My background prior to my P90X2 results…
If only I could have gotten P90X2 results like this as a youth. I was always a reasonably athletic kid, but was chubby from late elementary until late high school.
In my early 20s, I got in great shape and really fell in love with fitness, so much so that I became a trainer in the late 90s. That’s when I also got married and had a child. I was having a hard time paying the bills being a new personal trainer who was not associated with a gym. I got a steady job to make end meet and spent time in and out of shape… mostly in, but there were some definite lulls. I never, however, fell out of love with fitness.
In 2006, my wife got hurt training for a marathon but we had already paid for the hotel and she had raised money for the race. So that left me with six weeks to train, which I did, and ran a respectable 3:39. This really made me appreciate how our bodies were created to do amazing things. I’m not saying that I’m amazing. I’m saying that the fact the human body can adapt, improve, and change enough in six short weeks to fun a full marathon is amazing. I don’t take our bodies for granted.I don’t want to be in great shape merely for the sake of fitness or exercise, but for the freedoms it brings, for the confidence it builds, for the example it sets, and for the worlds it opens up.
In 2009, my wife (who is my fitness hero) and I went through P90X for the first time. That’s when she qualified for the Boston Marathon for the first time. Coincidence? Nope!
So here we are a few years and three more kids later, still bringing it, and still eager to do more. I don’t want to do more (i.e., be in great shape) merely for the sake of fitness or exercise, but for the freedoms it brings, for the confidence it builds, for the example it sets, and for the worlds it opens up.
Since I had completed a few rounds of P90X, I was already a big believer in muscle confusion. When you eat right, you can get amazing results with P90X. And I knew that would be the case with P90X2. Tony does a great job teaching, motivating, and still keeping the vibe loose. Furthermore, I was really curious about the science behind some of the workouts and moves, like PAP, neuro-integrated stretching, and myofascial release. So doing P90X2 was really a no-brainer.
How I felt before starting P90X2…
I was really excited. I had just completed a round of P90X and had lost five pounds or so. But the truth was, I hadn’t focused that hard on the nutrition side of things. So with P90X2, I was really looking forward to buckling down on the nutrition while going through all these new workouts.
What kind of P90X2 results did I want?
I wanted to get stronger, more flexible, make some lifestyle nutrition changes, and get my body fat percentage into single digits.
My P90X2 diet…
I ate pretty “clean” the whole time. I tried to keep my carbs, especially at night. Then some days, I’d bump them up for a day just to replenish my energy stores (a practice called “carb cycling”). I ate plenty of protein (including some of these protein bars) and didn’t shy away from healthy fats.
I drank Shakeology every day, and followed the nutrition guide as best I could. That said, I’m a believer in having an occasional cheat meal if you cheat right. I have a different take on it though… I call it the nutrition tithe. All said and done, it was the healthiest I’ve eaten in a long time. I still struggle with drinking too much Diet Coke, but even that’s improving. Nutrition is 60% of the key to success and I’ve seen this first hand.
What kind of P90X2 results did I get?
I have ab definition I’ve never seen before. I can stand straight legged and bring my head down to my knees. My diet has never been cleaner. And I reached 9% body fat.
What did I do to celebrate my P90X2 results?
I ate my favorite burrito, ran a Spartan Race, and ordered Insanity: Asylum.
Athletic improvements I made as a result of using P90X2…
My core has been strengthened tenfold, which will also help my lower back (I have a history of back spasms). I will be entering more obstacle races, running the Chicago Marathon in October, do more trail running, pick up mountain biking again, and hopefully take up kayaking. Most importantly, as a father of four, I want to be able to keep up with my kids for a LONG time. I want them to be good stewards of their bodies and being an example is the best way to ensure that happens.
My favorite part about P90X2…
Hard to list just one. I’m a huge fan of variety and P90X2 was jam packed with it. I’ve been lifting weights for 15+ years, but there were moves in P90X2 that I’d never seen or could have ever come up with on my own. I also felt as though I was being trained like an elite athlete. I like throwing around dumbbells and whatnot, but these moves were building my athleticism, not just my muscles.
A buddy that has been working out with me used to be in the Navy. He told me that many of the moves we are doing in P90X2 are moves he’s seen the Navy SEALS do! So that gave me even greater confidence and motivation to bring my best effort.
I also loved all the new gear. I love incorporating the medicine balls and stability balls into my routine. There are SO many moves you can do with this equipment. And the rumble roller is painful paradise.
My friends and family’s reaction to my P90X2 results…
My wife was thrilled, both for me and for her (wink-wink). I’ve been in shape for a while but never this cut, so friends and family have noticed. The best compliment I got was from my 4-year-old when she said that I had super powers. I said, “I do? What are they?” And she said, “Big muscles.”
How I feel about my P90X2 results…
Tweet ThisI feel fantastic, but I’m not done. I’m down to 9% body fat but I want to get it to 6-7%. My flexibility has improved, but I want to be able to do EVERY move in X2 Yoga without modifying. Now that I’m able to crank out medicine ball and stability ball push-ups, I want to really focus on having perfect form. And I’m also going to incorporate a weighted vest into some of the routines as I’d like my legs to get stronger. So how do I feel? I feel equally excited about my progress and about my future.
How I would summarize my P90X2 results and journey…
If you want to train like you’ve always trained, you will have the results that you’ve always had. But if you want the most advanced home workout exercise science has to offer, want to be trained like the elite athlete hidden in most all of us, and want performance-oriented results that will help everyone from the stay-at-home mom to the fitness enthusiast, this is the solution. But like P90X before it and all the other Beachbody programs, they don’t do the work for you. They are tools. By themselves will do you no good.
YOU have to supply the hard work. And when you do, that’s when the magic starts.
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