Losing weight with P90X

Posts Tagged ‘p90x shoulders & arms’

P90X Reviews – Weight Loss For Women

By Tim Pannell On July 23, 2009 No Comments

We talk about P90X as though it’s only for big ‘ole tough guys.  That sells the workout program a little short.

Will P90X work for women? For anyone who has ever done or followed a P90X Workout DVD you already know that there’s always a woman on the program, and they all kick butt.

I know that for many women there is a fear of bulking up too much and looking un-feminine from lifting weights.  As with all things in life, it really depends on what your goal is.  There are women out there that have created enormous physiques for themselves, to the point where most people find it gross.

P90X is not designed with that in mind.  It’s purpose isn’t just about losing weight.

It’s goal is for people to get fit and lean.  By building muscle, the body naturally uses more energy, aka calories.  As your body adjusts to the workouts and the healthier diet you’ll see your body fat % shrink and your lean muscle mass increase.  Your arms  and shoulders will have greater definition, legs will get more toned and tummy muscles will tighten.

Take a look at the women on the DVD, they actually represent a variety of different sizes and shapes, but they’re all fit.

My wife usually works out at the gym, but we were on a family trip recently and while we were gone she did some of the P90X workouts with me and really enjoyed them.  I really enjoyed working out with her.

We did P90X Shoulders and Arms first, followed by plyometrics.  She kicked my butt at plyometrics.  I still struggle with this set of exercises because of my knees, but I am getting better and better at it.

We had such a good time doing them together that we’re continuing the mutual workouts at home.  She keeps me focused and on track on the days that my attitude isn’t as good as it could be.

P90X training can benefit just about anyone that is trying to get back into shape.  I realize that it’s marketed for people that are already in fair to moderate shape, but speaking as a guy that’s still 55 lbs. overweight, it’s been great for me as well.

You can go at your own pace, from moderate to really intense and the DVDs always have someone doing lighter weights and more reps.  So, for any women that are considering P90X and unsure about whether or not it’ll be too intense for you, I wouldn’t waste my time worrying about it.

My wife says that the workouts she’s done with me seem to be a bit easier than what she does at the gym.  I guess that sounds like P90X heresy, but that’s her experience.

She does however like the workouts and it is nice to be doing them together instead of by myself.  So whether your a guy or a girl or a couple, P90X will work for you.  Just be sure to check with your doctor before you start if you have any questionable health risks or concerns.

P90X Workout Review – Attitude Adjustment – 07/13/09

By Tim Pannell On July 13, 2009 No Comments

Last week was actually not a great week.  I got through the 4th of July weekend and actually lost weight.  Monday morning I weighed in at 268 lbs.  and was feeling fantastic.

The problem shift in attitude happened after  I ate a bunch of junk that I’d been avoiding for the previous month or so.  My oldest daughter also had a birthday on Wednesday last week and I ate cake and ice cream then as well.

In and of itself, that’s probably not such a big deal, but we had extra ice cream laying around the house….well, not actually laying around the house, but calling out to me from the freezer non stop.

I had some ice cream several days in a row and what I noticed was that I had less and less desire to work out once I started systematically filling my pie hole with a lot of junk.

In full confession mode here…..I’ve always liked ice cream, but I became and addict when my wife worked at Baskin Robbins while we were in college and I got used to eating it everyday.

In fact BR is absolutely responsible for me gaining 25 pounds shortly after Kim and I got married.  It was the first time in my life that I ever even had a weight issue.

Now that you know the history, you’ll understand a bit better why this is so frustrating to me.  I know better, I know I need to be careful around ice cream.  It’s not like my fitness quest is over, far from it.  It is a setback though.

Had I continued last week the way I had the previous week, I probably would have lost an additional 2 or 3 pounds.  Instead I hung out in limbo for a week.

The interesting thing is the shift in my attitude.  Prior to the ice cream binge, I couldn’t wait to get to my workout because it always felt so good.  The last several days have been difficult for me to get motivated.

I”m sitting here writing instead of lifting weights and riding the bike.  So……that being said, I’m gonna stop writing for the moment and go workout, even if I’m not totally fired up about it.  I’ll be back in an hour and a half……………..

It’s 2 hours later and I’m feeling a lot better.  I rode the bike for 55 minutes and I upped it’s intensity from 3 to 4.  Then I did an hour of P90X Shoulders & Arms even though I was scheduled to do Back & Chest.

My arms felt weak and wimpy so I decided to start the week with my favorite set of exercises.  I’m really glad I worked through my bad attitude and just did my workout.  My body feels great, my arms are nice and tingly and I have a great “fitness” buzz on.  My mind is clear now and I’m ready to tackle the week.

I know that there are people out there that once they commit to something they seem to never stumble, but when it comes to working out or eating a certain way, I’m not one of them.  I’m going to have a few “down days”.

I’m not making excuses here…….I plan on doing better, but I’m not going to beat myself up for having a set back.  That won’t help me reach my ultimate goal.  So I’m gonna sit down and take a good long look at what I did last week and how it effected my overall plan and then I will learn from it.

All I can do today is start back on course and make a change for the better.  I put in a good 2 hour workout and I feel great!  That’s success in my book.  The past is now in my past.  I can actually do something in the present to have a positive effect on my future.

If you’ve struggled or are currently struggling with your weight, look at the past only to learn from it and then make a plan and stick to it.

Hang in there and don’t let the little or even the big setbacks get you down on yourself.  Just keep moving forward and before you know it you’ll be hitting your fitness goals and maybe even moving above and beyond your health related goals.

Don’t let anyone or anything stop you from claiming what’s rightfully yours.  It’s your body, it’s your health…..own it for crying out loud!

If I can get into shape, then anyone can.  If you’re on the fence, what are you waiting for.  There will never be a better time to start than right now.  Try the p90x workouts, try a gym membership, get a personal trainer, whatever works or will work for you.  Make a choice and follow it up with a bigtime commitment!

If you are waiting for an attitude adjustment to start working out, flip it around and workout so you get the attitude adjustment you want.  Just close your eyes and bull your way through it if you have to, but I can guarantee you’ll feel better once you’ve done it.

The times you feel least like working out are probably the most important times to actually get your butt off the couch and start moving.

Special thanks to condron.us for promoting the Fatboy Fitness Blog, we appreciate it!

P90X Review – Shoulders & Arms

By Tim Pannell On July 10, 2009 4 Comments

My plan is to review each of the 12 P90X workouts over the next couple of weeks.  One a day as I do each of them.  When I’m finished you’ll have 12 P90X reviews to pick from to decide where you want to start your workout routine.

Out of all 12 of the P90X workouts, P90X Shoulders and Arms is my absolute favorite.  I have to admit right up front that I will be biased with this review.

It starts out basically the same way all the others do, with a typical Tony Horton 10 -12 minute warmup with jumping jacks and running in place, “riding the pony”, as well as some good neck stretches with “head rolls” and arm circles that really get in there and burn your shoulders.

Then it’s off to the races.  You jump right in with alternating shoulder presses to start working your shoulders.  From there you do “in and out” bicep curls, these are my favorites because when you’re finished your biceps are completely on fire.

You start working on your triceps next with two arm tricep kickbacks which is a great exercise to explode your triceps.

After these 3 exercises you go back to the beginning and start the process all over again.  This repeats itself throughout the entire DVD.  Shoulders, Biceps, Triceps and repeat.

Each set has a different set of 3 exercises that works those specific muscles in that specific order.  At the end of each set Tony does 30 seconds of ballistic stretching to let you catch your breath.

You’ll upright swimmer presses, static arm curls, chair dips, upright rows, hammer curls and a list of other classic weightlifting exercises.

By the time the DVD is over you will have done 2 complete sets of 5 different exercises for each of the targeted areas and you will be fried, but in a good way.

I love how this workout makes my arms feel.  By the end of this P90X DVD,  my arms are so pumped up it feels amazing.  It’s my favorite way to start my day now and that’s pretty amazing in it’s own right since just a few short months ago my morning routine consisted of sitting on the couch to watch ESPN or the news.

In 2 months I added an inch of muscle to my arms……pretty cool!