P90X Yoga Movements

P90X is a 90-day extreme fitness program designed by Tony Horton and Beachbody. The 12-DVD program covers everything to build muscle, improve cardiovascular endurance and increase flexibility. Yoga X, like its other P90X exercise routine counterparts, is a challenging program that includes moving asanas, balance poses and floor work, focusing on body and breath integration. Some P90X users opt out of Yoga X because the exercises can be difficult and awkward. However, Yoga X, like the other P90X routines, builds strength and improves flexibility and balance, which in turn helps with mobility and injury prevention.

  1. Moving Poses

    • The first half of the 90-minute Yoga X program starts with a variation of sun salutations and then adds additional poses after each completed series. It begins with Standing Mountain pose, moves to Forward Bend, then to Plank and Chaturanga down, and then to Up Dog, finally transitioning to Down Dog. The series becomes increasingly challenging, especially for the shoulders and arms, as each move is added and the series is repeated. Here's the list of added poses:

      Runner’s pose
      Crescent
      Warrior I
      Warrior II
      Reverse Warrior
      Triangle
      Twisting Triangle
      Chair to Twisting Chair
      Right-Angle Pose to Extended Right-Angle Pose and Grab
      Warrior III to Standing Splits
      Half Moon to Twisting Half Moon

    Balance Poses

    • The ability to balance on one foot isn't just a trick to impress people. Balance improves coordination and mobility and can prevent falls and other injuries, according to "Yoga Journal." P90X includes three standing yoga poses to improve balance: Tree, Royal Dancer and Standing Leg Extension. Each pose is held for 30 seconds on each foot. When doing standing balance poses, start by grounding your standing foot into the floor to get centered. Keep the body straight and head and neck lifted. Standing poses require changing your center of gravity, so you need to move slowly as you shift into the pose.

    Floor Poses

    • Being on the floor can feel like relief after 50 minutes of moving asanas and balance poses. But it's important to continue to focus on alignment and doing the poses correctly to get the most benefit and avoid injury. The P90X Yoga X floor work involves a variety of poses that build shoulder and core strength and increase spinal flexibility. The poses in the floor section of Yoga X include:

      Crane
      Seated Spinal Stretch
      Cat Stretch
      Frog
      Bridge or Wheel
      Plough into Shoulder Stand
      Table
      Cobbler Pose
      One-Legged Hamstring Stretch into Two-Legged Hamstring Stretch

    Core Poses

    • Yoga is one of the best forms of exercise for core strength. There aren't very many poses that don't rely on the core to assist in stability and balance. Like other yoga poses, it's important to follow cues given by Tony on the Yoga X DVD to reap the benefits and prevent injury. You should avoid or choose the modified options the program suggests if you have any back strain during these poses. The core poses in Yoga X include

      Touch the Sky
      Boat
      Half-Boat
      Scissor
      Torso Twist Hold
      Deep Torso Twist Hold

    Cooldown

    • Even yoga has a cooldown period designed to get your heart rate back to normal and center yourself before going back to a busy day. These poses help you relax, and you might even find yourself drifting off to sleep. The cooldown poses in Yoga X include

      Happy Baby
      Child's Pose
      Corpse Pose
      Fetal Pose
      Lotus