Round 3 / Day 31: One-on-One with Tony Horton - Killer Abs

Is it just me, or are the Ab Ripper 200 moves more difficult than the Ab Ripper X ones? Perhaps it's because I'm used to cranking out Fifer Scissors, V-Up Roll-Ups and Mason Twists, while simple crunches are a shock to my system. But it's just plain weird that the first half of this workout seems so much tougher than the second half -- especially since Ab Ripper X was clearly intended to be a step up in intensity level.

Stop Using These Exercise Machines

Need more reasons to cancel your gym membership and work out at home? AOL Health (or is it “Aol. Health”?) recently posted a slideshow of six exercise machines to avoid at the gym.

AOL’s website is frustratingly difficult to navigate, so to save you from having to click through seven different screens and wait for dozens of photos and graphics to download, I’m providing a quick and dirty recap after the jump.

Round 2 / Day 14: Insanity Pure Cardio + Cardio Abs

There's nothing like Pure Cardio to remind you that you're not as fit as you think. After having finished a round of P90X, I thought I was in pretty good shape, but I'm certainly humbled every time I attempt to complete this workout.

Once again, I had to take breaks during Frog Jumps and Push-Up Jacks. On their own, neither of these moves is impossible, but performed in sequence with the other exercises (and without breaks), I find both to be painfully difficult to sustain for a full minute each.

After Pure Cardio was done, it was time for a new workout: Cardio Abs. Cardio Abs is to Insanity what Ab Ripper X is to P90X; it's a relatively short (16-17 minute) session that targets your abs with a series of exercises that blast your core and hip flexors.

It starts with a brief warm-up (unnecessary if you're still having a heart attack from Pure Cardio) that flows right into Twisting High Knees, Jump Ropes, Tuck Jumps (like P90X Plyo Jump Knee Tucks), and Wide Tuck Jumps (with knees out wide to the sides).

Cardio Abs then transitions into a series of ab moves performed from a "C-Sit" position (which resembles the starting position for In-N-Outs and Bicycles in Ab Ripper X):

• Twists (similar to Mason Twists, but slower and with your heels on the floor)
• Twists with Knee In/Outs & Up/Downs (same as before, but with alternating knee in/outs and raises)
• A-Frame Ab Twists (similar to Mason Twists, but with heels on the floor, hands together, arms straight -- your arms go vertical between each side twist)
• A-Frame Ab Twists with Knee In/Outs (same as before, but adding an alternating knee in/out with each rep)
• C-Sit Hold (hold in C-Sit position for what seems to be an eternity)
• Single Leg Raises (pull knee straight in, then extend leg out, then raise leg up, then bring it down -- repeat for 30 seconds, and then do the other side)
• Double Leg Raises (same as before, but using both legs at the same time)

Next up is the plank series:

• From a high plank (standard push-up) position, pull one knee up to the side and to your shoulder; alternate sides to work your obliques;
• Do the same thing again, but from a low plank position resting on your forearms;
• Alternate between high planks and low planks; while in each position, do 8 hip tucks, contracting your core while shifting your pelvis and hips toward the ground.

Although I had my doubts about an ab routine that doesn't include anything resembling a sit-up or a crunch, Cardio Abs doesn't disappoint. It's intense and challenging -- especially after you're already sweaty and exhausted from Pure Cardio. In my opinion, Ab Ripper X is still the superior workout, but Cardio Abs is a great way to break up the monotony of endless Fifer Scissors and Oblique V-Ups while still blasting your midsection.

P90X Day 88: Plyometrics + Ab Ripper X

Instead of doing X Stretch or resting today, I decided to get my sweat on.

I did a modified version of Plyo; instead of performing two sets of each move, I did just one, which cut down the session to a manageable half-hour. At first, I didn't think a half-portion of Plyo would be enough, but I was wrong: It's plenty intense, especially after I limited my water breaks to the fifteen seconds it took to skip past the DVD tracks in which the exercises are repeated. Afterwards, I dusted off my Ab Ripper X DVD, too, and suffered through the workout until the last Mason twist was done.

I can't wait until Insanity arrives.

P90X Day 75: Legs & Back + Ab Ripper X

During last week's Legs & Back workout, I completed 132 pull-ups/chin-ups -- my all-time high. This week, I pushed hard to further increase my reps, and although I've lost all feeling from my fingertips, I managed to eke out a few more than before. So as of today, my new personal best stands at 141 pull-ups/chin-ups: 78 unassisted and 63 assisted. My goal is to hit 80 unassisted pull-ups in a single Legs & Back session, and I have one more shot at it before the end of my first 90-day round. My (numb) fingers are crossed.

As for Ab Ripper X, a lot of the moves have gotten much easier for me (e.g., Mason Twists, V-Up Roll-ups), while some continue to be a gut-punch of a challenge (e.g., Fifer Scissors, Heels-to-the-Heavens). But strangest of all has been my experience with Oblique V-Ups. When I started P90X back in August, Oblique V-Ups were the only move in Ab Ripper X that I could do without breaking a sweat. I loved them because they were easy. But as the weeks have gone by, they've become increasingly difficult to perform. They're now among the most difficult exercises in Ab Ripper X for me -- at the end of this exercise, I'm usually doubled over on the floor, gasping for breath. What gives?

P90X Day 59: Shoulders & Arms + Ab Ripper X

This is more like it. 

I enjoyed the hell out of Shoulders & Arms this morning -- especially compared with Sunday's Chest & Back routine.  I didn't experience enormous gains in reps or weights today, but the workout was envigorating and tough without inducing barf.  By the end of the hour, my skin was stretched tight and my little arms were about as pumped as they can get.  I felt like Lou Ferrigno -- complete with green makeup and shitty haircut -- tearing through the very fabric of my shirt (but never, ever ripping the crotch of my pants).

[UPDATE: My morning Ab Ripper X session was interrupted by a sick, wailing, phlegm-spewing preschooler, but I finished it after dinner, and hit a new personal best: 100 Mason twists!]

P90X Day 47: Legs & Back + Ab Ripper X

My 21-month-old has a cold, and his sniffles and cries kept me awake for much of the night. When the alarm clock went off at 5:15 this morning, I wanted to fling it across the room.

But I didn't. It's tough waking up to Legs & Back (my least favorite P90X video) after just a few hours of fitful sleep, but at this point, I can't take a break for a day without risking the total derailment of my exercise routine. I'm the type of person who's all too eager to run down a slippery slope; if I deviate from the P90X plan even slightly, I could very well decide to stop entirely.

So I got up, changed, inhaled a bowl of yogurt, and dragged myself into the garage. I pressed play on the DVD player for what seems like the millionth time and dove into Legs & Back. I didn't up my reps or weights by much, but surprisingly, by the third exercise or so, I started feeling pretty good. I was totally alert. My legs felt stronger than they have since the start of Phase 2, and my pull-up form felt tighter and more controlled. By the time I finished the set of Mason twists at the end of Ab Ripper X (I did 80!), I wasn't tired anymore, despite having punished my glutes, hamstrings, calves, back and core for an intense hour and twenty minutes. Either I'm getting (slightly) better at this, or my body and brain were overcompensating for my lack of Zs.

I hate to say it, but I think P90X (or, at the very least, physical exercise) has become an integral part of my morning. Without it, my day wouldn't feel complete.

(Of course, this means I'm going to be stuck with Tony Horton for a good long time. I desperately need some new videos.)

P90X Day 43: Chest, Shoulders & Triceps + Ab Ripper X

16 fully-airborne plyo push-ups! 75 Mason twists! And I got through today's workout without collapsing on my face even once!

My pride is blunted, though, by my sucktastically unsuccessful attempts to properly perform one-handed push-ups.

But speaking of push-ups: M, who started ChaLEAN Extreme last month not able to complete a single standard (non-knee) push-up, can now crank out 7 in a row!

P90X Day 38: Back & Biceps + Ab Ripper X

As with any P90X workout involving pull-ups, I approached Back & Biceps this morning knowing that I'm in for an hour of frustration.

It's not that I'm flat-out, fall-down horrible at pull-ups; thanks to P90X, I'm now able to crank out a full set of 12 wide-grip pull-ups in a row, and I can also manage to eke out 3 or 4 corn cob pull-ups before having to brace myself with a foot on a chair. But for the life of me, I can't even remotely come close to the insane number of pull-ups that Tony -- and in this particular video, Bobby Stephenson -- can do. Also? Their form is perfect whereas mine is shit; by the end of every set of pull-ups, I'm thrashing my legs around like a fish on a hook. (You know, the kind of fish with legs.)

My lack of pull-up progress really bugs me -- especially given that I've seen huge improvement in my ability to perform just about every other P90X move. I keep waiting for an "unlock" moment, when I suddenly figure out how to correct some biomechanical mistake I've been unwittingly making, and dramatically spike up my pull-up numbers. My gut tells me, though, that when it comes to pull-ups, I just need to lower my expectations.

On a more positive note: 70 Mason twists - no breaks!

Ab Ripper X, Anyone?

Every other day, at the end of an exhausting, hour-long P90X session, I get treated to this little slice of hell:

• In & Outs (25 reps). Sit on the floor with your knees bent and feet off the ground. Raise your arms straight overhead. Bring your knees in towards your chest. Straighten your legs back out and repeat movement.
• Seated Bicycles (25 reps forward, 25 reps backward). Starting in the same position as In & Out, pedal your feet as if you were riding a bike, and keep them from touching the floor. Each revolution counts as one rep.
• Seated Crunchy Frogs (25 reps). Similar to In & Outs, but start with your hands stretched out to the sides and parallel to the floor. Each time your knees come in towards your chest, bring your arms in around your knees.
• Crossed Leg / Wide Leg Sit-Ups (25 reps). Lie down with your feet crossed or legs wide. Place a hand behind your head and bring your torso up to perform a standard sit-up, but reach the other arm out to touch the opposite foot. Alternate arms for each rep.
• Fifer Scissors (25 reps). Lie down. Extend one leg up towards the ceiling and keep the other leg a few inches off the floor. Both legs must stay straight, with both feet flexed. Alternate legs in a scissor motion with a 3-count hold for each rep.
• Hip Rock & Raise (25 reps). While on your back, bend your legs so that the bottoms of both feet are touching. Push your hips and pelvis up, driving your feet up towards the ceiling at a 90 degree angle to your body. Legs should not touch the ground during this exercise.
• Pulse-Ups (25 reps). Same as Hip Rock & Raise, but keep your legs straight and feet flexed when driving up towards the ceiling.
• Roll-Up / V-Ups (25 reps). Lie down with your legs straight out and arms extended straight towards the ceiling. Do a standard sit-up from this position, touching your toes with your hands. On the way back down, raise your legs up off the ground at a 45 degree angle, and do another sit-up while keeping your legs in the air. Repeat.
• Oblique V-Ups (25 reps on each side). Lie on your side with your legs at a 30-degree angle and your "top" arm bent, resting your hand behind your head. Lift up your legs and torso at the same time, driving your bent elbow towards your lifted leg. Legs and shoulders must stay off the floor once you begin.
• Leg Climbs (25 reps). Lie down with one leg bent (foot on floor) and the other leg extended straight out at a 45 degree angle. "Climb" your straight leg with alternating hands. Repeat on the other side.
• Mason Twists (40 reps). Starting in the seated In & Out position, clasp your hands together, keeping your feet off the floor at all times. Twist your upper torso from side to side, touching the floor on either side of your butt using your knuckles.

Yeesh. It's like your end-of-workout ice cream sundae is topped with a cherry, and you're told you can only eat your sundae if you eat the cherry. Problem is, you despise cherries because they make you clutch your gut in excruciating pain and want to puke. But you have no choice: Someone has forced your mouth open and is cramming cherries down your throat.

[UPDATE: Someone who evidently doesn't give a rat's ass about copyright infringement has posted the entire Ab Ripper X workout on Vimeo here. Check it out if you're interested in seeing what Ab Ripper X is all about, but then go buy the real thing.]

P90X Day 10: Shoulders & Arms + Ab Ripper X

My arms are aching after this morning's workout, and it feels good. I'm in a groove.

I'm also getting better at making it through the Ab Ripper X routine without any breaks -- including the 40 Mason twists at the end of the workout. I'm starting to love it more than I hate it, which is saying a lot.