P.A.P. Upper is the 11^th workout included in the P90X2 90-day home fitness program that lasts approximately 53 minutes.

The Concept: Resistance Training and Plyometrics

P.A.P. stands for Post Activation Potentiation.  This is a concept where you combine resistance and plyometric exercises.  While these concepts are highly effective on their own, combining them provides extreme power to the athletic person.  Tony says that even if you are not involved in sports, you are athletic if you are completing the P90X2 workouts. 

How does P.A.P. work?  The premise is that prior heavy lifting induces central nervous system stimulation.  This results in calling on more muscles to produce more power, faster contraction, and faster rates of tension.   P.A.P. Upper focuses on your upper body.  You will combine chin-up bar exercises with weights and explosive movements for an intense upper body workout. 

Make sure that you do not wear running shoes for this program.  You should wear basketball shoes because they fit higher on your foot providing more stability for your ankles.  They also have thicker soles, which will help since you will be on the balls of your feet the majority of the time.

Click here to visit the Team Beach Body P90X2 page and be sure to visit our main p90x2 review page to see in depth reviews of every p90x2 dvd.

How P.A.P. Upper Benefits you

P.A.P. exercises can increase force development and maximize explosive power.   It immediately increases maximal strength and can build more muscles while recruiting more motor units.   Because the exercises are performed in rounds, they can help to minimize muscle fatigue. 

Whether you play tennis, baseball, volleyball, run, or box, P.A.P. Upper will work for you.  Tony pushes you hard in these workouts so that you are able to “bring your best game” to the table when you need to.  P.A.P. Upper provides you with the power you need to succeed beyond your expectations. 

P.A.P. Upper Workout Equipment Needed

Grab some water and a towel before you begin.

• Foam Roller
• Resistance Bands
• Stability Ball or Towel and Sturdy Chair
• Weights or Bands
• 1 Medicine Ball
• Weighted Bar or Towel or Broomstick
• Chin Up Bar or Bands with Door Attachment
• Chin Up Max (optional)
• 2 Hand Towels
• PlyoBox or Sturdy Chair

P.A.P. Upper Exercises

Warm Up

• Heel Walk
• Feet Smackers
• Burpee Salutation
• World’s Greatest Stretch
• Inch Worm
• Scorpion
• Groiners
• Foam Rolling
• Roller Sphinx
• Plange Push Up
• Band Pull Apart (resistance band)
• Atlas (stability ball)

P.A.P. Upper Routine

Complex 1 (4 rounds)

1. Renegade Row (weights)
2. Plyo Pushups
3. Plank on Medicine Ball (medicine ball)
4. Superman (weighted bar or broomstick)

Complex 2 (4 rounds)

Prepare your towel ahead of time.  This involves spraying it with water in specific areas. 

1. Towel Pull Up (chin up bar and towel)
2. Med Ball Pike (medicine ball)
3. Step-Up Hammer Press (plyobox and weights)
4. Roller Angel (foam roller)

Cool Down with Stability Ball

The cool down incorporates NIS (neuro integrated stretching) into the cool down.   This involves pushing down on the stability ball as hard as you can in a controlled manner. 

• Shoulders/chest
• Forearm stretch
• Backbend stretch

Bottom Line

P.A.P. Upper is an intense routine that will get you moving faster and performing better in any athletic sport you choose.  Tony emphasizes that while you may be able to perform more than 10 reps of chin ups that you do not so that you don’t overextend your muscles.  This workout is all about power, explosion, and range of motion. 

Click here to visit the Team Beach Body P90X2 page and be sure to visit our main p90x2 review page to see in depth reviews of every p90x2 dvd.

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