So, the first week (rather the first 2 weeks) went about as expected. Before I start any new workout routine, I give myself a week of prep work so that my muscles can feel what adjustment they are going to need to make in order to survive an intense program, much like this one. During the pre-week I took the first three routines out of the P90X routine (Chest/Back, Plyometrics, and Arms/Shoulders) and did those in back to back days and let my body rest so that I wouldn’t become unmotivated due to sore muscles. My off days I spent drinking copious amounts of water while going through a regular stretching regimen that I’ve had instilled in me since my days in Taekwondo.
As for the REAL week 1 experience, it was as expected. I was quite thankful I took that first week to let my body adjust (I would very much recommend you do the same. Too many people lose their initial drive because of the pain and soreness their body goes through in the first week). I’m a very explosive person when it comes to my training. I train very intensely in the weight room and have adjusted my lifting technique/routine to fit that personality. I live by the mantra “Train slow and you’ll be slow.” This is very simply explained by stating that when you are doing any lift, you do a slow negative and then explode very quickly into muscle contraction. On bench press for instance: Go down very slow and then explode up. This is how I’ve been training in the weight room for years. It’s why I can sprint surprisingly fast and hit surprisingly hard.
But P90X is a different creature altogether. This is a program that focuses on “doing your best and forgetting the rest.” Tony Horton in these videos does a lot of things that I am so glad to see. He shows you correct form, he tells you to take breaks if you need them, he even walks you through a world class workout all while keeping you motivated. The only thing I don’t like, specifically about the chest/back exercise, is that he tells me to pace myself rather than exploding my push-ups and pull-ups and letting that intense fire flow through me. While I do not like this, I will have to give it a fair shake so as to get you guys the best analysis I possibly can.
On another note, I love yoga. I mostly love meditating which is at the heart of yoga. I did find out, however, that I’ve lost a lot of flexibility from my past and must, once again, regain it in order to be successful. So, in short, yoga kicked my ass.
All in all it was a good first week. I look forward to continuing this workout routine.
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