P90x, has anyone tried it?

Question

Have you seen good results? Does it require a lot of exercise equipment? How long does the average exercise take? Just curious, I'm looking to tone up :)

WeaponZero · Accepted Answer

P90X works like this

You work out for 6-7 days a week. Three days of it is strength training that focuses on different muscle groups so that each muscle group only gets worked once a week. Two days is dedicated cardio, but not aerobic style exercises. One day is Yoga. The seventh day each week can be used as a rest day as the day seven workout (which is an hour long video of just stretching) is optional. Each strength training workout is followed up by a 15 minute long abs workout. Total the workouts each will require approximately an hour and a half a day.

You follow a set schedule of workouts for three weeks then do a rest week that has you doing lighter intensity workouts, then they give you a whole new schedule. It continues like this for three phases: Three weeks of a set schedule followed by light week, then three weeks of a new schedule followed by light week, then three weeks of a new schedule again followed by a light week.

It is accompanied by a nutrition/meal plan that you pretty much have to follow to the letter if you want to see serious results doing P90X that has you switching up your whole diet every month while you're on the program. Month one you focus on high protein low carb, month two you reduce protein intake and increase carb intake so that the ratio of protein to carbs is roughly 50/50, and month three they switch it up on you again so that you're now consuming more carbs than protein. You eat a lot more calories than you would normally eat while doing P90X due to the high intensity of the workouts.

Equipment needed varies depending on your fitness level. If you're a beginner you can get by with nothing but a pair of resistance bands that have a door hook attachment. But as you progress through the program and your fitness level improves so that you're no longer doing beginner/modified versions of the exercises, you'll need to start doing legit chinups on a chinup bar (removable doorframe mounted one works fine) and you'll need to invest in a set of proper dumbbells, unless you can find a pair of resistance bands that go up to 50+ lbs of resistance (they're out there, but you have to hunt for them).

All in all I would not recommend P90X to someone who is looking just to "tone up." That's like using a sledgehammer to drive a nail into a piece of plywood. It's excessive and may even be counterproductive. Watch what you eat, do resistance training 3 days a week, do 20-30 minutes of intense interval based cardio a day (jumping rope would be great), and that should do you fine. This is assuming you're already in good shape and just want to "tone up" as you put it.

myspacemybroke · Accepted Answer

Working on power 90, the one-step-down type of thing from p90x. Seems pretty alright. I like it because it's structured which is my biggest issue. I'm staying committed and keeping at it, but without the precise schedule and structure I would probably be at a loss. I would recommend to start with this one if you haven't done a program like this before (like me) or you need a little lighter starting point (like me). It's pretty nice. I usually get up around 4:30 or so, roll out of bed, fill up my water bottle and just get to it. A lot of it has to do with diet as well. They have supplements they'll want to you get too, which I'm kind of sorry that I didn't to an extent. Though you can still substitute other things in place of that specific company's name brand. The diet is alright, a little boring if you're used to eating precisely whatever-the-hell-you-feel-like (like me), but it isn't utterly ridiculous crap. Basically just wholesome, real food type of meals. Small ones. It includes a recipe book as well with a half dozen or so dishes for 4 different meal classes (breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks). If I'm impressed with my results on this program (which I'm still early on in, though I am starting to feel/see some) I intend to move to the p90x afterward and continue the journey as it were.

oOsweet~o~nessOo · Accepted Answer

Not P90x - but my brother and his friend are doing the insanity one. They tell me afterward they're really sore and the work out is pretty intense.

My bro has lost a couple pounds within the first couple days and building up some muscle. I don't think they use any equipment. I've only seen dumbells on the video - everything else is more of your own weight working against you - like these crazy push up things / strengthening things.

Hazel63 · Accepted Answer

I use P90X! :) I only use it to tighten up when I need it. I love the results, it makes me look toned and sleek after just two months! (I'm already slim to begin with) do a different DVD every day. Otherwise you will risk over exercising a part of your body. It requires some equipment for the routines. I usually only use the ab work out video to tone my core and then my own resistance routine. I don't need much else at the moment.

Anonymous · Answer

I've gone through it twice. It changed my life for the better. It's great, and I'm never a fanboy about stuff.

I've evaluated several of the products - P90, P90X, P90X2.

I like P90X the best. It has the most comprehensive exercise series out of all of them. And the "energy" of the instruction is the highest - it has more of a playful quality to it. Tony gets a tad annoying (he thinks he's hilarious) , but the exercises are quite effective. And they're challenging enough that you won't feel like you've passed the level of fitness any time soon.

Most of the videos are around one hr in length. The Yoga one is 1.5hrs. This includes 10-15 min of warmup and 10 min of cooldown,

You need the following

Dumbells - one pair of light (5-10lb) and one pair of heavier ones (15-25lbs - 15 is plenty if you're a female starting out). Alternatively, you can get a set of exercise bands, and they show how to do the exercises with the bands in the videos. I'd get the square dumbbells from Target because you can use them as pushup bars. link

A Chinup Bar link

WoIIie · Answer

If you are looking for an excuse to exercise for the first time in a while, then P90X might be worth the money. Still, it's hard work and the vast majority of people who try it either quit, or don't continue it.

There's a reason why it's so popular yet the majority of men and women aren't ripped and toned.

rockingpianoman · Answer

I just use it to learn new excercises , not all of them are great but most of them are really good

you need a set of weights and a bar to hang somewhere ..

you can download it from torrenting sites and see it yourself ha ha :D

CasaNorba · Answer

i have and I'm gona do it again next week. all workouts are 45 minute to an hour, except the yoga which is an hour an a half. but yea it really is a good program, you just gotta do everything accordingly. the diet is what I had most trouble in

beautifulbrunette2 · Answer

my dad lost over 40 pounds on that in a few months. I don't know every day after work he goes to his room and does a dvd he says its really rigourous

P90x, has anyone tried it?

Most Helpful Opinions

Most Helpful Opinions

What Girls & Guys Said

P90x, has anyone tried it?

Most Helpful Opinions

Most Helpful Opinions

What Girls & Guys Said

We're glad to see you liked this post.