P90X - Ab Ripper X

Ab Ripper X

By the time you get to Ab Ripper X, if you are working out with a buddy, you are hugging and giving each other high-fives, and in some cases, you may actually feel like crying with joy because the chest and back workout is over! However, the ab routine is approximately 20 more minutes of fun, and although your chest and back get a break, your abs will be screaming for mercy in no time.

In & Out

You are basically using your butt as a pivot point while you kick your legs out, and lower your upper body slightly towards the floor.

This is a very difficult exercise at first, and putting your hands on the floor for support is not only recommended, but probably necessary, because by this time you are seriously tired.

Seated Bicycle

Starting from roughly the same position as the In & Outs, you just simulate the movement of peddling a bicycle, and then you reverse direction.

Yeah, it sounds easy, but it's not. Don't be surprised if the hip flexors in your legs give out even before your abdominal muscles do.

Seated Crunchy Frog

By this point, you may feel inspired to say "You MUST be kidding" when Tony demonstrates the exercise. In essence, it is just like an In & Out, only your have to momentarily wrap your arms around your knees, which means that you can no longer have your hands on the floor for support.

Don't be discouraged if you only get about 5 of these out before you have to take a break. Get right back to it, though. All of the Ab Ripper X movements give you plenty of time to rest for a few seconds, then attempt a few more repetitions.

Wide Leg Sit-ups

Such a simple sounding name for a NOT very simple exercise. Basically you lay down with your legs wide apart, and put one hand behind your head. Then, you lift straight up with the other hand while doing a sit-up, and then reach across your body after you are sitting straight up.

You alternate back and forth like that on both sides of your body, and by this point you are wondering how it is even POSSIBLE for the people on the video to still be doing it.

Fifer Scissor

Much like the standard scissor exercises that many people used to do in gym class, only this one has an added twisted. You do start in the lying down position (which is wonderful by this point!), but rather than just kicking your legs back and forth in a spastic manner, you only do one leg at a time while the other leg is held 6" off of the floor.

By this point in the workout, even holding one of your legs off the floor is difficult, let alone lifting the other leg up a full 90-degrees. As always, don't beat yourself up if you can't do it. Just try your best, rest for a few seconds, and then try again. All that matters is that you try your hardest, not that you work as hard as Tony and the other people in the video.

Hip Rock n' Raise

Again starting in the lying down position, this time with your knees out, and the heels of your feet touching. You contract your ab muscles to bring your lower body off the floor, then push your hips up towards the ceiling.

It does not sound easy, and it ISN'T easy. Don't be surprised if you find yourself looking at the clock in the lower right-hand corner of the screen, and then being truly grateful that it's almost over!

Pulse Up

This is more of a standard hip raise type of movement where you basically have both feet facing the ceiling, and you do your best to push your heels as high towards the ceiling as possible.

If this exercise was done earlier in the routine, it would not be as difficult, but by this point, it is truly challenging to get out very many reps with good form.

Roll-up/V-up Combo

It's a bit difficult to explain, and even watching it takes a few turns before you finally get it right. Basically you reach both hands up towards your extended legs, then you rock backwards to bring your legs off of the floor. You go about halfway back to the position of having your back on the floor, you stop, and then you reach toward your toes, all the while keeping your legs off of the floor.

It is as difficult as it sounds, but at the same time, it is an incredible exercise. Just take your time and focus on form rather than a high number of repetitions.

Oblique V-up

Basically this is a side bend while lying on the opposite side of your body, but again, Tony makes it more challenging by saying that you also have to lift your legs up at the same time.

The golden chalice of this movement is being able to touch your thigh with the elbow of the arm that is behind your head. Very difficult to do in the beginning, although you can bend your knees in order to build up strength when you first start doing this exercise.

Leg Climb

This exercise is not just difficult because you are so incredibly exhausted by this point, but also because you are all sweaty. Basically what you do is lift one leg about 45-degrees off of the ground, then reach up with both hands trying to "climb" your upper body up your leg until you can touch your toes.

Flexibility goes into this exercise as much as abdominal and core strength do, so don't be discouraged if you can't touch your toes. Just keep doing the exercise as long as you can, alternating to the other leg as directed.

Mason Twist

The "tour de force" that is the final exercise in Ab Ripper X, and the final exercise of the workout session, they saved the best for last. Once again, you are using your butt as a pivot point, while your upper body and your legs are both held above the floor. Once in that position, you clasp your hand together and rotate very rapidly from side to side, trying to touch the floor on each repetition.

This exercise is thankfully not done for a very long time, because at this point in the workout, you are pretty much shot. It is a fast-paced movement, however, and does a good job of getting you to give it one last final punch to make it through to the finish line.