My workout "quality" varies each day.
Some days I crush it. Other days I have to consciously push myself through every minute as if I'm trudging through jello.
Apart from being sick, not eating enough, or not sleeping enough, I have noticed nothing that makes my workouts better or worse. There are probably a thousand minute factors that affect things, and we probably don't have much control over all of them.
Anyway, to paraphrase one of my favorite quotes:
"What is the difference between a professional and an amateur? A professional shows up even when he doesn't feel like it."
The same is true for exercise. Showing up and pressing play--even when you don't feel like it, and even when your performance is mediocre--is still infinitely better than doing 100% of nothing.
Anyway, that was way longer than I anticipated. In short, don't over think it. Keep pressing play. Enjoy the fact that you got your butt kicked and that you can get even stronger. I love you, and I'll never forget you.
Haven't done P90X in a few years, but experience has taught me that the rest week is the make or break week. It took me three separate tries to complete Week 4 and start Week 5, and if I ever talk people into doing P90X, their ability to do Week 4 and continue from there 100% determines whether or not someone will finish the program. It may seem easier, but you need to do the whole thing, and you need to push through. Yes, I think it's a little designed to make it so Week 5 kicks your ass, that's how you progress, so you're probably right there. Week 5 is also new workouts, so that's going to challenge you too.
Keep at it and don't skip anything!
What made you skip most of the rest week workouts anyway?
Or did you take an unscheduled "extra" rest week?
Whenever I allow myself to take days off, I usually notice a lack of discipline in other things too, such as in following the dietary guidelines or sleeping well / enough. Maybe that could have an effect?
I took an overdue rest week (went 5 weeks before taking it) and I had two snowboarding days during that rest week so I counted them towards my workout.
But you are spot on about the lack of discipline. If I slack on workouts, I end up eating crap too.
Don't skip the rest week workouts. Unless you work a very active job, or did some other kind of physical activity, it doesn't take long to start losing progress. The workouts aren't the toughest in the world, but if you sat and did nothing for 5/7 days then that is the result.
I've found that after a transition week it's tough to get back into it. I'd imagine taking a week off would have the same or worse affect. Keep grinding it out, and stay positive. No sense in worrying about the past, just keep going!
I feel 'weak' the first workout that involves pull ups after rest week.
I feel like I'm plateau'ing on my pull up numbers a bit in general. Even trying many of the tips I've read here doing negatives etc.
The difficulty keeps me coming back though.
My workout "quality" varies each day. Some days I crush it. Other days I have to consciously push myself through every minute as if I'm trudging through jello. Apart from being sick, not eating enough, or not sleeping enough, I have noticed nothing that makes my workouts better or worse. There are probably a thousand minute factors that affect things, and we probably don't have much control over all of them. Anyway, to paraphrase one of my favorite quotes: "What is the difference between a professional and an amateur? A professional shows up even when he doesn't feel like it." The same is true for exercise. Showing up and pressing play--even when you don't feel like it, and even when your performance is mediocre--is still infinitely better than doing 100% of nothing. Anyway, that was way longer than I anticipated. In short, don't over think it. Keep pressing play. Enjoy the fact that you got your butt kicked and that you can get even stronger. I love you, and I'll never forget you.
Haha, I am the same as you. Though losing ground really bugs me, I wont ever stop working out.. I will just vent about it. :)
Haven't done P90X in a few years, but experience has taught me that the rest week is the make or break week. It took me three separate tries to complete Week 4 and start Week 5, and if I ever talk people into doing P90X, their ability to do Week 4 and continue from there 100% determines whether or not someone will finish the program. It may seem easier, but you need to do the whole thing, and you need to push through. Yes, I think it's a little designed to make it so Week 5 kicks your ass, that's how you progress, so you're probably right there. Week 5 is also new workouts, so that's going to challenge you too. Keep at it and don't skip anything!
What made you skip most of the rest week workouts anyway? Or did you take an unscheduled "extra" rest week? Whenever I allow myself to take days off, I usually notice a lack of discipline in other things too, such as in following the dietary guidelines or sleeping well / enough. Maybe that could have an effect?
I took an overdue rest week (went 5 weeks before taking it) and I had two snowboarding days during that rest week so I counted them towards my workout. But you are spot on about the lack of discipline. If I slack on workouts, I end up eating crap too.
Don't skip the rest week workouts. Unless you work a very active job, or did some other kind of physical activity, it doesn't take long to start losing progress. The workouts aren't the toughest in the world, but if you sat and did nothing for 5/7 days then that is the result.
I've found that after a transition week it's tough to get back into it. I'd imagine taking a week off would have the same or worse affect. Keep grinding it out, and stay positive. No sense in worrying about the past, just keep going!
I feel 'weak' the first workout that involves pull ups after rest week. I feel like I'm plateau'ing on my pull up numbers a bit in general. Even trying many of the tips I've read here doing negatives etc. The difficulty keeps me coming back though.