Ab Ripper X

Ab Ripper X…I hate it, but I love it! And I am sure you feel the same way.

I have been through P90X multiple times now and through that process I have learned quite a bit about the program in general, but specifically today, I wanted to talk about the craziness that is Ab Ripper X.

No doubt Ab Ripper X is one of the most intense Ab routines in home fitness and the results prove it! And because P90X has become so popular, I also get a ton of reoccurring questions about this routine that I wanted to cover in today’s post.

So if you are doing P90X then be sure you read this entire post, and at the end leave me a comment on how you are progressing with Ab Ripper X.

 

Ab Ripper X FAQ Answered

 

1) I cant do all the moves, should I get stronger before doing Ab Ripper X?

That is perfectly OK if you cant do all the moves in Ab Ripper X. I could barely do half of the reps they were doing in the video. It was very discouraging laying there half the time while the cast members made it look easy – putting there hand up in the air and crap!

You should go through the entire workout though and as long as you are doing your best, then you are going to notice that with each time you do the workout, you are going to get better. And then before you know it, you are going to be doing all the moves and looking for ways to bump up the intensity! I simply a matter of sticking with it!

 

2) Do I have to do it RIGHT AFTER the main workout?

NO! A lot of people think that just because they put “P90X Ab Ripper X” at the end of the main workouts, that they have no choice but to do it then. This was actually just for convenience so you werent having to switch out dvds on the days that Ab Ripper X was scheduled.

I find that I push so hard during the main workout, that I end up not giving 100% on ARX. For me, doing the Ab Ripper X workout in the latter part of the day when I get off work allowed me to push much harder, thus getting better results than if I were to give it a go right after an hour of push ups and pull ups.

You could even do ARX before your main workout if that works for you! Your main concern just needs to be BRINGIN IT! If you can do it with the most intensity 10 minutes before bedtime, do it then…Doesnt matter as long as you ACTUALLY DO IT  on the scheduled days and do your best!

 

3) Why do my hips hurt when I do Ab Ripper X?

Its not actually your hips, but rather you hip flexors. Tony talks about them in the beginning of the video when he says, “your gunna feel this in your hip flexors”, during in-and-outs.

The hip flexor is a small muscle group that pull your femur (thigh bone) and knee upward which is why you feel the burn in your hips during moves like bicycle and crunch frog. If you have not been doing Ab Ripper X, then this muscle group doesnt get much use therefore you will probably be super sore there for the first month or so until you develop your hip flexor muscles. Once you do that, you can mentally start focusing on getting the burn in your abs fired up.

 

4) What are the Ab Ripper X workouts?

I dont know about you, but I lost my fitness guide a long time ago and when I am on the road for work, I dont have my dvds or a dvd player in the hotel. So here is a list of the Ab Ripper X workouts (moves) for you to write down or memorize for future use!

• In & Outs – 25 reps
• Seated Bicycle – 25 reps
• Crunchy Frog – 25 reps
• Cross Leg/Wide Leg Sit Ups – 25 reps
• Fifer Scissors – 25 reps
• Hip Rock & Raise – 25 reps
• Pulse Up (Heels To Heaven) – 25 reps
• V-Up Roll-Up – 25 reps
• Oblique V-Up – 25 right, 25 left
• Leg Climb – 12 per side
• Mason Twist – 40 reps, 10 bonus

 

5) Can I do Ab Ripper X everyday for better results?

NO! Just like Tony says, “you dont work other part of your body everyday, you dont need to work your abs everyday”.

You have to remember that growth and gains happen at rest. If you workout your abs everyday, you are going to see little to no results and you risk injury or over-training.

 

6) Will I get a six pack?

One of the greatest misunderstandings about getting a six pack is the notion that doing ab exercises will get you there.

If you have been reading my blog for some time now, then you have heard me say this before and I will say it again, nutrition is 80% of your results and abs are made in the kitchen! Its that simple…If you want a sixer, you gotta lean out.

Making sure that you do Ab Ripper X according to the P90X schedule is important though! Strengthening and growing your abs is going to make it so that you actually have something to show once you lean out.

 

7) How can I add intensity if it gets too EASY?

I know this might sound like a funny question if you are struggling with Ab Ripper X, but like i said before, if you stick with it according to the schedule, then you will get stronger and possibly even need to make it harder.

And you can do that a few ways with a few tools: ankle weights, weighted med balls, dumbells, put your hands in the air and waive em like you just dont care during the seated moves.

Use your imagination and add weight/resistance any way you can. I like to use a 10lb med ball in my hands and a 12lb med ball between my knees when I do mason twist. Its grueling, but it ups the intensity and gets results!

 

Ab Ripper X – Stop Your Whining!

My best tip for those of you who are struggling though with Ab Ripper X is to stop the whining and just DO IT! If you want to get ripped and have a six pack, did you honestly think it would be easy???

Its only 3 days per week, 16 minutes, and you can do it whenever you want throughout the day…

Are you going to struggle at first? YES. Will it get easier? YES.

I like to look at Ab Ripper X like I look at the entire P90X program. If you want the BEST results, then you need to follow what the program suggests. You cant expect to get the best results only doing it once per week or half assing the workout…you gotta BRING IT just like any other workout in the program!

Sorry about the rant, but many of the frequently asked questions that I get concerning Ab Ripper X have a whining overtone to them, but people just need to suck it up and understand that Rome was not built in a day and neither was your body…Rome was not easily built either…

“I dont always workout my abs, but when I do…I choose Ab Ripper X – Get RIPPED my friends!”

 

 
PS: I dont believe anything I write here on my blog has value unless you actually do what I suggest. If you are going to take my advice on Ab Ripper X, then please be sure you like and share it as well so that others can have access to this info. You’re awesome!