When I began the latest round of the P90x Extreme Home Fitness Program Monday, I figured I was in pretty good shape. I was for the first day's chest and back routine, which involves a lot of push-ups and pull-ups performed in a variety of ways. I include these exercises in my regular workouts, so, although I had some soreness from the sheer volume of exercises, I wasn't aching to the point of limited mobility.(P90x is intended to take fit people to a higher level of fitness. Do not embark on the program if you are injured or ill. Seek a doctor's opinion if you are not sure this program is right for you.)
Tuesday's Plyometrics -- jump training -- workout, on the other hand, has me walking gingerly and sitting with a wince. My typical fitness routine -- running three days a week and weight training another three -- doesn't work the same muscles P90X trainer Tony Horton attacks in his Plyometrics DVD, so it's a real shock to the system when I do it.
A critical point before you try Plyometrics is to make sure you're fit enough for it. If you're not, you will injure yourself. It involves a continuous barrage of squats, lunges, leaping and jumping. It will spike your heart rate and make you sweat like a sprinkler.
Even after warming up for the Plyometrics workout, my thighs started to seize up during the first couple of exercises. Fortunately, they relaxed out before pulling into the injury zone. If they hadn't, I would have stopped and warmed up a while longer. This is a rule of thumb I use in every exercise.
The worst injuries I've ever sustained -- some requiring up to ten weeks off to heal -- came about because I didn't listen to my muscles and tendons and tried to power through -- increasing the damage with each motion. There's nothing wrong with cutting a workout short when something doesn't seem right. Improving fitness is the point, not having a grudge match with your body that leads to injury.
When you do take a break, use it to figure out what's causing the problem before re-engaging. For me, the problem is usually stems from not warming up enough, performing a motion incorrectly, performing a motion that isn't mechanically correct to begin with or that exacerbates an old injury, or using equipment that's not right for me. All of these problems can be addressed by warming up longer, adapting an exercise, or skipping it all together and finding another activity that promotes the same benefit.
The pain I feel when I start Plyometrics is regular old working muscles hard pain. My body has to get more efficient at dealing with the strain of the workout and clearing out the lactic acid that accumulates. After a week or two, my muscles will feel worked but not overly sore.
Plyometrics is so bad, it's good. It strengthens my legs and turns them into fat-burning machines. It's also a great reminder that even the most comprehensive workout routine -- involving aerobic and weight training exercises -- won't work every muscle. That's why it's good to change out exercise routines on a regular basis.
The Plyometrics DVD lasts about an hour including about fifteen minutes for warming up and cooling down. That's a small investment for enormous gains.
Click HERE to see my RuggedReviews.com review of P90x that includes a list of recommended equipment and purchasing options.
