Cardio X Review

There are a couple of things to get out of the way before I get to my review of the P90X Cardio X program. 

I mentioned to a friend of mine that I feared my blog was turning into a weight loss journal of sorts. She ( Shannon ) said to me, "What is there to fear? It is your blog and you can post what you want." And after going back through the past few weeks, it is pretty littered with healthy eating tips, working out tips, what my next venture is going to be whether it be running, biking or both, etc. Then my next thought was, who cares? She is right and my passion lies in living a healthy lifestyle, running, biking, doing 5K's, half marathons, bike races and just plain ol' working out. And I like to share those things. My next thought is that maybe, just maybe these various posts will help to inspire people that lack motivation to get out there and do something about it.

So, that brings me to my review of Cardio X that can be added to the slew of my other weight loss related posts. 

The Cardio X program is broken down into 4 sections Each section has exercises that most people have done or are just famliar with. There are also some exercises that may seem a little "goofy" but I can see how they would be very effective.

Section One: Yoga

The warmup is simply going through some of the classic Yoga poses. If you’ve done Yoga before, then you know that even though some of the poses don’t look very difficult, they can be pretty challenging. Yoga also does a great job of getting your heart rate up and putting you into that fat burning zone. Another thing to keep in mind when you are performing the yoga movements is to try and perfect your form. The more you perfect your form, the more you will get out of the poses.


The classic yoga poses used in the warm up are: 

• Sun Salutations (Vinyasas)
• Runner’s Pose
• Warrior One
• Warrior Two
• Reverse Warrior

My thoughts: I think yoga is the BEST way to warm up the body and I was pleased to see it in the Cardio X routine as the warm up. The 5 moves listed above will warm up every muscle, stretch every muscle and get you ready for the remaining 3 sections, one of which is pretty challenging.

Section Two: Kenpo


The Kenpo section (my personal favorite) is when your heart rate really starts to get up there, and just as with Yoga, the more you apply yourself to the movements, the more you will get out of it. The individual exercise selections from Kenpo include

• Ball Kick
• Hook/Uppercut/Side Kick
• Front & Back Knuckles/Ball Kick/Back Kick
• Jab/Cross/Hook/Uppercut
• Three-Direction Kick

My thoughts: I have always been a big fan of Kenpo type exercise. We had a kicking bag for a while and I used it pretty regularly for a good cardio workout so I was very happy to see Kenpo for section 2. For me personally, Kenpo right after yoga is the right place for it. Your body is pretty warmed up and limber which allows for the movements to be executed a little better and with more fluid movement. Great great way to get the heart rate going.

Section Three: Plyometrics


The exercises in this section consist of the following:

• Airborne Heisman
• Swing Kick
• Jump Shot
• Tire
• Wacky Jacks *these were hilarious to do and entertaining to watch but very affective for the obliques.

My thoughts: This was probably my least favorite section, beneficial but my least favorite none the less. I don't really have a reason other than I simply enjoyed the others more. The Jump Shot was a little akward until I found my rythm. The tire was pretty cool but I really had to focus on where the "tires" were, otherwise I felt like I was cheating myself with much shorter jumps than what is called for.

Fourth Section: Core Synergistics

The Core Synergistics movements that are part of Cardio X include

• Squat X-Press
• Steam Engine
• Dreya Roll
• Squat Run
• Superman/Banana

My thoughts: I thought this was a great end to the session. Each of the movements can really push you to the limits. The Dreya Roll alone has numerous variations at the end of the movement where you can jump or pose in ways that can enhance the overall effect of the exercise.

Overall, I think the Cardio X routine is fun and it is a great way to add the much needed cardio into any work out program.

Next up, the Plyometrics X. (Hunter lasted through the 1st section until his legs just would not move any more...I gotta see what this is about!)