P90X reviews??

[healthy stunna]

im gettin ready to start doin p90x so i had to read what everybody thought about it

[mc-]

I have to admit that I don't really believe all of the infomercials I see on TV selling life/body changing DVD workouts but someone mentioned that P90X is the real deal and can be extremely effective. Has anyone purchased or tried this? What did you think?

You can look it up on amazon or p90x dot com

Let me know what you think!

Thanks

here's a detailed, alternate view (including why "muscle confusion" is more confabulation than fact) and, just if you're curious, when folks say "it works" - what exactly may be working in terms of energy and muscle systems, and what alternatives may be

http://www.begin2dig.com/2009/08/ref...rt-1-of-3.html

best
mc

[coffeebean]

My wife did the program minus most of the diet which is probably the biggest key. So her results were so-so.

However compared to other infomercial garbage, at least this on tells you straight up that it's going to be difficult and it's not overnight.

The training principles are solid. I can tell you I did a few days of it with her and I felt it.

I don't tend to buy into the idea of purchasing "programs" so much as I believe in putting the research and hard work in to achieve a goal. That said, I do find the infomercials and interviews convincing and thought I would look into the validity of the claims. Sounds as though the program is the real deal but it also sounds as though diet is a much bigger factor to this program's success than implied by the infomercials. We all know diet is key to fitness but the commercials emphasize the exercise portion more than the food. With that said can anyone tell me how big a part is diet in this? What are the calorie requirements for women? Are there options for vegetarians? Is it a basic "eat clean" meal plan?
Thanks in advance for your responses.

[IrishLifter1]

I don't tend to buy into the idea of purchasing "programs" so much as I believe in putting the research and hard work in to achieve a goal. That said, I do find the infomercials and interviews convincing and thought I would look into the validity of the claims. Sounds as though the program is the real deal but it also sounds as though diet is a much bigger factor to this program's success than implied by the infomercials. We all know diet is key to fitness but the commercials emphasize the exercise portion more than the food. With that said can anyone tell me how big a part is diet in this? What are the calorie requirements for women? Are there options for vegetarians? Is it a basic "eat clean" meal plan?
Thanks in advance for your responses.

There are plenty of diet options, but I don't like the way they set up their diet. They go from Low carb to moderate to high carb.

Which Is not ideal for someone looking to lose Bodyfat IMO. Their explanation is because the workouts are so intense that one needs more Carbohydrates, which is not entirely true for someone looking to improve their physique. Most will do very well on a lower carb diet, A TCD, CCD, or Keto.

Their calorie ranges are not very good, estimates at best.

It is a basic eat clean meal plan, they go with a low fat approach, which I don't like. I myself and plenty others feel their best on a higher Good Fat diet.

They don't emphasize diet very much, but like you said it is the most important factor in any fitness program. They market their program as revolutionary and new ideas, when in fact that style of training has been around forever.

With all that said, there are quite a few different meal plan options I believe.

Meal Plan approach
Portion approach

One more that I can't remember right now.

MC has it all laid out on that link, very good explanation and in depth. Explains the diet approaches, and training. Which energy systems their training uses etc. I would read that link for a good Review and overall view of the program.

[golfwolf]

I don't tend to buy into the idea of purchasing "programs" so much as I believe in putting the research and hard work in to achieve a goal. That said, I do find the infomercials and interviews convincing and thought I would look into the validity of the claims. Sounds as though the program is the real deal but it also sounds as though diet is a much bigger factor to this program's success than implied by the infomercials. We all know diet is key to fitness but the commercials emphasize the exercise portion more than the food. With that said can anyone tell me how big a part is diet in this? What are the calorie requirements for women? Are there options for vegetarians? Is it a basic "eat clean" meal plan?
Thanks in advance for your responses.

Based on your avatar it doesn't look like you need P90X to get in shape. If you're looking for a formal program or want to try some new routines then give it a shot. I think many people who find success with the program are not in the greatest shape when they start, so by eating and working out as outlined in the program they get some good results.

As far as caloric requirements there are three levels each assigned with a caloric range (I think level 1 is 1800, level 2 is 2400 and level 3 is 2800) There's a forumla (can't remember it) that helps you calculate which level you're in. The guide actually encourages people to eat because of the energy needed for the workouts, and not concentrate on a caloric deficit, but I think many people probably eat less than the guide tells them to.

The nutrition plan is broken out in three phases. The first 30 days is heavy protein, light carbs, the second thirty days is more like 40/30/30 and the last 30 days is higher carbs, lower protein. When I did the program I did the first phase for 60 days and then moved to the 2nd phase. I never went and still haven't to the high carb, low protein phase

One of the options is called the portion approach and it's tells you how many servings of protein, carbs, fats, fruits, vegetables, snacks you should have each day to meet your caloric requirement (it changes with each of the phases listed above). If it says you should have 5 servings of protein in a day, then it's up to you whether or not you want that to be chicken, tofu, steak, tuna, fish, etc...(they do give you suggestions so you're not in the dark).

Another option is full blown meal plans where the guide lays out 7 days work of meals to meet your caloric and nutrient requirements.

There's also a fast food option for when it's your only choice.

[TreeTop112]

Why is it not possible? Like I said, have you tried it to prove your claim?

I kind of have to agree with the other gentleman there's no doubt if you follow the p90x program you will be in shape but you won't be ripped in 90 days unless you already have some tone and definition and you already workout but i believe the target audience are those who want to get in shape that do not workout because they hear the get ripped in 90 days claim and they'll be more motivated to buy it boosted josh posted his results after 6 months and he's not RIPPED he's in good shape but not RIPPED and that's the point the other gentleman was trying to make he's not doubting that you won't see results but by telling people they'll be ripped in 90 days is misleading and it is false advertisement instead they should say see results in 90 days don't get me wrong i'm still going to try the program because i'm sure I will see results but I doubt i'll be ripped in 90 days

[mc-]

I don't tend to buy into the idea of purchasing "programs" so much as I believe in putting the research and hard work in to achieve a goal. That said, I do find the infomercials and interviews convincing and thought I would look into the validity of the claims. Sounds as though the program is the real deal but it also sounds as though diet is a much bigger factor to this program's success than implied by the infomercials. We all know diet is key to fitness but the commercials emphasize the exercise portion more than the food. With that said can anyone tell me how big a part is diet in this? What are the calorie requirements for women? Are there options for vegetarians? Is it a basic "eat clean" meal plan?
Thanks in advance for your responses.

it's all here:
p90x diet math - scroll half way down
http://www.begin2dig.com/2009/08/p90...-will-you.html

alternatives to p90x diets:
http://www.begin2dig.com/2009/09/p90...atives-to.html

but as is pointed out just above, where you end in 90days is all relative to where you start.
I prefer more grounded approaches where you actually also learn about nutrition along the way.
free ebook: http://bit.ly/1f288B
real example:
http://www.begin2dig.com/2010/02/rea...t-in-real.html

mc

[chrismaher]

hello and what a great site this is so much info ill be reading for ever. any way ? would this be a good program to follow if u go the gym or is this only for at home as i do go gym and just looking for some thin to follow thanks alot

[hypnocrip]

I'm 6'3'' and about 275 right now. I've worked out since 89 and always been athletic(played football in college). I have taken a year for the first time ever to allow abused joints to mend and to enjoy my wifes 4th pregnancy. We ordered p90x and plan to begin Saturday. I'm hoping to get some info from somone about my size to find out about their experience and results from it, whether they've completed it or or in the middle of it. I went back to lifting about 3 weeks ago and things feel better than when I stopped. I fully expect to lose fat and some muscle mass, which at this point isn't such a bad thing. Any info or tips are appreciated.

[JOWHEY]

Thanks for the reply. What is the best site to visit to read up on Bill Starr/ Madcow 5x5 routine?

Thanks!

WWW.STRONGLIFTS.COM UPDATED 5x5

[ak47guy]

Starting p90x with the wife next thurs...Just finished the "insanity" program..That was intense cardio for the last 63 days(really intense program)..My question is this..I am 5'10..165lbs..Would like 2 get some abs as i still have a little belly..My arms actaully have some definition even if they are small because i have been doing some upper body work with dumbells(have a full set 5lbs to 40lbs)...i would like to not lose any weight and maybe look a little bigger..i eat really clean take protien powder and plan on using creatine trough my p90x phase...Should i just do low reps(5-8) with dumbells(also gonna get heavier dumbells as i can already curl the 35lbs 8-10 reps) also was gonna use a 20lb weight vest with my pull ups and push ups as i can do 10-15 pull ups now and like 90 push ups..i really would like a little bulk but i wanna do the program with my wife cause she wants 2 drop like 20lbs and we had fun doing "insanity" together...any thoughts would be helpful

[clos49]

Insanity looks crazy, too much cardio for my taste. Check this thread out, he bulked on it and gained some size. I am sure if you work with heavier weights, keep the reps between 6-8 and add weight as your planning to the body weight exercises you would gain musccle. I would say adjust your diet to 250-500 cals above maint and keep the protein high. I am looking to trim and keep and add a lil muscle so I am on a calorie deficit, high protein and some glutamine and aminos. Do you got before and afters for insanity?

http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showth...hp?t=122371441

[mc-]

Insanity looks crazy, too much cardio for my taste. Check this thread out, he bulked on it and gained some size.

http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showth...hp?t=122371441

that's not really evidence of a bulk. Definition, sure.
in ANY routine in 12 weeks, working an hour a day, these would be the minimal expected results.

It's not clear there's much overall size difference if you ran a tape around the persons biceps before and afterwards. and with the lighting different in both pre and post ab shots, well, by way of context:

http://bradpilon.com/healthy-ramblin...n-only-2-days/

The main difference is seemingly the definition in the back, and the abs in the front. If there wasn't that kind of definition in the abs, when a person is already that skinny, after doing 20mins high vol. ab work three times a week there's a problem.

i'm not saying the person didn't make progress; just that numerous types of programs provide these kinds of results in their first 12 weeks, too. And if you start out lean, you're in a much better place to SEE these results cut through after 12 weeks.

just a thought.
mc

[a-dog]

how many times a week does one do the ab ripper x? just wonderin...

[IrishLifter1]

how many times a week does one do the ab ripper x? just wonderin...

I really don't like their ab routine myself, I find hanging leg raises, plate twists or Weighted ab work, works the best.

They just throw a bunch of moves back to back, not really making your core much stronger imo.

But to answer your question, really no more than 2-3 x per week.

[thedge52]

I'm 6'3'' and about 275 right now. I've worked out since 89 and always been athletic(played football in college). I have taken a year for the first time ever to allow abused joints to mend and to enjoy my wifes 4th pregnancy. We ordered p90x and plan to begin Saturday. I'm hoping to get some info from somone about my size to find out about their experience and results from it, whether they've completed it or or in the middle of it. I went back to lifting about 3 weeks ago and things feel better than when I stopped. I fully expect to lose fat and some muscle mass, which at this point isn't such a bad thing. Any info or tips are appreciated.

Here is some input, I do p90x and I love it! But I think it is great for these goals:
1. Burning bodyfat
2. Increasing cardio capacity both endurance and high intensity cardio
3. Increasing flexibility

If your goal is mass and a high single rep bench press, p90x would not help.

FYI I am 6'4" about 235. Used to be 280 in my college football days. I Love the p90x workout. Very similar to mixed martial arts workouts, high intensity cardio, total body conditioning with mostly "bodyweight" resistance training, and increasing flexibility.

I feel it was a steal at only $130

[jab50]

here's a detailed, alternate view (including why "muscle confusion" is more confabulation than fact) and, just if you're curious, when folks say "it works" - what exactly may be working in terms of energy and muscle systems, and what alternatives may be

http://www.begin2dig.com/2009/08/ref...rt-1-of-3.html

best
mc

I would recommend that anyone who is interested in the p90x program read this mc's blog first as it gives an alternative view on some of the aspects of the program (no, it does not totally bash it or anything nonconstructive like that). Before I begin a program for 90 days (or anything length of time), I would like to make sure that it will be the best use of my time. mc's blog helped make some issues clear that were not clear in any of the numerous posts I read here.

Thank you for the time you spent researching and writing it!

[bob1986]

i did p90x a while back. i knew nothing about working out and that's why i got it. it did all the work for you. you just had to show up. great for cutting. don't try to bulk with it. way too much cardio for that. strength did increase quite a bit though in my arms, shoulders, and back especially. i tried to bulk on it....dumb....i burned 600-800 cals per workout besides the yoga which by the way is intense. i plan to do it again when i decide to cut.

[dunshster]

I plan to put the P90X program to the test starting next Monday. I am a hard gainer and have always had a hard time putting on weight, so my goal is not exactly the same as most P90X user's who attempt to loose weight.

I plan to use my own custom diet with more calories and more protein than they recommend but I will be following the workout as is. I have setup a blog that will be documenting my journey in case anyone in interested in checking it out. I will list it in my user profile.

[jarsco1]

Hello. I am new to the sight and have found some very useful info in it. Thank you to everyone. I am thinking about getting the P90x DVDs but I dont know if it will help. Well, Im sure it will help tone. I am 32 years old and I have always had a problem gaining weight. In the past 2 years or so I have gained about 20 lbs. From 145 to 165 but most of it is going to my gut. I do see a difference in other areas also though. I believe my ideal weight for my height and body structure would be about 175 but I dont want it to be fat. I guess my question is can I gain weight and still do the P90x to keep it toned? I need all the advice I can get.

[NorthernIke]

Thanks for all the great info in this thread.

I'm about to get started on the program...maybe next Monday. The diet and exercise guide seem to be pretty straight forward. While the whole "muscle confusion" thing might be marketing-speak, I've always had good results when switching up routines in the past.

I was pretty heavy into fitness up until about 3 years ago. Loved hitting the free weights and the big-muscle lifts like squats, deadlifts, pulldowns, etc., and was pretty strong. Started a new job three years ago and don't have gym time anymore.

I'm pretty pumped to be able to work out inside the house now. I've got a power cage in the garage that doesn't get much use (cold Illinois winters = really cold metal!). I'm looking to really commit to this and see what happens.

I'm about 215 LBS now...looking to get back to about 185 LBS. I was there a few years ago when I was running everyday and was pretty cut up.

Wish me luck! I'll keep this thread posted with how things are going for me...

[madflojo]

I have to admit that I don't really believe all of the infomercials I see on TV selling life/body changing DVD workouts but someone mentioned that P90X is the real deal and can be extremely effective. Has anyone purchased or tried this? What did you think?

You can look it up on amazon or p90x dot com

Let me know what you think!

Thanks

It's a hard workout man, I've done it twice now and the second time I followed the diet strictly, and well its awesome.

The workouts are pretty hard and they work great especially if your not used to pushing yourself that hard. The diet is a great diet don't make the same mistake I did the first time around and write it off as yet another low carb diet. It is a different diet that most and really effective.

[midcoastking33]

Ok, I too have recently completed p90x (decided to do it as a changeup to weight lifting) and it was one of the more interesting fitness experiences out there. Instead of doing it at home I converted the dvd's into ipod video format and did the workouts at the gym since I only have a barbell set at home. Here is basically what I got out of it, pro's and con's:

Pro's
1. It takes a lot of the guesswork out. For those people who get lost trying to figure out splits, cardio, when to increase their weights, etc. this set up is really great. You get three phases in the 90 days, and each week lays out exactly what to do each day. It even comes included with "recovery" (still tough) weeks so there's no confusion. Obviously the videos are there to show you how to do everything correctly, as well as motivate you to do so. All you have to do is go hard every day, and write down what you're doing. Beat those numbers the next week, and you know you are in the right direction.
2. Great for increasing work capacity. P90x is really good for increasing your overall fitness level. I don't attribute being able to do more push ups and pull ups as strength gains rather than getting more fit. My goal was geared towards fat loss, but I still made gains in every exercise. For those worried about losing muscle, I started back into weight lifting and I have no drop offs in lifts. This was surprising because I hadn't benched or deadlifted in the 90 days. I improved my vertical leap and flexibility which was also nice, as well as overall stamina.
3. Decent variety. Although they market the muscle confusion thing too far, there is a good variety to the workouts. There are the strength endurance routines (chest and back, shoulders arms, etc.), plyometrics (more cardio than true plyo), cardio routines and flexibility. There's even p90x plus that tacks on more routines if you are up for it. There are also three ways to do p90x: the classic, lean, and doubles. Lean is more cardio intensive and doubles does an AM/PM split for the super dedicated. Since I didn't do lean I can't review it but to me it actually looks easier than the classic, and I don't know if it would really get you leaner. I did some variation on doubles where after I did the p90x routine, I did some cardio as well.
4. Challenging. I had my doubts but all the workouts are pretty intense, save a few (listed in cons). They are also long, and give you little opportunity to rest. This isn't for beginners, which is ironic since beginners look to p90x first. However they burn lots of calories and provide a great pump as well. I really liked ab ripper x and plyo in particular, and will continue to use them in the future.
5. It works, to a degree. Not to the degree that I had hoped, but I did see improvement across the board. I lost weight while keeping muscle up, although I'm not totally transformed through 90 days (I didn't expect this anyway, I live in the real world). If you do everything correctly and focus on eating clean (way more important than doing every workout perfectly) then you'll see results. Of course you could probably see similar results following just about any other routine and eating right.
6. Great alternative to the gym. Can't replace the gym, but if you can't get to one than you'd be hard pressed to do more at home with less equipment than p90x. All you need are dumbbells or resistance bands, and a pull up bar.
Con's
1. Not good for mass gain, at all. Although most people won't be taking up p90x to pack on size, its still marketed as getting ripped in 90 days. For a lot of people starting it, that means packing on muscle. I don't really see where the program is optimal for this goal in comparison to others. There's too high volume and not enough resistance. That's not to say it can't be done, but the question is why? You'd have to readjust everything to meet those goals. A beginner would have the best chance at seeing muscle growth, but its not for beginners.
2. Diet plan is pretty generic. They market it as revolutionizing, but its really not. It's basically atkins, where you start out low carb and make your way to a maintenance diet of higher carbs and lower protein. There are also 3 ranges of calories to choose from, depending on your BMR. However these too are generic, and even the lowest might be too high for some (especially women) or the highest may still be too low. I think in general they overestimate the amounts of calories you need and are instead too focused on the ratios. Also having a severe limit on carbs when you are doing such high volume low rest work seems odd to me as well. There are better alternatives out there. I also would like to say that please don't be chumped and get their supplements. They are way too overpriced and you can find far superior products right here on this site.
3. It's not a magic bullet. This isn't really a knock towards p90x because they don't advertise it this way but some people put it on a pedestal. Diet is still more important than the workout routine, but this tends to be overshadowed. It's not revolutionary; push ups, pull ups and body weight squats have been around forever. Don't think it will make you into lebron james anytime soon.
4. Some of the workouts are weaker than others. Kenpo and yoga x come to mind for me. I had to add weights to kenpo to get a good workout, and even then it wasn't as productive as something like high intensity interval cardio, or even playing sports. Yoga x always seemed out of place and I dropped it completely half way through. It was way too long (hour and a half), and way too repetitive. If its sport specific fitness you're after than keep it, but if you were like me and were after fat loss, than a cardio routine would be more appropriate. Flexibility is important, but you should be stretching every workout anyways. I'd also like to interject that the workouts for phase 2 were in my opinion not as well put together and enjoyable as those in phase 1. In fact they even repeat some exercises, which goes against their branding of muscle confusion.
5. The videos get so annoying quick. I can't imagine any workout video staying fresh after 90 days, but its still a weakness of doing a home workout routine. I'm not a big fan of Tony Horton's style, and the production values of the videos themselves are pretty low. The music is downright awful. These aren't big gripes since you aren't paying for avatar, you're paying for instruction. Still though, I dare anyone not to get annoyed. I don't even think they are necessary once you get the routines down, but I used them anyway.

Phew. Those are some of my impressions of the program. Using a slight caloric deficit I managed to drop about 2.5% bf and keep my strength and mass the same. Not spectacular but not ground breaking either. I had to abandon the diet plan halfway through because it wasn't feasible at school. I'm thinking of doing a p90x/insanity hybrid sometime in the future after I have graduated, where I have a lot more control over what I eat. If you are a decent fitness level and you are plateauing in your lifts I'd green light it, but I can't recommend it for beginners. I notice a lot of people new to fitness are looking into this. I would start with p90, which is the level before p90x. Good luck

[LiftHeavy85]

I would say if you did a program like 5/3/1 which only consist of really 1 main movement and did this also with it strength loss could be minimal

[cherokee217w]

Ok, I too have recently completed p90x (decided to do it as a changeup to weight lifting) and it was one of the more interesting fitness experiences out there. Instead of doing it at home I converted the dvd's into ipod video format and did the workouts at the gym since I only have a barbell set at home. Here is basically what I got out of it, pro's and con's:

Pro's
1. It takes a lot of the guesswork out. For those people who get lost trying to figure out splits, cardio, when to increase their weights, etc. this set up is really great. You get three phases in the 90 days, and each week lays out exactly what to do each day. It even comes included with "recovery" (still tough) weeks so there's no confusion. Obviously the videos are there to show you how to do everything correctly, as well as motivate you to do so. All you have to do is go hard every day, and write down what you're doing. Beat those numbers the next week, and you know you are in the right direction.
2. Great for increasing work capacity. P90x is really good for increasing your overall fitness level. I don't attribute being able to do more push ups and pull ups as strength gains rather than getting more fit. My goal was geared towards fat loss, but I still made gains in every exercise. For those worried about losing muscle, I started back into weight lifting and I have no drop offs in lifts. This was surprising because I hadn't benched or deadlifted in the 90 days. I improved my vertical leap and flexibility which was also nice, as well as overall stamina.
3. Decent variety. Although they market the muscle confusion thing too far, there is a good variety to the workouts. There are the strength endurance routines (chest and back, shoulders arms, etc.), plyometrics (more cardio than true plyo), cardio routines and flexibility. There's even p90x plus that tacks on more routines if you are up for it. There are also three ways to do p90x: the classic, lean, and doubles. Lean is more cardio intensive and doubles does an AM/PM split for the super dedicated. Since I didn't do lean I can't review it but to me it actually looks easier than the classic, and I don't know if it would really get you leaner. I did some variation on doubles where after I did the p90x routine, I did some cardio as well.
4. Challenging. I had my doubts but all the workouts are pretty intense, save a few (listed in cons). They are also long, and give you little opportunity to rest. This isn't for beginners, which is ironic since beginners look to p90x first. However they burn lots of calories and provide a great pump as well. I really liked ab ripper x and plyo in particular, and will continue to use them in the future.
5. It works, to a degree. Not to the degree that I had hoped, but I did see improvement across the board. I lost weight while keeping muscle up, although I'm not totally transformed through 90 days (I didn't expect this anyway, I live in the real world). If you do everything correctly and focus on eating clean (way more important than doing every workout perfectly) then you'll see results. Of course you could probably see similar results following just about any other routine and eating right.
6. Great alternative to the gym. Can't replace the gym, but if you can't get to one than you'd be hard pressed to do more at home with less equipment than p90x. All you need are dumbbells or resistance bands, and a pull up bar.
Con's
1. Not good for mass gain, at all. Although most people won't be taking up p90x to pack on size, its still marketed as getting ripped in 90 days. For a lot of people starting it, that means packing on muscle. I don't really see where the program is optimal for this goal in comparison to others. There's too high volume and not enough resistance. That's not to say it can't be done, but the question is why? You'd have to readjust everything to meet those goals. A beginner would have the best chance at seeing muscle growth, but its not for beginners.
2. Diet plan is pretty generic. They market it as revolutionizing, but its really not. It's basically atkins, where you start out low carb and make your way to a maintenance diet of higher carbs and lower protein. There are also 3 ranges of calories to choose from, depending on your BMR. However these too are generic, and even the lowest might be too high for some (especially women) or the highest may still be too low. I think in general they overestimate the amounts of calories you need and are instead too focused on the ratios. Also having a severe limit on carbs when you are doing such high volume low rest work seems odd to me as well. There are better alternatives out there. I also would like to say that please don't be chumped and get their supplements. They are way too overpriced and you can find far superior products right here on this site.
3. It's not a magic bullet. This isn't really a knock towards p90x because they don't advertise it this way but some people put it on a pedestal. Diet is still more important than the workout routine, but this tends to be overshadowed. It's not revolutionary; push ups, pull ups and body weight squats have been around forever. Don't think it will make you into lebron james anytime soon.
4. Some of the workouts are weaker than others. Kenpo and yoga x come to mind for me. I had to add weights to kenpo to get a good workout, and even then it wasn't as productive as something like high intensity interval cardio, or even playing sports. Yoga x always seemed out of place and I dropped it completely half way through. It was way too long (hour and a half), and way too repetitive. If its sport specific fitness you're after than keep it, but if you were like me and were after fat loss, than a cardio routine would be more appropriate. Flexibility is important, but you should be stretching every workout anyways. I'd also like to interject that the workouts for phase 2 were in my opinion not as well put together and enjoyable as those in phase 1. In fact they even repeat some exercises, which goes against their branding of muscle confusion.
5. The videos get so annoying quick. I can't imagine any workout video staying fresh after 90 days, but its still a weakness of doing a home workout routine. I'm not a big fan of Tony Horton's style, and the production values of the videos themselves are pretty low. The music is downright awful. These aren't big gripes since you aren't paying for avatar, you're paying for instruction. Still though, I dare anyone not to get annoyed. I don't even think they are necessary once you get the routines down, but I used them anyway.

Phew. Those are some of my impressions of the program. Using a slight caloric deficit I managed to drop about 2.5% bf and keep my strength and mass the same. Not spectacular but not ground breaking either. I had to abandon the diet plan halfway through because it wasn't feasible at school. I'm thinking of doing a p90x/insanity hybrid sometime in the future after I have graduated, where I have a lot more control over what I eat. If you are a decent fitness level and you are plateauing in your lifts I'd green light it, but I can't recommend it for beginners. I notice a lot of people new to fitness are looking into this. I would start with p90, which is the level before p90x. Good luck

Great review! Thanks!

[xkingjamesx]

Well worth the sweat and money!

I started out at 175 and after completing P90x I am now at 131. I think it was meant for people who used to be an athlete or worked out in the past because the workouts are pretty intense off the bat. But it sure does work... makes you even stronger too. I used to be able to do 2-3 pullups.. now i can do about 20.

I think the hardest workouts are Plyometrics and Legs & Back.

I'm kind of new to this forum but i'll try to find a way to post before/after pictures.

Good part is... It repeats to a point where I memorized the workouts and I can just do it in my gym in my building.

btw.. I tried the Recovery Drink... and its probably the best thing i've ever tasted... it tastes like an orange creamsicle... too bad its so overpriced..

Hope this helped! You just have to stick it out when you just want to give up. I've seen many people just quit after the first month. It's been almost a year and i still continue to do the "muscle" workouts every other day and do heavy weights the next.

I believe it works so much I'm making my friend do it with me. He's been doing it for a month and already lost 10 pounds.

Good luck!

btw... I love the recovery drink... probably the best thing i've ever tasted that's related to working out... tastes like an orange creamsicle... Too bad its overpriced

[Amydoll19]

Well I don't want to give P90x a negative review....per se

BUT.....I will say this,
If you are over 40....with ANY kind of pre-existing medical conditions, or perhaps very overweight- DEFINITELY check with your doctor before embarking on this program.

It is INTENSE.....I'm 44yr old, with just a touch of hypertension (whichis completely controlled by medication). and in fairly decent shape. --- or so I thought.

I spent 6 hours in the Emergency room last night after doing P90x for the past 2 weeks.
My blood sugars were pretty low- (was trying to eat as much as I could...carbs, etc)
but I think my body just went into "shock" from the intensity of this workout....
the docs couldn't find anything else on my bloodwork to explain my weak, jittery, disoriented feeling.
But I'm going to chalk it up to my body just couldn't tolerate that intensive a cardio pace...and i was working myself very hard.

I wasn't ready for it.....
and I won't be continuing it- I will stick with doing weights primarily....and pacing myself gently to start.
In any case, I do believe the program can work for many people out there-
and his routines are paced for people at all levels

But I'd still be careful and listen to your body!!

[oldline70]

IMO by far the hardest workouts with P90X are plyo and Legs & Back.

I found I could make it thru Plyo, modified, but out of the gate I couldn't finish Legs. Too many lunges and squats equals toast on the first workout out of the gate.

I did what I could and cut it short the first couple times through; we all know what it's like trying to do lunges and bodyweight squats when your legs are gone.

[oldline70]

I've got a question about the 3 variations of P90X

-As I understand it there is 3 possible variations of P90X - classic, lean and doubles.

However I got my DVDs on ebay and these didn't come with any documentation or paperwork (probably pirates), just a boxed set.

Anyhow, does anyone know where I can find documentation on how the "lean" and "doubles" works? OR point me to a site on the beachbody website?

I basically got a box with the 13 DVDs with nothing to tell me about diet or what to do. Via looking around I've gathered that you're supposed to do a 6 day a week routine and do each DVD each of the 6 days, but nothing beyond that. How does the recovery week work?

I guess I need to man up and buy the real $130 program and stop with the cut rate pirated versions, but they work fine for what they are with no documentation. I'm just trying to fill in the gaps in what I don't know and haven't been told or shown.

[oldline70]

Well I don't want to give P90x a negative review....per se

BUT.....I will say this,
If you are over 40....with ANY kind of pre-existing medical conditions, or perhaps very overweight- DEFINITELY check with your doctor before embarking on this program.

It is INTENSE.....I'm 44yr old, with just a touch of hypertension (whichis completely controlled by medication). and in fairly decent shape. --- or so I thought.

I spent 6 hours in the Emergency room last night after doing P90x for the past 2 weeks.
My blood sugars were pretty low- (was trying to eat as much as I could...carbs, etc)
but I think my body just went into "shock" from the intensity of this workout....
the docs couldn't find anything else on my bloodwork to explain my weak, jittery, disoriented feeling.
But I'm going to chalk it up to my body just couldn't tolerate that intensive a cardio pace...and i was working myself very hard.

I wasn't ready for it.....
and I won't be continuing it- I will stick with doing weights primarily....and pacing myself gently to start.
In any case, I do believe the program can work for many people out there-
and his routines are paced for people at all levels

But I'd still be careful and listen to your body!!

You might want to start with P90 (power 90) , which is a slightly toned down version of the P90X program from what I've heard.