In 2010, Joel and I decided we should try P90x. We'd wake up each morning, get our workout in and we'd be on our way to work or an enjoyable Saturday. Joel was also training for a half ironman and I was getting in a rhythm with roller derby. I think we stuck with it for about 80 of the 90 days. Life got in the way and the DVDs were just not as exciting as they started out.
P90x was everything to me when we first started. I was excited to get started and to lift weights with Joel. We even bought the pull up bar, and I was never able to actually execute a pull up. I have always been focused on cardio when going to the gym so to pick up dumbbells was new to me. So we started and I felt accomplished for getting up each morning, sweating in the living room with Joel, inviting friends over for YogaX and just keeping with a program. The DVDs got repetitive and annoying-we would start skipping the stretch at the end. Ab Ripper is the only one I'd consider putting in the DVD player. The actual commentary is annoying but it was very effective in ripping your abs. I started using 8lb dumbbells for everything. I think I finally upped the weight to 10lb dumbbells, maybe 15lb dumbbells but that seems like nothing now. We took pictures when we started and measurements and I think we took them halfway through as well but since we never actually completed it, we didn't take follow up pictures after 90 days. I need to take photos now and compare them as me in 2010 and me in 2012.
Last year, we decided to do the new hotness, Crossfit. Joel found a box near his office and we went to a class to try it out. And we signed up. And I love it. August til now, I don't really see an end in sight.
I personally enjoy Crossfit more. You have a coach there, encouraging you to try heavier weights. It's an hour though the WOD (workout of the day) usually is no more than 15 mins. Our particular box, does warmup, strength training, and WOD. We started in August and during our Elements class (learn everything and proper ways) we started establishing our one rep max. This is the amount of weight you can lift without falling over and you could only lift it for one rep. I even started to track my weights and the times I get on the workouts. A sample of a workout is 3 RFT (rounds for time): 40 sledgehammer alternating, 20 squats and run 400m. In November, I retested my deadlift. This was the first strength move that we did. In August, I lifted 108#. I'm thinking this is a combo of being low as I didn't know what a one rep max was and I was probably nervous and wasn't prepared for anything. In November, I got 213#. I was blown away by this. I would never have imagined that I could lift that much and that my body was actually capable of this. It's done wonders for my self confidence and is toning up my body. I may not have lost a lot of weight in the first couple of months, I have lost 2 jean sizes which is a total win in my bok.
I felt like P90x taught me great things about being a beginner in weight lifting, but it wasn't as beneficial for me as Crossfit has been. Having a coach with you while you are working out, is priceless. You know right away what you are doing wrong, less injuries and having a different workout every workout is very beneficial to my body. I've read multiple success stories from P90x, and while I was hoping to be some sort of success story, that wasn't what happened. I do think that I trimmed up a little and was motivated to work out as seeing as both Joel and I were committed to working out together each morning. And I realize that some things work better for others and I'm very glad that I was able to try both of these workout styles.
No comments:
Post a Comment