P90X Shoulders and Arms
P90X Shoulders and Arms

This workout P90X Shoulders and Arms puts me back into an element of familiarity. For the first few years of my quest into “inshapeism” these were the kind of workouts I was doing. Now for the first time I know what people who eat comfort food feel like. So I guess instead of comfort food, I have a comfort workout and this Shoulders and Arms workout is one of em. The only difference is instead of using free weights I am using the Bodylastics resistance bands. More specifically I am using the Terrell Owens branded Bodylastics bands. This is sort of Bodylastics crème de la crème in resistance bands, they run about $100 for the whole set, and are a worthwhile investment if you’re serious about fitness.

P90X Shoulders and Arms

Now that I got my resistance bands, I will be doing all my review with these in mind. For shoulders and arms there is only one exercise that was awkward in doing the exercise with resistance bands, I will note it there.

As with all the other P90X DVD’s this starts out with some familiar stretching and warm-up. I have pretty much done all of the normal P90X DVD’s so there is nothing out of the ordinary there.

At the end of this DVD there is also a copy of Ab Ripper X that follows, so don’t blow your wad on the shoulders & arms workout.

It’s important to note that you do 2 sets of 3 exercises and then you do some ballistic stretching between sets. I have never exercised this way, and i’m not particularly sold on it yet, I need a few weeks to tell if it actually makes a difference or not.

Shoulders & Arms Exercises:

Alternating Shoulder Press

I have been doing these for years with free weights, but this time I am using the Bodylastics resistance bands. This is just a basic shoulder press. Stand up tall and using a weight that you’re comfortable with, press the weight or band above your head and come back down alternating between arms. I kinda flip-flopped around with this because using resistance bands are way different than regular old free weights. But once I got settled I was good to go.

In and Out Bicep Curls

My favorite kind of arm curls are Hammer curls, for some reason I am always stronger at hammer curls than normal curls. In & Out Bicep Curls incorporates Hammer curls with side curls. Just as the title says you start off doing normal curls or hammer curls, then when you come down instead of going back up for another curl, you come to the side and do a side curl. Again no drama and familiar if you workout regularly.

Two-arm Triceps Kickbacks

Kick backs are done standing up and you are leaning forward with your elbows glued to your sides. All you do here is use your triceps (back of your arms) to “kickback” the weight. The idea is to tame the weight and not let it get away from you. I personally am not a fan of doing kick backs with resistance bands; I think free weights are better for this exercise.

This concluded the 1st set. Do your ballistic stretching and proceed to your 2nd set.

Deep Swimmer’s Presses

Just like the alternating shoulder presses with without the alternating part. For Deep Swimmers Presses you do normal shoulder presses then throw a two arms bicep curl in there for good measure. This exercises works better with resistance bands than it does free weights.

Full Supination Concentration Curls

This is more commonly called an alternating grip bicep curl. What you do here is bring up the weight like your doing a normal curl, with your palms pointing up then when you reach the top alternate your grip, in this case you bring your grip facing inwards and drop back down. Simple and effective.

Chair Dips

Julie and I already outlined this workout here. This is the exact same exercise.

This concluded the 2nd set. Do your ballistic stretching and proceed to your 3rd set.

Upright Rows

My favorite upper body exercise, this is a very basic anaerobic exercise. All you do is grab a comfortable weight your arms down and palms facing toward your body then just lift the weight up while flaring your elbows up and out. I love this exercise.

Static Arm Curls

This is actually the first time I have ever done static curls. You start off by bring both of your arms to the halfway position, then only keeping one arm there (static) you do 4 curls with the other arm and switch sides. You do a total of 16 curls. I like this exercise, its something I have never thought of but it works. Great stuff.

Flip-Grip Twist Triceps Kickbacks

Just like normal kickback but you flip your grip in the up position. I didn’t think that this would be that much harder than normal kickback. I was wrong! It adds a whole new dimension to the kickback exercise. I don’t like normal Tricep Kickback but I do like these.

This concludes the 3rd set. Do your ballistic stretching and proceed to your 4th set.

2 Angle Shoulder Fly’s

This is probably the hardest exercise of the day. Just normal shoulder fly’s are fine, it second angle that blows it out the water. You do your Shoulders flys as normal which are very standard. The second angle is your lean forward as much as you can (maybe a 50 degree angle) then does your fly again. This is a very tough exercise. I only did these with the resistance bands, and didn’t need much weight. Very good stuff here.

Crouching Cohen Curls

This is the exercise that doesn’t work with the resistance bands that I have. These are standard curls but you are in a crouching position with your elbows resting on the inside of your knees. This is a very easy move, I have never done this in a crouching position but it works. I really didn’t like doing this exercise with the bands. It really sucked. I think normal dumbbells would be fine for this exercise.

Lying-down tricep extension

These are more commonly called “Skull Crushers”. If you’re using dumbbells while lying down you extend your arms straight up and only using your triceps you bring the weight down to the sides of your face and back up again. With the bands you stand up and do the same thing, except you are bringing the bands behind your head. I have done millions of these and this is one of the staples of my normal workouts.

This concludes the 4th set. Do your ballistic stretching and proceed to your 5th set.

In & Out Straight-arm Shoulder Flys

These are more commenly called Straight arms flys and lateral raises. With bands in your hands you bring your arms straight out to your sides then directly in front of you. This is also another staple in my normal workouts. I have been doing these for ears. Comfort exercises for me.

Congdone Curls

This is again another way of doing alternating grip curls. You start with both palms facing up and do your curls as normal, when you reach the top, switch your grip so your palms are facing inwards and lower the weight. I normally do these in my workouts.  Again a comfort workout wins!

Side Tri-Raises

Lose your weights because you don’t need these. Like the name states you are lying on your back. Use your arm that is off the ground to place is on the ground in front of your chest or wherever is comfortable, and then use your arms that are already on the ground to grab your shoulder. Then using the arm that is in front of your chest push to rise up your body. This is a great bodyweight exercise. I love this!

P90X Shoulders and Arms

All in all I give this DVD a 4 out of 5 Charles Faces. I’m too familiar with all these for a 5 Face nomination.

4face

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

This concludes my review on P90X Shoulders and Arms.


Charles Lloyd
Charles Lloyd

Self processed fitness missionary and author of most of the ridiculous fitness articles written on Charles Lloyd Fitness.com. I am not really a writer, but a workout fiend who happens to have a blog. The single mission of this website is very simple: Get You In Shape. I have been blessed with the gift of good health and want to share it with you. Join Me.

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