What Type of Workout Is One on One: Upper Body Balance?

Upper Body Balance is a Chest and Ab routine…mostly.  I say “mostly” because the chest moves involve instability that work more than just your chest.  Your shoulders, Triceps and even lats help to stabilize you as you do these moves.  Allowing for a great upper body workout.  In between each Chest move there is an ab move.  So not only are you hitting your core during the chest move by doing push ups on medicine balls for example, but you are also hitting up your abs.

What is the Length and How many Exercises?

This is roughly a 52 min workout.  There is a good amount of warm up and cool down as well.  There are 16 exercises listed at the beginning but in typical Tony Horton fashion, he adds a bonus round if you are so inclined.  The greatest part about this workout is watching Tony struggle.  But if you can keep up with him then you still ahead of the game.

My Impressions/Review

This is a fun workout.  It’s a great introduction to the instability exercises that you are going to do in P90X2.  Tony does a great job at explaining how to do each one of these moves.  Whether its the “impossible” push up, 4 medicine ball push ups, swimmers push ups, etc.  He shows you how you can use basket balls and even a foot ball to do these.  When you sandwich that in with the ab routines this workout is definitely worth doing.  Like I said above, I liked to incorporate into my misc day (Saturdays) instead of Chest X 2.0 when I was doing P90X Chest/Back that week.

Tony is also in full form in this one…there are ball jokes thrown around all over the place.  This is actually one of the workouts I recommend to those trying to find some more chest routines after they complete P90X.  I can see this one being thrown into the schedule during the foundation phase, especially since it’s only a 5 day schedule.  Can you tell I like this workout?  If your used to doing push ups in P90X then this will add a whole new element.  This truly gets you ready for P90X2.

If you want to buy One on One: 4 Legs you can do so by CLICKING HERE.  Or you can Pre-Order P90X2 by reading my “How To Pre-Order P90X2” Post.

What Type of Workout Is One on One: 4 Legs?

Not to state the obvious, but One on One: 4 Legs is a leg workout…with a twist.  Instead of the more traditional leg exercises that you are used in with P90X: Legs/Back, you are doing all new moves.  There is One major difference, you do them all on One leg.  So there is a huge instability factor involved while doing these exercises.  Because of this, you will not need any weight.  This workout is weight free.  All you use is your body weight.  It doesn’t sound tough but it definitely is.  Having to balance on One Leg for all of these moves takes focus and concentration.  It also takes a lot of good balance.  These types of exercises trigger more stabilizer muscle fibers to trigger, which in turn makes you pretty damn tired.

What is the Length and How many Exercises?

The workout runs around 53 mins I believe.  This includes both a warm up and a cool down, which you definitely shouldn’t skip.  There are 10 exercises in all but since they take so much focus and balance, you do them slowly.  There are moves like single leg squats, and half moon lunges.  Both become extremely difficult toward the end.  Tony Horton does a great job at telling you how many reps you need to do and if what he says isn’t enough, all you have to do is add another 5 reps and I can guarantee that you will feel it.

My Impressions

This workout was tough, but in a different way.  I was able to get through the whole thing and worked up a good sweat.  It isn’t your typical Tony Horton leg routine.  It takes focus in order to balance during each exercise.  The better form you use, the more deliberate your movements are, the harder the workout is.  I found myself doing an extra 5 reps on a couple of the exercises for some extra burn, so I recommend doing the same thing.  I also recommend not getting ahead of Tony.  If you rush these exercises you won’t get much out of them.   The point of this routine is to work on your balance and core strength, not to power through each move as quickly as possible.  Oh and for every time you have to touch the ground, you have to do 1 push up.  I had to do over 40 when I finished…have fun with that ;).

Overall I liked this workout a lot and I am kinda bummed that I haven’t included it into my routine until now.  It is great for a change of pace or if you want something that works your Legs a little more. See the Video below for a preview.

If you want to buy One on One: 4 Legs you can do so by CLICKING HERE.  Or you can Pre-Order P90X2 by reading my “How To Pre-Order P90X2” Post.

This is why I would recommend everyone to monitor their body fat while they are going through a program like P90X, Insanity or TurboFire.  It might even be easier than you think, and it will give you a much better idea how well you are doing with your fitness.

There are several ways you can measure body fat so I will try to touch on all of them so you can determine which is best for you.  The first, is through scaless that do Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis… or BIA for short.  These work by sending a harmless electrical signal through your body and measure the resistance.  It’s basically a way to measure body density.  The only problem with this form is it can be thrown off very easily.  Too much water, too much muscle mass, different temperatures can all throw off the number and make it less accurate.  If you are consistent, scales can be a better way to monitor your body fat but not the initial measurement.  When I have used the scale version it has registered me at 10% body fat…I am down in the 4-6% rage so it can be off if you are muscular.  But there are better ways….

One of the more accurate ways to measure body fat is by using a Body Fat Caliper.  They are fairly inexpensive but a great tool that you can find on here or on amazon.  The only downside can be human error, so I recommend you have someone help you with your measurements, but it is a quick and easy way to determine your body fat more accurately.  I really like a website called www.liner-software.com that has a great place to put your measurements and have it calculate it for you.  They also provide multiple methods so I would try a few and determine which you like and which seem the most accurate.  It won’t give the exact number but you can definitely find within + or – 1% where you are at.  For example if you measure out at 12% body fat you can assume that your probably around 11-13%.  As you start using this method as your body fat decreases you can definitely monitor your decrease correctly.  If you go from 12% to 11% you can definitely assume you have lost 1% body fat.

The other form of measuring body fat is Hydrostatic body fat Testing (Getting Dunked) and Air Displacement Plethysmography or the “Bod Pod” (As seen on The Biggest Loser).  Both of these types of measurements take machines/facilities and trained staff in order to do them.  Both of these methods are quick, easy and usually cost around $50 per session.  If your looking to get a super accurate look at your full body composition then this is the way to go.  The only problem is that they are usually hard to find and cost a lot for what you can figure out using a body fat caliper basically.  Regardless, I decided to try the Hydrostatic testing and found out that I was at 4.5% body fat when I was determining how to get ready for the P90X2 Filming.  So it can definitely be worth looking into if your interested in getting another perspective.

Often we place to much emphasis on body weight.  When the scale doesn’t move we feel like we aren’t accomplishing our goals.  This isn’t necessarily the case.  What you should care more about is how well your clothes are fitting, and what is happening with your body fat %.  So instead of weighing yourself all the time, try using a body fat caliper and determining where you are at every 2-3 weeks.  Write it down, take your pics and monitor your progress.  I started at 16% body fat when I started P90X and finished at 8% on day 90.  I also went from 150lbs to 160lbs…if I wasn’t monitoring my body fat I might of thought I was doing something wrong.  I hope this gives you a better idea of how you can measure your body fat.

If you have any questions please feel free to comment!

So, first off…what is P.A.P? P.A.P. stands for Post-Activation Potentiation. Sounds a little “sciency” uh? That’s because it is. It is an idea delevoped by Dr. Marcus Elliott at his Santa Barbara training facility for high profile athletes called “P3“. In the most laymen terms, Post-Activation Potentiation is a training routine that involves complexes of heavy strength movements followed by explosive exercises that is said to fire your muscles so that they are more activated to help you perform better. Here is a better idea of what it is and what it involves from Steve Edwards and Dr. Elliott:

First:

“that prior heavy loading induces a high degree of central nervous system stimulation, resulting in greater motor unit recruitment and force, which can last from five-to-thirty minutes”

and secondly:

“PAP intervention enhances the H-reflex, thus increasing the efficiency and rate of the nerve impulses to the muscle”

In laymen terms, this means that doing heavy lifting prior to explosive activity can actually help you fire higher threshold muscle cell motor units which, even even simpler terms, means that you will jump higher, run faster, or life more weight.

Underlying Mechanisms of PAP

1. Heavy loading prior to an explosive movement induces a high degree of central nervous system stimulation, resulting in greater motor unit recruitment and force, which can last from five to thirty minutes (Chiu, Fry, Weiss, et al 2003) .

2. Along with more central nervous system stimulation, PAP has been attributed to Phosphorylation of myosin regulatory light chains, meaning that following a heavy strength movement actin and myosin which function together to generate force and muscle contractions are more sensitive to calcium and more active. The greater the phosphorylation of the myosin light chain protein, the faster the rate of contraction and tension (Chiu, Fry, Weiss, et al 2003).

3. Another scientific finding that explains this effect is the enhancement of the H-reflex, increasing the rate of neurotransmission to the muscles (Hodgson, Docherty, Robbins, 2005).

As you can see, they are definitely on to something special at P3. These guys know their stuff and if you follow their blog you will see that a lot of their athletes are having very good years in their given sport.

So how is the workout? First, it is very different than what you are used to. It involves a very long and dynamic warmup. Tony takes you through a series of warm up moves that makes sure your ready to take on some of these moves.

Having done one of the actually P.A.P. workouts while getting ready for the Next P90X (P90X:MC2), I can tell you that this workout is a great “appetizer” of sorts. This workout gives you a great idea of what to expect but doesn’t fully let you taste the true power of P.A.P….yet. There are 2 complexes that Tony goes through. Each complex consists of 4 moves, each designed to help you perform the next and make sure your getting the most of P.A.P. The first complex is upper body and if you do it correctly is a very tough complex. There are some strength moves, power moves and stretching. The second complex is even tougher…at least for me. It is all legs and involves of of the hardest Core/Leg/Plank moves I have ever done. When you can start to hold this thing for 30 secs straight through each set of the complex then you are doing very well. During the rehearsal during MC2 I saw that women tend to do much better with this move then men. So don’t challege your wife/girl friend with this move because she might destroy you.

Overall this workout is a great addition to your dvd arsenal. It is something totally different and will allow you to have an upcoming sneak peak at what is in store with the Next P90X. Tony Horton takes you through each exercise and shows you how difficult it can be, even for him. It’s something that I have added to my routine and I think you will love it. I have been waiting to talk about it for months now so I am glad it is finally out and ready for everyone to try!

You’ll experience the same P90X® intensity in 40 to 60 minute workouts. To start, just rotate your new P90X One on One workout into your P90X schedule. Then once you’ve collected a library of DVDs, you’ll be able to create an exciting new training program.

Here’s how it works. When you subscribe, you’ll get the latest workouts and exercise routines each month straight from Tony—from his home to yours, for just $19.95 a month.

This is going to be an amazing series.  I am extremely excited about it.  The first one of the series is called Chest/Back & Balls.  It looks like Chest/Back taken up a notch with the addition of balls for balance and intensity.  If you liked P90X and want a sneak preview of the next P90X:MC2 then pick this one up.  You can find it in the “Program” section of the website.  CLICK HERE

-Coach Sean

REVIEW

100/30/20 consists of 100 jump ropes, 30 ab reps, and 20 push up reps.  It’s totals around 40 mins and is very fast paced.  Each “round” Tony changes up the ab and push-up exercises to hit up different parts of your core and chest, delivering a great Cardio/Core/Chest workout.  Mason, the camera operator and director, adds a challenge to Tony at the very end of the routine that is really fun to do.

Overall I really enjoyed this workout.  If you want to add even more intensity try going to failure on each of the push up exercises, 100/30/Fail info you will.  Your heart rate will be sky high and your chest will burn at the end.  I really like the variety of Ab and push-up exercises that was put into the routine.  The rope jumping was a great way to mix up cardio.  I found it both challenging and a lot more fun than your typical cardio type routines.  I am going to be incorporating this workout into my P90X schedule from now on.  Tony Horton’s One on One dvds continue to deliver the intensity that I have come to love about P90X.  Definitely a great one to get.

The best part about this 100/30/20 is that if you order it this month (April) you will receive a free sample of my new favorite supplement, Shakeology.  If you want to learn more about Shakeology CLICK HERE.  You will receive the 100/30/20 workout, a free sample of Chocolate Shakeology, a recipe card for different shakes, and a info DVD all about how to use Shakeology for your goals.

CLICK HERE To Order 100/30/20 and Receive a Free Sample of Shakeology!

If you have any questions or comments please feel free to comment below or contact me.

-Coach Sean