OT: P90X/Health and Fitness Thread

[jimmybones]

DB you don't really state any specific goals.

[ReasonablySober]

DB you don't really state any specific goals.

Bigger arms and shoulders, flatter stomach. I eat healthy and get a good amount of exercise, but I've never put on upper body muscle. Don't want to get huge, just not skinny.

[jimmybones]

I wouldn't concern yourself with getting huge. Adding muscle is a slow process, you aren't going to go from 30 and skinny to Arnold by accident. What you're shooting for is more of a body recomposition, and it's not easy and usually comes with slower results than purely trying to gain weight or lose weight. I'd focus on slowly adding muscle for now. Bigger arms and shoulders will come from extra calories, flatter stomach will come from fewer calories. You can't be in both states at the same time so you kinda have to pick your path and focus on that one for now.

Define eating healthy. With the amount of cardio you do you're going to need to up calories quite a bit to gain muscle. If your weight is constant that means you're eating enough to meet energy requirements but not enough to build new muscle, eat more. Bodyweight x 17 in calories and a minimum of a gram of protein per pound of body weight. Drink a lot of water, near a gallon a day.

I wouldn't recommend a leg-less routine but do what you like. Lift in the 6-12 rep range and consistently get stronger. The extra calories will go to muscle IF you're cosistently getting stronger/giving your body a reason to build new muscle.

[ReasonablySober]

Excellent. Thanks for the words, guys.

[emunney]

I try to start out every workout with squats or deadlifts. Do a couple warm up sets then do one or two somewhat heavy sets with 6-10 reps. If you don't want to get huge, just don't increase the weight. This is imo just the best thing to get your body cranking for the rest of your workout. Getting your butt firing will ramp up your testosterone and make the rest of your workout much more productive.

I'd then do a bunch of stuff with dumbbells. I don't mess with curls or extensions at all. Do bench presses, incline presses, overhead presses, bent over rows, upright rows, pull ups (or pull downs). 2 sets of each, 7-9 reps. If you can't do 7 reps. lower the weight. Once you can do 2 sets of 9, raise the weight.

Throw in some planks, side planks and back bridges.

[RiotPunch]

I have been pretty bad this summer. I did p90x for a straight year and then customized my own weekly routine after that, but then this summer I have been working long hours and nights. I would always do my workouts in the evening, so instead of adapting, my routine got pretty much derailed. I've put on some unwanted weight and am finally motivated to make a change again.

For those more knowledgeable than I, what is the most effective cardio routine to target burning fat? I know diet is half the battle, and I am making those changes-- but is running everyday going to cut it for the exercise aspect of it? Thanks in advance.

[LUKE23]

I've never done it because I've never really been looking to cut weight, but everyone I've talked to that has done Insanity swears by it for tone/fat loss. Granted, it's basically the cardio/body weight version of P90X, so it's tough. It's all running/jumping/plyo/pushups/situps/etc. But for strict fat burning, it will do the trick. I'd be sure to pack on the healthy calories to avoid losing muscle in addition to the fat though.

[Newz]

I would strongly advise against Insanity.

When I did it, it really messed up my knees. I couldn't play basketball for two or three months without pain after doing Insanity for a couple of weeks. I know at least two other people who have had the same problem.

I have read a lot of sites/talked to a lot of people who recommend only doing plyo 1-2 times a week and making sure that it's spaced out. I've never had knee problems in my whole life until I started that. I stopped and now my knees feel great again.

[RiotPunch]

I don't have the best knees in the world, thanks to my basketball and football careers-- so yeah, I am a bit wary of jumping into Insanity, no pun intended. I would typically do p90x plyo twice a week when I had my customized routine, and that was enough for me.

[Nebula1]

I'm stuck with a hip injury that has me off the court for 3 days now. I'm hoping to get back on this weekend, but it's driving me crazy to not play.

[Nebula1]

Sat down for a week, but it's time to get back on the court today and test it out. Longest week of my life right there.

[ReasonablySober]

Month into my weight lifting and, as ridiculous this is, it's the longest I've gone on any strict plan. Again, hella scrawny dude during my 31 years despite being a three sport HS and one year college athlete.

Only lifting three days a week:

Day one:
Seated military press
Front dumbbell raise
Side lateral raise
Rear lateral raise

Day two:
Pull ups
Bent over barbell row
Close grip pull downs
Seated row
Dumbbell shrugs
Alternate dumbbell curl
Hammer curl

Day three:
Incline press
Flat dumbbell flies
Decline bench
Dips
Rope push downs

One day a week I play sand volleyball, will be two later in the winter. Three days a week I bike with one day being a 30 mile ride to and from volleyball that makes me want to kill myself. Gonna have to find something to supplement the biking once the snow hits, but the volleyball court has a dome over the top.

Haven't missed a day and I look forward to the lifting, which is what I've found most encouraging. I'm not spending two hours in the gym by any means but for a guy who hated lifting programs I'm happy. I started with a 34" waist and now I can fit into 32". T-shirts are already fitting better. Still a long way to go. Anticipating a challenge when it's 10 degrees out and getting to the gym is more of a chore.

[emunney]

It's so nice coming out of the gym when it's cold out, though. I miss that.

That looks like a good plan. What are your sets and reps like?

Also, does anybody do any odd object stuff?

[ReasonablySober]

It's so nice coming out of the gym when it's cold out, though. I miss that.

That looks like a good plan. What are your sets and reps like?

Four sets, bigger weight, fewer reps, last two sets to exhaustion with the goal of not completing the set.

[emunney]

Have you thought about starting it out with some squats or deadlifts? That makes a huge difference for me. Kudos on sticking with a program.

[ReasonablySober]

At some point I'm going to get into a lower body routine but for now I'm working almost exclusively shoulders, back, biceps, chest and triceps. My body is weird. A year of biking just about everywhere I has left my legs looking great, while my arms and shoulders looking like they belong to a 15 year old.

[emunney]

It's not so much to build your legs as it is to get your metabolism cranking and your testosterone production up. It makes the rest of your workout more effective. I know it seems weird, but it works. Your upper body will almost certainly get bigger faster if you squat first.

[ReasonablySober]

It's not so much to build your legs as it is to get your metabolism cranking and your testosterone production up. It makes the rest of your workout more effective. I know it seems weird, but it works. Your upper body will almost certainly get bigger faster if you squat first.

Great to know, much thanks.

[BUCKnation]

I only went two times a week during the summer with arms and legs the first day and chest/shoulders/back the second day. So I pretty much maintained my weight at 185, which is comfortable for me but Id still like to get more definition and lose more fat.

Now that Im back at school, I will be working out more often and eating better. 3-4 times a week plus basketball on other days.

Oh and through my weight loss in a year, about 40-50 lbs and my legs workouts I was able to dunk a basketball. Im just short of 6'2" so it was a great feeling.

[ReasonablySober]

That's awesome. Last time I was dunking was my sophomore year of college. Also 6'2" but I could bounce it off the board and put it down with two hands or reverse. I miss jumping high. **** knees.