My normal off-season training routine usually consists of getting base miles in by riding the trainer 4-5 days a week, along with some sort of weight training for my upper body. This winter I decided to do something a little different. Most of you have probably seen the P90X infomercials that seem to be on just about every channel. At first I was skeptical of it being just another one of those quick weight loss schemes, but then I read some positive reviews on a few messageboards I frequent, so I decided to give it a try. It sounded like an excellent way to get my ENTIRE body in shape for the upcoming riding and race season.
Overview:
P90X is a 90 day exercise and nutrition program, divided into 3 different phases. One of the main ideas is to switch up your routine every 30 days to "confuse" your muscles and keep them responding to the workouts. One side benefit of this is that you won't get bored by doing the same workouts all the time. There are also two variations of the program, Classic and Lean, so that you can focus more on muscle growth (Classic) or cardio (Lean). Additionally, the program is designed so that you need a minimal amount of equipment... basically just dumbells and a chin up bar.
Workouts:
The beauty of the program is variety. Some of the workouts include Chest/Back, Plyometrics, Shoulder/Arms, Yoga X, Legs/Back, Kenpo X, X Stretch, Core Synergistics, Cardio X, and Ab Ripper X.
What You Get: (click for photo)
The P90X box contains 12 DVD's, a fitness guide, and a nutrition guide. I'm a really big fan of the DVD's. In the past I've done my workouts solo and at my own pace, but by watching the P90X DVD's while you workout, you are forced to follow along and push yourself to to make the most of each workout.
Preparation:
One common thing I seemed to be reading about P90X was that it was pretty extreme and NOT something you should undertake unless you were already in pretty good overall shape. My cardio fitness was fine, but I hadn't done any weight lifting since last winter. So, back in November I started off with some basic weight training routines for 6 weeks in anticipation of starting P90X. That, along with my somewhat regular mountain bike and trainer rides, would sufficiently prepare me for P90X.
P90X For Cyclists:
I think cyclists focus too much on lower body conditioning, ignoring the upper body and core - I have been guilty of that in the past myself. P90X should be a great off-season program for cyclists, mainly because it works every muscle group in the body, and combines cardio, plyometric, core and weight lifting routines to really get you into excellent overall condition. By spring, I'm hoping to be in the best overall shape of my life.
Where To Buy:
You can order direct from the creators of P90X, Beachbody.com.
BikeBlogs.com Does P90X:
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