So you are doing the classic version of P90X and you just finished up day 4, P90X Yoga X and you are wondering if you really have to do it or can you substitute it with something else?  First off let me say this, you are not alone. At first there was nothing at all I liked about Yoga X.  I said to myself “I’m not a pretzel and my body is not supposed to move this way”. but after doing it a few times it did get more manageable and I did realize the benefits from Yoga X.  You should not skip it or substitute it with any other workout.  People often ask if then can do Cardio X or Plyometrics instead and I always say NO. Yoga X is not your standard routine and it preys on your weaknesses.  The fact that it is so difficult right now is the reason you really need to do it.  Yoga X will improve your overall effectiveness and make you less prone to injury.  If you are new to Yoga, just as I was, I am here to tell you to stick with it. You will be amazed at your progress by the end of this 90 day workout.

I think everyone struggles with Yoga X at first so you are not alone but Yoga X is what makes P90X a complete fitness program.  We are so used to running or jumping, pushing or pulling, lifting and squating. P90X  definitely turns all of that upside down with Yoga X. These workouts  were meant to be hard and push you to your limits and let me tell you, they really live up to that.

As Tony Horton would say “Do your best and forget the rest”.  Do what you can. Stretch as low as you can. Hold the poses for as long as you can.  Don’t worry about how long they are holding those poses on the video.  You will work up to that if you stick with it.

So if you are looking to build your own pull up bar for P90X you are going to need a few things.  I built my own pull up bar when I started P90X and you can to if you choose.  It works great and I put it in the basement and it is attached to the beams down there.  I am still looking for some sort of padding to put around to make it a littler easier on the hands. Right now there is just 2 layers of hockey tape around it and it is still a little tough.

Here’s what you need. I went to Home Depot but Lowes or any hardware store will do just fine.

1 – 2×6 Piece of wood

2 – 3/4 galvanized 90 degree elbows

2 – 3/4 galvanized flanges

2 – 3/4 x 12 in black pipe(could use 18in depending on what height you need)

1 – 3/4 x 48in black pipe

8 – lag screws

10 – lag screws 1/4 x3 1/2

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My total was about $42 bucks for the supplies listed above.  If you are lucky you will already have some of these things in the basement.

I attached the flanges to the 2 x 6 piece of wood which I cut down to about 4.5 ft. Attached the 12in black pipe to the 48 in black pipe with the 90 degree elbows.  Attached that to the flanges.  Then screw the wood to the beams. That’s it.  You might want to tighten up the flanges first and then attach them to the wood to keep it tight.  I actually thought about using an ace bandage to wrap the bar just to give it a little more cushion.  I have looked for the traditional padding that usually come on pull up bars but I can’t find it.

Of course you can always do it the easy way and just buy you pull up bar from Beachbody and it easy attaches about any door. I have also seen some bars that just attach right to the basement beams as well.  It is up to you which option works best for you based on how much space you have.

UPDATE: I used 2 ace bandages and wrapped the whole bar with two layers and then put some black hockey tape over that.  Perfect.  Just as good as the cushions on a traditional bar.

Without doubt, wine is so enjoyable that you may tend to forget that it is also healthy and good for your body as well, as long as it is taken in moderate and regular quantities. There are so many health benefits and advantages that wine has in store for its drinkers. You drink and enjoy the moment – but the last thing you know is that you are also already keeping your body healthy, too.

The many health benefits of wine are credited to the skin of the grape, which is the main ingredient of wine. It has resveratrol which is responsible for protecting the body’s cells, thus making the cells strong and young. Saponins, another essential ingredient of wine, bind to bad cholesterol and take it away from the body. Meanwhile, flavonoids interfere with the spread of cancer cells, thereby decreasing the risk of developing some forms of cancer.

Wine also increases the high-density lipoprotein, which is considered as the good cholesterol. This cholesterol actually reduces the fat on the surfaces of the arteries where it takes away the fat and delivers it to the liver. The liver then processes the fat and turns them into waste. The body then eliminates it.

Regular and moderate wine consumption also contributes in slowing down memory loss and preventing the death of brain cells. This also lessens the risk of developing dementia and dementia-related disorders, such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s diseases.

Procyanids, which are polyphenol compounds found in fine, also adds protection in the blood vessels. They additionally protect the endothelium, those protective tissues found around the heart and around the blood vessels. Flavonoids and other antioxidants, which are part of the wine’s composition, also appear to increase lung function and increase its efficiency, according to some studies. Moreover, regular and moderate consumption of wine also exhibits anti-inflammatory properties. It aids in preventing a heart condition termed as cardiac fibrosis, which is a phenomenon when protein builds up in the valves of heart, leading to thickening. This decreases the efficiency of the beating of the blood. The wine, then, helps in preventing these proteins from forming within the heart valves.

Another study published in 2003 by the American Journal of Gastroenterology revealed that individuals who drink a regular amount of wine have less chances of developing some forms of peptic ulcers. The wine helps in getting rid of specific bacteria that cause these ulcers.

Wine is also rich in antioxidants, since grapes, which wine is mainly made of, have a high antioxidant content. These antioxidants, in turn, slow down the development of arterial plaque buildup. The wine, through this, is able to prevent arthrosclerosis, and to reduce the risk of heart diseases.

There is no debate that wine helps the body a lot in obtaining the ideal health that it deserves. Studies conducted over time have only showed that with self-discipline and control, anyone will surely love and enjoy the goodness and the advantages of wine. The key there is really to deal with drinking wine in a regular and moderate manner. In this manner, it is ensured that only the safe and healthy amounts of the chemicals in wine are kept and maintained. Moderation is the key to prevent the bad effects of wine from being possible.

So we have another member of the ESPN family tackling P90X.  First we had Jenn Brown Doing P90X. Now we also have Doug Gottlieb from ESPN radio doing a P90X challenge.  There is even a link to buy P90X on the The Doug Gottlieb Show web page. (Of course I want you to purchase P90X from here so I can be your coach)

What does this say about P90X?  There are so many celebrities having awesome results with P90X and they are not afraid to tell the world about it.  I know for myself  P90X has been awesome and I continue using the workouts even a year later.

Hmmmm.  Wonder if Jenn told Doug about P90X?  Hopefully with will get something in print that we can all read about Doug’s experience with P90X.  I checked around to see if he is keeping track of his listeners progress and I did not see anything on the web.  If anyone has seen anything just leave a comment and let us know or I can post an update at a later time.  Maybe ESPN just knows that P90X works great and they want all of their employees to stay in tip top shape.  I wonder who will be next from the ESPN family to do P90X?  Can anyone say Erin Andrews? Rachel Nichols?

Update 2-6-10! We can now add Brock Huard to the list of ESPN personalities and professional athletes who are doing P90X. Brock Huard does P90X.

Update 2-21-10! It’s official, we can now add Erin Andrews to the P90X list as well.

I have been getting a lot of question from people asking if they can still drink wine while doing P90X?  I always say anything in moderation but don’t go crazy. (even though I don’t always follow the rules)  Here is an article I put together on the health benefits of wine.

Wine and health have long been proven to have a strong correlation with each other. In fact, during ancient times, the nutritive and healthful properties of wine were already recognized and given much attention. For instance, Hippocrates, a famous Greek physician who is considered as the Father of Medicine, often recommended particular wines in order to heal fever and wounds or as nutritional supplements. This only affirms that wines can actually be beneficial and helpful for the human body.

Pathogens, or disease-producing agents like viruses and bacteria, that thrive in the body are killed by the alcohols and acids in the wine. Wine is also considered as a gentle natural tranquilizer as it serves to decrease tension and anxiety. When included in a normal diet, the wine gives the body energy, small amounts of vitamins and minerals, and other substances that hasten digestion. Wine is also viewed to stimulate the appetite and to bring back nutritional balance in the body. The wine also performs as a mild euphoric agent to the sick and the aged.

A 1970 Framingham Heart Study revealed that deaths of moderate drinkers were only half of those deaths caused by coronary disease of non-drinkers. Another study, published in January 2003 by the American Journal of Gastroenterology, also affirmed the health benefits of wine, as it showed that when wine is moderately and regularly consumed, there is a lesser risk of peptic ulcers and the wine aids in killing the bacteria that cause them. It is important to note, though, that over-consumption of wine only increases ulcer risks and other diseases, so wine should only be consumed in moderate amounts.

Moderate consumption of wine could possibly be a way of prevention against forms of cancer and coronary diseases. Compounds found in grapes and wine are also shown to boost the immune system, as proven by many statistical and clinical evidences and laboratory studies. Moreover, wine also dilates the small blood vessels and aids in preventing clotting and angina, or throat diseases.

Meanwhile, according to American Journal of Physiology in 2004, resveratrol, a compound found in grapes and wine, is able to form a protein that creates a condition termed as cardio fibrosis, where the heart’s pumping efficiency is decreased in times of stress. Resveratrol also lengthens the life span of yeast cells by 80%, a finding revealed in the May 8, 2003 issue of the Nature journal. This may lead to the conclusion that wine keeps those who drink it younger. As long as consumed in light and moderate amounts, wine may prevent or postpone the development of different forms of dementia, such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s Diseases.

The hundreds or thousands of studies conducted over time on the health benefits can only lead to the idea that moderate and regular drinking of wine leads to a longer life. The advice by medicine experts and scientists is to drink wine in moderation and together with meals. Here, wine drinking is likely to create sociological and cultural patterns which in truth help in preventing alcoholism. Health-conscious people can enjoy drinking wine at a regular and moderate manner as a source of pleasure, supporting and prolonging a gracious life. It only entails responsibility and discipline to provide your body with the wide array of health benefits that wine offers.

I wanted to write today about what a Team Beachbody Coach is and what we do. I have had questions about becoming a P90X coach, an Insanity coach or a Turbo Jam coach and I just want to let you know that they are all one in the same.  A Beachbody coach encompasses all of the Beachbody workout and products.  Once you are a coach you can help people with the whole Beachbody product line not just any one product.

What does a Beachbody coach do?  Coaches are regular people just like you and I.  You do not need to be a personal trainer or a nutritionist, you just need to to have to desire to help people with their questions when they need it.  Coaches come from all kinds of backgrounds: doctors, lawyers, personal trainers, teachers, singers, mma fighters, plumbers etc.  If you have enjoyed a Beachbody workout and like to share your story with others then you have what it takes to be a coach.  Beachbody will provide you with the tools to make this happen.  You can get fit, make some extra money, build a lifelong business and help others change their lives all at the same time. If this sounds like you then you can become a successful coach.

If you are looking to get rich quick, don’t want to get in shape or not willing to learn new things then Beachbody if not for you.  Most people who decide to make money with Beachbody followed one or more of the workout plans and love their results and just decide to take the next logical step.

One of the great things about this opportunity is that 50% of everyone I sponsor will fall on your team and count as team volume for you.  Since this site gets a ton of hits that could be potentially put you off to a great start.  Another great thing about being a coach is you get 25% off of the entire Beachbody product line and we are first to be able to buy new workout videos as they become available.

One of the other things I will do for you is help you set up a site just like this one so you can track your own fitness results and give your own personal reviews of Beachbody products.  This will help you make sales and build a team.  Remember, I want you to successful in your fitness and monetary goals.

It is only $39.95 to become a coach and $14.95 monthly for your websites, back office access with a ton of tools including a bulk emailer and much more.

Once you decide you are ready to get going you can sign up here. You can also contact me at the info above if you have any further questions.

You can get some more info at Beachbody Business.

I also put this site together for our entire team to use to help explain the business opportunity to future prospects.  Beachbody Presentation.

Decide. Commit. Succeed.

Jeff Ochoa