Bring It: P90X Day 4

This is a continuation of my journey with the P90X system. I am just over half way through the first week, but I am hoping you will be following my journey for the full 90 days to see whether or not this systme works or is just another advertising gimmick. If you would like to start from the beginning of this series, please click here. If you want to read about my previous day with P90X, click here.

Feel free to comment on your journeys to get healthy below. Maybe together, we can kick this unhealthy epidemic in the past!

Today was an exciting day for me. For one - it marked the halfway point to being through the first week. And two - it was Yoga... and I love Yoga.

I got up nice and early, knowing what the day would bring. Because I have done several different yoga workouts in the past, I figured this day would be easy in comparison to the rest. After all, I had a good concept of the different poses and a good understanding over what yoga is intended for. I also knew after I was done, I would feel much less sore. My muscles would be stretched, loosened and relaxed.

Yep, I was excited to start this workout.

Now anyone who has says yoga is easy, has never done it before. It takes a great deal of concentration - both mentally and physically. There are some advanced yoga moves that I have seen, leaving me to wonder how people can actually bend that way. Seriously, I didn't know it was possible to put your head to your middle back. I thought stuff like that was only for those entering the circus.

Yoga has been around for more than 5,ooo years, and according to WebMD, there are more than 11 million Americans who practice it regularly. Not only will it relax you and release the tension in your muscles, it will make you stronger overall and help your fitness reach levels you never knew possible.

However, some people shy away from yoga. They feel they are too old or too inflexible to start something like this. Yet, don't let your reasons get in your way of trying this form of exercise. Yoga will help ease stiffness by releasing the lactic acid built up in your musles (which makes a great addition to P90X because unless you are superhuman, you are going to be sore!). It can also help joint stiffness, which will overall help you move more smootly in everyday life.

Yoga can also increase your strength. Depending on the pose, you will be forced to use musles you have never even reached. How can you tell, because when you are attempting to hold a position, you will find your whole body shaking.

Yoga will also improve your posture and help with your breathing. And mostly, it is a form of meditation that will help you center yourself and get to know your body. You and your body should become one, because together, you will go much further in life.

So what is Yoga X? Let's just say it isn't your Grandma's yoga! While you will increase your flexibility and your strenght, and you may also find times when you are feeling completely at ease and relaxed, you will also be sweating, shaking, and forcing your body into positions that you never knew could happen.

Yoga X, at times, can feel a little fast paced. It isn't for the beginner or the person who has never tried yoga in the past. If you aren't familiar with some of the poses, you might find yourself getting lost in the video. Even if you have done yoga in the past, you might still find yourself having difficulty keeping up with Tony Horton.

However, after you have done several very common poses, and some not so familiar poses, (possibly at your own pace), you will end the video feeling energized, invigorated, and maybe a touch enlightened.

Yoga X is a difficult workout. I might not have thought this if I hadn't already done a round of Yoga X over a year ago. In fact, I would have been doing a happy dance thinking this was the day I get a break. However, any yoga video that can cause my husband to puke, you know is tough. (Note: I am more veteran when it comes to yoga poses than my husband. Therefore, I did not get sick during either times I have participated in this video!)

But in some sadistic way, I enjoy yoga so even though I faintly remember Yoga X, I was still looking forward to doing this workout. I have to warn you though, Yoga X is the longest video out of the 12 DVD collection. It rakes in at one and a half hours. Therefore, if you plan on doing this workout, try to start the series when you know Day 4 will fall on a day you know won't be horribly busy. Like I said, this video will take some time!

Today, my yoga experience was less than I could desire. it wasn't anything that I could have prevented; it is just life. I got up like normal and made lunches for everybody in the family, and before I sent my daughters off to school, my son had already woke up! The first thought that popped in my head was ... "This was going to be a problem!"

I had a few options. I could continue with my workout like usual, hoping my son wouldn't be too much of a distraction. Or, I could continue with my workout later in the day when he went down for his afternoon nap. Or, I could just skip today. Skipping was not an option, so that was immedietly thrown out. Waiting until later wasn't a very good option, especially since I knew myself well, and knew if I waited I might lose my motivation or get distracted and end up skipping the workout anyway. Not to mention, if I don't start my workout until 3:30 p.m., that means I won't be finished until about 5! That just didn't sound appealing. So, I stuck with option 1 - I just did my workout with my son watching.

Now I know this doesn't sound too bad, but this just lead to extra possible distractions when I am supposed to be concentrating. But I pushed play anyway.

The start went pretty good, and by the time I had reached the first 20 minutes, my phone started ringing. I thought about ignoring it, but, because our car went into the shop last night, I figured it might be the mechanic calling to let us know what was going on. Distraction number 1. They just wanted to let us know the status. I forcast many more phone calls throughout the day.

Back to the workout, I was just about sick of doing planks, push ups, downward dogs and crazy fighting poses (you know - the warrior pose and it's variations) when finally we went on to balances postures and floor work. This was what I was looking forward too.

The floor work consisted of a variety of poses, but you were no longer going from one pose to the next continuously. This meant I would be able to keep up. Not being familiar with the video, there were times when I caught myself still in one pose while they moved to the next, or just not being fast enough to get through the series. So finally, I was in my comfort zone.

As I brought my leg up into the tree position and reached for the sky, my son thought it would be fun to start pushing on my balancing leg. Yep - he was sucessfull. I fell over. This would not be the first time, as he now thought this was a game. Distraction number 2!

In the middle of floor work, the phone rang again. With a deep sigh, I figured I better answer it, not knowing if it was the people about the car again. Nope - it was a telemarketer wondering what I was interested in learning. Apparently, I must have registered for something saying I was interested in telemarketers calling me about schooling opportunities. I told them to uncheck the box and stop calling me. Distraction number 3!

We were finally on the downward slope, and somehow Tony Horton snuck in what he likes to call "The Yoga Belly." These are a series of pilates type moves to strenghten your core section. Because of my previous surgery on my stomach, I am unable to do these properly and needed to modify. However, I did the best I could and that is all that really matters.

With only 5 minutes left to the video, I was impressed that I only had 3 distractions, and still got a pretty decent workout in. As I lay there in Shavasana (corpse pose), just thinking about absolutely nothing and clearing my head, my son suddenly jumped on me and used me as a surfboard. So much for relaxation! Distraction number 4!

Finally, the video was over. Even with the distractions (which actually gave me a bit of a break so I am not too made) I got an awesome workout. My muscles are nice and loose. I feel stretched. I feel tall.

Hopefully next week, the car won't be in the shop and my son won't want to join me!

Note: P90X is an extreme fitness regiment and your doctor should be consulted before starting this or any other workout program. If at any time during your workout you feel uncomfortable or not right, modify the move or stop completely do avoid injury.

Curious about Day 5, Click here.