Diary of a Real Girl

Okay, so I just decided to write this post as I was sending a message to Angie about the workouts!

A few people have mentioned that they haven’t heard of these, or heard they were super tough, etc. I just wanted to give my account of what I think of them.

First of all, I am in love with Tony Horton…he is an absolute dumbass but he kicks your butt…he says the most ridiculous things and sometimes his cohorts are super annoying…I would say that there is one video that gets me through the workout on laughing alone (and we have had times where we – me and the husband – have to pause the DVD because we were laughing so hard).

Anyway, I will give a quick rundown of the videos I have done and what I think of them.

Here goes!!!

Chest and Back : This one is Day 1, but it wasn’t the first one I started with and I am GLAD!!! The sole purpose of this video is pushups and chinups/pullups. Sounds scary right??? Well I do girl pushups, and to start I could only bend my elbows, now my boobs almost touch the ground! CRAZY!! We don’t have pull up bars either, so we use the bands (as does one person in the video) – whoever is sitting there thinking you can’t get a workout from the bands…think again!! We bought a whole set of bands, and I have worked my way up through 2 colors…it’s ridiculous what you feel when you are doing them right! (This is only in Phase 1)

Shoulders and Back: This is Day 1 in phase 2 and 3…it involves MORE pushups BUT it has 1 armed pushups and clapping pushups…INSANE!!! Lots of weights in this one too!!!

Plyometrics : Tony says this is the “X” in P90X…and DAMN!!! It involves lots of jumping, lots of squatting, lots of lunges – Squat jacks anyone??? The best part of this video is that ALL exercises are done for 30 seconds, except for some easier ones are a minute. So you do 3 exercises for 30 secs each, then a 1 minute exercise, repeat the set and take a 30 second break…you feel AMAZING (and sweaty) at the end.

Shoulders, Back and Biceps: (I think that’s what it’s called). Lots of weights, a GREAT arms workout…I don’t recall a WHOLE lot about it (I try to remember the “Characters” in it)…I remember feeling VERY good about it (you drop this video in phase 2).

Back and Biceps: Introduced in Phase 2 – one of my FAVORITES!!! The people in it are douchebags and make me laugh…AMAZING arm workout in this one!! And the “corn cob” pullups are KILLER (even with the bands!!)…this is only our second week of this one and I feel a difference in my biceps!!

Kenpo: MY FAVORITE!!! Kicking, punching, blocking…this is the one I feel like I am REALLY good at!! I even get the “boxers bounce” when punching too – my husband says we should get me a punching bag! He is super impressed at how well I can punch now!!!

Legs and Back: This one kicks my butt!!!! It is INSANE!!!! SO many squats and lunges!! The “sneaky lunges” KILL my legs!! You have to stay on your toes and lunge for 2.5 minutes straight – sound easy??? YOU do it!!! I haven’t been able to do the full 2.5 minutes without putting my heels down, our friends do and I am in AWE of them for it!!! I seriously thought I was going to die last time (okay, that’s over exaggerating!).

Yoga X: this is NOT your relaxing Yoga!! There are 45 minutes of Vinyasas in which you cycle through your whole vinyasa adding a new exercise on each time…you go through runners pose, crescent pose, triangle pose, twisting triangle, warrior one, warrior two, warrior three, standing splits and half moon…I think I missed one or two there..it’s 45 minutes of INTENSE sweaty yoga, and then you are met with 45 minutes of balance poses and floor poses! NICE! The first time through we thought it was a whole 90 minutes of the initial craziness…the relief that went through the room when that part was done was palpable.

The last one I will mention is during “Recovery Week: which goes: Yoga, Core, Kenpo, Core, Yoga, Stretch (I think)…why of why can’t I remember this??? Anyway…

Core Synergistics: for a recovery exercise this is RIDICULOUS!!! Lots of core work, and those stupid Superman/Bananas and then the Boughs/Boats…NOT fun!!! But a good workout none the less…until his acrobat friend starts showing off…I stopped what I was doing in awe (and it made me want to vomit!!).

Anyway, so that is a rundown of all of it. Each video is around an hour and you do the program 6 days a week for 12 weeks, and there are 3 different programs. You do 3 weeks on and have a recovery week.

Trust me, some people see these and think they can’t do them…I bet you can!!! I KNOW I won’t have a beach body when this is done…but I am certainly working it!!! (Oh and there is Ab Ripper X at the end of each “weights” day…it’s 15 minutes…but I will leave that one as a suprise…and not a pleasant one!!)

Oh, and I would also say that it is a BIG commitment and not somethingn to be done half assed…trust me – in the words of Tony Horton – you will love it, but you’ll hate it, but you’ll love it!!