Ab Ripper X

This is my review on P90X Chest and Back and Ab Ripper.

I am going to review the whole P90X series over the next few weeks starting with disk 1, which I did last night.

P90X Chest and Back and Ab Ripper

I started P90X sometime last year, but have never have posted anything about it. However, according to my research here on my website, there are a few people who are interested in what I have to say about the series. So, I am not going by their plan. Instead, I will go with whatever disk I feel like doing, and I am starting with Chest, Back and Ab Ripper X.  When you buy the P90X set, there is a plan that will instruct you on what disks to do in what order and also what to eat.

I am not a part of Team Beachbody nor do I have any affiliation with them. I am a part of the Fit Club Network started by Monica Koon Ward who is a friend of mine on facebook and twitter, and I think I am a forum member of Team Beachbody (but have never posted there). Other than that, I have no affiliation with P90X or any of their subsidiaries.

If you’re not currently in shape I don’t recommend starting out with P90X. These work-outs are world class and are tough even if you are in shape.

Introduction:

Any of the chest days are going to be the toughest for me because it is where I am the weakest. Consequently, this is where I need it the most.

Tony does a great job getting you amped up. The best part about Tony is he is kind of a nerd; he really doesn’t care about trying to be cool on camera – he is who he is and he is comfortable in his own skin. This is very important because as another dedicated gym rat, I can tell the fakers from the dedicated pretty easily – somebody who cares will put  that much more into it and is there to help you and not into for a paycheck. I applaud Tony Horton for his effort.

The Exercises:

First, like most of the P90X’s, you start out with a warm-up where you do some static and ballistic stretching, running in place and getting your core temperature up for the workout, nothing ground breaking here….except the arm circles. Tony has you do about 11 billionity of these and my shoulders were burning after a while, but I actually get a hard-on for stuff like this so its just a matter of routine and is actually fun!

**Note: There are random water breaks done during the course that I don’t write about.**

Standard Push-ups:

Yep, just good ole-fashioned regular ole plane-jane push-ups. Tony has you pick a number and stick to it, it really does not matter how many push-ups you can do, whether it’s 1 or 10,000, it’s just a matter of doing them and doing them properly. The focus here is quality and quantity – knock those push-ups out!

There is some hot little German girl in this video knocking out full push-ups, so just because you’re a girl don’t think you can’t do full push-ups. (my pahtna Julie can do full push-ups too, so get it girls!!)

These push-ups are done slightly shoulder width part, be sure you look at a spot 45 degrees in front of you. If you don’t, you will mess up your reps (BAD).

Modification: If you can’t do the push-ups on your toes, then go down to your knees and do them.

Wide Front Pull-ups:

I use my Perfect Pull-Up Bar here, but these can be done effectively if you have resistance bands. Wide Front Pull-ups are done with a grip just wider than your shoulders with your palms facing away from you: for me, the door frame I use with the Perfect Pull-up bar is just barely wider than my shoulders, but it works.

Pick a number and stick to it.

Doing sloppy Pull-ups is not going to help you here.

Modification: If you’re using a pull-up bar, get a chair and put it in front of you with your leg on it to help you keep your number, the further the chair is out in front of you, the harder the exercise is.

Military Push-ups:

Pick a number and stick too it.

Military Push-ups are done with your hands directly under your shoulders. When you go down, make sure your elbows stay close to your sides.

I wonder why they call these military push-ups, I was in the military and never did these.  As with all push-ups, the modification is to do them on your knees. If you’re a guy, don’t try and be a hero if you can’t do them on your toes. Doing sloppy Push-ups won’t help you.

Modification: If you can’t do the push-ups on your toes, then go down to your knees and do them.

Reverse Grip Chin-ups:

Pick a number and stick to it.

Reverse Grip Chin-ups are done at shoulder-width apart with your palms facing you. These are usually easier because you also use your biceps.

Modification: If you’re using a pull-up bar, get a chair and put it in front of you with your leg on it to help you keep your number, the further the chair is out in front of you, the harder the exercise is.

Wide Grip Push-ups:

Pick a number and stick to it.

As the title states, you’re in the push-up position with your hands farther apart than your shoulders. Just be sure not to go too far apart because you can seriously injure yourself.

Modification: If you can’t do the push-ups on your toes, then go down to your knees and do them.

Close Grip Overhand Pull-ups:

Pick a number and stick to it.

Close Grip Overhand Pull-ups are done by making a fist in front of you then sticking out your thumbs and having them touch. If you lost your thumbs in a horrendous train accident then guesstimate.  For me this is about 3½  or 4 inches apart.

Modification: If you’re using a pull-up bar, get a chair and put it in front of you with your leg on it to help you keep your number, the further the chair is out in front of you, the harder the exercise is.

Decline Push-ups:

Pick a number and stick to it.

I did this workout in my living room so I used my couch to do the decline push-ups. Decline push-ups are where you have your legs in a straight line from your toes to your shoulders (unlike normal push-ups where your toes are on the ground) and your feet are off the ground. This works different pectoral muscles – for me these are easier than normal push-ups.

Modification: Instead of using your feet on the chair, move back to your quadriceps, this will make it easier.

Diamond Push-ups:

Pick a number and stick to it.

Diamond Push-ups are a bitch for me! You make a diamond shape with your thumbs and index fingers with your hands directly under your chest. At this point, I’m already tired and I’m down on my knees doing these. A blow to my ego, but oh well.

Modification: You either go down to your knees to make it easier, or go up on 1 leg to make it harder.

Lawnmowers:

Pick a number and a weight and stick to it.

These are standing dumbbell rows. This is gut check time. Here you use your dumbbells or resistance bands again. This is where the magic starts to happen, when you’re already tired and think you can’t go anymore.

Dive Bomber Push-ups:

Pick a number and stick to it.

Dive Bomber Push-ups are like doing a downward dog, but you’re going under the fence with first your chest then hips then thighs in a very fluid motion. Then you reverse the move to go thighs, then hips, then chest also in a very fluid motion. Kinda like going under a fence face first, then going back under the fence backwards.

There is no modification to this one: Just keep going for the allotted amount of time.

Just when you think you are done – you take a water break – then do the exact same exercise ALL OVER again! Yep again, but this time instead of starting out with regular push-ups you start out with pull-ups. Yep, it’s a lot. This is why the system works.

P90X Chest and Back and Ab Ripper

Ab Ripper X:

If you do this properly and go through this short program as soon as you are done with the first half of the disk, you should already be warmed up and ready to go.

Ab Ripper X sucks! Not in a way that it’s not effective, but in a way that it is extremely hard. Being an ectomorph in my upper body and mesomorph in my lower body does not help either. I have very heavy, very strong legs, legs. That helps me during the leg day, but not during Ab Ripper X.  (However, for my pahtna Julie, these are awesome!)

Here is a P90X success story.

Interested? Go get it in my Beachbody web store. If you want a 25% discount sign-up as  a “Coach” and spread the word!

Thanks for looking at P90X Chest and Back and Ab Ripper.