P90X

I know of a fellow ultramarathoner that is training for a 100-miler now (he's done a few of them in the past). A big chunk of his training is done using P90X; I don't know yet if it'll work.

In my opinion it is legit. It's not something that would benefit distance runners though.

Its alot of extremely tough strength workouts, some plyometrics, yoga and some odds and ends. I've done the entire program. It's hard work but i don't think anybody could do it without getting much leaner and much stronger unless you were to enter the program extremely fit.

Don't do this and expect to run fast though.

It's the only workout infomercial that actually ever made me want to look into the product.

I had a friend start it a few weeks ago, but I don't know if he kept up with it. I had last talked to him when he was only 2-3 days in and he was complaining about being really sore.

From what I've read on other sites, it seems like you need some base fitness before you start the program. Going from out-of-shape blob to that type of program would probably be too stressful and tiring for most.

Bad Area wrote:

I had a friend start it a few weeks ago, but I don't know if he kept up with it. I had last talked to him when he was only 2-3 days in and he was complaining about being really sore.

Hahaha, every single person i have talked to about doing p90x has said the exact same thing, and quit shortly after the first week.

Yeah, you've got to have some fitness in you to start the program in my opninion. I had been lifting twice a week and running about 20 miles a week before i started and it still kicked my ass for two or three weeks.

Its pretty remarkable the progress you begin to see after two or three weeks if you stick to it. It's brutal though. I would say that for me it was equally as hard as running 60 miles a week with some workouts in there. It's basically 60 to 90 minutes a day and you're worked over like crazy 70% of the days.

What do you have to have access to? Weights, bands, balls, etc.?

you need a pull-up bar, weights or bands, a mat to do yoga on and push-up bars are nice to have as well, plus you need a good amount of open floor space to do some of the workouts

It's a legitimate workout. For me the results were very noticeable (both cosmetically and in the numbers). As a distance runner I went into it anticipating to gain some upper-body mass and being OK with that. The plyometrics workout and the core training workout had the most crossover with running, in my opinion. These were full of good exercises that I have implemented with my runners (HS coach).

You do need a pull-up bar and some free weights (or bands... but I prefer the weights).

Finally, the hardest part of keeping up with the program is the time involved. The workouts average over an hour in length and some go up to 90 min.

Is it possible to do them without the pullup bar?

Or is there a pullup bar you can buy that doesn't go in the doorway. Maybe like just a medal frame with a bar across it at the top?

I have the Iron Gym.

http://www.getirongym.com/Default.asp?bhcp=1

It works great as pull-up and push-up bar, doesn't work well for crunches or dips.

Doesn't leave marks, however, check the doorframe for dents if you use it a lot.

I was actually just looking through different pullup bars available and thought that one looked the best.

Is it easy to fit in the doorway though? What does the doorway have to look like? It needs trim?

i do the ab ripper. your mom loves um

Doing P90X is one of the best choices I ahve ever made in my life. Ever. I have been doing it regularly for a year.

When I first started, it was one of the toughest workouts I have ever done. The first day absolutely destroyed me, I was so sore, but i kept on doing it. After about 2 weeks I stopped getting so sore as my body got used to the workouts.

As a 800/1500 guy this really helped me. The strength workouts are surprisingly simple (push ups, pull ups, curls, flys, lunges), but there are at least 3-6 different variations of each movement

The ab workout is BRUTAL, but if you do it 3 times a week like you should, your core gets crazy strong

there is yoga, which has helped my core, and made me a better surfer. There is plyo which has made me faster, like crazy faster, and my vertical leap is way higher, i can hit the rim now

It isnt easy, but it has made me a healthier, more athletic, stronger person, and I dont plan on stopping... ever

Do you do the entire program over and over again or do you just pick and choose workouts to do as you please?

I'm looking to do another cycle of it starting soon but wondered if there are people that just start at the beginning of the 90 days righ when they get through over and over. What are your results the second time through if this is the case?

ab ripper x is a great ab workout for anyone. do it 3x a week

Fatigue for the sake of fatigue does not always equal results.

Alan

its HIT; high intensity training. it has its advantages (more calories in short period of time)

its explosive, a lot of the couch potatoes will shy away from this type of exercise. but there are those looking for the drastic change.

but its results for overall fitness are great. just stretch well, recover, and hydrate. and you're going to be sore!

im sure you can argue either way for distance runners. its exhausting, takes a lot of energy. talk with a personal trainer or a coach you trust and you can probably adjust it to your specific event, 60m or ultra.

good luck

Damn right you are going to be sore....My abs are still sore from doing the P90X ab ripper workout 2 days ago!!

Bad Area wrote:

I was actually just looking through different pullup bars available and thought that one looked the best.

Is it easy to fit in the doorway though? What does the doorway have to look like? It needs trim?

Trim at top, it needs a lip to hook onto to keep it from falling. I put some foam between the bar and the door frame to further prevent marring the wood.