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I just finished P90 and I am in my resting week to start CE on Sunday, however, as I went through the materials a couple of questions popped up:



Thanks!

Hi there! Congrats on finishing P90!

I'll try to answer your questions as best I can. Sorry if it is long...

1) Since this program is set up in 30 day phases, your rest days will not be the same every phase since there aren't 3 30 day months in a row. For example, if your schedule is;
Monday-Burn 1
Tuesday-Rest
Wednesday-Burn 2
Thursday-Burn Intervals/Abs
Friday-Burn 3
Saturday-Burn it off/Recharge
Sunday-Rest

Once you finish your fourth week you then would do
Monday-Burn it off/Recharge
Tuesday-Track Results

That extra cardio day and rest day count as a kind of mini rest period. Then you would start the Push phase on Wednesday. This changes your rest days to Thursday and Tuesday. Some people skip the mini rest period so that they can keep the same rest days every week. Personally I follow the program like it is written. I printed calendars out and wrote out my 90 days of workouts so I can just check them off as I go.

2) I think 30 pounds would probably be plenty. I have not done P90 so I'm not sure how they compare, but the lifting in this program is slow. You can't lift quite as much when it is slowed down.

I hope this helps! Good luck with the program, I think you will enjoy it.

Oh, I was a dreamer! 30 lbs is huge when you do things properly!

So far, here is my experience... It is based on my fitness level, but I hope it helps!

In P90 I was doing shoulder with 20 lbs, back (lanwnmower) with 25/30, biceps with 15/20 (15 for the 21s and 20 for the regular sets), etc. etc.

In CE, since I am really focusing on form and making it very slow, I find that weight feels heavier. I haven't gone beyong phase 1, but in the phase that I am in, all are combo exercises - lower + core + specific muscle group. So, in addition to form, your other muscle groups play a key role on how much weight you can acatully use. Let me give you a couple of examples:

I call this the "killer" exercise - Lunge with core rotation. My core is not that bad (love those ab sets from P90), but my hamstrings are weak. Chalean used 25, and I thought I could do 20. I almost collapse the first time around. I lowered it to 15 and pushed my way through the last rep - I still felt like if I was dying. If I were to do the core rotation only, 25 might not be an issue, but when I factored in the lunge, oh baby, that gave me a reality check. So, this depends on where you are stronger and weaker... I find that my wife has stronger hamstrings that I do; and I am way stronger on things like biceps/chest.

Shoulder-related I went to 10 lbs (half of what I was doing); Biceps, I am doing with 10/12 and all feel right - I am done by the time I am done.

I have not been on this long enought to see improvement, and how fast you can outgrow your weights. So, in other words, I am not sure if once my body gets used to the exercises, I can push myself harder, or they are really that tough! I do believe that is the later - you can almost make any weight feel really heavy with the right form.

Good luck... I hope you enjoy the program. I am starting to really enjoy it. Very different than P90 so just be patient. To be honest I miss the cardio from P90 (more heart than muscle) and the abs (I found them more balanced). But overall CE is a great program and I am confident it will take me to the absolute next level!

Hey Tawny,

Best of lucks with the program... Those selectechs look nice, so I am sure you will enjoy them. I incrementalized myself with hex-steel dumbbells(I found a place that used to sell @ $0.69/lb), and while I love the feel, once you pass 15 lbs, you can only go by 5 lb increments (20, 25, 30, etc.). I think having the option of 2.5 is a really nice feature. Also, I don't have a space issue (gotta love the basements).

On the cardio thing, I incorporated a nice long run/ellicptical/etc. on Day 2 (marked as rest). The rest of the days, I am sticking with the program. The cardio included will certainly push you. I am using a HR monitor and I found burning a lot more cals with CE than with sweat 3-4; however, I found it is a different type of cardio.

Anyway... best of lucks! Please let me know what you think once you get going. I am using CE as my prep for P90X (I am doing three reverse pushups on workout days, because I want to be able to pull myself at the end of CE).

Hey Tawny,

I just finished the burn phase and went through the first push phase workout. I was surprised to see me using 30 lbs for some of the lower body exercises with proper form. It is amazing how you actually get stronger... Also, to be honest, in the push phase you completely isolate muscle groups (only lower body vs. upper/lower combo) and you go for a lot less reps - 8 certainly feel like nothing compared to 12; however, my bicpes had not been sore in a long time :o)

I am really starting to be fond of the program. I am still missing some more cardio and are about to incorporate simple elliptical work (long slow-paced / intervals / short and explosive) on the three resistance days and abs on the recharge day.

How are things with you?

Cheers!