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How to Do Super Skaters to Work your Legs

Aaron Potts — Sun, 23 Oct 2011 16:51:07 +0000

Super Skaters are one of many awesome leg exercises in the P90X Extreme Home Training Program, and like all exercises, if you do them properly you can see some great results!

Super Skaters are so effective because they build up your strength and your balance all at the same time, and since you are using the large leg muscles, you burn more calories than with exercises that use smaller muscle groups.

If you want to LOSE WEIGHT, then check out this video to learn more about P90X. Bring It!

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Exercise of the Day – Lunges

Aaron Potts — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 13:39:44 +0000

There are 3 primary movements that should be incorporated into any leg exercise program, and those movements are Squats, Lunges, and Step ups. If you aren’t incorporating Lunges, Squats, and Step ups into your leg exercise program, you are missing out on huge weight loss and physical fitness benefits!

Lunges use every muscle in the legs at some point during the movement, including the largest muscle group in the human body – the Gluteals (butt muscles). In laymen’s terms, the bigger the muscles that you use, the more body fat you will burn both during the exercise, as well as when not exercising.

When you use large muscle groups, such as those found in the legs (quadriceps, hamstrings, and gluteals), the metabolic boost that you get from working those muscles helps your body to burn body fat even when you aren’t exercising.

Add to all of that the fact that working those muscles gives you tight, toned, sexy legs, and a firm butt, and the benefit of doing lunges becomes very clear!

Lunges are frequently used during the P90X Extreme Home Fitness workouts, specifically the Plyo X routine, and the Legs and Back routine. Click on through to see my personal P90X results.

How does P90X work? Part 2 of 12

Aaron Potts — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 15:58:21 +0000

If you’ve seen the P90X^® infomercial, gotten excited, and then asked yourself How does P90X work?, then this 12-part series is for you. Part 2 covers the P90X Plyometrics workout.

PlyometricsThe P90X plyometrics workout is considered by many to be the most intense and challenging of all of the P90X workouts. Considering that every single P90X routine is very intense and challenging, for any one particular routine to stand above the rest when it comes to intensity and getting results is definitely a feat!

The P90X plyometrics workout does such a good job of helping people get results because, in a nutshell, it’s hard! If you push yourself to do the best that you can do during this routine, it will absolutely wipe you out. Like any workout, you could “dog it” and not get that much out of it, but if you are the type of person who is going to only put forth a half-hearted effort, then you shouldn’t be considering P90X to begin with.

How does the P90X Plyometrics routine work?

Plyometrics is also called “jump training” by many people, although you can do plyometric exercises with your upper body as well. In plyometric movements, you basically “load” your muscles by contracting them, and then explosively expanding them in an all out, 100% effort.

Range of Motion

Unlike many exercises that have a very defined range of motion (R.O.M.), during plyometric movements, you can jump or push off as hard as you are able to, and as long as you have plenty of room to execute each movement, your range of motion is limited only by your level of strength and available energy for any given exercise.

If you refer back to the full P90X Plyometrics Review for a detailed overview of each of the exercises included in the plyometrics routine, you will see that it’s more about what you can put into each exercise, and less about any type of limit on your range of motion. Since your range of motion is not limited, you can BRING IT during the plyometrics routine, and do every exercise to the best of your physical capabilities.

Large Muscle Groups

Another secret to the effectiveness of the P90X Plyometrics routine is that you are using all of your body’s largest muscles groups during almost every single movement. Your quadriceps (front of the legs), your hamstrings (back of the legs), and your glute muscles (butt) are all part of the plyometric routine, and are used in almost every exercise.

Whenever you use your large muscle groups, you burn a lot more calories, and you also crank up your metabolism a lot more. This means that your body keeps burning calories even after the workout is over. In addition, by eating and resting properly whenever recovering from plyometrics (and all of the P90X workouts), you will create a faster-paced metabolism as your muscles demand more and more energy to both power and recover from workouts. In short, this means that you will burn more calories on an on-going basis, not just when you are exercising.

Very Little Rest

The P90X Plyometrics routine is divided up into several segments, and each segment has 4 exercises in it. You do all 4 exercises, you repeat those same 4 exercises again, and then you get a 30-second break before moving on to the next set of 4 exercises.

30 seconds is NOT a very long break, even if you weren’t working as hard as you will be when doing plyometrics. By the end of the 30 seconds, you have barely brought your heart rate down from way up in the rafters, and here you go starting another set of 4 exercises again.

In addition to the short breaks between the exercise sets, there are no real breaks to speak of in between the individual exercises, either. You might get about 10 seconds to wipe the profuse amounts of sweat off of your face, but that’s about it.

A Great Combination of Exercises

The actual exercises that this workout contains are very well chosen, and also spread out very well over the approximate 55-minute routine. Each set of 4 exercises contains at least 1 exercise that is REALLY challenging, and at least 1 exercise that is challenging, but not at the same level as the more difficult movements.

In addition, the harder exercises are put at the beginning of the 4-exercise set, directly after your 30-second break. Now, you don’t get that 30-second break before you repeat the 4-exercise sequence for the 2nd time, but by that point you are over the halfway point for that particular exercise set, so you can see the light at the end of the tunnel.

Conclusion

When it comes to raw intensity, and straight-up, no holds barred, effective, challenging exercise, the P90X Plyometrics routine is right up there near the top of the list. Every P90X workout has its moments of glory, but Plyometrics will always be an incredibly challenging workout, no matter how in shape you are.

As with all P90X workouts, however, always remember that P90X is a program that works because of the overall effect that the program provides, rather than just picking and choosing individual routines that you enjoy doing. P90X has 12 workout routines, and not only should you do them all, but you should do them all in the proper order as well.

P90X Review Day 5, Legs and Back

Aaron Potts — Thu, 08 May 2008 12:27:31 +0000

Day 5 of the P90X® programs brings back several great workouts, including Ab Ripper X and several exercises from the back routine first done on Day 1. In addition, however, Tony Horton and the gang bring on some leg exercises that don’t look like much until you try to DO them!

This workout is also different in the fact that although the back exercises repeat for 2 rounds, the leg exercises are all done only once – and that is enough, believe me. For anyone who really struggled with Yoga X on Day 4, be prepared for some of your leg muscles to give out earlier than you would normally expect them to.

However, that being said, the standard P90X guidelines continue to apply during this routine – “Do your best, forget the rest”. P90X in general is based entirely on that philosophy. As long as you are truly giving the program your best effort – but also listening to your body – you’ll see the promised results.

Exercises during this workout include: Balance Lunges, Calf-raise Squats, Super Skaters, Wall Squats, Step Back Lunges, Alternating Side Lunges, Single-leg Wall Squats, Deadlift Squats, Three-way Lunge with Two-Kick Option, Sneaky Lunges, Chair Salutations, Toe Roll Iso-Lunges, Groucho Walk, Calf Raises, 80/20 Speed Squats

Conclusion

Definitely impressed with the workout that this routine gives to your legs, yet without using very much external equipment, or even heavy weights. After doing countless reps with large weights in the gym environment, I was skeptical about how good of a leg workout could be delivered in the home environment.

P90X not only delivers an incredible workout, but it does so by simply modifying some basic exercises in order to either make them more difficult and/or to put them in an order that really cranks up the intensity.

This leg routine is an extreme challenge, to be sure, and it can easily be modified to make it easier or harder, which makes it both a short-term and a long-term workout solution.

See other related P90X Review posts:

P90X Review Day 2, Plyometrics

Aaron Potts — Sun, 04 May 2008 21:42:12 +0000

How many ways can I say “OUCH!”? When you park it in front of your TV for the P90X® Plyometrics workout, be prepared to leave your pride on the floor – along with a huge puddle of your own sweat.

Plyometrics loosely translates into “jump training”. There are also plyometric exercises for your upper body, but the really intense, fat shredding plyometric exercises are the kind done in the P90X plyometrics program, and they are primarily lower body movements.

There are numerous benefits to plyometric training, and you get a healthy dose of all of them in the P90X program. As with all exercise programs, the more you put into it, the more you’ll get out of it:

Massive calorie burn
Increased balance
Increased endurance
Increased explosive strength
Increased strength of muscles as well as all connective tissues
Massive metabolism boost from the sheer intensity of the exercises
Increased confidence in your ability to really push the limits and to make measurable progress

The program starts out in a pretty no-nonsense manner. Tony Horton runs you through a good warm up, and the warm up itself is challenging. In addition, to quickly silence the whiners who want to think they don’t have what it takes, Tony introduces the 3 people exercising with him, including one guy who has a prosthetic leg.

Yes, the guy has a prosthetic leg, and not only does he pull off the workout, but he excels at it. So, with no further excuses available to not give it 100%, the exercises begin!

Exercises during this workout include: Jump Squats, Run-stance Squats, Airborne Heisman, Swing Kick, Squat Reach Jump, Run-stance Squat Switch Pick-up, Double Airborne Heisman, Circle Run, Jump Knee Tucks, Mary Katherine Lunges, Leapfrog Squats, Twist Combo, Rock Star Hop, Gap Jump, Squat Jacks, Military March, Run Squat 180 Jump Switch, Lateral Leapfrog Squats, Monster Truck Tires, Hot Foot, Pitch & Catch, Jump Shot, Football Hero

Conclusion

Unless you are already used to high intensity cardiovascular training, the P90X Plyometrics program is going to be an extreme challenge for you the first few times you go through it. Even if you regularly do other types of cardiovascular training, this workout is very intense, and very challenging.

Once you start to get used to it, and build up your strength and endurance, you can still easily crank the intensity right back up by jumping higher or farther, and/or by speeding up the repetitions of the exercises.

Don’t kill yourself the first time out when you do this workout, but DO give it everything that you’ve got on an on-going basis. This one workout alone will probably burn more calories and do more for your cardiovascular fitness than any other workout that most people have ever been exposed to.

See other related P90X Review posts:

Is Manual Labor the Key to Weight Loss?

Aaron Potts — Fri, 09 Nov 2007 13:06:59 +0000

Would you believe that real weight loss and noticeable muscle gain can happen without ever setting foot inside a gym? YES is the answer, and here is how I did it!

The concept sounded good on paper when I considered it, but to be honest, I had my doubts if a full-on weight loss and muscle-toning effort was going to be as successful outside of the gym as inside. After successfully pulling it off, however, I'm glad to say that not only is it possible, but it is recommended!

I figured this whole thing out about a month ago when I was getting ready to go on a mini-vacation to St. Pete Beach, FL. I had just moved to Daytona Beach, which is on the opposite coast of Florida, and I had just over 1 month before a long weekend that I had planned in St. Pete Beach. As most people do before a tropical vacation, I wanted to trim up a bit before the trip. However, after having just moved, I did not yet have a gym membership set up anywhere, nor did I want to workout at home.

How Did I do It?

Lower Body Exercise

Living in the beach side community of Daytona Beach, FL, I got into the habit of taking my bicycle almost everywhere. Pretty much everything that I do is within 3 miles of my house, so hopping on my bike is usually an option to get from Point A to Point B. My house is actually on the non-ocean side of the Port Orange Causeway, a steep climb over the Inter-Coastal Waterway that leads directly down to the water's edge of the Atlanta Ocean. The total one-way distance is about 2 miles, and I made that trip at least 2 or 3 times each week.

In addition, Daytona Beach "proper," i.e. – where the real fun is – sits about 8 miles north of my house. Well, I didn't move all the way down here not to enjoy the neighborhood, so I also resolved to go up to Daytona Beach on my bike at least 2 or 3 times each week. Now remember, most of Florida is pretty flat, so it's not like these trips were constant up and down hills – just steady pedaling. On the other hand, I usually had my 15-lb computer strapped to my back, in addition to water and other supplies that I would take each time I left the house for a journey on my bike.

Upper Body & Core Exercises

Although my "primary" work right now is on the Internet, since I do work for myself, I can decide each day what I want to do and what I don't. So it was as I was getting ready to go on my mini-vacation that I wanted to bring in some extra cash, so I hired myself out to do things such as helping people move, doing landscaping work, etc. I'm in pretty good shape, so it was easy for me to find work – people are always looking for a strong back and a good work ethic to help them out.

I ended up getting hired to help a guy "dig a ditch". I put that in quotations because the job ended up being much more involved than that, the ditch ended up being HUGE, and the guy I was working for turned out to be a really great guy whom I am glad to have gotten to know.

Digging ditches is very hard work, and given the fact that part of the ditch was in a very cramped spot where no leverage could be had, and the entire ditch was covered with gravel that had to be shoveled away before digging could even start, the job ended up being quite the workout!

Sometimes with his help, and sometimes by myself, we spent a combined total of over 5 full days working on the job. All of the following activities were part of the process:

Shoveling
Pushing
Pulling
Balancing
Twisting
Lifting
Holding

Most of those activities were done with at least a huge shovel full of dirt in my hands, and often while perched precariously on loose rocks, sands, or gravel. Long story short, I worked really hard!

By the time I got home at the end of any of our work days, I was tired, sore, cut, bruised, scraped, and just generally beat up.

But I felt GREAT!

By intensely pushing myself to the max (I'm just a hard worker like that), not only did I push my body to the max, but after spending a very long time sitting in front of a keyboard, I pushed my mind to the max as well.

Nutrition

This part of the story cracks me up, because it is so "off the mark" that it's hard to believe it even worked. Basically, I ate whatever I wanted to.

A standard day was Pop-Tarts for breakfast, Burger King for lunch (large-size everything), and Ramen Noodles and hot dogs for dinner.

No 5 or 6 meals per day, which is my normal recommendation. No real healthy food to speak of, yet plenty of protein. No fresh fruits or vegetables of any kind. For an entire month!

The End Result?

After a month of riding my bike everywhere, working REALLY hard at outdoor labor, and basically eating like a bachelor, I had:

Lost more bodyfat in a shorter period of time than ever before in my life
Defined the muscles in my arms, shoulders, and legs to a degree they had never been before
Built up my core stabilization muscles to a previously unheard of level, including visible musculature that had never been there before
Proven to myself that I could still work as hard and push myself as hard as if I was 27 instead of 37

By the time I got to the party in St. Pete Beach, several of my friends commented on the fact that I had lost weight, clothes that had been snug even when I was a personal trainer now fit more loosely than ever, and I had the energy and the motivation to basically party like a rock star for 4 days straight.

So, am I recommending that you abandon all advice about structured exercise, proper nutrition, and scientifically-proven methods of weight loss and physical fitness? Hardly.

There is a time and a place for that type of training program, and I'm sure that I'll be back on that type of program eventually myself. However, in the meantime, if you're cramming for a family reunion, trying to lose the fat before a vacation, or just trying get to the bar before your belly does, consider just hopping on a bike and going outside for some good old-fashioned hard work.

You might just feel absolutely wonderful on top of the fact that you'll be accomplishing your weight loss goals at the same time!

In order to have noticeable muscular gain, there is a need of following up the diet tips, suggested by the weight loss trainers. If you want to have pretty good bodily figure, the ingestion of abs diet on the regular basis is very effectual. You may give order of purchasing adipex online in the cheap rates, much secured orders.

Exercise of the Day – Dumbbell Squats

Aaron Potts — Mon, 20 Aug 2007 12:29:43 +0000

The squat exercise has many different variations, and not all of them are the classic image that people get of some huge guy with chalk all over his hands trying to squat down with about 800,000 pounds of metal on his shoulders!

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Dumbbell Squats

When doing the dumbbell squat, you have many advantages over doing the classic barbell squat. For one, since the dumbbells are held down at your sides rather than having a barbell on your shoulders, you can focus on the exercise itself, rather than trying to balance a weighted barbell. Also, since the added resistance (the dumbbells) hangs down at your sides, it can be easier for novice exercisers to keep their head up and their back erect, both critical factors for doing a safe and effective squat of any kind.

When doing the dumbbell squat – as with all squats – be sure that when you squat down, your knees do not travel out in front of your toes. Your feet should be at least shoulder width apart and pointed straight forward, rather than angled out or in.Related Downloads:
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Weight Loss Keeping your head up allowing the straight, but natural curve of your back, squat down all the way until your thighs are parallel to the ground, pause for one full second, and then push up through your thighs to a full standing position before doing the next repetition.

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Exercise of the Day – Barbell Step Up

Aaron Potts — Wed, 18 Jul 2007 13:24:53 +0000

The Barbell Step is one of the most effective leg exercises that you can do, and it also does a great job of keeping your heart rate up, thus burning more calories!

Be sure to visit Fitness Generator to get access to almost 2,000 exercise graphics as well as instructions on using bodyweight, dumbbells, kettlebells, resistance bands, and more!

Barbell Step Up

The premise here is pretty simple. Using a Barbell that is perched on your shoulders, or using dumbbells that are held down at your side, you step up onto an elevated surface and back down again. Be sure to do the exercise with good form, though! Most people do not keep proper form when doing this movement, especially when they start getting tired.

To get the most out of the Barbell or Dumbbell Step Up, you need to keep good posture the entire time, keeping your head up and your back erect. Step all the way up onto the elevated surface with one foot, then the other, and then step back down with one foot, then the other. Alternate starting with your left foot then your right foot, and remember that the higher your elevated surface is, the more you will get out of the exercise!

Click here to see a massive list of websites that teach people to exercise!

How to Run Really Fast – 3 Top Tips

Aaron Potts — Thu, 21 Jun 2007 02:55:45 +0000

The ability to run is useful for everyone from an average person who may need to run to actually survive some day, all the way up through athletes who run as part of their profession.

For something so important, why is it that so many people refuse to try to do it? In my years as a personal trainer I can’t count how many times people said, “I can’t run”.

Translated: “I’m not willing to put forth the effort to run.”

Well, the ability to run could literally save your life someday, so I’ve put together this primer that discusses what it takes to learn how to run really fast, and I have divided it up into 3 easily digestible sections.

Angle of Attack

One of the things to consider with any exercise program is that the human body is not a static machine that only works under very precise conditions and at very precise angles.

Quite to the contrary, the human body is actually a multi-dimensional machine that needs to be trained in a multi-dimensional manner in order to perform at peak efficiency.

When it comes to running, that means changing the angle at which you put pressure on the bones, tendons, ligaments, and muscles that are used while running.

The easiest way to do that is to simply run on surfaces that are not perfectly flat. Although running indoors on a treadmill has advantages such as precise measurement of the activity itself, if all you ever do is run on a treadmill, you will limit the growth of the musculature that is used while running.

Ways to increase both the angles of stress that are put on your muscles as well as to increase the use of supporting muscles and connective tissues include:

Running up and down hills, although modifying your gate on the downhill side to avoid shin splints
Running on different surfaces such as grass, sand, or running cross country though fields and wooded areas

Cross Training

To receive a similar benefit to changing the angle of muscle usage when running, do things other than just running, even if your primary goal is to increase your speed or capacity for running.

Your body can only handle so much pressure, especially when pressure is repeatedly put on the same bodily tissues over and over again over the long-term. Any long-distance runner can attest to the fact that knee and hip problems are an occupational hazard for any veteran runner.

One of the best ways to increase your running speed and capacity, and also to avoid injury, is to work on your cardiovascular endurance by doing activities other than running. The cardiovascular system is as much a part of being a good runner as the musculoskeletal system, so train it accordingly.

Some good ways to cross train your running muscles as well as your cardiovascular system include:

Hiking
Rollerblading
Moderate to high intensity bicycle riding and indoor exercise bikes
Stair steppers to work the calf muscles, and stair climbers to work the bigger leg muscles
Elliptical or other revolution-based cardiovascular training machines at your local fitness facility

Interval Training

One of the most effective but often overlooked training modalities is called interval training. In a nutshell, interval training involves constantly changing the rate of intensity for any given exercise, forcing your body to learn how to adapt to constantly changing energy needs.

Interval training is normally done on a timed basis, although it can also be done both indoors and outdoors by basing your training intervals on distance or geographical objects. Indoors, you can measure distance on most exercise equipment, and outdoors you can use such things as telephone poles, trees, houses, or pretty much anything that can be seen while exercising outdoors.

Basically all you need to do is decide what amount of time or what distance you are going to run at a given level of intensity, and then once the time or distance goal has been reached, you switch to a higher or lower level of intensity. For example:

Run for 3 minutes at your normal comfortable running speed, and then run as fast as you can for 1 full minute before dropping back to your normal speed
If running outside, run at your normal speed for 5 lengths between telephone poles, and then run full-out for 2 lengths before slowing back down again.

The possibilities are endless, and you can change them up to keep from getting bored with the same routine, and to keep your body constantly adapting to a new training situation.

This has the effect of exercising both your muscles as well as your cardiovascular system through a greater range of use, giving you a distinct advantage when it comes time for a race, a competition that you have with yourself, or possibly even the need to run for your life!

A side benefit to interval training is that the confusion it causes with your bodily systems tends to lend itself to both a higher metabolism, as well as a very rapid loss of bodyfat.

Conclusion

Running may not be for everyone, and there are people who truly can’t run due to some sort of physical condition. However, most people can run.

If you are one of those people who has been saying for years that you can’t do it, don’t you think it’s time you started pushing your body to its limits, and seeing some amazing results from that effort?

Exercise of the Day – Alternating Split Squats

Aaron Potts — Wed, 13 Jun 2007 10:53:57 +0000

The Alternating Split Squat is a great exercise for strengthening and toning your legs while at the same time burning through a ton of calories!

Be sure to visit Fitness Generator to get access to almost 2,000 exercise graphics as well as instructions on using bodyweight, dumbbells, kettlebells, resistance bands, and more!

Alternating Split Squats

There aren't very many muscles that aren't worked by this exercise, although it is primarily a lower body exercise as well as a cardiovascular training activity. In order to get the most out of it, be sure to use good "squat rules" such as keeping the knee of your leading leg from going out in front of your toe, and also keeping the leading foot flat on the ground. Also, keep your head upright and your spine relatively straight. As with all plyometric exercises, use extreme caution in order to avoid injury. And finally, use this exercise as a stand alone leg/cardio workout, or you can incorporate it into other workouts as a "heart rate maintenance" exercise that is used to keep both your heart rate and your level of intensity elevated during an entire exercise session.

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