Getting X'ed

The Exchange – Getting X’ed

Right before Christmas I saw an advertisement off the satellite dish for an exercise program called, Get Ripped in 90 Days.

It looked extremely interesting to me because of the fact of the way the program was presented, and because of the apparent method by which the training operated. I have always, from a young fella on, been a big proponent of Cross Training, though when I was young I didn't really call it that, I just called it being athletically able to do a lot of different kinds of things.

And because I am essentially an athlete (someone who prefers physical activities in which you basically compete either alone or singly, like in track and field events, or against yourself, like in obstacle courses, etc.) and outdoorsman by heart and by nature, and not a sportsman (someone who competes on teams, though I used to love on occasion playing soccer and football and baseball and a few other team sports) I really liked the look of the training program, at least as presented in the television ad.

So I ordered it (P90X) as part of my Christmas present (it was about $150.00 US in price) and got it about a week and half ago.

It came with 12 very different workout routines (though some sections overlap on the different CDs), a workout book, a chart, a very good diet and nutrition book/plan, and a few other little odds and ends. I didn't order any of the nutritional supplements since I long ago developed my own formulations and metaergogenics. But I did buy some extra Creatine.

I tried the program for three days last week, and for all five days of this week. I will also exercise tomorrow off the program and then rest on Sunday.

After that period of initial use I have to say that this is the single most awesome (as in God-awesome, as in totally and fearfully effective) workout/physical training routine I have ever encountered, and I've developed some pretty good ones of my own in the past. The variety of exercises offered is just plain incredible, the support is very, very good, the nutrition plan is very nice (as well as being efficient and useful), and the routines are superb, to say the least. It is based upon the idea of muscle confusion and believe me, it is extremely confusing in both the amount of strain it places upon the body, and in the variety of strains it places upon the various parts of the body. It is very taxing in that it is rather difficult for you to remain in energy reserve, and that makes it just that much more effective as a program. One of the things I really appreciate about the routines however is the relaxed and almost casual way the routines unfold, and he offers you a rather impressive set of modified routines, based upon your current level of physical development, and yet despite the casual atmosphere, because the routines unfold so quickly and move from one exercise set to another in such rapid succession, the body cannot easily peak. And without peaking development continues unabated.

Another thing I really enjoy about the program is the fact that most exercise sets only go on for about thirty seconds to a minute. Which doesn’t seem like much but those seconds tend to be incredibly intense. Then you move immediately to the next exercise set, no rest or break in most cases. Which over the course of an hour’s training time means you execute a huge variety of exercise types. And that means that cumulatively each routine gets exponentially worse, and yet that much more effective with each new set.

In the past, for example, in weightlifting, as all weightlifters know, you hit a plateau and then your muscles become so used to strain levels and anticipate strain levels so efficiently that it becomes ever harder to make gains. This program seems to operate on totally different principles. Muscle memory becomes far more fluid in the fact that one can develop a far greater range of movements and strengths, and yet far less static in the sense that one is far slower to peak.

And every single time I have done any particular routine it has really stressed me terrifically. Every morning when I wake up I spend about five minutes lying in bed and just stretching. After I do that then I can move normally. And my muscles ache, really ache, and sometimes my whole body aches too, like when I was a kid training for something, and so I know it's really kicking my ass and working like it should. In addition after I workout I immediately eat, and on this program I mean I really, really eat. I’ve never been a real big eater, even when I was training to put on bulk, and body build eating was far more of a chore than a pleasure. I have a high metabolism generally speaking; have always been able to burn calories quickly and easily, even by comparison as I age, and so I’ve never really needed lots of food to generate energy. Small amounts of food give me energy and then I supplement. But after running through one of these routines I eat like a mad man. And I really enjoy it for once. I’m like a pregnant woman or something, my body seems to absorb nutrients from food through osmosis, and after working out real hard my body also seems to know exactly what it wants to eat to recover (this program also has some very good recovery and recuperation advice). And I’ve also lost my appetite entirely for any kind of junk food or junk carbs. My mouth actually waters at the thought of a full and juicy orange, a good salad and a nice big slab of fish. I eat baked potatoes like popcorn. I think it’s because you use up so many different kinds of nutrients and calories with the various exercises that your body starts demanding they be replaced almost immediately, and it intuitively knows what you need to eat to recuperate. Whatever the case for the first time in my life I am eating with real gusto. And enjoying it immensely.

I expect it to help tremendously with my discus throwing (later I'm gonna take up the shot-put like I really should), my baseball batting, and my other physical activities. Overall though I'm starting to feel extremely light (because I'm losing body fat) and yet hard as a rock too. I have to warn you though, this is no body building routine (of course at my age I have no desire whatsoever in training again to become bigger), it is designed to make an extremely competitive and slim (I mean very low body fat) athlete out of you. I started out with the Classic Routine Set but later this year I plan on doing the Doubles, which is designed to make an extremely effective athlete out of you. First though I must acclimate to the wide range of stresses it puts upon the body simultaneously. I also suspect it will greatly enhance my overall state of health.

I very highly recommend this exercise program, though it is not for beginners per se. It is indeed an extreme program.
But if you want to be in excellent shape, this does the job.

No doubt about that.

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