Bodyweight Exercises for Home

P90X - Ab Ripper X

2012-04-10T07:13:00.000-07:00

Ab Ripper X

By the time you get to Ab Ripper X, if you are working out with a buddy, you are hugging and giving each other high-fives, and in some cases, you may actually feel like crying with joy because the chest and back workout is over! However, the ab routine is approximately 20 more minutes of fun, and although your chest and back get a break, your abs will be screaming for mercy in no time.

In & Out

You are basically using your butt as a pivot point while you kick your legs out, and lower your upper body slightly towards the floor.

This is a very difficult exercise at first, and putting your hands on the floor for support is not only recommended, but probably necessary, because by this time you are seriously tired.

Seated Bicycle

Starting from roughly the same position as the In & Outs, you just simulate the movement of peddling a bicycle, and then you reverse direction.

Yeah, it sounds easy, but it's not. Don't be surprised if the hip flexors in your legs give out even before your abdominal muscles do.

Seated Crunchy Frog

By this point, you may feel inspired to say "You MUST be kidding" when Tony demonstrates the exercise. In essence, it is just like an In & Out, only your have to momentarily wrap your arms around your knees, which means that you can no longer have your hands on the floor for support.

Don't be discouraged if you only get about 5 of these out before you have to take a break. Get right back to it, though. All of the Ab Ripper X movements give you plenty of time to rest for a few seconds, then attempt a few more repetitions.

Wide Leg Sit-ups

Such a simple sounding name for a NOT very simple exercise. Basically you lay down with your legs wide apart, and put one hand behind your head. Then, you lift straight up with the other hand while doing a sit-up, and then reach across your body after you are sitting straight up.

You alternate back and forth like that on both sides of your body, and by this point you are wondering how it is even POSSIBLE for the people on the video to still be doing it.

Fifer Scissor

Much like the standard scissor exercises that many people used to do in gym class, only this one has an added twisted. You do start in the lying down position (which is wonderful by this point!), but rather than just kicking your legs back and forth in a spastic manner, you only do one leg at a time while the other leg is held 6" off of the floor.

By this point in the workout, even holding one of your legs off the floor is difficult, let alone lifting the other leg up a full 90-degrees. As always, don't beat yourself up if you can't do it. Just try your best, rest for a few seconds, and then try again. All that matters is that you try your hardest, not that you work as hard as Tony and the other people in the video.

Hip Rock n' Raise

Again starting in the lying down position, this time with your knees out, and the heels of your feet touching. You contract your ab muscles to bring your lower body off the floor, then push your hips up towards the ceiling.

It does not sound easy, and it ISN'T easy. Don't be surprised if you find yourself looking at the clock in the lower right-hand corner of the screen, and then being truly grateful that it's almost over!

Pulse Up

This is more of a standard hip raise type of movement where you basically have both feet facing the ceiling, and you do your best to push your heels as high towards the ceiling as possible.

If this exercise was done earlier in the routine, it would not be as difficult, but by this point, it is truly challenging to get out very many reps with good form.

Roll-up/V-up Combo

It's a bit difficult to explain, and even watching it takes a few turns before you finally get it right. Basically you reach both hands up towards your extended legs, then you rock backwards to bring your legs off of the floor. You go about halfway back to the position of having your back on the floor, you stop, and then you reach toward your toes, all the while keeping your legs off of the floor.

It is as difficult as it sounds, but at the same time, it is an incredible exercise. Just take your time and focus on form rather than a high number of repetitions.

Oblique V-up

Basically this is a side bend while lying on the opposite side of your body, but again, Tony makes it more challenging by saying that you also have to lift your legs up at the same time.

The golden chalice of this movement is being able to touch your thigh with the elbow of the arm that is behind your head. Very difficult to do in the beginning, although you can bend your knees in order to build up strength when you first start doing this exercise.

Leg Climb

This exercise is not just difficult because you are so incredibly exhausted by this point, but also because you are all sweaty. Basically what you do is lift one leg about 45-degrees off of the ground, then reach up with both hands trying to "climb" your upper body up your leg until you can touch your toes.

Flexibility goes into this exercise as much as abdominal and core strength do, so don't be discouraged if you can't touch your toes. Just keep doing the exercise as long as you can, alternating to the other leg as directed.

Mason Twist

The "tour de force" that is the final exercise in Ab Ripper X, and the final exercise of the workout session, they saved the best for last. Once again, you are using your butt as a pivot point, while your upper body and your legs are both held above the floor. Once in that position, you clasp your hand together and rotate very rapidly from side to side, trying to touch the floor on each repetition.

This exercise is thankfully not done for a very long time, because at this point in the workout, you are pretty much shot. It is a fast-paced movement, however, and does a good job of getting you to give it one last final punch to make it through to the finish line.

P90X - Cardio X

2012-04-10T06:21:00.002-07:00

P90X Cardio X Workout

Chances are 99.9% that part of your goal in doing P90X is to lose weight. While muscle toning, flexibility and balance are all important parts of the P90X workout program, nothing burns fat away like cardio. Today, we’ll be discussing the ninth P90x workout which is the cardio-focussed workout:Cardio X

Cardio X is actually considered an optional workout in the P90X series. You can add it to the mix once, twice or three times a week. However, some people find that adding Cardio X to the mix is just too much for them. We recommend that you include some type of cardio program with your P90X workouts, whether it’s Cardio X or not. The reasons that you’ll want to include a cardio element are:

Calorie Burning: A cardio element means that you will, ultimately, burn more calories. Burning more calories means that you’ll lose weight faster. Losing weight faster means that you’ll start getting ripped faster. These are all things that you want, so a cardio element is an important element for you to add.

Improved Workouts: Adding a cardio element means that you’ll improve your overall cardiovascular fitness, and that means that you’ll be able to workout even harder during the P90X workouts.

Whether you use the Cardio X workout or another way to get your cardio is up to you, but there are benefits to using the Cardio X workout. Firstly, it’s designed to enhance the program. Many of the moves that you’ll do during Cardio X are moves that you’ve been exposed to in the other P90X workouts (particularly the Kenpo X and Yoga X workouts). They’re set to a faster pace in order to get a cardio burn, but you get the benefit of getting extra practice at some of the moves. Secondly, with Cardio X, you know you’ll be getting the motivational leadership of Tony Horton. Just going off and doing cardio on your own may not pump you up mentally in the same way!

If you’re looking for a different cardio workout to do, you may want to consider Turbo Jam Live or Rockin Body instead. Both of those workouts combine cardio and muscle toning to high energy, upbeat music with a dance emphasis. If you think you need a break from Tony Horton, or you just want to mix up your cardio elements, consider those or other workouts that feature dance music.

Get out, get running, do some Cardio X and improve your cardiovascular fitness today. If you do, it will improve your fitness overall.

P90X Back & Biceps

2012-04-09T06:42:00.000-07:00

P90X Back and Biceps is another workout that you start doing during the second phase if you are following the classic or the doubles version of the program.

Talk about getting a pump going in your biceps. Your arms are going to burn after (and during) this workout. Back and Biceps consists of 24 exercises. You are going to start with a variation of a pull-up and then do a weighted back exercise. Then you are going to do 2 bicep exercises.

There are variations of pull-ups that I think most people have never heard of, such a towel pull-ups and corn cob pull-ups. Pull-ups are much more difficult to do in this workout than the others because your biceps are going to get very fatigued.

The exercises go as follows…

Wide front pull-ups
Lawnmowers
Twenty-ones
One-arm cross-body curl
Switch grip pull-up
Elbows-out lawnmower
Standing bicep curl
One-arm concentration curl
Corn cob pull-up
Reverse grip bent-over row
Open-arm curl
Static arm curl
Towel pull-up
Congdon locomotive
Crouching Cohen curl
One-arm corkscrew curl
Chin-up
Seated bent-0ver back fly
Curl-up/Hammer down
Hammer curl
Max rep pull-up
Supermans
In-out hammer curls
Strip-set curl

Because this is a “no repeat” workout, each exercise should be performed so that the last 3 reps are difficult. Use the weight you feel will best enable you to max out on the last 3 reps.

Keep in mind that 12 to 15 rep counts are for developing longer, leaner, and slimmer muscles, while lower (8-10) rep counts are more geared to build mass. The exception to the rule is with pull-ups. During these exercises it is recommended to just do as many pull-ups as you can do during each set. If you need to, modify these movements by using a chair for assistance.

P90X Back & Biceps will lead to some jaw-dropping biceps. While guys will definitely add major size to their favorite mirror muscle, this workout will also do wonders for women who just want to tighten and give definition to their back and upper arms. No matter what your goals for this routine, you will achieve them in drastic fashion - just get ready to do a whole bunch of pulls and curls.

P90X Extreme Home Fitness X Stretch

2012-04-08T18:05:00.003-07:00

I'm sure by now you've already heard of P90x. I mean if you've found this article, then you must have already peformed some of the other works, like ab ripper x, or the rigourous yoga routine, and you're feeling a little sore. Am I right? Because if I'm right, and you are feeling a little sore, then you've come to the right place.

Out of all the P90x workouts the one that is the most overlooked, the one that seems to be forgotten about the most, is the P90x stretch workout exercises. People will say, 'Oh, I can skip that one. It's not important', when the fact is, when it comes down to it, the X stretch workout is one of the, if not the, most important routines Tony Horton will ever show you.

Why?

Because stretching is fundamental in keeping the body in the best shape it can be, and is especially important in avoiding injuries and giving you physical longevity. P90x stretch x is no different in showing you how to keep your body in good shape; Tony Horton has numerous different stretches that, when done effectively, will allow you feel good for a longer period of time. It's a sort of endurance that's vital to any athlete.

The P90x stretch workout routine? One of the best ever.

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Although you won't do many yoga exercises, you'll be doing a few in X stretch.

P90x X Stretch

P90x X stretch is a 60 minute program full of a variety of stretches that will work every muscle in your body (think yoga x, but easier and more relaxing. Kind of ironic, don't you think?). P90x X Stretch is usually done after you've done many of the other workouts a few times; many people will decide to do the P90x X stretch workout on day 25; the workout is long and, by that time, you'll be ready for a long, resting break.

In my experience on the days you do the X stretch routine you should also go through your diet plan and check how you're doing. As it's an off day, doing both together, and implementing both effectivley, will allow you leave feel not just physically better but mentally as well.

There are many stretches is the P90x Stretch program that I like specifically. One of my favorite is the Side twist. With th side twist you'll be in a forward fold and you'll twist your body in both directions; this doesn't just give you a good back stretch but a great hamstring stretch as well.

Other classics like the bow pose, seated two-led, and frog on hands and knees (things you'll do during yoga exercises as well) are in the P90x X stretch routine, making it a workout with variety, one that compliments, and builds on everything you've done thus far.

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More P90x Workouts

Ab Ripper X Workout Exercises
These ab ripper x exercises make up one of the best abdominal workouts around. It focuses on core strength by using the movements of your hips and chest. The ab ripper x workout contains simple...
P90x Yoga Workout
Tony Horton. Can you say legend? This guy does it all. And in the p90x yoga workout he is by your side the entire time. Yoga x...
P90x Chest and Back Workout Guide
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P90x Cardio X Workout List
If you haven't heard of it already, you're going to hear about it soon. P90x is the home workout program that is taking the world by storm; everybody is using it from celebrities to even some political...
Kenpo X Workout Routine
P90x workouts are one of the most popular home workouts on the planet, running you through intense, hard-working workouts. Some people live and die by P90x; so what about kenpo x?

P90x X Stretch Workout Guide

Remember it's vital that the P90x X stretch is not overlooked. There have been cases where someone has opted to skip stretching throughout the challenge and, by the end of it, although they are ripped and strong, may a few muscle pulls from overexertion.

If you follow the stretches to the tee, though, you won't have this problem.

Sun Saluations
Neck Stretch
Back Up the Car
Head Rolls
Expand Chest
Shoulder Stretch
Forearm Flex
Dreya Stretch
Cat Stretch
Glute Stretch
Arm Circles
Should-Tricep Combo
Hamstring stretch
Camel
Roller-rolling on ball
Shoulder Stand
Back Hero
Quad Stretch
Frog
Seated Stertch
Standing Hamstring
Downward Dog
Upward Dog
Child's Pose

The good thing about X stretch workout is it's one of the easiest. Compared to yoga X this one is a walk in the park. Plus Tony is much less intense, but just as instructive and helpful.

P90X is a tough fitness program that pushed my muscles to the nth degree! I was sore in all sorts of new places from the P90X workouts and the X Stretch was a welcome relief! In the P90X 90-day at home fitness program, you have a choice on day 7 – Rest or X Stretch. I chose X Stretch every time and I am glad I did!

X Stretch is a very comprehensive stretching routine that lasts for about 60 minutes. You may wonder, how much stretching can a person do? Well, this workout takes care of stretching out your muscles, from your head to your toes! All I can say is that I felt great each time I do it. After putting my best efforts into my P90X routine, the stretching helped me a lot improve my flexibility.

More important, it helped other problem areas of my body. You see I work on a computer all day so I always end up with a host of problems, like: shoulder impingements, sore hands (carpel tunnel), forward shoulders, tense neck and shoulders, tight hip flexors, and more – you get the idea! Working at a computer can wreck your body!

This routine was designed to help prevent injuries when doing P90X. Yes, that is true but it also helped me with my work related issues. Tony does a great job of stretching out all the neck and upper back muscles, what a relief! I also love the wrist-forearm and Dreya forearm stretches. These stretches alone helped release the tightness in my hands from working at a computer keyboard and mouse all day.

X Stretch works down the body systematically. The back stretches are wonderful! My lower back is usually a wreck from sitting in a chair all day and these stretch exercises were perfect for stretching my lower back in the opposite direction.

This routine gets two thumbs up from me! I frequently do it more than one time per week. After doing it for 5 months now, my overall flexibility is awesome! My hands don’t hurt anymore, in fact they feel stronger. My neck and upper back are much more relaxed too. Best of all, I feel very relaxed but energized at the same time after doing it.

If you are doing P90X, don’t skip the X Stretch! Do not miss the amazing benefits you will get from stretching.

Have you ever met a cat that did not stretch? Ever wonder why cats are so great at turning and twisting in mid-air to land on their feet every time or why cats are so relaxed? Cats stretch and so should you!

P90X Chest, Shoulders and Triceps Workout

2012-04-08T11:56:00.001-07:00

P90X includes workouts that stretch your muscles, workouts that improve your balance, workouts that improve your cardio and, most importantly, workouts that build good, lean, healthy muscle. Today, we’ll be discussing one of those muscle building and toning workouts, the tenth P90X workout: Chest, Shoulders and Trecips.

The first thing that you need to know about this workout is that it is hard! Many users who have written P90X reviews have said that this feels like the longest workout in the set (even though it’s not actually any longer than any other workout!). What will make it feel so exhausting it that you’re working a very limited number of muscles in your chest, shoulders and triceps repeatedly. For the ladies out there who always wanted to firm up that problematic tricep area – this is the workout for you!

This workout uses weights, and the most important thing for you to keep in mind is that heavier weights are not always better. What is important is that you focus on doing the moves using correct form. You shouldn’t overextend or over lift. If you need to use lighter weights in order to maintain correct form on the exercises, then by all means do. Your goal here is the end result of perfectly toned and ripped arms. The goal is not to be the person in your living room using the heaviest weights possible!

You’ll also find yourself doing no shortage of exercises that rely on your body weight in this routine. You may be surprised how much harder it can be to lift yourself against your own body weight than it is to use an actual set of weights!

This workout is packed with a ton of exercises, including all of the following:

- Slow Motion 3-in-1 Pushups

- In and Out Shoulder Flies

- Chair Dips

- Plange Push-ups

- Pike Press

- Side Tri-Rise

- Floor Flies

- Scarecrows

- Overhead Tricep Extensions

- Two-Twitch Speed Push-ups

- Y-Press

- Lying Tricep Extensions

- Side-to-Side Push-ups

- Pour Flyes

- Side Leaning Triceps Extension

- One-Arm Push-ups

- Weighted Circles

- Throw the Bomb (our favorite)

- Clap Push-ups

- Slow-Mo Throw

- Front-to-Back Triceps Extensions

- One Arm Balance Push-ups

- Fly-Row Press

- Dumbbell Cross Body Blows

If you need weights or resistance bands, you may want to check out the P90X accessories available. Because this workout is so challenging, you’ll want to be sure to replenish yourself after this workout. Treat yourself to some P90X Results and Recovery Formula to make sure you get everything that you need to fuel your body for the next day of workouts!

This workout is one of the core workouts of the P90X, so really bear down and get the most out of it. It will lead so astounding results.

P90X Core Synergistics

2012-04-08T07:35:00.000-07:00

The P90X Core Synergistics workout is a routine that I have done many times. It is one of those workouts that when you finish, you feel both refreshed and like it worked all of your muscles. Although this routine isn’t some overly intense strength training routine like the P90X Chest and Back workout, The Asylum Strengthroutine, or the Upper Body Massacre, it is an extremely consistent routine from start to finish that will work your entire body.

The way that Tony Horton designed this routine was by creating synergistic exercises that work your core as well as many other muscle groups. The reason that the routine is called “Core Synergistics” though is because nearly all of the exercises involve engaging your core (or as Tony calls it, your “cage”).

Today was the first time that I had done Core Synergistics within the past year – it is a routine that I put on the backburner – totally dismissing it because it was done during the recovery weeks of P90X. I am extremely glad that I gave it another shot today because it brought back great memories (Tony’s jokes and all) of the two times that I did P90X. Not only did it bring back some good memories, it also gave me a lot better workout than I expected. I knew that it was the only “real workout” that was done during recovery phases.

Since I’m in pretty good shape, this routine wasn’t anything difficult, but it was longer than I expected. Also, if you use heavy weights for the curls and presses, and do maximum reps on all of the push ups, you should get a great workout. The reason I enjoyed this routine today is because it provided plenty of variety as well as exercises that I hadn’t done in a long time like the super gangsta prison cell push ups.

P90X Core Synergistics Review

Okay so what exactly is Core Synergistics and what does the name even mean? This routine is designed to work your entire body, but all of the exercises go through your core. Meaning that all of the exercises will work your core muscle; either directly or subtly. While you do this routine, what you need to do is consciously focus on tightening your abs. You don’t need to go overboard, but you do need to make sure you feel them working on nearly all of the exercises. If you don’t feel your core muscles contracting, you should give them a little flex just to make sure you are keeping everything tight.

What does “synergistic” even mean? The root word is “synergize” which means two or more agents working together to produce a result not obtainable by any of the individual agents. Perhaps Tony explains it best in the intro when he says, “Synergtistics is multiple muscle groups at the same time while working the core muscles.” If you do this routine, or have already done this routine, you will realize that it works a little bit of everything. It is not designed to be a specific “abdominal workout” per se because it involves doing curls, squats, lunges, push ups, and more. However, there are still plenty of moves that directly work your core as well – so it will still work your abs.

The P90X cast and crew in Core Synergistics includes: Dreya Weber (world famous), Adam (dancer / trainer a.k.a. the guy with half a percent of body fat), Pam (they call her “Blam”), and my favorite fitness comedian Tony Horton. I think that the crew he rounded up for this particular DVD is cool – Adam is always chillin, Dreya doesn’t do anything annoying (Tony seems to hit on her a lot though), and Pam “the Blam” Moore (the P90X grad who is allegedly a private investigator and will come to your house if you make a mistake…haha).

P90X Core Synergistics Workout

Warm Up

Head Rolls – Drop your ear to your right shoulder, then roll it over to your left shoulder, and repeat back and forth to get a good stretch. You are supposed to loosen up and stretch your neck while breathing; this should feel good.
Wide Chest Stretch – Plug your fingers into the ceiling (don’t get electrocuted), and pull down wide to the side. This stretches out both your chest and back and is one of my favorites.
Topas Stretch – The Topas is a classic, with wide feet, and open palms, extend your arms to their designated sides to open up the chest. Try to coordinate this with your breathing: as you open up your chest – inhale, as you come back to center – exhale.
Side Stretch – Kick your hip out to the right and lean with your right arm extending overhead with your fingers pointing to the left side. After getting a stretch on that side, kick your left hip to the left and repeat by extending your left arm overhead with fingers angled to the right. This is the stretch that you feel from your “hips to your fingertips.”
Shakers – Shake out your arms and legs for some quick ballistic stretching.
Huggers – Love yourself like Pam the Blam and hug yourself a few times to get loosened up.
Reachers – The reachers are another favorite, reach up like you’re doing the wave while inhaling, and then on the exhale, drop your arms and reach upwards behind your back – driving your palms to the ceiling.
Marching – March in place with high knees just to get some more blood flow to the muscles. You march normally initially then march it up some more with wide knees.
Jogging – You jog in place for a little bit with high knees. You start out jogging normally with high knees, then move to wide high knees, and eventually jog with knees down heels up (so that you are kicking your butt).
Jumping Jacks – Tony throws in some jumping jacks and Tony talks about Dreya stripping down as she takes off her shirt. He then comments on how Pam still has her sweatshirt on and that it’s coming off soon…haha.
Lunges – Do some basic lunges to keep your heart rate up. Basically jump your right foot forward, left foot back, then left foot forward, right foot back and repeat. Alternate your arms as well by moving your left arm up as your right arm drops down and vice versa. At this point you should be warmed up. Unfortunately there is more stretching – something I don’t think is totally necessary, but I followed protocol.
Hanging Hamstring Stretch – With feet wider than shoulder width, bend at the waist, lower your head, and rest it on your folded arms. You should feel a stretch in your hamstrings while you are hanging. You have the option of rocking back and forth for a little extra som som like Blam.
Split Leg Hamstring Stretch – Keeping one foot pointed forwards, step your other foot back and point the back foot at a slight angle out to the side. Then turn your hips so that they are square to the front and bend over to stretch your front hamstring. Obviously you should keep your front leg locked and completely straight (i.e. no bend). Repeat this on the opposite side by switching your feet.
Quadriceps Stretch – Standing up nice and tall, you grab one of your ankles, and pull it in to your butt for the quad stretch. After you have done one leg, switch to the other and get ready for the workout.

P90X Kenpo X

2012-04-07T06:17:00.000-07:00

Day 6 with P90X Kenpo X. On this day you will get another cardio work out which will give your big muscles a little break. Kenpo is a raw street fighting form and is the first American system of martial arts. Kenpo karate started with Ed Parker Sr., who studied under martial arts masters William Cow and Lau Bon. From here Parker was exposed to a number of martial arts forms that originated in China, India and Asia which he combined to create Kenpo karate.

During this work out you will use explosive combinations to improve balance, flexibility, coordination, stamina and confidence. This work out will be easy for some and challenging for others. I found that this was the easiest of all of the work outs except for Stretch X. I have thought about doing Kenpo X with a heavy bag during most of the punches just to increase resistance. That is the great part about P90X. You can always use it as a base and then add, change , modify or edit in any way, shape or form to coincide with your training goals.

Here is what P90X Kenpo X looks like:

Saunders Stretch Cycle

Twist and Pivot

Twist and Pivot with Hook and Uppercut

Jabs

Jab/Cross

Jab/Cross/Hook

Jab/Cross/Hook/Uppercut

Cardio Break

Step Drag/High-Low Punch

Jab/Cross Switch

Hook/Uppercut Switch

Knee Kick

Ball Kick

Cardio Break

Side Kick

Back Kick

Three-Direction Kick

Side Lunge with High Sword/Low Hammer

Step Drag/Claw/Low Punch

Cardio punch

High Block

Inward Block

Outward Block

Downward Block

Star Block

Cardio Break

Front Shuffle with High Block/Low Punch

Knee/Back Kick

Front and Back Knuckles/Ball Kick/Back Kick

Hook/Uppercut/Low Side Kick

Elbow Series

Vertical Punches

Cardio Break

Cool Down and Stretch.

P90X Extreme Home Fitness - Legs and Back Routine

2012-04-06T06:50:00.000-07:00

P90X Workout for Legs and Back

You may think that you’re getting enough of a workout in your legs and back just by doing the P90X plyometrics workout followed by the many, many upper body workouts. However, you haven’t experienced a leg and back workout until you’ve done the workout in the P90X series that’s dedicated to these body parts. Today, we’ll be discussing the fifth P90X workout: Legs and Back

In this workout, you’ll do the standard Ab Ripper X workout that makes its appearance throughout the P90X videos. You’ll also find yourself doing some of the same back exercises that you did in the very first workout. What makes this workout different and brings a whole new level of challenge to it is that you’ll also be introduced to Tony Horton’s P90X leg workout. One thing we can say for sure is that you will not feel like jogging or even standing up any time soon after you finish this workout!

The leg portion of this workout isn’t done in the two-section format that you find on most of the P90X workouts. You’ll cluster all of your leg workouts together in one section. You’ll be squatting, jumping and lunging until you feel as though your legs are about to fall off. Then you’ll squat, lunge and jump some more! The exercises in this workout for legs include:

- Balance Lunges

- Calf-Raise Squats

- Super Skaters

- Wall Squats

- Step Back Lunges

- Alternating Side Lunges

- Single Leg Wall Squats

- Deadlift Squats

- Three-Way Lunge with a Two-Kick Option

- Sneaky Lunges

- Chair Salutations

- Toe Roll Iso-Lunges

- Groucho Walk

- Calf Raisers

- 80/20 Speed Squats

Just a little hint – that Groucho walk is very fun (and also hard)! One thing that is impressive about this workout, if you’re already a fitness fan and have done leg workouts in the gym, is that it manages to give you an effective, difficult leg workout without the use of weights. You’ll be surprised how much muscle definition you’ll have at the end of the ninety days just from this well designed workout that’s mostly weight-free. You can read more about the details by researching some of our P90X reviews at Finish Well Fitness.

Because your leg muscles are such large muscles, you’ll need to be sure to replenish yourself after this workout. Treat yourself to some P90X Results and Recovery Formula to make sure you get everything that you need to fuel your body for the next day of workouts!

P90X Yoga X

2012-04-05T12:17:00.000-07:00

P90X Yoga | Yoga X Review

P90X Yoga is designed to help you gain flexibility and balance, while at the same time, providing a sense of inner well-being. In fact, yoga is imperative to living a long and healthy life. If you don’t believe me, just look at all of the people who remain healthy throughout their golden years – most practice yoga daily.

Whether you want to do it or not, Yoga X will change your body. I couldn’t believe how much more flexible I was by the end of P90X than I was in the beginning. I could barely touch my toes when I first started the P90X program, but by the final day, I could easily touch the floor with the palm of my hand without feeling like I was tearing a hamstring.

It’s also a great way to help you recover more quickly from the other workouts.

How Long is P90X Yoga?

In my eyes, the only fault of P90X Yoga is the length of the workout – 1.5 hours. Yes, that is correct - P90X Yoga is 1.5 hours and could easily be cut down by a half hour. It is very easy not to want to do a workout when you know it is going to eat up an hour and a half of your life; however, every Day 5 of P90X I would remind myself that this workout was really not one to miss, since stretching is imperative to the workout program.

This is really my only complaint about Yoga X is that it really is way too long, and I think this could be the reason why so many people feel they don’t need to do it or skip it entirely. My advice is that if you do not want to do this version of yoga for one reason or another, then it is best to seek out a decent P90X Yoga alternative that burns the same amount of calories.

P90X Yoga Alternative

There are tons of yoga videos out there, so it is important to choose the right yoga video to follow if you don’t want to do the P90X Yoga DVD. There is a seemingly endless choice of yoga DVDS, including everything from Yoga for Dummies to advanced yoga DVDs where you can burn up to 500 calories.

It is these calorie-burning yoga DVDs that you should be looking for, since P90X Yoga will make you sweat profusely and is said to burn about 600 calories. Contrary to popular belief, yoga is not easy…it is just a different kind of workout that stretches every muscle in your body while strengthening. It’s really hard to verbalize. Let’s just say that you probably will not understand what I am talking about until you try it yourself for a period of time.

If you are dead set against not doing the Yoga X workout that is included in the P90X program, here are a couple of good Yoga X alternatives for you:

Fountain of Youth Yoga – This is the seventh workout from the Tony Horton One on One video series. This workout DVD is free if you buy P90X program directly for BeachBody. It can also be purchased seperately. I have gone through the workout once and it is basically Yoga X wwithout the balance postures and long cool down.
Core Synergistics – Alternatively the P90X Core Synergistics workout is a good replacement for Yoga X. The only time you may run into a problem is during the P90X scheduled rest weeks, were you do core synergisitics twice and Yoga txice. In this week, I would subsitute Cardio X for Yoga X or you could just suck it up and do the Yoga a couple times.

What Equipment Will I Need for Yoga X?

The good thing about P90X yoga is that all you need to complete the workout is yourself, a yoga mat, and a yoga block if you know you are not flexible. If you really don’t want to spend the money, you don’t need a yoga mat or block – but they will make the workout lot more comfortable one.

A yoga mat will prevent you from slipping in tough poses and also add some cushioning to your spine and hip bones during others. You can also find a yoga mat for a relatively inexpensive amount, although there are higher end yoga mats available like the Manduka BlackMatPro for ultimate comfort.

For the best prices on any and all yoga equipment, I like to shop on Amazon.com. By far, they have the cheap yoga mats and yoga blocks that can be used for Yoga X.

Is the P90x recovery drink needed after Yoga X?

It is recommended to have the recovery drink after any workout that has any anearobic element to it. Yoga X is one of the few P90X workouts that does not contain any anearobic movements meaning the recovery drink is not needed after P90X Yoga. If you do however feel overly fatigued at the end of Yoga X, then you may want to to consider having the recovery drink.

I personally did not drink the P90X recovery drink after getting through the P90X Yoga workout. Instead, I had 1 serving of Optimum Nutrtion 100% Whey Protein, this way I still got the muscle repairing protein the body needs, but not the extra simple carbohyrates that are not needed unless performing an anearobic workout.

Is P90X Yoga Hard?

If you’ve never done yoga before, are out of shape, and/or are not very flexible, then Yoga X is going to be pretty difficult. Like I said before, real yoga is tough. While you might think that doing yoga could not in any way make you sore, then you are mistaken. With the sequence of moves you perform throughout this workout, you will definitely feel a little shaky during some moves – especially after you’ve done the same sequence several times adding slight variations each time.

This is what Yoga X is like - you repeat the same moves you begin with, but with each repeated sequence of moves, a new pose or movement is added at the end of the previous sequence to make things harder. The result is a heart-pounding workout…until the last 45 minutes of the workout when things change up a a lot.

The second half of Yoga X is mainly balancing poses and stretching, which quickly slows down your heart rate. I always thought of the second half as an extra long cool-down. During this segment of the workout, you do a bunch of balance poses and postures. While it seems pretty lame while you are doing it, it really does help you gain coordination of your body. I’m not going lie I did stop my P90X yoga workout numerous times after the first half of the DVD.

P90X Extreme Home Fitness - Shoulders and Arms

2012-04-04T10:26:00.000-07:00

First off, I love the P90X Shoulders and Arms workout. It is probably one of my favorites. As a woman, having a strong upper body is fantastic: 1) It gives you more of an hourglass figure if you have curvy hips and a smaller waist, and 2) Strong, lean muscles always are sexy (at least in my book).

I’m going to apologize right off the bat on something about the video: I look very serious and dramatic. In short, I don’t look happy. I’ll work on that. I am much happier and am enjoying the workout much more than it appears, so in the future, smiles will be a bit more front and center. Another disclaimer: I’m 5′ – 2″ and 125ish pounds. I’ve always felt that I resemble more of a Labrador than a Greyhound and part of me feels that the video makes me look a little beefy. I may actually look beefy in real life, but I’ve been told that isn’t true. Depending on who you want to believe, I don’t think I’m really as beefy as I may look on the workout video.

Again, remember that the video cuts out the warm up, stretching, intermittent cardio breaks, and the cool down that is part of this workout. Further, the P90X Shoulders and Arms workout repeats and I haven’t shown that either. Here is the P90X Shoulders and Arms workout video for your enjoyment:

I realize I didn’t list out the shoulder exercises and arm exercises last time, so here they are for reference. Again, this workout repeats each group twice:

Group 1
Alternating Shoulder Press
In & Out Bicep Curl
Two-Arm Triceps Kickback

Group 2
Deep Swimmer’s Press
Full Supination Concentration Curl
Chair Dip

Group 3
Upright Row
Static Arm Curl
Flip-Grip Twist Tricpes Kickback

Group 4
Seated Two-Angle Shoulder Fly
Crouching Cohen Curl
Lying-Down Triceps Extension

Group 5
In & Out Straight-Arm Shoulder Fly
Congdon Curl
Side Tri-Rise

What do you think? Do you like what you see?

2012-04-04T04:30:00.000-07:00

P90x Plyometrics Workout Exercises

The first thing that is always asked when it comes to plyometrics is what is it? It's a fairly new term in the fitness community and this is because the concept of it is new as well; in fact it was relatively unheard of a couple decades ago. But since it went, in a mix of words,'viral' it has become one of the most popular workouts around.

And rightly so.

Plyometrics calls into action all parts of the human body - core strength, legs, feet, mental toughness, and even a few more - and it doesn't stop there; it will push you to your limits, will you to a new level of power that you never thought possible. it will make sweat; it will make you burn; it will make you wish you were doing some more cardio. Seriously.

Are you surprised then that Tony Horton, the leader in home fitness, decided to incorporate a whole program dedicated to plyometrics? Probably not.

________________________________________________________________

Some of the best plyometric training occurs in water.

Many sports require what the plyometrics training will teach you.

P90x Plyometrics

Plyometrics is also known as `jump` training or, as I like to call it, the most intense leg workout you can do. It's also very dynamic; this means it activates many body parts and thus is good training for any sport. Tony Horton, who runs P90x Plyometrics, is a big believer that you need to to train muscles exactly the way you will use them in the real world. This means that if your muscles are meant for specific procedures, then train them that way; and if, like in P90x plyometrics, the muscles are supposed to take a beating then train them in that same way.

Have you ever wondered why knee injuries are such a common occurrence? It's because the muscles around the knee, as well as the cartilage, hasn't been trained for it. Sure - many athletes who have knee injuries have been working out their entire lives - but they never truly train the knees for wear and tear. That's what Tony Horton, and the P90x plyometrics program, want to do: it's hardcore enough that your muscles will take a beating, and specific enough that you won't hurt them in the process, so that when you go out in the real world, or play sports, they will be ready for any strenuous activity.

With that in mind be prepared to do a lot of jump training; find a big enough space where you can move around - there will be some cardio - as well as jump around. Make sure you have water, and make sure you have enough energy to complete the program. It will push you to the limit.

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You won't exactly do this, but leapfrog is an exercise is p90x plyometrics.

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P90x Plyometrics Workout Guide

The workout starts out easy and simple enough. You'll begin with a few jump squats; these are when you jump as high as you can, and then coming down, bending the knees - like a squat - and touching the ground, You'll do this in a few different variations in sets of four; in other words, yes, you will be burning after just fifteen minutes.

Next is lunges. These are sort of a cool down from the squats, but, if it's your first time, you will still feel the burn. In fact it actually works more muscle groups then the squats so you may even feel more burn while doing these. Mostly you will feel the burn in your quads and calfs.

After that you'll do many unique plyometric exercises which focus on jumping into the air, and then landing with strong balance. Some of my favorite are sets which include jumping over an invisible bit, as well as doing 360's and 180's. Cool.

Here is a list of the workouts you will be doing in the P90x Plyometrics workout:

Jump Squat
Run Stance Squat
Airborne Heisman
Swing Kick
Squat Reach Jump
Circle Run
Jump Knee Tuck
Jumping Lunge
Twist Combo
Rock Star Hop
Gap Jump
Military March
Lateral Leapfrog
Hot Foot

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Get 6 Pack Fast!

2012-03-14T11:23:00.000-07:00

One of the most frequently stated goals of men in the gym is to "get ripped abs." The ab muscles are what really identify someone who is serious about their fitness and diet plan, because without determination and a fair amount of effort, getting ripped abs is a goal that will never be reached.

While everyone has developed ab muscles to some extent, it’s getting them to show that becomes the biggest issue for most. This is due to the fact that most of us tend to store our body fat, at least partially, in the abdominal region. This is also one of the most stubborn places to lose fat from.

That said, if you know the principles for how to get ripped abs, you can make this goal a reality.

Genetic factor

The first thing you must realise is that every guy has his own uniquely shaped abs. Randomly selecting a picture out of some men’s magazine or billboard and saying that’s what you want your abs to be like could be slightly self-defeating, because even if you did get to low enough body fat levels, your abs may not be genetically shaped in a similar way; therefore, the appearance of your abs will still be different.
Recognising that this factor is out of your control and not getting hung up on it is one step forward on your quest to get ripped abs. If you are unable to do this, you’ll only become more frustrated as time progresses, which is a serious motivational killer.

Rest assured, though, that if you can get your body fat levels low enough and perform correct, targeted exercises for this muscle group, your midsection will garner second glances.

Food factor

Next comes the diet aspect of the equation. Ever heard the saying, "Abs are made in the kitchen"? Nothing could speak the truth more. As stated, everyone has some ab muscles, but most have a layer of body fat hiding them. Removing this layer is going to be about 90% dietary effort and 10% exercise effort when it comes right down to it. If you aren’t ready to take control over the foods you are putting in your mouth, getting ripped abs should not be a goal for you.

While the old notion used to be that you should eat a diet as low in fat as possible in order to remove body fat, this has changed in modern times. Now, diets that are higher in protein, moderate in fat and low or moderate in carbs are making headway, as this helps to control insulin levels better, and insulin happens to be the prime hormone that stores body fat (in a hypercaloric balance).
That’s not to say you can’t get lean on a higher-carbohydrate diet; you most certainly can -- and some guys do -- but for the vast majority, hunger levels are much more manageable on a low to moderate carb approach, which correspondingly makes eating fewer calories easier.
At the end of the day, it’s really going to come down to your total calorie intake, with less importance placed on how you get there -- assuming sufficient protein is present, of course.

Ab Routine

Finally, you have the actual ab routine. The regular performance of these exercises will play a large role in shaping the way your abs look once the fat is removed and they are visible.

Furthermore, since your ab muscles form the core of your body and are recruited for all other lifting exercises, it only makes sense that you’d want to dedicate some time to strengthening them.

Exercise Ball Movements

When selecting ab exercises, think of anything that will decrease your stability -- this effectively causes the abs to work harder as they are recruited. Exercise balls are the perfect tool for this, and there are a variety of movements you can do with them.

Examples of such exercises include basic front and side crunches, ball kick-outs (lying on the floor with feet on either side of the ball and palms on the floor, squeeze the ball with your legs and move from a crunched to a straightened position), and lying leg raises with the ball between your legs.

Weighted Exercises

If you are looking to actually increase the size of your ab muscles, weighted ab work will be your best bet. Since muscle tissue will only grow significantly when an overloading weight is placed upon it, you must treat your ab muscles like you would any other muscle in the body. You wouldn’t get as developed doing push-up after push-up as you would with heavy bench pressing, so the same principle applies here.

Terrific options here include decline weighted sit-ups, weight abdominal twists (moving from side to side), and hanging leg raises with weight strapped onto your ankles.

Isometric Contraction Exercises

Finally, the last types of ab exercises to include in your program are ones that have you contracting the ab muscles and holding this contraction for an extended duration of time. The benefit to this is that it will help the abs learn how to remain contracted, which will help when it comes to keeping them slightly flexed, allowing the muscularity to show even more.

As you’ve likely done before, if you stand in the mirror and flex your abs they look better, right? Well, the more isometric contractions you do, the more habitual this type of positioning will become, and you'll likely start to keep them contracted to a slight degree all the time without really noticing it.

This could include performing the plank exercise and variationsof that or simply tensing your abs, holding for 10 seconds and releasing. Repeat this tense/hold combo 5 to 10 times a couple of times a day and you should notice a difference in a few weeks.

Abdominal Greatness

If you are trying to get ripped abs, be sure to keep these major factors in mind. Most importantly, do not overlook the importance of your diet. Far too many guys think that they can just be sure to do enough ab work and cardio to make up for a less-than-stellar diet, but this kind of thinking almost always leads to less-than-stellar results.

The Big Arm Routine

2012-03-14T11:09:00.000-07:00

Shock your arms with this routine! Work this routine into your workout for 10 weeks. Once per week for the first 8 weeks, then twice per week for last 2 weeks.

Workout Summary

Main Goal:

Build Muscle
Workout Type:

Single Muscle Group
Training Level:

Intermediate
Days Per Week:

1
Equipment Required: Barbell, Cables, Dumbbells, EZ Bar
Target Gender:Male & Female

Workout Description

Want bigger arms? Arms stuck in a plateau? Shock your arms with this routine! Work this routine into your workout for 10 weeks. Once per week for the first 8 weeks, then twice per week for last 2 weeks.

Workout Notes:

Thoroughly warm up and stretch both biceps and triceps before the workout. Stretch both muscles at the end of the routine.

Rest between sets: 90 seconds.
Rep timing: slow and precise.
Frequency: once per week for weeks 1-8, weeks 8-10 twice per week.

Workout Schedule:

Big Arm Routine
Biceps
Exercise	Sets	Reps
Barbell Curl	5	8
Barbell Curl	1	20
Incline Dumbbell Curl (bench 30-40 degrees)	5	8
Incline Dumbbell Curl (bench 30-40 degrees)	1	20
Triceps
Exercise	Sets	Reps
Close Grip Bench Press	5	8
Close Grip Bench Press	1	20
EZ Bar, Lying Tricep Extension	5	8
EZ Bar, Lying Tricep Extension	1	20
Tricep Pushdown, (hands 8-10" apart)	5	8
Tricep Pushdown, (hands 8-10" apart)	1	20

8 Week Intense Workouts: Back Workout

2012-03-14T11:05:00.000-07:00

This back workout is short, intense and designed to build a strong v-shaped back. Warning, this workout is not for the faint hearted!

Welcome to the first installment of the “8 Week Intense Workout” series. This series of articles is going to pump out some intense workouts for each major muscle group. A new article will be released every week. Today we’re going to look at building a big, strong, v-shaped back with an intense back workout.

Back Anatomy

Before you read this article it’s important that you have a good understanding of what muscles make up the back. This workout focuses on the entire upper back. The muscles we will be working are lats, traps, rhomboids, teres major and minor, rear deltoids and infraspinatus. Secondary muscles worked are biceps and forearms.

Goals of this Back Workout

As quoted by IFBB pro bodybuilder Milos Sarcev, “The last 10 Mr. Olympia titles have been about who has the best back. Ronnie Coleman has one of the best backs ever seen in bodybuilding”. The point Milos is making is that having a big, strong, v-shaped back is critical to building a perfectly proportioned physique.

This workout aims to build real width in your upper back, as well as add definition in the smaller muscles like teres, traps, rhomboids and infraspinatus. This workout also aims to get you doing wide grip pull ups. If you’re serious about developing your upper back you should be doing wide grip pull ups. I’ve heard dozens of excuses why guys don’t do them, and I’m telling you now, none of these excuses apply here. You either do them, or forget this workout.

Wide Grip Pull Ups – The holy grail

As I just mentioned, wide grip pull ups are going to be a major focus of this workout. This is simply because they are the best exercise for developing your upper back. There’s no argument about it. I know most of you reading this article may not be doing wide grip pull ups or may have trouble with them. That’s OK, you can start using an assisted machine and work your way up to bodyweight. I don’t expect you to be doing bodyweight pull ups be the second workout, but by the 4th or 5th you should be there.

Workout Principals

There are two key principals I used when putting this workout together. These principals are variation and intensity and are vital for muscle development. Your muscles need to be stimulated using a variety of techniques, weights and reps for maximum growth.

1. Variation

Variation is the key to any good training regime. This back workout uses 4 individual workouts and each workout is performed twice in the 8 week period. Each workout includes a mixture of heavy training, moderate training, supersets, drop sets, different rest times and different exercises.

2. Intensity

Intensity is the latest buzz word in the bodybuilding scene. Intensity, or more importantly varying intensity, is a key element in the way modern workout routines are designed. Intensity can be controlled by rest times, exercises used and the advanced techniques used in a routine. This back workout is short and very intense, with the maximum workout time being about 40 minutes.

Don’t Forget Your Diet

If you don’t have the diet and supplementation (see bodybuilding supplements section for more info on supplements) to back (no pun intended!) this workout up, don’t even attempt it. There is no point in destroying your back in gym if your body does not have adequate resources to repair the damage. You need to follow the basic muscle building diet and nutrition principals.

1. Eat excess calories over 6-7 meals

This is muscle building 101, if you want to get big you’ve got to eat big. Loads of complex carbs, protein and essential fats spread over 6-7 meals.

2. Post-workout nutrition

When you complete your workout your body is crying out for nutrients to replenish those lost. Glycogen levels are low and must be replaced as soon as possible. Simple carbs are needed as soon as possible after you finish your workout to induce and insulin spike and replenish glycogen. A good post workout shake would consist of simple carbs, protein and possibly creatine and glutamine.

3. Eat before you sleep

Sleeping is the longest time your body will go without getting nutrients from food or supplements. Sleeping is also when the bulk of muscle repair and rebuilding takes place. So it makes sense to give your body some fuel before you sleep.

4. Carbs for energy

Don’t neglect carbs. People often associate carbs with fat gain. Carbs are essential to give your body the energy it needs to work hard in the gym. With a workout like this, you’re going to need all the energy you can get! Never hit the gym on an empty stomach, if you do that with this workout you’re probably going to pass out!

Overtraining

Overtraining can really limit your muscle gains. Remember, the less is more principal. Shorter, intense workouts with long rest periods will give you the best gains. This workout should be done once a week and should not be within 48 hours of your biceps training. This means you should not train your biceps the day before or after this workout, ideally you wouldn’t train them for at least 2 days before. Your biceps are used in every one of the exercises in this workout and if they’re not 100% up to the task you’re limiting your back’s growth potential.

Workout 1 – Weeks 1 and 5

We’re going to kick this workout off with some pull ups. If you have trouble with these, I want you to do as many as you can with your bodyweight then straight to the assisted machine to finish off the set. Don’t make the assisted machine too easy, you should barely be able to make your last rep of the set.

Next up we’re onto the first superset of the workout, lat pull downs and seated row. These exercises go together like Ronnie Colman and Mr. Olympia trophies! With both these exercises form is extremely important! I cannot stress this enough. It’s easy to let your form go out the window and start swinging the weights back, come on, we’ve all been there!

Lat pull down – sit straight up (don’t lean back at all!) and pull the weight on a 2-1-2 count. Count of 2 to pull the weight down, pause for a count of 1, then a count of 2 to lower the weight back up. If you’re doing them right, you won’t be able to use as much weight as usual but your lats will be burning after 10 reps.

Seated cable row – same deal as the lat pull down, 2-1-2 count. Sit with your back straight up and pull the bar into your stomach. Make sure your squeeze your shoulder blades together for the 1 count.

For the superset (and all supersets in this workout) you don’t get any rest in-between! That’s why it’s called a superset. Even 5 seconds is too much.

Now we move onto bent over barbell row. With this exercise we want to target all those small muscles in your upper back. So keep your back straight and use a wide overhand (palm down) grip. Pull the bar up to your middle chest and squeeze your shoulder blades together at the top of the movement.

Exercise	Sets and Reps
Wide grip pull ups	4 sets for MAX reps
Superset: Lat pull down / seated cable row	4 sets, 10 reps each exercise
Bent over barbell row	4 sets fo 10 reps

Workout 2 – Weeks 2 and 6

Good news for you, no bodyweight pull ups this week! However, we are still going to be doing assisted pull-ups and we’re going to superset them with some close grip pull downs for variety. We are going to up the reps on the pull ups now, to 15. So set the assisted machine to a weight that allows you to just complete 15 reps.

The pull ups in this session need to be ultra strict, ultra slow and ultra long range of motion (and you thought you were getting out easy by not doing bodyweight pull ups!). We want to force as much blood as possible into the lats and hold it there for a long period of time. I must emphasize here, you want the longest range of motion possible. This means you should literally be hanging at the beginning of each rep. I want you to use the 2-1-2 count on this exercise as well.

So once you’ve completed a set of 15 assisted pull ups, finish off the superset with 10 close grip pull downs. I’m not going to lie to you, the close grip pull downs will be painful! Complete a total of 4 supersets.

Now we’re onto one of my favorite back blasting techniques, ascending and descending drop sets on the seated cable row machine. Choose a weight that you can semi-comfortably do 10 reps with.

The first set is going to be descending. So you start with that weight you just chose, do 10 reps, take off 20% of the weight and do another 10 reps, then take off another 20% of the weight and do another 10 reps for a total of 30 reps. This a basic drop set.

For the next set, we’re going to do the opposite. So you start with the lightest weight and move up. And for the last set back to the same as the first, starting with the heaviest weight.

To finish off this workout we’re going to target the upper back again with 3 sets of smith machine bodyweight pull ups. You should pull yourself up until your chest touches the bar. If you can still manage it, try to hold yourself up for a count of 1 for each rep.

Exercise	Sets and Reps
Superset: Assisted pull ups/lat pull downs (strict)	15/10 x 4 sets
Seated row drop set	Set 1: Ascending Set 2: Descending Set 3: Ascending
Smith machine bodyweight row	8, 6, 6, 4
One arm cable row	3 sets fo 10 reps

Workout 3 – Weeks 3 and 7

Back to bodyweight pull ups again this week. You should notice your strength difference from week 1. Again, if you can’t finish the sets of these with your bodyweight finish off the set on the assisted machine.

Next up we’re going to do a stock standard lat pull down drop set. Start with a weight you can manage for 10 reps and take one plate off the stack after each set. No rest in-between sets! Not even a few seconds, adjust the stack and straight back into it.

This is the first time we are using bent over rows in this workout. I want you to use strict for, heavy weights and low reps. Although this is a heavy set, if your form slips drop the weight. Form beat weight hands down.

Finally we finish this session off with one arm cable rows. Weight is not important here, we’re looking for perfect form and slow, long repetitions. Your arm should be fully extended at the start of the movement and the handle level with your hips at the top of the movement. Squeeze your shoulder blades hard at the top of the movement. Again, we want to keep to the 2-1-2 tempo.

Exercise	Sets and Reps
Wide grip pull ups	MAX, 10, 8, 8
Lat pull down drop sets (strict)	3 drop sets of 10, 10, 10
Bent over row (heavy)	8, 6, 6, 4
One arm cable row	4 sets 15 reps

Workout 4 – Weeks 4 and 8

Are you ready for this? We’re going to kick off this workout with a tri-set. The tri-set will consist of assisted pull ups, ultra strict lat pull downs and seated rows. No rest in-between at all. You will be doing 4 tri-sets in total.

After the tri-sets, you’re going to be pretty fatigued. This is why the next exercise is straight arm lat pall down. Don’t worry about heavy weights with this one, just focus on keeping your arms straight and not allowing the bar to go over shoulder height.

Our final exercise for this session will be smith machine bodyweight rows. Again, use a wide grip and pause for a 1 count at the top of the movement.

Exercise	Sets and Reps
Tri Set: Assisted pull ups/lat pull down/seated row	10 reps on each exercise
Straight arm lat pull down	3 sets of 12 reps
Smith machine bodyweight row	3 sets of MAX reps

Your Ego Stays Home!

Why do you go the gym? To lift the heaviest weight possible, or to build muscle? Remember this every time you’re in the gym because this affects all your training. Correct technique combined with increased resistance builds muscle. It’s not just a matter of lifting as much as possible. The main exercise I want to emphasize this in is the lat pull down. In this workout, lat pull downs are not meant to be used with heavy weights. The role of lat pull downs is to push more blood into the lats and hold it there for longer. So in this workout pull downs should be done with ultra strict form and very slowly. This means keeping your upper body upright (don’t lean back at all!) and pulling the bar down with a 2-1-2 count. Count of 2 to pull the weight down, pause for a count of 1, then a count of 2 to lower the weight back up. If you’re doing this correctly, your lats will be screaming after 10 reps!

Hit The Gym!

Alright, the time for talking is over and it’s time to hit the gym. Remember, you must follow what I have written here exactly. No cheating! You only get out what you put in. If you give this back workout 100%, keep your diet and supplementation up and get plenty of rest you should feel and see the difference in your back. The next installment of the 8 Week Intense Workouts series will be shoulders.

Legs Workout I: Glutes and Quadriceps

2012-03-14T11:00:00.001-07:00

Have you ever felt drained, dizzy or even nauseous after an intense weight training session? Well guess what? You should experience one of these symptoms each and every time you properly work out your legs.

When training your legs, you're basically working half your body in one session. Training your leg muscles doesn't only work your lower half; it actually works your entire body, increases your heartbeat and gets your blood flowing to help burn fat and work your cardiovascular system.

Working out your legs is also crucial to maintain a nice symmetry, which is simply the proper balance between the size of each and every one of your body's muscles. (In layman terms, it means you won't look like a Popsicle, with a muscular upper body and chicken legs).

Leg muscles?

Before we go into the details of each leg exercise, it's important for you to know which muscles are involved in your leg routine. Your main leg muscles consist of the gluteus (buttocks), the quadriceps (front of the upper legs), the hamstrings (back of the upper legs), and the calves (back of the lower leg). Today's routine will focus on the gluteus and quadricep muscles.

Get Beefy

Now that you've learned the basics of leg anatomy, it's time to learn how to get your legs fit. Follow these exercises and transform your chicken legs into stronger, beefier legs. This training routine is designed for both beginners and more advanced trainers.

Simply increase or lower your weights and repetitions depending on your level of expertise; higher repetitions with lower weights for beginners and lower reps with heavier weights for more advanced trainers. Remember to achieve perfect form before packing on the weights and lowering the repetitions. Take a 2 to 3-minute break between your sets for better results.

Standard SAquats

The squat is the mother of all leg exercises. If you were to do only one leg exercise, it should be the squat, since it works your entire body. The focus, however, is on your gluteus and quadriceps. The regular squat is a great exercise in order to build your legs and your overall fitness level.

Sets and Repetitions
4 Sets -- Reps 15-10-8-8

Instructions
1. Get into a comfortable upright stance, with your feet shoulder-width apart. Your toes should be either pointed straight ahead or slightly outward. Don't point them inward, because this will put a lot of strain on your knees.

2. Keep your vision focused straight ahead or slightly above eye level. Do not tilt your head backwards or raise your eyes too much because this will disrupt your balance.

3. Place the barbell squarely on your traps (trapezius muscles) and shoulders (not the neck) and grip the bar comfortably, with your hands slightly wider than your shoulders. This will automatically straighten your back and force you to maintain a strict form.

4. Slowly bring your butt towards the ground, but make sure to keep your heels planted firmly on the floor. Do NOT start by bending your knees.

5. Continue downward by slowly bending your knees. Be careful not to let your knees move forward or sideways -- always keep them in-line. This will relieve some stress off of them.

6. When your thighs are parallel to the ground, begin exhaling and return to the starting position. There should be no sideways movement, especially in the knee or hip area.

7. Squatting deeper than parallel to the floor will NOT damage your knees, as many lifters believe, but it could be dangerous for beginners. This focuses the tension on your hamstring muscles instead. Knee damage is a result of raising your heels off the floor, not of lowering your butt to the floor.

leg presses

The leg press is another great overall quadricep muscle builder. It's also a fun exercise to carry out because you'll be able to pack on the weight rather quickly compared to other exercises, without necessarily needing a spot. Remember to always maintain perfect form.

Sets and Repetitions
4 Sets -- Reps 15-10-8-8

Instructions
1. Place your feet flat on the platform, shoulder-width apart, with your toes pointing slightly outward. You can vary your foot positions in order to hit your muscles from different angles. A wide stance will work the outer quadriceps, while a narrow one will work the inner quadriceps.

2. Lower the platform until your knees are at a 90-degree angle. Make sure that your lower back is properly aligned with the seat to prevent back-injury.

3. Press the platform outward until your legs are nearly straight out. Do not lock your knees at the start of the movement in order to keep the tension on your leg muscles and avoid injury. Make sure not to bounce at the end of the motion because that can also cause serious injury.

leg extensions

Leg extensions are a great finishing exercise. It's even a good idea to do a light set before starting your leg workout, since it works your entire quadricep region.

Sets and Repetitions
3 Sets -- Reps 10-10-10

Instructions
1. Sit on the seat of a leg extension machine with the footpad firmly placed on the outer part of your shin. Make sure your knees are flexed at a 90-degree angle. If your legs are forced too far beyond this angle, knee damage could result early on in the movement.

2. Extend and straighten your legs until they're parallel with the floor.

3. This is the only leg exercise in which you can lock your knees without risking knee damage. It's actually a good thing to lock your knees and hold the position for a second or two in order to squeeze and burn your muscles.

4. After reaching the end of the motion, slowly return the weight to a point near the starting position. This will allow you to keep constant tension on your quadricep muscles.

5. Pointing your toes toward each other at a 20-degree angle works the inner quad area, while pointing your toes outward works the outer quad area. Try to vary the angle of your toes every once in a while to work your legs from different angles.

Well that's it; your glutei and quadriceps should be pretty tired by now, but guess what? This is only the first part of your leg workout. To maintain a nice symmetry, you'll need to work on your hamstrings and calves, so make sure to read the 2nd part of this intensive leg workout next time.

Until then, stay fit and let loose.

Chest and Shoulder Workouts For Building Muscle Fast

2012-03-14T10:27:00.000-07:00

This is one of the best workouts for building maximum muscle mass to your pecs and delts. Chest and shoulder training are closely related as they both tend to involve some sort of pushing exercise or flye.

When it comes to training the chest, the king of all exercises is the bench press. This pushing exercise hits the largest area of your chest muscles and also works your shoulders and triceps as secondary muscles.

There are 3 main types of bench press movements, incline, decline and flat. They can be done with a barbell or dumbbells. Personally i like to use dumbbells because it allows for a greater stretch of the muscles and you don't often need a spotter.

For the shoulders the best exercise for overall development is the barbell or dumbbell shoulder press. Heavy shoulder presses are key to building muscle on the front of your deltoids. You chest and shoulder workouts should include some form of shoulder press.

There are 2 chest and shoulder workouts that i want to share with you. Both are demonstrated on the videos below. They can be done as a standalone workout or as a post workout blitz to truly burn the muscles.

They can be done on separate days or if you can handle it then you can do them both on the same day. By adding the two together you will get an amazing pump feeling in the chest and shoulders and will no doubt ache for a few days after.

10 Ways You CAN Exercise At Home without Any Equipment

2012-03-14T10:21:00.003-07:00

Wouldn’t it be wonderful to be able to afford all of that fancy equipment used in the gyms? Well, as nice as it sounds, it just isn’t an option for most people. And since exercise is so important, you need to find exercises that are effective and don’t require any equipment at all.

To make these exercises even more fun, you can blast music while you’re doing them. Some you can even do while watching TV.

Now you have no more excuses! Here are 10 great exercises that you can do at home, without the need for any equipment:

Walking – If the weather is nice, it’s wonderful to get outside and enjoy the scenery around you while you exercise. However, if the weather has other ideas, you can just as easily get an effective walking workout at home. If you have a flight of stairs, go up and down them a few times. (You could even grab a load of laundry as you’re going that way anyway!) This will help to tone up your legs, while getting some low impact aerobic exercise as well. If you don’t have any stairs available, just walk around the house a few times – it may not be very exciting, but it will do the job!
Jumping Jacks – These are always fun, as they bring back memories of being a kid! Who hasn’t done jumping jacks for fun as a child? Well, surprise – they are also great cardio exercises, and good for warming up, too.
Pushups – These are probably not the most favorite exercise of many people, but while they can be hard to do, you can find easier ways to do them. You don’t need to pretend you’re “Rocky”, and do them with one hand; just do what works for you. Do them on your knees, instead of keeping your legs straight. Or, do them standing up against a wall. You will be building up arm strength and working out muscles in your chest area.
Leg Lifts – These are great for building up strength and muscles in your legs. If you find it hard to do the exercises with your legs straight, try bending them slightly.
Crunches – The best exercise for building up and strengthening abdominal muscles. When you’re just getting started, don’t worry about getting your head all the way up. So long as you’re going up until you feel the stretching of the muscles, you will see some benefit.
Jogging In Place – Jogging is a great exercise for your heart. You can jog in place at home while watching TV or listening to music. The only equipment you will require is a good pair of shoes, to eliminate any stress to your legs.
Squats – These are wonderful exercises for your legs and buttocks. You can even just try these by sitting and standing up again from a regular chair, if you’re finding them to be too difficult. As long as you’re able to do a few repetitions, you will be providing some benefit to your body.
Light Weight Lifting – No, you don’t need to go out and buy expensive weights for this! Just use whatever you can find in your house. Start out with something lighter, such as a can of peas, and work yourself up to heavier items. You can use milk jugs, laundry detergent bottles or even water jugs.
Dancing – Dancing is a wonderful exercise, which is great for your heart. Not only that, but it can lift your spirits as well, and give your overall feeling a boost.
Step Exercises – Using the steps in your home, you can do repetitions which will tone your leg muscles. (Just remember to be careful!)

Getting some exercise is important, but you don’t need to go out and join a gym, paying a large amount in membership fees each month. You don’t even need the expensive equipment in order to give your body an effective workout. Use what you have in your house, and work out in the comfort of your home. You will be more likely to keep up with the exercises when you’re comfortable, so just get up and start exercising!

Belly Off - Strength Training Routine

2012-03-03T04:35:00.001-08:00

Strength training: Get stronger, leaner, healthier

Strength training is an important part of an overall fitness program. Here's what strength training can do for you — and how to get started.

You know exercise is good for you. Ideally, you're looking for ways to incorporate physical activity into your daily routine. If your aerobic workouts aren't balanced by a proper dose of strength training, though, you're missing out on a key component of overall health and fitness. Despite its reputation as a "guy" or "jock" thing, strength training is important for everyone. With a regular strength training program, you can reduce your body fat, increase your lean muscle mass and burn calories more efficiently.

Use it or lose it

Muscle mass naturally diminishes with age. "If you don't do anything to replace the lean muscle you lose, you'll increase the percentage of fat in your body," says Edward Laskowski, M.D., a physical medicine and rehabilitation specialist at Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn., and co-director of the Mayo Clinic Sports Medicine Center. "But strength training can help you preserve and enhance your muscle mass — at any age."

Strength training also helps you:

Develop strong bones. By stressing your bones, strength training increases bone density and reduces the risk of osteoporosis.
Control your weight. As you gain muscle, your body gains a bigger "engine" to burn calories more efficiently — which can result in weight loss. The more toned your muscles, the easier it is to control your weight.
Reduce your risk of injury. Building muscle helps protect your joints from injury. It also contributes to better balance, which can help you maintain independence as you age.
Boost your stamina. As you get stronger, you won't fatigue as easily.
Manage chronic conditions. Strength training can reduce the signs and symptoms of many chronic conditions, including arthritis, back pain, depression, diabetes, obesity and osteoporosis.
Sharpen your focus. Some research suggests that regular strength training helps improve attention for older adults.

Consider the options

Strength training can be done at home or in the gym. Consider the options:

Body weight. You can do many exercises with little or no equipment. Try push-ups, pull-ups, abdominal crunches and leg squats.
Resistance tubing. Resistance tubing is inexpensive, lightweight tubing that provides resistance when stretched. You can choose from many types of resistance tubes in nearly any sporting goods store.
Free weights. Barbells and dumbbells are classic strength training tools.
Weight machines. Most fitness centers offer various resistance machines. You can also invest in weight machines for use at home.
Getting started

When you have your doctor's OK to begin a strength training program, start slowly. Warm up with five to 10 minutes of stretching or gentle aerobic activity, such as brisk walking. Then choose a weight or resistance level heavy enough to tire your muscles after about 12 repetitions.

"On the 12th repetition, you should be just barely able to finish the motion," Dr. Laskowski says. "When you're using the proper weight or amount of resistance, you can build and tone muscle just as efficiently with a single set of 12 repetitions as you can with more sets of the same exercise."

To give your muscles time to recover, rest one full day between exercising each specific muscle group. When you can easily do more than 15 repetitions of a certain exercise, gradually increase the weight or resistance. Remember to stop if you feel pain. Although mild muscle soreness is normal, sharp pain and sore or swollen joints are signs that you've overdone it.

When to expect results

You don't need to spend hours a day lifting weights to benefit from strength training. Two to three strength training sessions a week lasting just 20 to 30 minutes are sufficient for most people. You may enjoy noticeable improvements in your strength and stamina in just a few weeks. With regular strength training, you'll continue to increase your strength — even if you're not in shape when you begin.

Strength training can do wonders for your physical and emotional well-being. Make it part of your quest for better health.

Belly Off The Body Weight Routine

2012-03-03T04:14:00.000-08:00

Try bodyweight exercises for a fast at home workout

Bodyweight exercises can help you stay fit at home and stay with a tight a budget. Here's are a few ideas of bodyweight exercises that you can do any time with no equipment. Perfect for traveling, home workouts or adding a bit of variety to your regular exercise routine.

Start with a light warm up for a few minutes. (This can be walking, marching in place or stepping side to side. The goal of the warm up is to get your blood circulating and you body temperature rising in order to prepare for higher intensity exercise).

Perform each exercise for 30 seconds to two minutes depending upon your conditioning and interest. Move to the next exercise smoothly, but quickly. You can continue the routine as long as you like (a twenty minute workout or an hour or more). Cool down with five or more minutes of stretching.

Common Bodyweight Workouts

Abdominal Exercises
Ab exercises can be done almost anywhere with no equipment.
- Top 10 Questions About Abdominal Exercises
- How to Exercise Your Abs
Push Ups
Begin in push up position, on knees or toes. Perform 4 push ups, abs in and back straight. On the 5th push up, lower halfway down and hold for 4 counts. Push back up and repeat the series - 4 regular push ups and 1 halfway--5 or more times.
Pull Ups
The pull up exercise does require some basic equipment, or some creativity (go to a playground or find a low hanging tree branch, for example), but it's a great, simple way to build upper body strength.
One-Leg Balance / Squat / Reach
Stand on one leg and balance it as long as you can. If this is too easy, add a slight squat motion. Still too easy? Place an object on the floor, several feet in front of you (a book, perhaps), and slowly squat down, and reach out with one arm and touch the object and slowly return to an upright position. Stay on one leg at all times. Repeat on the other leg after a minute or so.
Tuck Jump
The tuck jump exercise ranks near the top of the list for developing explosive power using only an athlete's body weight.
Chair Dips
You’ll need two chairs, (or a bed and a chair or a counter, etc…) for this great tricep exercise. Place two chairs facing each other, about 3 feet apart. Sit on one chair with your hands palm down and gripping the edge of the chair. Place your heels on the edge of the other chair and hold yourself up using your triceps. Slide forward just far enough that your behind clears the edge of the chair and lower yourself so your elbows are at 90 degrees. Do as many repetitions as you can.
Wall Sit
With your back against a wall, and your feet about 2 feet away from the wall, slide down until your knees are at a 90 degree angle. Hold the position as long as you can. This is great for ski conditioning.
Abdominal Crunches
Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Place your fingertips to the side of your head just behind your ears. Push your lower back into the floor flattening the arch and hold. Curl up slowly so both your shoulders lift off the floor a few inches. Hold for a count of 2 and return to the start position. Tip: Don’t tuck your chin to your chest; keep your head up.
Supermans
Lie on your stomach with your arms and legs stretched out. Raise your arms and legs off the ground a few inches, hold a few seconds, and then lower. Alternate arms and legs as an option. Repeat.
Reverse Crunch
Lie on your back with your hands out to your sides, and bend your knees. Bring your knees toward your head until your hips come up slightly off the floor (don’t rock). Hold one second and repeat.
Plank Exercise
Get into push up position on hands and toes, or on elbows and toes. Contract your abdominal muscles (and core). Keep your back straight (don't collapse in the middle) and hold this position for as long as you can.
Squat-Thrusts
Stand with feet together. Squat down and place your hands on the floor next to your feet. In an explosive movement, jump feet backwards into a push-up position, jump feet back between hands and stand up.
Jumping Jacks
The basic jumping jack is a good cardio and strength training exercise.
Side Jumps
Stand with feet together. Jump to the right several feet, keeping knees bent and landing in a squat position. Jump back to the left and continue jumping from side to side. Use a small object to jump over if you like (book, pillow etc..).
Mountain Climbers
Start on your hands and knees and get into in a sprinter’s start position. Keep your hands on the ground and push off with your feet so you alternate foot placement (run in place) as long as you can. Be sure to keep your back straight, not arched.

Bodyweight Exercises for Home

P90X - Ab Ripper X

P90X - Cardio X

P90X Cardio X Workout

P90X Back & Biceps

P90X Extreme Home Fitness X Stretch

P90x X Stretch

More P90x Workouts

P90x X Stretch Workout Guide

P90X Chest, Shoulders and Triceps Workout

P90X Core Synergistics

P90X Core Synergistics Review

P90X Core Synergistics Workout

Warm Up

P90X Kenpo X

P90X Extreme Home Fitness - Legs and Back Routine

P90X Workout for Legs and Back

P90X Yoga X

P90X Yoga | Yoga X Review

How Long is P90X Yoga?

P90X Yoga Alternative

What Equipment Will I Need for Yoga X?

Is the P90x recovery drink needed after Yoga X?

Is P90X Yoga Hard?

P90X Extreme Home Fitness - Shoulders and Arms

P90x Plyometrics Workout Exercises

P90x Plyometrics

More P90x Workouts

P90x Plyometrics Workout Guide

Get 6 Pack Fast!

Genetic factor

Food factor

Ab Routine

Exercise Ball Movements

Weighted Exercises

Isometric Contraction Exercises

Abdominal Greatness

The Big Arm Routine

Workout Summary

Workout Description

Workout Schedule:

8 Week Intense Workouts: Back Workout

Back Anatomy

Goals of this Back Workout

Wide Grip Pull Ups – The holy grail

Workout Principals

1. Variation

2. Intensity

Don’t Forget Your Diet

1. Eat excess calories over 6-7 meals

2. Post-workout nutrition

3. Eat before you sleep

4. Carbs for energy

Overtraining

Workout 1 – Weeks 1 and 5

Workout 2 – Weeks 2 and 6

Workout 3 – Weeks 3 and 7

Workout 4 – Weeks 4 and 8

Your Ego Stays Home!

Hit The Gym!

Legs Workout I: Glutes and Quadriceps

Leg muscles?

Get Beefy

Standard SAquats

leg presses

leg extensions

Chest and Shoulder Workouts For Building Muscle Fast

10 Ways You CAN Exercise At Home without Any Equipment

Belly Off - Strength Training Routine

Strength training: Get stronger, leaner, healthier

Strength training is an important part of an overall fitness program. Here's what strength training can do for you — and how to get started.

Use it or lose it

Consider the options

Getting started

When to expect results

Belly Off The Body Weight Routine

Try bodyweight exercises for a fast at home workout

Common Bodyweight Workouts