Confused

Watching this video reminds of how long it's been since I received a massage from a lady robot whose hands are made of lobsters.

(Source: CC Pearce)

P90X Day 35: X Stretch

I definitely needed X Stretch this morning. Enjoyed it, too.

For whatever reason, I'm significantly more sore this week than I was during my very first week of P90X. My glutes and hamstrings have been uncomfortably tight for days, and my lower back isn't feeling great, either. Either the past five weeks of hardcore exercise is finally catching up to me, or the new workouts in Phase 2 are getting more intense. Regardless, this "muscle confusion" thing must be working, because my muscles have no fucking idea what's going on.

P90X Day 15: Chest & Back + Ab Ripper X

Chest & Back is definitely getting easier. Again, I'm not a believer in "muscle confusion" as applied to P90X -- to me, it's just a marketing ploy -- but I do believe that my body's getting more accustomed to cranking out dozens of push-ups (and a few pull-ups). This is still crazy-intense, but perhaps I'm starting to get used to crazy-intense.

Muscle Confusion?

I've read blog and forum posts emphasizing the importance of following P90X to the T, and never deviating from the program (other than by switching to the "Lean" or "Doubles" routines if desired). The materials even warn that users shouldn't linger more than one extra week on any set of weekly workouts, suggesting that your muscle development will "plateau" if you stick with one set of exercises too long.

While I don't disagree generally with the idea that it's useful to introduce variation in workouts, my sense is that: (1) no one's in danger of "plateauing" after a mere three to four weeks' worth of performing wildly different resistance and cardio moves, (2) "muscle confusion" is -- at least in the P90X context -- a marketing gimmick that should be more accurately termed "variation for the sake of staving off boredom," and (3) in any event, the P90X schedule seems to run counter to the tenets of "muscle confusion" given that the only resistance programs that change involve the chest, back and arms.

But we've seen the awesome before-and-after photos, so without "muscle confusion" driving results, what's going on? My theory: You can take just about anyone and put him/her on a strict diet and heavy-duty daily exercise regimen (8 hours of hardcore exercise per week qualifies as heavy-duty in my book) and you're going to see body changes. Fat will be lost. Strength will be gained. Fitness will improve. But my guess is that slavish devotion to the P90X plan isn't necessary.

That being said, I'm going to continue following the P90X plan as faithfully as possible. Right now, I need the motivation and the structure provided by Tony "King Douche" Horton to keep going, and it's a hell of a lot easier popping in a DVD every morning than it is to go to the gym and figure out how to create a workout that equals P90X in intensity and variety.