Ab Ripper X Explained

After experimenting with the P90X workout for the past couple of summers, I experienced the pain and wonder of the Ab Ripper X. Since I could never seem to get all of the necessary ingredients for the P90X workout (time, weights and gym, tv and dvd player, motivation) for longer than the first phase whenever I started this, I never did the entire workout. Don't get me wrong, it is a great routine and I would even consider trying out the 90 day fitness training/ marketing wonder again to its fullest at some point when I have those aforementioned ingredients. Mainly, I just feel that if I cannot do it in the way the routine says it should be followed, I would never feel truly good about it. Ab Ripper X is a segment at the end of workouts for days 1, 3, and 5 in the P90X routine that I have adopted for my own scheme. It is comprised of 11 different workouts (10 of which I use) at a goal of 25 reps each, with some exceptions.

In & Outs

In this exercise, the hands are placed by buttocks to maintain balance while the legs are brought into the chest, then extended from the body. You will definitely feel this in your thighs as well as your abs (possibly more in your legs the first several times), and that is because it is a core workout. That means, along with your abdominals you are working several stabilizing muscles. This is a good thing.




Seated Bicycles

Here, my ab ripping silhouette demonstrator has her arms raised and in motion. I place my hands just behind my back, shoulder width apart, but this would add another level of stability control if one were so inclined. After completing 25 rotations of the 'bike', then go straight into 25 rotations in reverse. You can think of this as two workouts and when you're done be even more impressed with yourself!

Crunchy Frog

Some more core! And thank you internet for your Tony Horton gifs! In this exercise, do what you see to left, just considerably slower- for 25 reps, this should take you about 25 seconds.








Crossed Leg/ Wide Leg Sit-Up

Ok, so I may not be the first one to post the descriptions of these workouts, but that just makes locating images easier. Again, to the left you can witness the workout and let your imagination rest as to translating my descriptions. Tony is doing the easier version- the 'wide leg' sit-up. Then it shows a woman with her legs crossed doing the same motion, and believe it or not, that is the 'crossed leg' version of the sit up.




Fifer Scissors

You begin these by lifting one leg just off the ground slightly, and raising the other as far as you can while keeping it relatively straight. When I do these, I count to three seconds before switching to the next rep. It is important to do these slowly to get the benefit of doing the exercise, so if you don't trust yourself to count, look at the second hand of a clock or a get a timer. Feel the burn!





Hip Rock and Raise

Put your feet together, lockin the distance between your knees, rockbackwards, then raise your legs lifting your buttocks off the ground. Be carful here not to bring our legs back towards your head too far, concentrating on raising them up.







Pulse Ups (Heels to Heaven)

As a reminder: do not do these exercises as fast as Tony Horton is demonstrating in these gifs! Also, as with the last exercise, be careful not to let your legs move back towards your head during the raise. Keep them as straight as possible, which may be difficult at first, but as you become stronger and more limber from stretching you will eventually be able to.





Roll-up V-up Combo

With this workout, 'rolling up' to your feet is the first rep, then 'v-ing' up to your feet is the second. The entire motion depicted on the left then is 2 reps. As your begin to lie back down from the 'roll-up', begin lifting your legs for the 'v-up'. These are one of my personal favorites.







Oblique V-up

If it is your first time doing these, you are likely going to have trouble. It is an awkward motion that required some core muscles I personally did not have developed enough when I started, and it will be hard to tell that you're doing it right. With your top arm above your head, your other arm just in front of you for balance, and your weight on your hip, your aim is to bring the elbo of your top arm to meet your knees half way. Don't forget to get the same amount of reps on the other side to prevent any unwanted unevenness.



Leg Climbs

I am putting this here for the sake of completion, though this is the exercise I habitually skip in this ab regiment. For me, I do not find it to be very beneficial and I am certainly not alone in this judgment. Still, if you would like to do it, it is basically what you see to the left. Supposedly, the less 'hand-holds' you use to reach the summit of your foot, the harder it is.





Mason (Kayak) Twists

Finally we come to the Mason twists, the last portion of this absational session. With legs off the ground, pivot from the waist from side to side (I like to lightly pound the ground to accentuate my count) 40 times. In the video, Tony tells you your goal is 40, but once you get there, he actually keeps going until about 80. The idea here is to fatigue your abdominal muscles to get the maximum workout possible. As you continue to do this routine regularly, you'll find you are able to complete it with increasing ease. Here is a good place to add some more reps.


     If that isn't enough, and your yearnin' for more of a burnin', then go ahead and try for 30 reps on each exercise. Just remember that your form is crucial in getting a good and safe workout with the best results- so don't shoot for numbers, shoot for results. This means that even if you can't get all 25- that's ok! To quote Tony Horton, the P90X man himself, do your best, and forget the rest. Your best is not the highest number of reps you can do, it is pushing your body to the limit without sacrificing form and safety. This is when you will see the best results. Also, this should not be done every day. Your abdominals require time to recover just like any other muscle, so working them out 3 non-consecutive days a week is optimal.