P90X

When bodybuilding I came across something called the anabolic diet. From what I gleaned off the literature the gist was to eat low carb, high protein for two weeks, then eat high carb, low protein on the weekend, then back to two weeks of low carb, high protein, and so on… I used it for 12 weeks in preparation for a contest and had good results (body fat down to 1.9% at 181lbs). After the contest I experimented with the diet and did a moderately low carb/high protein for 5 days, then ate normally on the weekend, and followed this routine for about 4 months. This was much better than a strickly low carb diet as I was able to keep my body fat down to around 6%, but was able to get my weight up to 196 and was just as strong as ever. Obviously results will vary, but I was fascinated by how body composition could change so drastically through diet modification and calorie burning. My diet currently is actually the best it's ever been quality-wise, but I eat however much I want thanks to swimming. :banana: Errr... With 1.9% body fat you'd be practically dead.

I have taken 9 months off of swimming b/c of some nerve issues in my back, and have recently gotten back into working out and have done it with P90X Some Qualifications: 1) I'm 34 2) I've always been in pretty good shape, with good muscle tone 3) I get up at 5 AM to do the workouts 4) I don't do diets. I don't give a squat if that's the key ingredient. I will eat sensibly and with a balanced diet, but life's too short to not eat desert or cut out certain foods altogether. I love P90X. The workouts are varied, but at the same time incorporate alot of the same movements and routines so it is easy to learn. I have not lost much weight, maybe 5 pounds, but that's b/c I've turned a ton of fat into muscle (I'm 5-11, 185 right now). I'm sire if I did the diet I'd look like the guys in the video with my shirt off. As it is I have great arms, back and legs, plus a "4-pack", but I've never been able to get a full 6. I have a little pudge on my waistline, but it is worth it to eat what I liek to eat. I plan to, as always, modify my diet a month before taper time. I to am curious as to how well I will swim. My plan is to go back to workouts next week, swimming 2-3 days a week, p90X-ing 2-3 others, so I won't follow the recc'd workout, obviously, but will do arms/chest, ply or Kenpo, legs, and arms/back in a rotation. My plan is to concentrate on sprints this year and see what happens, I have a few barriers I want to cross this year (lack of tech suits be damned) and I think working on strength, flexibility and explosion both with these workouts and with a concentration on sprint work in the water will help get me there. "muscle confusion" is a term for the sake of a pitch line, but the workouts do work very well. I don't even lift weights, just bands, pull ups and push ups. And I will say this. Every few weeks I take a week off and just do the stretch, yoga, core and/or kenpo videos.That's a great week.

When bodybuilding I came across something called the anabolic diet. From what I gleaned off the literature the gist was to eat low carb, high protein for two weeks, then eat high carb, low protein on the weekend, then back to two weeks of low carb, high protein, and so on… I used it for 12 weeks in preparation for a contest and had good results (body fat down to 1.9% at 181lbs). After the contest I experimented with the diet and did a moderately low carb/high protein for 5 days, then ate normally on the weekend, and followed this routine for about 4 months. This was much better than a strickly low carb diet as I was able to keep my body fat down to around 6%, but was able to get my weight up to 196 and was just as strong as ever. Obviously results will vary, but I was fascinated by how body composition could change so drastically through diet modification and calorie burning. My diet currently is actually the best it's ever been quality-wise, but I eat however much I want thanks to swimming. :banana: I'm guessing you went off the Anabolic Diet because it's hard to train for swimming with low carbs? People like the diet, but the reasoning behind it is just pseudoscience. It has that name (actually I think it got renamed to the Metabolic Diet?) because it supposedly mimics the effects of steroids. Ummm, how? That part never seems to get explained. There's some talk about peaking or manipulating hormones, but if you read the actual published research on these hormones, the diets take quite a leap of imagination. I'm not saying AD (or any other diet) doesn't work. But bodybuilders are often guilty of pretending they are much more precise and scientific than they actually are. Swimmers do this, too! Some things work or appear to work for completely different reasons from the ones you would suppose.

Errr... With 1.9% body fat you'd be practically dead. Errr…I felt like that. The measurement was based on a formula I had using skin-fold calipers. Obviously there would be some accuracy issues with the exact number, but that's what was measured. This did not account for internal organ fat, just subcutaneous fat. Also, bodybuilders do not maintain that degree of leanness for an extended length of time, it's more of a peak you hope to reach for 2-4 days if luck is in your favor. So, I don't know what the actual percentage was, but it was close enough for government work. :D

I'm guessing you went off the Anabolic Diet because it's hard to train for swimming with low carbs? People like the diet, but the reasoning behind it is just pseudoscience. It has that name (actually I think it got renamed to the Metabolic Diet?) because it supposedly mimics the effects of steroids. Ummm, how? That part never seems to get explained. There's some talk about peaking or manipulating hormones, but if you read the actual published research on these hormones, the diets take quite a leap of imagination. I'm not saying AD (or any other diet) doesn't work. But bodybuilders are often guilty of pretending they are much more precise and scientific than they actually are. Swimmers do this, too! Some things work or appear to work for completely different reasons from the ones you would suppose. Actually, I got off of it because for swimming it doesn't matter what you look like, what your body fat % is, etc. It is a bit of a hassle keeping track of what types of foods you eat and how much. Since resuming swimming, I just eat whatever I want when I want. Also wasn't worried about trying to gain lean muscle mass (which is nice because I've always been a beanpole with a little muscle). :D

Ande - I have been doing the P90X since early summer and like most of it. I don't have access to the heavy hand weights and pull-up bars they use, so substituted lighter hand weights and stretch cords instead. I like it for several reasons: a) I like following the DVD because I don't have to remember anything or, at this point, create it myself (although I do in my job). b) I did get stronger throughout the series - especially in shoulder stability - which did translate into swimming without shoulder pain. c) The yoga and stretching and core synergistics are among the best parts of this series as well as any of the strength work. I did not get sore - took my time and had been lifting before this. d) Don't need a gym anymore. e) The core dvd is completely kick butt. There are a couple of parts I thought were ineffective though - the Kenpo (kickboxing) and cardio. These were weak relative to the rest of the DVDs. Yes, it is somewhat expensive, but easy to follow and can be modified and used by anyone. If you like it, who cares what the experts say...:blah: Good Luck.

I'm guessing you went off the Anabolic Diet because it's hard to train for swimming with low carbs? People like the diet, but the reasoning behind it is just pseudoscience. It has that name (actually I think it got renamed to the Metabolic Diet?) because it supposedly mimics the effects of steroids. Ummm, how? That part never seems to get explained. There's some talk about peaking or manipulating hormones, but if you read the actual published research on these hormones, the diets take quite a leap of imagination. I'm not saying AD (or any other diet) doesn't work. But bodybuilders are often guilty of pretending they are much more precise and scientific than they actually are. Swimmers do this, too! Some things work or appear to work for completely different reasons from the ones you would suppose. There are no diets that mimic anabolics in any way, shape or form. Certain hormones can be manipulated through diet, but these tend to be hormones that control metabolism, hunger, cravings, etc, so basically tricks to help you diet more effectively. The biggest mistake anyone can make, is to attempt to diet like a professional bodybuilder. What they do to get where they are, does not apply to the rest of the general population, for a variety of reasons that should be obvious (hint:they use drugs). If the average individual is looking to lose some fat, they have to cut calories, plain and simple.

I will also add, that it's impossible to be 220 lbs and 3% unless you are using drugs, which takes into account most professional bodybuilders who are not in natural competition. Furthermore, modern day methods of measuring bodyfat all carry a margin of error. So the chances of an individual saying they are 3% when they are in fact 5-6% are quite high. So truly hitting 3% is generally reserved for hardcore competitors with more than one trick up their sleeves. Anyone who has actually attempted to hit single digit bodyfat will tell you that it is a very, very difficult feat, as your hormones go south and your body fights you tooth and nail. I specifically wanted to know if it was technically possible to inflate muscle mass enough to achieve 2% body fat without death. I read the articles you posted, and I did not find anything to lead me to believe that essential fat, in lbs, increases with body weight. An anorexic guy (A) at 120 lbs who has an obese identical twin (B) at 300lbs. A has an essential body fat percentage of 5% and B has an essential body fat percentage of 2%. They both have essential body fat of 6 lbs, because they have identical insides. Makes sense to me. I didn't ask if you thought it was easy.

b) I did get stronger throughout the series - especially in shoulder stability - which did translate into swimming without shoulder pain. Was this a general result, or was there specific shoulder stability for swimmers dvd? :)

someone mentioned they turned their bodyfat to muscle with P90X. Not happening, you may have reduced bodyfat, and gained muscle, but the are two different tissues, one cannot turn into the other. I have been working out to videos since 1996, because my daughter was sick a lot and going to the gym was not an good option. At first I too thought videos....ugh. But then I found advanced videos, that kick my behind, and now I like the fact I can get up and work out whenever, without traveling to a gym. It is like having my own personal trainer telling me what to do at 5am, when I don't necessarily want to think. I have not done P90X, but know many who have and love, love, love it. I personally do not care for Tony Horton's style, so would not buy it. I have done other 3 month series that are comparable, and they are fantastic. To have someone lay out a plan for you, well you would pay a personal trainer the equal amount. As for the constant soreness, I find splits tend to do this to me. When you work a body part to the max, it makes it sore. Then the next day, you work a different body part, and it gets sore. It is like the soreness revolves around the body and never stops. I find modifying the time frames of this type of program helps me. It keeps the soreness down, and also allows me to add in things like, well, swimming, without out getting over fatigued.