Workout length (incl. warmup and cooldown): 55:37

Set: Pretty much the same as P90X (dark basement gym)

Background exercisers: Two guys and a girl. The guy to Tony's right is doing most of the modifications (or "hotel room" variations).

Equipment needed: Stability ball, Foam roller (or towel), Weights or bands, Mat*, 1 Medicine ball* (*optional, though all are optional for "hotel room" variations except the bands)


Warmup:
- (W/stability ball): Twist, Squat, Side Stretch, Alternating back lunge, Atlas

- (w/ foam roller or towel/bands): Foam rolling, Roller angels, Roller Sphinx (forearm plank on foam roller),

- (No equipment): World's Greatest Stretch (alternating side angle/twisting side angle/frog squat pose), Inch Worm (scooting hands out to plank, then scooting feet to hands), Scorpion (lower back stretch by lying face down and extending one bent leg to opposite side), Groiners (start with lunge with both arms in inset, and alternate legs).


Workout: (there are about 37:00 left at this point, long warm-up)
Most of the exercises are either 10-12 reps or as many as you can in 20-30 seconds, it all depends on the exercise.
- Sphinx Plank Crunch (twisting and side crunches on forearm plank)
- Warrior 3 Cross Crunch (warrior 3 to twisting standing crunch)
- Single Leg walkout Sphinx
- Half Angel (side plank with arm & leg extensions)
- Roller Boat (roll to boat pose)
- 3 Speed Med Ball push up
- One leg lateral leap squat
- Core circles (on stability ball)
- Holmsen screamer lunge
- Med Ball Dreya roll
- Plank burpee on stability ball
- Banana (med) ball switch crunch
- 3 point squat press with med ball
- Slo-mo balance climber (stability ball)
- X2 diver
- Ryan Sphinx Twist crunch
- One leg med ball burpee

Cool Down (all stretches using stability ball about 5-6 min I believe).


Workout level:
I always struggle with this one, trying to determine the workout "level." I guess I would lump this workout into the advanced category, just because of the balance it involves while maintaining good form. I guess if balance is your forte and you can do exercises on one leg and/or on the balance ball easily, this might not be as challenging?

Personal impressions:
I don't have a foam roller, so I can't comment much on the warm-up section, except that the Groiners felt like part of the workout. One of my favorite workouts from the original P90X is Core Synergistics, so I was expecting this to be similar. There are quite a few differences, however. I felt like X2 Core did not have as much of a cardio effect as Core Synergistics; but to be fair, all of the exercises involve balance so there is no way to do them quickly without it being unsafe. There were also some exercises that I could not do at the same pace as the exercisers in X2, because I wanted to get the form right and not get injured. Tony does remind you to work your way up and encourages you to start with the modifications. This is not to say that the workout won't make you sweat; the amount of concentration needed to be balanced and maintain good form will make you sweat for sure! As Tony says during the cool down, "This workout sneaks up on you!" Also, I felt that X2 moved at a slower pace than Core Synergistics (I was able to write down the names of the exercises and had time to set up), but again, these were exercises that focused more on form and balance. In this case, the slower pace is probably a good thing, considering the balance involved. I would consider this a strength workout that primarily works your core and balance and makes good use of a stability ball, with a little bit of cardio effect (during the burpees and dreya roll). A great workout to work up to, strengthen your core and improve your balance!

Instructor Comments:
Tony is Tony. He is chatty and he is either showing form pointers with the background exercisers or "joining the kids" on some exercises.

Chapina