Trying P90X2: Phase One Continued…

Kelsey completes Phase One of P90X2!

FBG intern and on-again-off-again exerciser Kelsey is trying P90X2, the second version of the super-popular P90X system by Tony Horton. Find out how it’s going below, and follow along with her progress in the coming months here!

P90X2 Phase One? Check. Me and the two guys I work out with spent a total of four weeks in Phase One: the Core and Balance phase. One week was practice, you know, so we could get acclimated to the workouts. That only lead to more soreness, but you can never get too much practice right? Best to know the moves and do them correctly so that you don’t get injured!

In the beginning, I definitely modified the moves so I could work up to (my version of) perfecting them. As time went on, I found myself getting better at the balance parts, as did my P90X2 buddies. And by the end, we all stepped it up a notch and tried to finish out the phase with mucho gusto.

The guys I am working out with—my hubby and our friend—definitely tried to outdo each other, which was a sight to see sometimes…competition, competition. I found it amusing. I, on the other hand, was determined not to kill myself like they did but still get a challenging workout in. As I looked back at my notes for the first phase, I noticed that I modified quite a few of the moves, but as the round continued, I got a progressively better at some of them. Good, right?

Here are a few of my highlights and lessons learned doing the first phase of P90X2:

Results from P90X2 Phase One

• Don’t Be Afraid to Modify Any Move. One of the moves on the day for Core is the Half Angel. This move is tough for someone who doesn’t have much if any arm strength, i.e. myself. So I modified the move by lifting my arm and leg separately instead of at the same time—because that would just be a disaster. I’m not that coordinated. I’m sure if I had more practice, I could master the move. Instructor Tony Horton emphasizes practice and tells first-timers not to go overboard and just do what you can. So I did and recommend you do the same!
• Celebrate Your Successes. The Russian Twist on the Balance and Power day was a move I improved on—in the weight category, as well as reps. For a weakling like me that was good. Tracking your results allows you to see just how far you’ve come!
• Tweaking Your Diet Helps You to See Results. Throughout the phase, I could see my body changing little by little. I must say, a few pounds are shedding off my waist and my pants are fitting a little better, too. I’m also trying to eat more healthy and less-processed foods. It’s hard to do on-the-go, but I’m doing pretty well with it so far. I’m hoping the next phase will give me better results with more muscle tone! So if you really want to see results with P90x2, make sure you’re eating well, too!

Overall, P90X2 Phase One was a good one. It was a welcome break from what I would consider the typical P90X material…weight lifting, push-ups, pull-ups, etc. I liked the core work and felt I improved my balance by the end of the phase. I’m looking forward to what the next phase will bring and how I will be able to improve through it as well. Although, I hear it’s lots of weights and pull-ups… Wish me luck!

Have you done P90X2? Have any words of advice for starting Phase Two? Share, please! —Kelsey