New guy with a few P90x questions

• birddog23

  Started Asylum today, definitely need to practice my jump rope ability but other than that I really liked it. Looking forward to finally adding some weight and doing more muscle work than cardio.
• I Wear Pants

  I did a run after doing a Bas Rutten all-around workout set mixed with some P90 stuff and I think I did something to my knee. It just started to feel like jello during the run and then started to hurt. I had to walk home instead of finishing my run which sucked since it was raining. Iced it last night but it still hurts/feels a bit weird tonight. Gonna lay off stuff for at least a few days to see how this goes.
• OneBuckeye

  

  Think my BF tester on my scale doesn't work right I'm 180lbs and it says I have a 23.5% BF. I still got fat but I think I should be in the 15% range. Especially when looking at the chubby dudes on bodybuilder.com's product reviews that say they have 15-18% BF. I usually do it in the morning after I get up. Anyone have a scale with an athlete mode? I was thinking about getting one.
• BR1986FB

  OneBuckeye;766484 wrote:Think my BF tester on my scale doesn't work right I'm 180lbs and it says I have a 23.5% BF. I still got fat but I think I should be in the 15% range. Especially when looking at the chubby dudes on bodybuilder.com's product reviews that say they have 15-18% BF. I usually do it in the morning after I get up. Anyone have a scale with an athlete mode? I was thinking about getting one.

  
  Get a hand held electronic bodyfat tester, a caliper or go to a Bod Pod. Those scales are shit.
• OneBuckeye

  

  BR1986FB;766556 wrote:Get a hand held electronic bodyfat tester, a caliper or go to a Bod Pod. Those scales are shit.

  
  http://www.walmart.com/ip/Omron-Portable-Body-Fat-Analyzer/3342463
  
  Was thinking about picking up a cheap one at walmart... hopefully I can try it out before I buy lol.
• BR1986FB

  OneBuckeye;766561 wrote:http://www.walmart.com/ip/Omron-Portable-Body-Fat-Analyzer/3342463
  
  Was thinking about picking up a cheap one at walmart... hopefully I can try it out before I buy lol.

  
  That's similar to the one I have. It's as accurate as the Bod Pod (same reading). I went to a Bod Pod then used the hand held...same reading.
• justincredible

  

  How in the world does that thing work?
• BR1986FB

  justincredible;766571 wrote:How in the world does that thing work?

  
  There are 4 buttons you push to program it. 1) age, 2) height 3) weight 4) male/female....you then press "start", grip the handles and it gives you your bodyfat reading.
• OneBuckeye

  

  Electrodes
  Body fat analyzers have galvanized electrodes that send a small, painless current of electricity through your body. With the hand-held version, this signal is sent through one hand and travels down to the waist area, back up the body and through the other hand to the other electrode. It measures the subcutaneous fluid under the skin; in other words, your body fat. The floor version works the same way, except you stand on it, and it sends the signal up through your legs to your waist and back down.
  
  
  

  http://www.ehow.com/how-does_4882790_body-fat-analyzer-work.html
• Commander of Awesome

  

  justincredible;766571 wrote:How in the world does that thing work?

  BR1986FB;766575 wrote:There are 4 buttons you push to program it. 1) age, 2) height 3) weight 4) male/female....you then press "start", grip the handles and it gives you your bodyfat reading.

  
  
• BR1986FB

  Just don't buy the one that says "220v"
• OneBuckeye

  

  http://www.walmart.com/ip/Omron-Healthcare-Body-Logic-Fat-Analyzer/15555387?findingMethod=rr
  
  Hilarious coincidence, I went to a health fair thing this afternoon at our work and they were testing BF and pressuree and they had the model above. I had just ate my lunch and had a large green iced tea and I tested at 16.5% Much more inline with what I thought I was. Still dissapointed I wasn't lower, but perhaps I may be lower in the morning. I am going to purchase one this weekend hopefully.
• BR1986FB

  OneBuckeye;766660 wrote:http://www.walmart.com/ip/Omron-Healthcare-Body-Logic-Fat-Analyzer/15555387?findingMethod=rr
  
  Hilarious coincidence, I went to a health fair thing this afternoon at our work and they were testing BF and pressuree and they had the model above. I had just eating my lunch and a large green iced tea and I tested at 16.5% Much more inline with what I thought I was. Still dissapointed I wasn't lower, but perhaps I may be lower in the morning. I am going to purchase one this weekend hopefully.

  Measure bodyweight/bodyfat first thing in the AM, in a fasted state, AFTER taking a pee. You'll get a more true reading.
• birddog23

  OneBuckeye;766561 wrote:http://www.walmart.com/ip/Omron-Portable-Body-Fat-Analyzer/3342463
  
  Was thinking about picking up a cheap one at walmart... hopefully I can try it out before I buy lol.

  
  I've used one similar to that before and was alright. Not totally accurate but better than other options I've seen before.
• fan_from_texas

  Since I got out of school and started working, I've gotten in terrible shape. Mrs. FFT & I have tried doing the gym thing for awhile, but we haven't been consistent, and we talked about doing P90X. A few questions:
  
  (1) To get started, what would we need to buy?
  (2) How tough are the dietary restrictions? Are they compatible with being at work 70+ hours a week with access only to a microwave?
  (3) For someone who doesn't have much time at all (between work and taking care of our son, I usually have just an hour or two each day that isn't already filled up), is it doable to try to schedule in P90X? How much time do I need each day for this?
  
  Thanks.
• OneBuckeye

  

  fan_from_texas;772722 wrote:Since I got out of school and started working, I've gotten in terrible shape. Mrs. FFT & I have tried doing the gym thing for awhile, but we haven't been consistent, and we talked about doing P90X. A few questions:
  
  (1) To get started, what would we need to buy?
  (2) How tough are the dietary restrictions? Are they compatible with being at work 70+ hours a week with access only to a microwave?
  (3) For someone who doesn't have much time at all (between work and taking care of our son, I usually have just an hour or two each day that isn't already filled up), is it doable to try to schedule in P90X? How much time do I need each day for this?
  
  Thanks.

  
  (1) To get started, what would we need to buy?
  
  1. Dumbells. I would reccomend 10s through 35s to start out but you could probably be ok with just 10 and 25.
  2. Pullup bar. I have one I hung to the joist of my basement but you can do the doorway kind too.
  3. Push up bars. Not needed but they are cheap and will save your wrists.
  4. Heartrate monitor.
  
  (2) How tough are the dietary restrictions? Are they compatible with being at work 70+ hours a week with access only to a microwave?
  
  You can make them whatever you want but the "fat shredder" section at the beginning is essential because it is low carb. I went low carb (Paleo) the whole way. As long as you have time to cook/prep outside of work you will be fine. For example I bake 3 or 4 chicken breasts at once and reheat them when I need to. For veggies you can buy broccli, asparagus etc frozen and heat them up. Or pack some spinach romaine salad. Hard boiled eggs make a good meal/snack, or you can buy a giant ham and cut it up. It is not hard at all once you plan and figure out what works for you.
  
  (3) For someone who doesn't have much time at all (between work and taking care of our son, I usually have just an hour or two each day that isn't already filled up), is it doable to try to schedule in P90X? How much time do I need each day for this?
  
  This may be a stretch because it takes an hour to do most of the workouts. If you do Ab ripper x that is another 16 minutes on strength days. Also yoga is an hour and half. You can purchase Tony's fountain of youth yoga or another yoga dvd to get a much shorter routine. If you have an hour you will be fine but no less.
• OneBuckeye

  

  You seem like a good candidate for crossfit though. Depending on your schedule, commute and locations etc you should look into cross fit gyms. http://www.crossfitmilwaukee.com/ http://www.creamcitycrossfit.com/ http://www.crossfitlakecountry.com/
• fan_from_texas

  Thanks--this is helpful. The time thing is always the killer issue. E.g., today I won't be home from work, etc. until around 9.00p, at which point I have to fit in everything like paying bills, etc. before I head off to bed. It's tough to find the time to fit everything in, and I don't want to start P90X and find out partway through that I don't have the time to be consistent with it.
  
  Also, how good of shape do I need to be in before starting P90X? I was in great shape 5-ish years ago (170 and ripped), but 3 years of sitting down in an office 12 hours a day has resulted in a 30-lb weight gain and terrible fitness. Do you think I could still do P90X? Or start on something weaker first to ease in?
• OneBuckeye

  

  fan_from_texas;772757 wrote:Thanks--this is helpful. The time thing is always the killer issue. E.g., today I won't be home from work, etc. until around 9.00p, at which point I have to fit in everything like paying bills, etc. before I head off to bed. It's tough to find the time to fit everything in, and I don't want to start P90X and find out partway through that I don't have the time to be consistent with it.
  
  Also, how good of shape do I need to be in before starting P90X? I was in great shape 5-ish years ago (170 and ripped), but 3 years of sitting down in an office 12 hours a day has resulted in a 30-lb weight gain and terrible fitness. Do you think I could still do P90X? Or start on something weaker first to ease in?

  
  You will be fine. I went from a fit 185 end of college weight to 224 fat. Now I'm down to 178 and in the best shape of my life since my 2nd or 3rd year of college. You just won't be able to everything all the way the first time through but they show you modifications you can do and/or you just won't be able to do as many reps.
• Zoltan

  OneBuckeye;772762 wrote:You will be fine. I went from a fit 185 end of college weight to 224 fat. Now I'm down to 178 and in the best shape of my life since my 2nd or 3rd year of college. You just won't be able to everything all the way the first time through but they show you modifications you can do and/or you just won't be able to do as many reps.

  
  I would still suggest that you start working out for a few weeks before starting. I did a mens health circuit routine for three weeks before I started, and also went through the plyo routine a few times. The main problem is Plyo just destroys your leg muscles no matter what because nobody is used to squatting that many times. Alot of people get off track early because their legs are dead from plyo, which makes Yoga really hard, which leads into legs/back, etc.
• pinstriper

  It will be overwhelming to you if you haven't been working out/eating right for a while. I was in the same boat as you FFT. I decided to take a month and just try to eat right, low carb fat burner phase, no working out. once I figured out the foods that worked for my schedule, and how to make it a routine, then I incorporated the workouts. Just a thought, it worked great for me. I lost 10 lbs, went from 22% body fat to 10%, and got my athletic build back.
• fan_from_texas

  pinstriper;774089 wrote:It will be overwhelming to you if you haven't been working out/eating right for a while. I was in the same boat as you FFT. I decided to take a month and just try to eat right, low carb fat burner phase, no working out. once I figured out the foods that worked for my schedule, and how to make it a routine, then I incorporated the workouts. Just a thought, it worked great for me. I lost 10 lbs, went from 22% body fat to 10%, and got my athletic build back.

  
  I think I'll do the basic Power 90 first, and then move toward P90X.
• Sonofanump

  fan_from_texas;774160 wrote:I think I'll do the basic Power 90 first, and then move toward P90X.

  
  If your under 40 and were once in shape, start with p90X. You can always modify. I had a friend in not great shape, I told him to do 15 of the 30 seconds of plyo and do a shake (swimming/boxing jog) for the other 15 seconds unitl he built his way up to the whole 30 seconds.
  
  P90X is tough at first, but something to work through.
• I Wear Pants

  After resting my knee I think I'm ready to get back in it. Jogged a bit today and did some sprints and didn't have any pain. Hopefully that's the end of it.
• Bigred1995

  

  Today was my first day back to P90X. I took time off to workout in the gym, then after about 6 months of working out at the gym I lost motivation and stopped going. I'm now back up to 220lbs. I'm not completely out of shape, but I'd like to get back closer to 200! My plan is to do P90X for one cycle then do a cycle of Insanity! My friend has the DVDs and said he'll let me borrow them, to see if I like it or not!
  
  So, I'll be visiting more frequently for my motivation!