And the title says it all. This is arguably the hardest routine that Tony Horton has ever put together. You alternate between a push-up move and a pull-up move for a total of 24 sets. Also a good substitute for P90X Chest & Back if that routine is getting a little stale. What I really like about this routine is that it's based in Tony's home gym and he does the routine with you. And since this is an absolute upper body blaster, he takes breaks and gives you a chance to rest. With the original P90X, I felt rushed going from one set to the other as they try to cram a warm-up, the workout, and cool down in under an hour.
Total Time: 60 minutes
Equipment Needed: Pull-up bar for sure. Push-up stands are optional
Workout : So the 30-15 reference is the rep count goal for the routine (30 push-ups and 15 pull-ups). Can't do that many reps? Guess what, you're not alone! Even the almighty Tony Horton himself has to modify at the half way point and lower is rep count goal to 25 push-ups and 12 pull-ups. Personally, I was able to match Tony Horton on the push-ups, but couldn't hang with him on the pull-ups. But that's why Mr. Horton is the Pull-Up King! If you really want to challenge yourself, use a weight vest! I did that the last time and it makes it a true mass building routine. Of course, I had to lower my rep count BIG time to counter the increase in weight. But it was one heck of a workout regardless. The moves are as followed:
The only workout that Tony Horton dedicates to just arms. No ab work. No Chest. No Back. Not even the shoulders. Just 6 rounds of 3 moves alternating with a bicep exercise, a forearm exercise, and a tricep exercise. My arms get a serious pump after this routine to the point where I can barely hold the pen to track my results on my workout log sheets.
Total Time: 47 minutes
Equipment
Needed: Dumbells (or bands) and a chair (or bench). Good routine to be able to travel with, since the equipment is minimal. Would need to modify on some of the moves if you only had a resistance band.
Workout : As mentioned above, Tony does 6 rounds of 3 moves alternating between biceps, forearms, and triceps. And in Tony Horton fashion, he adds a bonus round of 5 moves that really finishes off the routine nicely.
Rounds 1 & 2
Sitting Bicep Curl
Forearm Curls
Lying Tricep Extensions
Rounds 3 & 4
Incline Bicep Curls
Reverse Forearm Curls
Tricep Kickbacks
Rounds 5 & 6
Bicep 21's
Forearm Sandwich
Side Tri Rise
Bonus Round
Crazy 8's (32 total reps!)
"Off the Butt" Forearm Curls
Hammer Curls
Tricep Throws
Crazy 8's (yes, again!....and 32 total reps!)
If you would like to know more about Tony Horton One on Ones or Just Arms, click HERE!:
This is the first disc you'll use when you start your P90X2 journey. And if you're a graduate from P90X, you'll notice quickly that a lot of things have changed.
Total Time: 55 minutes
Equipment Needed: Stability ball, foam roller, medicine ball. I should say recommended, because in every disc they have one individual that does all the moves without any of the equipment I mentioned. Good for people who are a little short on cash or travel a lot.
Warm-Up : The warm-up is quite long (16 minutes!). That's almost double the time that you're use to from P90X. A total of 12 moves using the stability ball and foam roller.
Twist
Squat
Side Stretch
Alternating Back Lunge
Atlas
Foam Rolling
Roller Angel
Roller Sphynix
World's Greatest Stretch
Inch Worm
Scorpion
Groiners
Workout : Approximately 31 minutes in length to finish 17 moves. For most people, this will be there first introduction to doing exercises in unstable positions like using a stability ball or standing on one leg. This routine is part of the foundation phase of the program, so they recommend that you get proficient at this before moving on to the strength phase. It took me about 3 attempts with this workout before I felt comfortable moving forward in the routine. The focus is to keep your core engaged which will help you execute these moves with greater efficiency. The moves are:
Sphinx Plank Crunch (max reps in 1 minute)
Warrior 3 Cross Crunch (10 per side)
Single Leg Walk Out to Sphinx (5 per side)
Half Angel (10 per side)
Roller Boat (12 reps)
3 Speed Med Ball Push-Up (max reps in 30 seconds)
One Leg Lateral Leap Squat (14 reps)
Core Circles (max reps in 45 seconds)
Holmsen Screamer Lunge (15 per side)
Med Ball Dreya Roll (max reps in 1 minute)
Plank Burpee on Stability Ball (max reps in 1 minute - switch every 3 reps)
Banana Ball Switch Crunch (15 reps)
3 Point Squat Press with Med Ball (14 reps)
Slo Mo Balance Climber (20 reps)
X2 Diver (8 reps)
Ryan Sphinx Twist Crunch (10 per side)
One Leg Med Ball Burpee (12 reps - switch every 3 reps)
Cool Down : 6 minutes in length using a stability ball. Some very creative stretches.
Here is a visual representation of the X2 Core exercises:
If you would like to know more about P90X2 or X2 Core, click HERE!:
I knew I was in trouble when the guy leading the workout, Shaun T, says at the beginning "Are you as nervous as I am for this workout". LOL. Here is what you need to know about this workout:
Time: 38 Minutes
Breakdown:
1.Warm-up (10 ½ minutes)
·3
rounds of about 3 ½ minutes each of
(a)Jog
(b)Jumping Jacks
(c)Heisman
(d)123 Heisman
(e)Butt Kicks
(f)High Knees
(g)Mummy Kicks
2.Stretch (6 minutes)
3.Workout (15 minutes)
·15
exercises at 1 minute each
(a)Suicide (side to side touching the
floor)
(b)Switch kicks
(c)Football sprints
(d)Stance Jacks
(e)Pedal (two lunges, then sprint,
followed by 2 more lunges)
(f)Hooks and Jump rope (8 hook punches,
4 high jumps)
(g)Power Jacks (like jumping jacks, but
you go deep in a wide lunge)
(h)Level 2 Drills (8 push-ups followed
by 8 run lunges)
(i)Frog Jumps
(j)Power Knees (switch every 30 seconds)
(k)Mountain Climbers
(l)Ski Down (jump side to side as if
skiing)
(m)Switch Feet
(n)Suicide Jumps (squat down, jump back
to a push-up, stand up again)
For those who have ever done Insanity for the first time, the same question is always asked: THAT WAS THE WARM-UP?!? Seriously, I'm not sure why Shaun T tries to kill you in the first workout but he's definately letting everyone know that he's not playin'! An Insanity workout is typically around 10 1/2 minutes long consisting of 3 rounds of about 7 to 8 moves. After each round, you're suppose to bring more intensity than you did the prior round. So the first round is finding your pace as Shaun T introduces each move. Now that you're familiar with the moves, you can pick up the intensity for the second round. Once you hit the third round, cry for momma because Shaun T is yelling at you to pick it up and go as fast as you can. After it's all said and done, you're dripping in sweat and absolutely exhausted. Not a bad workout in just a little over 10 minutes.......WRONG! Like I said, that was just the warm-up!!! Nevermind that you still have another 20 to 30 minutes of high intensity intervals or training still to do! At least Shaun T has a little bit of a heart and gives you a break between the "warm-up" and the workout routine by throwing in a 7 minute stretch routine.
Want to see what a warm-up looks like? Ask and you shall receive.
This is my review to the sequel of the extremely popular
workout DVD series P90X.P90X2 focuses
on functional fitness by having you do a variety of moves in unstable
conditions while engaging your core.The
goal is to make you a better athlete by improving your balance, strengthening
your stabilizers and core, and being more explosive in your movements.To reach these goals, you really have to
focus on your form to maximize the benefits of this program.Being a recent graduate of the program, I
will do my best to break down the components of P90X2 into the following
categories:
·Motivation & Progress
·Equipment
·Program Design & Individual Workouts
·Nutrition
·Personal Reflections
Motivation &
Progress
Again Tony
Horton is the celebrity trainer of this program.Very much like P90X, Tony will crack jokes,
be a little goofy, but also will give you words of encouragement during parts
of the routines where you want to quit.I know some people find him annoying, but I’m personally I’m a big fan
of Tony Horton.His enthusiasm about
health and fitness are second to none, and he makes me want to really push
myself during the workout routines.
Along with
Tony, he has a cast of typically 3 other individuals who are doing the routines
with you.Most of them are Beachbody
Coaches (individuals like you and me who completed P90X and decided to dive
into the business side of the company) as well as some of your old favorites
from the original series like Dreya Weber and Bobby Stevenson or from the P90x
Plus series like Mark Briggs and Traci Morrow.While all these individuals are very fit, they’re also human.So it was encouraging to see them struggle
with some of the moves, because I was having my own difficulties and glad to
see I wasn’t the only one.
To monitor
your progress, you can go to teambeachbody.com and get the workout sheets.I find these crucial to be able to maximize
your results and be able to push yourself to your limits.The workout sheets are very easy to use and
can be printed out from your home computer at no cost.
Equipment
This may be
one of the biggest cons of the program.Unlike the original P90X where you just needed some weights and floor
space, P90X2 requires an initial investment to fully maximize the program.You will need:
·Pull up bar
·Assorted amount of free weights or bands
·4 medicine balls
·Stability ball
·Chair or Plyo Box
·Foam Roller
·Mat
Now with
that being said, they have one person demonstrate in every DVD how to perform
the routines with just a set of bands, a towel and a chair. This is perfect for the people who don’t have
the money to purchase the additional equipment or travel a lot for their
job.You can also make substitutions for
some of the equipment such as using a basketball instead of a medicine ball.Personally I purchased the additional
equipment at a local sporting goods store (the 4 medicine balls & stability
ball cost me about $160).You can also
purchase the deluxe package when you buy P90X2 from teambeachbody.com which
gives you all the equipment you need (except they only give you 2 medicine
balls, but they sell additional ones as well).
Program Design
P90X2 is
broken into 3 phases.Each phase is 3 to
6 weeks long (you get to choose how long you need to be in each phase) and you
have 5 scheduled workouts each week with 2 rest days.This is a big difference between P90X where
the phases were more structured and rigid and you had 6 scheduled workouts with
only 1 rest day.Another big difference
is that in P90X2, you get to choose when your recovery week occurs and for how
long.Sometimes you may only need 3 days
and other times you’ll need 10 days.The
program is tailored to meet your individual needs.
Before each
workout, you go through a dynamic warm-up using the stability ball and active
stretches like the World’s Greatest Stretch and Inch Worms.This is quite different than the static
stretching routine we became accustomed to in P90X.You also get introduced self myofascial
release using a foam roller.It’s
basically giving yourself a massage, but your working really hard on finding
your tight spots.Honestly, I could use
the foam roller all day.At the end of
each workout, you either do some static stretching with the aid of the
stability ball or neuro-integrating stretching using a band or a towel.Neuro-Integrating stretching is the concept
of contracting one muscle to lengthen another.Tough to explain, so you’ll have to just try it out for yourself to see
what I mean.
Phase One is
the foundation phase.It’s your first
introduction to doing moves on unstable surfaces using medicine balls,
stability balls, and either on just one leg or one arm.You want to get pretty efficient at these
moves before moving onto the next phase.This phase consists of 3 core workouts (X2 Core, Total Body, & Balance
and Power) while incorporating a plyometric/cardio routine called Plyocide and
a yoga workout.Many people love the
original P90X series but one of the biggest complaints was the hour and half
yoga session.Well Tony and the gang
heard your complaints and shortened the yoga routine to just barely over an
hour.X2 Yoga has a real nice flow to it
and you don’t get that feeling of being in the Vinyasa phase for an
eternity.I believe you’ll really like
the improvements.
Here is my link to X2 Core:
Here is my link to X2 Plyocide
Phase Two is
the strength phase.P90X graduates will
be familiar with these moves except they add an added twist:they’re all done in unstable positions.Push-ups where your hands and feet are on
medicine balls, bicep curls standing on one leg, pull-ups with a medicine ball
in between your feet, and tricep kickbacks while your balancing your chest on a
stability ball are just some of the crazy moves you’ll encounter in this
phase.They even have a move called the
Impossible Push-up.Trust me…these are
ridiculously hard!You’re doing a
diamond push-up with your hands on a medicine ball and your feet are on a
stability ball.If you can even do one
your first time trying it, congrats…you’ve done better than most.The base package comes with 3 strength
routines (Chest, Back, & Balance, Shoulders & Arms, and Base &
Back) plus you can purchase 2 bonus strength routines (V-Sculpt and Chest,
Shoulders, & Tris) to add variety and more muscle confusion.That’s what I did and I extended this phase
the full 6 weeks.After each strength routine,
you also do a short abdominal routine called X2 Ab Ripper.11 total moves that absolutely shreds your
core.These are even tougher after you
just worked your core during the strength routine.Along with your 3 strength routines, you
round out the rest of the week with Plyocide and X2 Yoga.
Phase Three
is the performance phase.They introduce
a concept called Post-Activation Potentiation (or PAP for short) where you’re
doing a weighted resistance exercise immediately followed by an explosive movement
exercise.To perform these PAP workouts,
they use Complex Training.Complex
training is doing 4 moves with little to no rest going from one move to the
other for 4 rounds.Each complex has
your PAP component of a weighted resistance exercise followed by an explosive
movement exercise, then followed by two exercises that focus on hip and
shoulder instability.This phase is
pretty simple.You have 2 PAP
routines:an Upper and a Lower.You do these twice a week with X2 Yoga done
in between.Each PAP routine has only 2
complexes (remember that a complex is 4 moves, 4 rounds for a total of 16
exercises), but you’ll be absolutely winded if you really push yourself.
Finally, on
your rest days, you can choose to do active recovery, rest, or use the X2
Recovery & Mobility DVD.This is the
equivalent to the Stretch X DVD from P90X.You do a lot of foam rolling during this disc.I highly recommend doing this disc on one of
your two rest days to massage out those trouble areas.
Nutrition
The program
comes with a full nutrition guide with a lot of variety depending on your
fitness goals.Inside the nutrition
guide, they have recipes, meal planners, food lists, calorie calculations,
nutrition advice & education, as well as options for vegans or individuals
who want to go grain free.You can tell
a lot of thought was put into this guide.Sometimes when I hear people wonder why they’re not getting the results
they were expecting, 9 times out of 10 I can link it back to their
nutrition.If you follow the nutrition
guide that comes with the program, you will get awesome
results…guaranteed!
Personal Reflections
I’m now a
P90X & P90X2 graduate.That’s really
cool to say and I’m happy with my results.I started the program weighing 176 pounds and finished the program
weighing 165 lbs.For my nutrition, I
used a concept called Carb Cycling.To
sum it up, I basically used the Nutrition Guide’s Fat Shredding plan for 3 days
and then the Endurance Maximizer plan for 1 day.I would repeat that cycle throughout this 90
day program.I also incorporated
Shakeology for the first time in my life.Shakeology is the number supplement used my Beachbody customers.Being a big fan of their workout routines for
so long, I had to give it a try.To be
honest, I really like it.When you’re on
a low calorie diet, you have the temptation to snack to feed your body.But I always found myself full after drinking
Shakeology which helped reduce those craving temptations.Some people make all sorts of recipes and add
things to make it taste better, but I never had those issues.I would just mix it with water and I was good
to go.
Because
P90X2 is all about improving athletic performance, I got to see that first hand
in a basketball league I was playing in while concurrently doing along with
P90X2.I felt quicker, more explosive to
the basket, and being able to out jump my opponents.That’s impressive to say since I’m 35 years
old and playing against a bunch of 20 year olds.
The main
advice I would give people doing this routine would be:
1.Keep your ego in check – Because you’re doing
moves in unstable positions, you’ll need to lower the weight you’re
lifting.So for example, if I’m use to
doing bicep curls with 45 pounds, you may need to drop down to 35 pounds to do
the move correctly.
2.Don’t cheat yourself – Form is king to get
maximum benefits from this program.It
will be tempting to sacrifice your form to do additional weight/reps, but try
to resist that temptation and focus on doing every rep with perfect form.You’ll see the benefits of doing that in the
long run.
3.Don’t quit – These moves are hard.People can get frustrated because they don’t
have the balance or patience to stick with the routine.There may be some moves where you can’t even
do one repetition.Please stay with
it.Over time, you’ll get stronger and
more coordinated to perform these moves at a very high level and get one heck
of a workout.Trust me.
I want to
thank everyone for taking the time to read this review.If you have any questions or see any
changes/improvements I need to make on this review, don’t hesitate to ask.Keep going strong on your fitness goals and
remember to always enjoy the journey, not get so wrapped up in the results.
