Skipping Yoga-X

This is without a doubt the most dreaded workout in the P90X series. Many would rather chew glass than do yoga-x! I constantly hear the question asked “what can I substitute for yoga?” or “do I have to do yoga?”. Along with these questions comes the expectation of justification for the yoga hatred that many harbor deep within their yoga-hating souls, lol. I cant provide you the justification for your hatred of yoga, but I can shine a little light on what you are missing out on.

First off, lets take a look at some of the common reasons many hate the gloriousness that is yoga-x:

1. Its too long
2. Its too boring
3. They do weird “oms” at the end
4. I cant do any of it
5. Im not flexible enough

The Benefits of Yoga-X

So lets say that you do decide that yoga isnt for you, and that you will find a substitute cardio workout instead. What are some of the benefits you will be missing out on if you choose this route? Yoga increases flexibility, increases strength in stabilizer muscles, it reduces your chances of injury and can reduce soreness from previous workouts. These benefits are something that you do not want to omit from a TOTAL FITNESS program. Too many people forget that P90X is TOTAL FITNESS; not just strength, not just agility, not just getting ripped…

Who Knows Best?

So lets say that you do decide that yoga isnt for you, and that you will find a substitute cardio workout instead. Consider this first: Tony Horton has been a fitness fountain of wealth for over 20 years. You dont think he didnt put extensive amounts of research and his own experiential knowledge into the P90X program in its entirety…including yoga? There is a reason that yoga is included in P90X as it provides an aspect of fitness that other exercises cannot. I would rather you heard it from the man himself though.

 

 

The REAL REASON You Hate Yoga-X!

Am I arrogant in claiming that I know why you really hate yoga? I dont think so since I too hate it for the same reason…its really really hard!!! This isnt some sissy stretch routine that requires you to check your masculinity at the door. Yoga-X IS STRENGTH TRAINING! At least that is how I see it. I have never sweated so much in my entire life! It is bar far, in my opinion, the hardest workout in the P90X series. This is why no matter how much I hate it, the fact that it is that difficult drives me to want it more.

When you first did plyo-x and were taking breaks left and right, did you skip it next week because it was too hard? I sure hope not! It was hard for me too, but I pressed on because I knew that anything that made me breath that hard and sweat that much HAD to be good for me. The same goes for yoga too though. It was a constant flop sweat for me, and I absolutely loathed the thought of doing it again the next week, but I pressed on. There were weeks I admit where I substituted a cardio workout, but I am beyond the days of choosing what I feel is more beneficial for my fitness.

How to Tackle Yoga

So what can you do to develop your yoga-bitterness into yoga-love?

1. Yoga Blocks – These can assist you in holding poses that require more flexibility than you are currently capable of. Instead of placing your hand on the floor during triangle pose, you put your hand 6″-9″ higher off the floor on the yoga block so that you can hold the pose. With time you will gain the flexibility and the strength necessary to hold these difficult poses without the assistance of blocks.
2. Dont get discouraged – I still fall all over the place, lol!!! You just have to “Do your best and forget the rest”. Your balance will develop over time and you will see progress if you are pushing play each week. It can get frustrating trying to get your foot to stick to your thigh during tree pose, but keep at it! You will see the reward!
3. Get out of your head about it. You gotta stop the mental tug of war about whether or not you WANT to do yoga today. Consider it not a choice. Consider it required to get the results you want (it is, lol).

When you bought P90X, you made a decision that you would commit to your health and fitness for the next 90 days. Do the same with yoga if you have been skipping out on it. I personally challenge you to commit to it.  I will be rollin on the floor with you, I promise!

Lets BRING IT gang!