Ab Ripper X

I am not officially starting the full P90X program until Monday.

But I figured I could give the Ab Ripper program a try before officially starting, since this one is usually tacked on to the other workout programs two or three times throughout the week.

Today I am slightly sore, but the worst part is in my hips and upper legs rather than my abs, although I have a feeling I'll be feeling it much more tomorrow.

While not very long - you are going the entire 20 minutes without stopping (although Tony Horton the trainer says many times - "If you need a break, take it!") and the exercises really require a lot from your entire core. Basically I'm feeling it from just below my pecs down to halfway down my thighs. (It's just not that painful... at least not YET)

The workouts are as follows:
In and Outs - Seated with legs straight out in front of you - pull them back to your chest, and then straighten them out again. I suggest that you are warmed up a bit - especially in your hips as mine started popping and grinding quite painfully. Very strange. Good starting move though!
Seated Bicycle - Almost like you are riding a recumbent bike... but your not. Not too bad but definitely tough. Also wasn't the easiest thing on my hips - so make sure you warm those hips up good before starting!
Seated Crunchy Frog - Pretty much the same as the in and out, but you grab your legs and hug them close to your chest before going back out.
Crossed Leg/Wide Leg Sit-up - Lay down with legs either crossed or open in a wide V. Then raise one arm and do a sit up, reaching to the side opposite, back down and switch arms. Tougher than it sounds!
Fifer Scissor - This was the hardest for me - basically you are laying down doing scissor kicks with your legs at 90° angles - and I couldn't get my legs to the 90°!! My hamstrings are way too tight - especially since I haven't been doing yoga in a while. They used to be a lot more flexible.
Hip Rock ‘N Raise - Leg lifts with your feet together like you are doing a groin stretch. So you lift your lower body off the ground with your abs, then pop (raise) your hips up a bit more at the end.
Pulse-Up - This time your legs are raised to the sky and you lift your body up as high as you can. Basically the regular lay-on-your-back-and-raise-your-hips-up exercise.
Roll-Up/V-Up Combo -Do a sit-up with your legs flat on the ground. As you roll back bring your legs up, then sit up again leaving your legs up in the air, then roll down both your back and legs. Repeat. Hard to get - even harder to do I think!
Oblique V-Up - I really liked this exercise - even though by this point I was having a very difficult time! Basically you are doing V-sits while laying on your side, but going up towards the ceiling. I really think I'm going to feel this in my obliques tonight or tomorrow!
Leg Climb - This fun exercise really does work - and depending on how you do it is more difficult. One leg at a 45° angle that you then do a sit up while using your arms to climb up your leg. The less leg grabs, the more difficult.
Mason (Kayak) Twist - This one is probably my favorite - except that it's at the very end and I have no idea how I was able to do it at all! Basically while seated with your legs out in front of you, knees bent and slightly raised off the floor - interlock your fingers so you have like a Masons hammer and "slam" it into the ground (really just touch the floor) on each side to side rotation!

That's it! You're done and sweaty. I didn't feel like it was too much for me - but I can definitely improve and make it more worthwhile if I do this more.

And finally, here's a random video about the kinds of superpowers I too have:


And now I must evacuate the building. Crazy stuff.
**UPDATE** False alarm. Oh and I won a digital photo frame today for our company's Maintain Don't Gain Holiday fitness program. Yay!