P90x Chest and Back Workout

The P90X Chest and Back workout are as challenging as they come, melding various forms of push-up and pull-up to stimulate your back to the fullest.

Both exercises are beneficial and efficient. The push-up is a versatile move for your chest and shoulders, and the pull-up is a consistently complicated exercise for your back and biceps.

In the P90X workout plan, you’ll perform several unconventional different versions of both moves. And each focuses on a different area of your chest and back muscles and is adaptable for both beginners and expert lifters.

P90X Chest and Back Workout Advantages

Every pushing motion in the P90X Chest and Back workout is balanced with a pulling motion. This prevents you from making the error of overworking the pectoral muscles (chest) while neglecting latissimus dorsi muscles (back).

In addition to preventing “lifter slouch,” or the recognizable shoulder slump you see in gym goers who spend their entire workout bench pressing. This back-to-front balance also aids in maintaining proper posture.

You’ll alternate between back and chest sets in P90X’s Chest and Back workout. In this manner, one muscle group exercises while the other relaxes.  There is, therefore, no need for additional rest breaks.

That not only expedites your workout but also presents a significant challenge to your heart and lungs.

Because of this, you’ll burn a lot of calories even without moving your legs. In other words, it’s an upper-body workout that feels like one.

What is required to perform the P90X exercise?

The P90X-Required Basic Equipment

• A set of resistance bands, etc.
• Exercise mat
• P90X recommended
• Pull-Up Bar: Strongly Recommended.
• P90X optional equipment [Ref]
• The Full P90X DVD Set.

Additional types of equipment are:

• Heart rate monitor
• Body fat tester (You will measure your subcutaneous fat, or the fat located underneath the skin, using specialized calipers to ascertain your body fat percentage).

P90X Exercises for the Chest and Back

Push-up

Put yourself in a push-up stance with your hands and feet slightly wider than shoulder width. And also your feet flat on the floor, your arms locked out, and your torso straight from your head to your heels. You can also do this exercise on a stable elevated surface.

• Keep your body straight, your core engaged, and your head in a calm position as you bend your arms and pull back your shoulder blades at the same time. Stretch yourself to the greatest extent you can without losing your form.
• Reverse the motion by repositioning yourself at the beginning.

Different varieties of Push-ups

• Military Push-ups:

Hands should be shoulder-width apart, and your elbows should be close to your sides as you perform the move. As a result, your triceps will carry a heavier load.

• Wide fly Push-ups:

Put the most stress possible on your chest muscles by performing the exercise with your hands spread wide.

• Decline Push-ups:

When performing the move, elevate your feet on a chair or box. That will focus on the upper chest fibers.

• Diamond Push-ups:

When performing the transition, spread your legs wide and hold your hands close together with your thumbs and forefingers constituting a “diamond” shape underneath your chest. Your triceps will now receive some attention.

• Bar Push-ups:

Use parallettes to perform the move; these are handheld parallel bars that let you extend the range of motion by allowing you to lower your chest beneath your hands.

• Dive bomber Push-ups:

Start the exercise by assuming a downward-facing dog position with your hands and feet on the ground, your hips raised, your legs straight, and your body straight from your hands to your tailbone. Move your upper body forward as you extend your arms.

Though you were sliding your head and shoulders under a fence. Push yourself back into the down-dog position as you perform the reverse motion. 

Wide front Pull-up

With your hands about 4 inches wider than your shoulders on either side, grab a pull-up bar using an overhand grip. Then, hang there while keeping your legs slightly angled out in front of you.

• Bring your chin over the bar by pulling your ribs to your elbows.
• After a brief pause, return to where you began.

Different varieties of Pull-ups

• Reverse grip Pull-ups:

Use an underhand, shoulder-width firm hold to execute the exercise for a stronger emphasis on your biceps.

• Close-grip overhand Pull-ups:

Use an overhand grip to execute the move, keeping your hands close enough for your thumbs to touch. This will highlight your pecs more.

Dumbbell rows

Take a deep side lunge with your right foot wide to the right, and grab a dumbbell with your left hand while resting your right elbow on your right knee.

• Raise the dumbbell toward your ribs while maintaining a flat back and a straight left leg.
• When you reach a straight elbow, pause before lowering the dumbbell.
• Finish all of your repetitions, then change sides and go again.

Because they mimic the motion of starting a lawn mower, dumbbell rows are also referred to as “lawn mowers.”

Heavy pants

Take hold of a pair of dumbbells and stand with one foot in front of the other. Lean forward at the hips until your back is almost parallel to the floor while keeping the weights hanging precisely beneath your shoulders with the palms facing in. This is the launching point.

• Row the weights toward your ribs while maintaining a flat back and a tight core. At the conclusion of the workout, tense your shoulder blades.
• After pausing, return the weights to their initial position. With each set, switch up your foot placement.

Rear delt raise or the bent-over dumbbell reverse fly

Rear delt raise also known as back fly. Holding a pair of dumbbells in your hands, sit on a bench, lean forward so that your chest is over your knees, and then bring the weights to your feet with your palms facing in.

• Raise your elbows as far to the sides as you can while keeping a flat back, then push your shoulder blades together towards the peak of the transition.
• Lowering the weights will put you back in your starting position.