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The P90X Workout Schedule is comprised of three separate routines. You choose where you want to start based on your physical conditioning and then just push play. The three options are broken down into Classic, Lean, and Doubles. I will give you a breakdown of each P90X Workout Schedule for those that don’t understand.

P90X Workout Schedule Options:

“Classic”

This is where most people seem to start, including myself – The Classic Workout Schedule is straight forward and offers the best combination or those ready to build muscle and burn fat as they go.

The classic workout schedule requires no more than 1 hour and a half in any one day – The longest workout of the entire schedule is Yoga X.

I chose to do classic in my first round of P90X and seemed to get very good results by sticking almost 100% to the workouts. My diet was nothing organized and didn’t follow the P90X Meal Plan. However, I did eat healthy and clean, i.e. no soda, candy, ice cream, red meats, sugars, etc. I still consume sugar but on a highly reduced level, pretty much only in my coffee – that is my one diet evil.

The Classic P90X Workout Schedule will work you out 6 days a week just as Lean and Doubles will do except you tend to focus on a mix of Cardio and Resistance training, nearly 50 / 50. It looks something like this:

Monday: Resistance + Abs Tuesday: Cardio Wednesday: Resistance + Abs Thursday: Stretch / Balance (Yoga) Friday: Resistance + Abs Saturday: Cardio Sunday: Off

The Classic p90x Workout Schedule is ideal for those ready to get started from ground 0 and not looking to lose a ton of fat up front before building muscle. The above example stays true through each phase with a few resistance videos switching up to add Muscle Confusion. Let’s look at Lean now.

“Lean”

The Lean Workout Schedule will have you focusing on Cardio a lot more than resistance. This is a great place to start for those that want to focus on weight loss first and then maybe work into muscle building later on. With Lean you will be doing a lot more cardio options which in turn will burn more calories and help you drop fat faster.

I have not tried the lean P90X Workout Schedule option myself but I think it would be ideal if you wanted to condition and didn’t think you were quite ready to jump into Classic. You will need to set aside up to 1 hour and 30 minutes for your Lean Workout Schedule; the longest workout is Yoga X.

A Lean P90X Workout Schedule would look something like this:

Monday: Core / Cardio Tuesday: Cardio Wednesday: Resistance + Abs Thursday: Stretch / Balance (Yoga) Friday: Resistance + Abs Saturday: Cardio Sunday: Off

Notice how Monday differs from the Classic P90X Workout Schedule – You add an additional cardio / core exercise to maximize fat burning and core strengthening.

Now what’s interesting is at phase 3 of the Lean workout schedule you actually do workouts similar to Phase 1 of the Classic workout schedule. With that said you can see how Lean is designed as a lead up into Classic and then Classic builds into what we will look at next.

“Doubles”

Alright, this is the ultimate P90X Workout Schedule and for those already in shape or already doing Classic but ready for more. You will see why in a moment. Now with Doubles you will need a lot more dedication and time, you will need to set aside up to 2 hours and 20 minutes on some days. In most cases you will wake up and do cardio, then a couple hours later or in the evening you will do resistance + Abs.

Let’s take a look at what the Doubles P90X Workout Schedule looks like. ( Now keep in mind in Phase 1 Doubles appear to be the exact same as Classic – In phase 2 this changes by adding 3 cardio workouts each week and in phase 3 there is a significant change by adding 4 cardio workouts)

The following example is based off the Doubles P90X Workout Schedule – Phase 3. I want you to see how serious this really gets!

Monday: AM – Cardio / PM – Resistance + Abs Tuesday: AM – Cardio / PM – Cardio Wednesday: Resistance + Abs Thursday: AM – Cardio / PM – Stretch and Balance (Yoga) Friday: AM – Cardio / PM – Resistance + Abs Saturday: Cardio Sunday: Off

Notice how extreme is gets? The biggest difference between Classic and Doubles is the addition of all the Cardio. The best way to compare is this – In Doubles phase 3 you’re basically doing Classic with 4 additional Cardio workouts a week. Pretty intense eh – Believe me, it is!

Well that was a quick look at the p90x workout Schedule and the variations that occur. This is a generalized overview but was hopefully informative. Keep in mind that with P90X and Muscle Confusion your resistance days will switch up to continuously bring intensity and challenge so you never fully adapt. This is the power of the P90X Workout Schedule – Choose Yours.

If your new and want to lose weight fast – Do Lean. If you’re seasoned and want a challenge plus muscle gain – Do Classic If you’re a pro and classic is not a challenge, get extreme – Do Doubles

The choose is yours and the P90X Workout Schedule allows so many variations there is no reason why you should not be pushing play today – Take responsibility for yourself and your health, take action today!

Out of the many protein sources out there, whey protein is the ultimate. It comes from milk. During the process of turning milk into cheese, whey protein is separated out. Protein can be found in a variety of foods – mainly meats, such as fish, beef, and chicken.

Dairy products as well as eggs, cottage cheese, soy and vegetable protein also contain good amounts of protein. Nevertheless, none of these sources compares in quality or ease of use like whey protein. Whey protein has the highest value in providing branched-chain amino acids, which result in building and retaining muscle tissue.

What does it do and what scientific studies give evidence to support this?

Whey protein (the highest quality and best form of protein) is incredible stuff. It provides the body with the necessary building blocks to produce amino acids that are used for building muscle tissue. Whoa! Nearly every bodybuilder knows the importance of protein supplementation. Studies have been conducted that compare whey protein to other sources. They have found that whey protein contains the perfect combination of overall amino acid makeup… and in just the right concentrations for optimal performance in the body. Both hormonal and cellular responses seem to be greatly enhanced with supplementation of whey protein, too! Not to mention the benefits whey protein has on the body’s immune system according to documented scientific research. Whey protein also plays a role as an antioxidant and helps support a health immune system. Most importantly, consistent whey protein intake coupled with exercise will result in consistent muscle building.

Who needs it and what are some symptoms of deficiency?

Whey protein is very, very important for bodybuilders, dieters, and shoot, just about everybody! Since athletes and bodybuilders work out often, protein levels become depleted. By being a direct precursor to building muscle and essential amino acids, such as glutamine (a muscle enhancer, endurance builder, and muscle deterioration reducer), the content from high quality whey protein not only can, but will help one’s muscles recover and grow faster by bring up the levels of protein. With dieting and those wishing to lose some extra fat, whey protein can be very useful because a good intake of protein balances blood sugar levels, while carbohydrates cause blood sugar levels to fluctuate. When the blood sugar levels stay balanced, one is not as prone to rampant eating and has more energy and greater fat loss. Whey protein allows a person to control his or her diet effectively. Most people who want to change their body for the better could benefit from whey protein supplementation; however, since protein is naturally found in many food items deficiency is usually not a problem.

How much should be taken? Are there any side effects?

Training athletes often consume 25 grams of whey protein per day. Bodybuilders who want serious gains (and are burning serious calories), generally consume 150 grams per day. Extremely high doses of whey protein is not recommended, as this will cause the body’s liver to be overloaded and you won’t get the same benefits as with a consistent lower amount taken three to five times per day.

Whey protein has long been considered the “Gold Standard” of protein for serious athletes who work hard to develop and sustain a lean, strong and well-defined physique. Research studies support this belief. Athletes need more protein in their diet, often as much as twice the recommended daily allowance. The protein they choose makes a difference and here are several reasons why whey protein is a preferred choice for athletes of all types.

- Whey protein is a naturally complete protein, meaning that it contains all of the essential amino acids required in the daily diet. It has the ideal combination of amino acids to help improve body composition and enhance athletic performance.

- Whey protein is a rich source of branched chain amino acids (BCAAs), containing the highest known levels of any natural food source. BCAAs are important for athletes since unlike the other essential amino acids, they are metabolized directly into muscle tissue and are the first ones used during periods of exercise and resistance training. Whey protein provides the body with BCAAs to replenish depleted levels and start repairing and rebuilding lean muscle tissue.

- Whey protein is an excellent source of the essential amino acid, leucine. Leucine is important for athletes as it plays a key role in promoting muscle protein synthesis and muscle growth. Research has shown that individuals who exercise benefit from diets high in leucine and have more lean muscle tissue and less body fat compared to individuals whose diet contains lower levels of leucine. Whey protein isolate has approximately 50% more leucine than soy protein isolate.

- Whey protein is a soluble, easy to digest protein and is efficiently absorbed into the body. It is often referred to as a “fast” protein for its ability to quickly provide nourishment to muscles.

- Whey protein helps athletes maintain a healthy immune system by increasing the levels of glutathione in the body. Glutathione is an anti-oxidant required for a healthy immune system and exercise and resistance training may reduce glutathione levels. Whey protein helps keep athletes healthy and strong to perform their best.

Possessing a basic understanding of what nutrition is, how it works and what foods you should be eating during your training is very important to your sport and performance within it. It is important to find the perfect balance between fats, carbohydrates and protein to ensure your body has enough fuel to not only sustain a single game of rugby but to sustain the training necessary to make it to that point. Our bodies can be put through rigorous amounts of training but only if we supply it with the food it needs to stay strong and energized.

Let’s start with carbohydrates. Opposite to what you hear in the news and in relation to fad diets, carbs are a very important part of your diet and one that should not be skimped on. As an athlete carbohydrates are responsible for boosting your energy levels and giving you the ability to push your body to the limits without risking your health. You will find the greatest sources of carbohydrates include rice, breads, potatoes and of course pasta to name a few of the most popular. 60% of your diet should be carbohydrates based on the amount of physical activity you are putting your body through as a professional athlete.

Fat is also a necessary component in a healthy diet and should never be completely excluded. Some people have been led to believe that fats are bad but the truth is too much fat can be bad but too little fats can be just as unhealthy for you. Required fats can be found within cheese, dairy products, avocadoes, olive oil and nuts. Your body requires fat to create a healthy reserve of your energy as well as building up cells and hormone levels. Keep your fat levels low but make sure they do not go beneath 20% of your diet.

Protein is the final building block to your nutrition success. As you more than likely already know, protein is the key to building muscle and as a rugby player building muscle is the key to performance on the field. By keeping your protein intake around 20% by eating meats (especially chicken), fish, cheese, beans, legumes and quinoa, you will be able to increase your muscle mass significantly. You can also choose to take part in protein beverages, supplements and vitamins depending on your already existing protein levels.

Now that you have an idea about the proper foods you should be in taking during your training don’t forget your fluids. Drink 2 litres of water a day in order to flush out any toxins in your body and move the nutrients through your system. Before and during the game keep your fluids up, and more importantly replace all the fluids you have lost after the game by drinking water and even a sports drink such as Gatorade.

For more personalised nutrition information and advice see your local nutritionist.

Men’s Health The Book of Muscle is a muscle building book written by Ian King, a strength coach and former powerlifting champion, and Lou Schuler, Men’s Health fitness director. Although it is several years old, it remains a popular muscle building book among male readers looking to improve their physique.

The book covers topics related to muscle growth, diet, and exercise for building muscle. There are several illustrations which show details of each muscle group as well as photographs that cover each of the exercise routines covered in the book. The authors go in to detail about how the body works, how muscles grow, the importance of a healthy diet, and the exercises that help build the body.

The workout routines can be mixed and matched to put together a custom workout program. The workouts are broken up into three 6-month programs for the beginner, intermediate, and advanced.

Men’s Health The Book of Muscle received an impressive 4 1/2 out of 5 stars on Amazon’s product page. Many readers stated that they enjoyed reading the science behind the muscles and how the body works, but some readers felt the exercises were a little hard to follow for beginners. Some readers also enjoyed the writing styles of the authors which made learning the science about the body easy for the “average guy.”

The book was published in 2003 and is available in hardcover. It contains 364 pages. Overall, it has received positive feedback and appears to work well for those who wish to become better educated about the body and how to build lean muscle mass. Even though Men’s Health The Book of Muscle is commonly referred to as a great coffee table book, it is much more than that and remains to be a valuable resource for learning how to build muscle.

Aqua fitness is used quite often by people looking to get in shape in this day and age dominated by the fitness craze. There are many reasons why aqua fitness is so popular, and there are many redeeming qualities for the body when it comes to aqua fitness, but the best feature about aqua fitness is the fact that for most people, it is fun. There is little in the universe that is more fun than swimming, and quite frankly, swimming is one of the best forms of exercise for the muscles in the human body, but there’s much more to an aqua fitness workout than JUST SWIMMING.

Of course swimming laps isn’t all that there is to aqua fitness routines, though swimming laps in a concentrated effort with varied strokes is certainly a part of any routine. Many muscles can be strengthened, toned, and stretched by swimming a number of laps, depending on your level of fitness, with different strokes. The butterfly, for instance, as an excellent way to workout your upper body torso, including your pecs and your lats. Even the doggie paddle strengthens your neck, back, arms, and legs. The biggest benefit of aqua fitness can come from simple static exercise. Herschel Walker, the famed Heisman Trophy winner, used aqua fitness techniques to build the endurance and strength in his legs by simply running under water. The resistance from the water itself helped build those oak trees that Herschel called legs. There are plenty of resistance and isometric exercises that can be used to build strength and muscles, from simple flexing and movement to more advanced routines involving light weights under water.

There are plenty of enjoyable water sports as well that can be used to help build the body. Sports such as water polo, water soccer, and water volleyball, while competitive and fun, are very good for building muscle. The great thing about aqua fitness is that it tends to use the whole body as you train and exercise. Bodybuilding in typical fashion generally requires exercises involving free weights and machines that focus on a primary and secondary muscle structure. For instance when you do curls with either a dumbbell or a barbell, you are using the resistance of the weight to strengthen the bicep as you curl the weight up, and you are stressing the triceps as you lower the weight back down. Two muscles are exercised, and unhealthy strain is placed on the back which supports the exercise as there is little to no support behind it. The same exact exercise done under water with far less weight is more effective and is safer as well. First of all, the back is reinforced by the water itself. Secondly you can use far less weight, putting less pressure on the back, because of the resistance of the water, which exercises the muscle. In the water, all of the back muscles and abdominal muscles are utilized as well, due to the resistance of the water, so it is a far more effective work out.