kinds. It was hard to do most of the "back" exercises because we needed to do pull ups and that's impossible to do in our large staff conference room. I used weights but you can also use resistance bands.

Plyometrics - This is a great cardio workout. It is a jumping workout and pretty high impact. I definitely felt it in my legs the next day.

Legs and Back - It a great way to tone your legs (especially thighs). Lots of lunges and squats. I used resistance bands but wished I would have used weights. You can use either but I think it is more effective to use free weights.

Kenpo X - Another great cardio workout. It is very similar to the Billy Blanks Taebo workout. Lots of punching and kicking. I was super sore after this workout...but it was a good sore.

Ab Ripper X - This is an INTENSE 20 minute ab workout. I wish I owned this DVD because I would do this every day. It is amazing.




Still love Favorite Thing #41 and it tops my favorite movies of all time. If you haven't seen it I definitely recommend you rent it. The soundtrack is amazing too.