Supplement your weight loss the RIGHT way!

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!

Jump Squats

You lower yourself into a squat with great form (keep your knees behind your toes) and then explode upwards before landing softly back into the lowered squat position.

Be sure not to use momentum as you go up and down. Each repetition is its own controlled movement. To lessen the joint impact in the beginning when you aren't as conditioned, don't jump as far off the ground. 

Run-stance Squats

Assume a stance similar to the stance you would have if you were about to take off in a race, and then, keeping your feet in the same spot throughout the movement, do 4 good squats. Then, leap up and turn around in the air, landing with your feet in that same position, only facing the other direction.

This is an awesome movement, and one that you should perfect before trying to go full force. Also, as with most of the plyometric movements, you can modify the intensity by leaping higher in the hair, or staying lower until you build up your strength and conditioning.

Airborne Heisman

The Airborne Heisman is an awesome exercise for balance, and at the same time it does an incredible job of working the muscles involved. In essence, you jump to the right and then bring your left knee up as far as you can and hold it there for a second. The next repetition is leaping to the left and bringing your right knee up and holding it.

It doesn't sound like much to read it, but this exercise is very effective on many levels. It also doesn't take long to get the hang of it, so you can start having more fun and getting more out of the movement very early on. 

Swing Kick

Already by this point in the workout, you are starting to feel the burn and get really winded. You place a target in front of you that you can swing your leg up and over, and then back again, then you repeat with the other leg.

It's a GREAT exercise for working both the inner and outer thighs, and also the hip flexors. It also helps with balance, coordination, and spatial awareness. NOTE: Use a target that is both low enough for you to get your leg over, and also that won't smash the side of your foot or your ankle if you accidentally kick your target. Use something lightweight and/or low enough to confidently get your leg over, even after you start getting tired.

Squat Reach Jump

This is very similar to the Jump Squat, only in this movement you swing your arms back and leap up, trying to jump and reach up as far as you can. Just as in the Jump Squat, landing softly and down into a perfect-form squat position is very important. 

Run-stance Squat Switch Pick-up

This is the Run-stance Squat, only with a twist - literally. You do exactly the same thing as during the Run-stance Squats, but you change direction on every single repetition, instead of every 4. Also, you can add in some intensity by trying to touch the floor by the leading foot with your hand on each repetition.

This exercise, although challenging by this point in the workout, is still fun to do, and this entire workout changes so often that getting bored is simply not an option. 

Double Airborne Heisman

One of the benefits of this exercise - in addition to the intensity - is the neuromuscular coordination that it developments. It is the Airborne Heisman as listed earlier, only you basically side step twice as if you were stepping through tires, and then after you clear your "tires," you strike the Heisman pose on that side before going back to the other side in the same manner.

Tony does a great job of helping you keep your rhythm because he actually say "tire, tire" each time your foot is supposed to be hitting the ground. 

Circle Run

This is one of the few exercises in this routine that doesn't require as much thought or coordination. Basically all you do is place something on the floor that you won't trip over (a folded hand towel is recommended), and you do foot drills around that object. You go 30 seconds in one direction, then 30 seconds in the other.

This exercise can easily be modified to be easier or harder by simply running faster or slower. It also helps to build up your spatial awareness because you are encouraged to keep your head UP the whole time, rather than looking down at the object you are running around. 

Jump Knee Tucks

This exercise would be challenging even at the beginning of the exercise session, but by this point you are REALLY tired, and will likely have had to pause the DVD once or twice just to catch your breath. You start out in a standing position, then try to bring your knees up as high as you can. Unlike Jump Squats, however, you aren't able to use any kinetically stored energy because you just jump from a standstill - you don't squat down first.

You can put your palms out and facing downwards if you want to in order to give yourself a target to hit, although just the jumping part is plenty difficult enough, at least in the beginning. 

Mary Katherine Lunges

This exercise starts in a standard lunge position, then you leap up, switch legs, and land back down in the lunge position again. This is a great exercise for intensity, and at the same time, you can modify the leap itself if you're really wiped out.

As with most exercises, form is critical to ensure injury prevention, so be sure to pay attention and don't worry about keeping up a certain speed - just do the exercise properly and safely. 

Leapfrog Squats

You start out in a wide-stance squat, then leap forward 2 hops and backwards 2 hops, all the while keeping your head up and your back erect. By keeping good form, you really put the pressure on your legs by minimizing the use of momentum.

This exercise doesn't require the coordination that some of the other movements in this routine do, so take advantage of that by cranking up your intensity with good hops. Also, be prepared to feel the burn on the tops and the inner part of your thighs.

Twist Combo

This is an awesome exercise, and again, at this point in the workout it is a welcome respite from the coordination needed in some of the other exercises. You basically put your hands up by your sides as if you were holding onto ski poles, and then you hop on your toes to the left, the center, the right, and then all the way back to the left again. Go for 30 seconds in each direction, and never let your heels touch the floor.

Rock Star Hop

This exercise requires a bit of practice to figure out how to do it properly, but in essence, it is just like the Jump Knee Tuck, only you bring your heels to your butt, rather than your knees to your chest.

The additional need for coordination comes in because you can optionally swing one of your arms in a wide arc as if you were strumming a guitar. Even if you don't use that option, however, it's still a high-impact and intense exercise. 

Gap Jump

Although a great exercise for balance and coordination, this exercise only uses one leg at a time, so even though it isn't a "break," it is not as difficult as some of the other movements. Basically all you do is leap forward on one leg from one side to the other, as if you were leaping over a creek or something.

Once you get the movement down, you can crank up the intensity by cranking up the speed at which you jump your "gaps" or by jumping farther.

Squat Jack

Much like a jumping jack, this exercise adds in some additionl inner thigh work because you go pretty low when you bring your feet back together, and you also hold your hands behind your head.

The trick to "getting low" is to face your heels towards each other when you bring your feet in, then point them back out as you leap out. Keep going in that manner for the entire set. 

Military March

The Military March is another movement that isn't as difficult to execute, but you can still get a lot out of it. If you've ever seen old war time footage of troops marching through city streets, that is pretty much what you are doing. You keep your arms and your legs very straight, though, and raise your legs up as high as you can on each repetition.

The real intensity with this exercise comes from getting your leg really high in the air, so don't overdo it the first time, but keep that in mind as you get stronger and do this exercise in the later weeks of P90X. 

Run Squat 180 Jump Switch

This exercise is very similar to the Run-stance Squat Switch Pick-up where you start in the runner's position, and then leap into the air, turn around, and then leap back the other way. The only difference is that you change direction on every repetition. First you leap left and then right, then you leap right and then left.

By this point in the workout you are so tired, sweaty, and out of breath that your form is probably starting to suffer, but remember that neuromuscular coordination (your brain controlling your body), is achieved by practice. If you practice the wrong way, you'll get into a habit that could lead to injury later. Slow down as much as you need to in order to focus on doing this movement the right way. 

Lateral Leapfrog Squat

Very similar to the Leapfrog Squat discussed earlier, only this time you hop to one side, then to the other.

You can crank up the intensity by hopping higher, farther, and/or landing in a deeper wide-stance squat on each repetition. 

Monster Truck Tires

Envision having 4 large tires laid out on the floor in an alternating pattern, and your job is to put one foot in each tire as you move forward, then one in each tire going backwards. Repeat that for the entire set, and remember to stay on your toes rather than landing on your feet.

When you get good at it, turn up the intensity by going faster in the forward and/or the backward portion of the exercise. 

Hot Foot

If you ever thought that it was difficult to find an effective calf exercise, your wait is over! Going for 30 seconds straight on each foot, and staying up on your toes the entire time, you hop forward and back, then left and right, then forward and back, then left and right, etc.

You will probably feel the burn in your calves long before the 30 seconds are up, and if you can't keep up with the back and forth pattern, just keep hopping in place. 

Pitch & Catch

Unless you've ever been a pitcher, it might take a several tries to get this right, and at this point so close to the end of the workout, you are SO tired that you may be struggling just to keep moving, let alone do something that requires coordination. The movement itself is just bringing your left leg up, simulating a right-arm throw as you lunge forward, then immediately dropping into a wide-stance squat and putting your hands up as if you are going to catch the ball. Alternate sides after 30 seconds.

Feel free to pause the DVD and practice a few times to get it right. 

Jump Shot

Simulate a basketball jump shot by pretending to catch a basketball, leap up high off of your toes, and then shoot the ball with one hand towards an imaginary hoop. After 30 seconds, switch to the other hand.

You will feel this mostly in your calves, and you are close to the end of the workout, so just push through the pain and finish strong.

Football Hero

This is basically shuffling forward for 4 steps, then taking 6 high steps backwards without turning around. Again, this is great for coordination and spatial awareness, and you can have some fun with this one since it is the last exercise. You can give it everything that you've got left, which, consequently, won't be much!

The first time you take your 6 high steps backwards, be sure to look to make sure you aren't going to trip over anything.

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. 

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