P90X2: Balance + Power

Workout length (incl. warmup and cooldown): 1:02:00

Set: Pretty much the same as P90X (dark basement gym)

Background exercisers: Two guys and a girl. The guy to Tony's right is doing most of the modifications (or "hotel room" variations). As with most of the P90X and P90X2 workouts, they seem to be enjoying themselves, which is nice.

Equipment needed: Stability ball, Foam roller (or towel), Weights or bands, Mat*, 1 Medicine ball*, power (push up) stands* (*optional, though all are optional for "hotel room" variations except the bands)

Warmup (the same as in many of the P90X2 workouts):

- (W/stability ball): Twist, Squat, Side Stretch, Alternating back lunge, Atlas

- (w/ foam roller or towel/bands): Foam rolling, Roller angels, Roller Sphinx (forearm plank on foam roller),

- (No equipment): World's Greatest Stretch (alternating side angle/twisting side angle/frog squat pose), Inch Worm (scooting hands out to plank, then scooting feet to hands), Scorpion (lower back stretch by lying face down and extending one bent leg to opposite side), Groiners (start with lunge with both arms in inset, and alternate legs).

Bonus warmup/moves that blend into the workout: Dumbbell Squat Press (dumbbells) & Mountain climbers on the stability ball

Workout: (there are about 00:47:23 left at this point, long warm-up)

Most of the exercises are either 10-20 reps or as many as you can in 20-40 seconds, it all depends on the exercise. Water break every 6 exercises.

01 Sphinx to Plank Plyo Bounce (stability ball)

02 1-Leg Plyo Squat Reach

03 Russian Twist (dumbbell)

04 Sphinx to Plank Roll Up (stability ball)

05 4-Direction 1-Leg Squat Hop

06 Forearm Alt Side Plank (stability ball)

08 Decline Sphinx Plank Press (stability ball; let me just say, SUPER HARD!)

09 Weighted Katherine (dumbbells)

10 Plank X Crunch

11 Renegade Row ½ Lolasana (dumbbells or power stands)

12 Glute Bridge Roll Out (stability ball)

13 Over/Under Boat (band)

15 Warrior Row Press (dumbbells)

16 Split Lunge (stability ball)

17 Crawly Crab Press (stability ball, dumbbells)

18 Lateral Plyo Push-Up (med ball)

19 Lunge Kneel Knee Raise (dumbbells)

20 X Plank Spider Twist

22 Dumbbell Row to Side Plank (dumbbells)

(Alternating Sides Each Rep)

23 Dumbbell Super Burpee (dumbbells)

24 Plank Ball Crunch (stability ball)

Cool Down (all stretches using stability ball, about 8:45 minutes left).

Workout level:

I always struggle with this one, trying to determine the workout "level." I guess I would lump this workout into the advanced category, just because of the balance it involves while maintaining good form. I guess if balance is your forte and you can do exercises on one leg and/or on the balance ball easily, this might not be as challenging? For me, it's definitely something to work up to, since balance is not my strength. What is important here is form, not speed, which leads to the next point:

Tony's Tip of the Day: "Form is King!"

Personal impressions:

I don't have a foam roller (yet), so I can't comment much on the warm-up section, except that the Groiners felt like part of the workout. After doing this one and the P90X2 Core last week, I felt like this one was more of a core workout than Core, and that the Core should have been the "Balance & Power" of this set. That's just my impression though; the reason is that last week I felt like I had to really concentrate on my balance whereas this time I felt like I could get several reps done. Maybe it was because I did a few of the modified moves? I know for sure I can't do the full Lolasana move (it's one of the moves in the P90X2 previews) as I can't do the Crane pose yet , but I was able to do the reps with one foot at a time. I really liked this workout though; like the other workouts in the set (with the exception of Yoga) this also felt like more of an "athletic training" workout rather than just getting your sweat on and doing some reps (I've done Core, Plyocide, Yoga and this one so far). It's definitely a keeper if you want to improve your balance, agility and core strength!

- Maria