P90X Review Plyometrics (Day 2 - Phase 1)
Man-O-Manischewitz what a workout this morning. Yeah, I got myself downstairs at 5:00 AM and started the workout at about 5:45. Plyometrics today…it’s the X in P90X.
Not familiar with the term plyometrics? Here’s the definition from Wikipedia:
Plyometrics is a type of exercise training designed to produce fast, powerful movements, and improve the functions of the nervous system, generally for the purpose of improving performance in a specific sport. Plyometric movements, in which a muscle is loaded and then contracted in rapid sequence, use the strength, elasticity and innervation of muscle and as it was supposed to be surrounding tissues to jump higher, run faster, throw farther, or hit harder, depending on the desired training goal.
It’s high-impact and I felt the impact in my old guy’s knees. Actually I’ve always had problems with my knees popping, cracking, and if I don’t have my bike seat adjusted perfectly I’ll have pain after a long ride. That’s why I’m a biker not a runner. My right knee sounded like someone was eating celery throughout the workout so I didn’t jump up as high as Dominic the curly-haired guy in the back row. What’s up with that guy? Bah..teacher’s pet.
It was easier than the workout last night. Other than not get the altitude that the others were achieving, I was keeping up pretty well. I can see why some people get sick to their stomach (to put it mildly), there a few moves where you are spinning up in the air and then going right into a different exercise. If spinning amusement rides make you hurl, you’ve been warned. Proceed with caution and slow down how fast you spin.
There seemed to be a wide variety of exercises in this workout so it didn’t seem too boring.  At least not the first time through. Sure they all seem like variations of jumping and squatting, but it really gets your heart rate going. During day one’s P90X workout, I barely broke a sweat. I worked up quite a bit of perspiration during Plyometrics. Next time I’ll wear my heart rate monitor to see if I’m “in the zone”.
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