P - A - P

Don't worry this post has nothing to do with any kind of smears. What I am talking about is P.A.P. or Post-Activation Potentiation. PAP is being implemented to improve overall performance for professional athletes. Why would this matter to the average joe? Because PAP is actually going to be invading our homes by means of P90X2!!! (at least the 3rd phase).

Let me take a step back. The main idea of PAP is that heavy loads on muscles stimulates the nervous system in a way that results in improved neuromuscular efficiency which allows your muscles to contract faster and with more force. This translates to more strength and power.  The gains of PAP however are dependent on your level of fitness. The more fit you are the more effective PAP training is due to higher fatigue thresholds and better conditioning. Which is also why it helps endurance athletes who have amazing conditioning. Why is this exciting? Because P90X2 is using PAP which means they are more aggressively addressing the needs of individuals who are already fit and, because of this incorporation, also means P90X2 is designed to get you to a level where PAP would be effective. 

I have the good fortune to be a subscriber to P90X  One on One Volume 3 (essentially a set of 12 dvds that are the workshop for P90X2 - since I have them all I get a 50% discount off the upcoming P90X2!) and one of the discs is an actual PAP workout. It was very clear from the beginning that this was a much different workout than any they have ever put out. More so after completing the workout and finding that I was completely and utterly soaked as if I did an Asylum level cardio routine only without the fast paced cardio. Drenched.

The workout is divided into 3 complexes. This complex training combines resistance exercises with plyometrics which results in higher PAP responses. The first is a warmup complex which is an appetizer to the main course. You build a light sweat and get all your muscles ready for the brutality to come. This is followed by a lower body complex and an upper body complex with little break in between.

The complexes themselves are 4 rounds of multiple movements with no resting. The first movement is a strength movement followed by a power movement and finished with a stability movement. I found that the first round was kind of a calibration round to allow your body to get used to the movements, the 2nd round was actually easier, the 3rd a littler harder, and the 4th round was the grand finale in every sense. These 3 complexes (warmup, lower, upper) were a bear. It's no wonder I was sweating so much as every muscle in my body was pushed to max effort.

I can't wait to get P90X2 and reach the 3rd phase which will be the main PAP phase so I can torture myself with more complexes. It seems that P90X2 will be about improving physical performance and in doing so will transform your body into a machine. What am i gonna do with P90X2 PAP? Simple, I'm gonna use to to perform excellent flagpoles (I still need some shoulder/core strength to straighten it out) and maybe finally pull off a muscle up! lol lofty goals, I know.

ALLLMOOOSSTTT!!!

When the world went Plank

The plank has been one of the most efficient positions from which to train your core. Now in  2011, Australians have devised a real world application for the beloved plank. Well perhaps not originally devised but certainly brought to the mainstream internet the art of "Planking". Do not be fooled "Planking" may seem a bit silly but it is in fact an efficient a way to burn calories and can be  performed anywhere.

Planking involves the use of your core and your imagination. I am sure some calories are burned when straining your imagination. All those synapses firing and sending all kinds of signals must burn at least 1 calorie. If not, the activity itself does require some kind of physical movement to get into and stay in position. Don't worry about your fitness level, planking is for everyone, including infants.

You will also burn extra calories when you record and relive the event causing great laughter which contracts your abdominal muscles. Though we all know frowning involves more muscles and probably burns more calories, smiling will still give you a benefit; and whats more, I hear it is quite contagious. You will not only be helping yourself but others around you as well. So go forth and join this new fitness revolution. Go forth and challenge yourselves to master this new art and improve your fitness!...and be sure to share so everyone else can laugh will become inspired from witnessing your amazing triumphs!

Here now also - a quick tip to getting some color without harsh rays from the sun or chemical coloring! Once again using the imagination and fusing parkour skills with the enthusiasm of  a 5 year old; I give you, "the reverse corkscrew swan dive"! You may have to perform this movement a number of times to get the desired color. Enjoy! 

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