Day 33 - Post Activation Potentiation Question

Tyler, I just finished the 1st week of P90X2/ Phase 3 and I have to admit, both P.A.P. workouts are awesome but my question is: did you add an extra workout during Phase 3? Don't get me wrong, the workouts are tough but I feel like I'm missing something, hope that makes sense. Can I add like an AR routine or maybe a cardio workout? Also, I thought for sure I'd very sore after the P.A.P. workouts but not really, I'm sore but not like I thought. Sorry for going on & on about it but I was just curious. Thanks!

I think the unfortunate part of individuals going from P90X to P90X2 is that they are conditioned to "go, go, go". Keep in mind that P90X2 is about increasing performance, not necessarily about getting the biggest biceps, or having the slimmest waistline. 

Sure, doing P90X2 can help you "get in shape" but it is more targeted towards those who are already in "good shape" and just want to take the next step. Having said all of that, sometimes, especially when it comes to Post Activation Potentiation, less is better. The body is actually being conditioned in new ways, not just your muscles and ligaments, but your central nervous system as well, so there needs to be a fair bit of down-time or rest in between.

As for soreness, your muscles get sore when you damage the muscle fibers themselves. Similar to what I mentioned above, if you have a good to experienced level of fitness, your DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness) may be limited when doing something like P.A.P. The reason for this is that you are taking already fit muscles, that are strong and pliable and making them fast and explosive. You are essentially taking those muscle fibers and making them perform better, not necessarily growing them to make them any bigger or stronger.

I did not adjust the P90X2 Phase 3 schedule my first time through as I wanted to experiment with myself to see what sort of results/advancements I would see from P.A.P. Turns out, I ended up increasing my explosive power from my legs tremendously! I would stick with it for now, you only have a few weeks at this phase.

Quote of the day:

"There's no such things as coulda, shoulda, or woulda. If you shoulda and coulda, you woulda done it."
-Pat Riley