P90x is a workout system, by the Beachbody company, that is led by (and developed by, I think) Tony Horton. And it will utterly kick your butt. In a good way. No – in an awesome way.
I am finding myself in a Pro / Con list mood. Here goes.
Pro:
1. Results
It is quite obvious to anyone who has done even one video in the entire P90x series that this workout is famous for a reason. It freaking kicks your butt, in a good-hurt kind of way. I’m not a wimp when it comes to exercise, by any stretch of the imagination. I was pretty sure, before trying this program, that I knew how to get in a really good, strenuous and effective workout. I. Was. Wrong. During the first week of videos I was so sore I was hobbling around and whimpering. When I got used to the program, I noticed a definite improvement in my normally girly upper body strength. I also saw a noticeable difference in my appearance after the first couple of weeks, and I am 75% sure it was not just my imagination.
2. Variety
I tend to get bored easily with repetitive workout routines. I will do one for a week or two at the most and then decide to move onto something else because the thought of doing the same thing one more time kills any desire I might have had to exercise. Part of what I really liked about P90x is that it not only has many different DVD workouts that you rotate throughout the program, but also the workouts themselves vary even within one video. For instance, you will only need to do the Shoulders & Arms workout once a week for the first month, and then have other DVDs to do on the other days. Within that Shoulders & Arms video, there is a huge variety of moves to mix up the workout and stimulate all of the muscle groups in the shoulders and arms, together and separately. The sets in the video are then mixed up in a different order, so not even a small part of the workout gets repetitive.
3. The People Doing the Workout Onscreen
I personally think Tony Horton is hilarious and motivating at the same time. That, unfortunately, is a quality that is lacking in a lot of famous workout video personal trainers. I still remember doing Tae Bo with my mom and having to mute the TV so we didn’t have to listen to Billy Blanks talk while his ditzy sidekick babes grunted along. And Jillian Michaels kind of just makes me want to turn off the TV altogether and walk away before I put my foot through the screen. In P90x, however, Tony is entertaining and provides useful and helpful tips on how to get the most out of the workout and how to stay safe doing it. The sidekick people are not terrible either. If you are a guy, you will appreciate the abundance of toned women in various sweaty positions. There are plenty of ripped guys too, for the ladies, but I am usually in too much pain to really notice.
4. The Nutrition Guide and Diet Plan
I have to be honest here, I never really followed this. Though I have to say, it is remarkable that I got the results that I did the way I was eating – I guess that just speaks to the effectiveness of the workout. I am adding it to the “pro” list because I have heard very good things from people who have done the full program including the diet plan. Apparently it is very well thought out. It is an awesome bonus for people who buy P90x and want to follow the full program. I will probably try it someday, when I tackle my willpower issues once and for all.
Con:
1. The Yoga Video
This is COMPLETELY my own personal opinion. I have a burning fiery hatred for the yoga video. I know it provides an excellent workout. Physically, it isn’t any more or less taxing than the other videos, so don’t let the soothing image you may have of yoga fool you into thinking it will be a day off from the intensity of P90x. My problem with this video, however, does not have to do with the difficulty – I think it is actually probably a very effective strength, balance and coordination workout. I have a problem with how the video is set up. Remember how I said in the “pro” list that P90x is wonderful with variety and does not get repetitive easily? That point does not in any way apply to the yoga video.
I love Tony Horton, but I hate his idea of yoga. For anyone who enjoys the relaxing, centering, and almost spiritual aspects of yoga, you will not find that in this video. I understand why – P90x is a kickbutt fitness program, so all of the workouts are designed toward getting the maximum amount of butt-kicking packed into one workout. So for yoga, this means holding awkward lunge-type positions and hanging upside down for an eternity, and then repeating it about five thousand times. It’s an odd mix of boredom and pain that I usually only get during a four hour lecture at school when my butt has gone numb and I feel like someone jammed a railroad spike into my spine.
2. Cost, kind of
Beachbody offers a payment plan that may be a good choice for some people, but the program is not inexpensive. This is easily justified by the fact that the price is well worth the quality, but for some people who might really want and benefit from the program, buying P90x at full price just isn’t an option. If you are interested in the program, check out my affiliate link below for pricing information. Sometimes they may offer deals, so keep an eye out for that, too.
Other Things To Consider:
I myself have started the P90x program at least a dozen times, and have nearly completed it about half of those times. Why nearly, you ask? I am tempted to make excuses to make myself feel better, but in all honesty, it was just because the program, especially the third and final month of the program, is hard. Don’t get me wrong, the first and second months prepare you for the home stretch physically, but mentally it is hard to juggle an intense program like this one with a full schedule and a heap of self doubt. I kind of equate it to “senioritis” in school – I’m almost done, who is really going to notice if I stop trying now? This is not a problem that is exclusive to P90x for me. Actually, in all honesty I stuck to P90x way longer than I normally stick to most exercise routines. That, combined with the fact that the difficulty is rewarded by fantastic results, makes it really hard for me to classify this point as a “con.” So, it officially ended up in a third category all by itself.
That pretty much sums up my thoughts about P90x. I think it is really a great thing and I highly recommend it if you are serious about reaching a higher level of fitness. If you are interested in purchasing the program, or any other products from Beachbody, click on the link below and it will take you straight to their website.
Note: this is an affiliate link. If you choose to buy a product from the Beachbody website after clicking this link, I will get a small percentage of the profit. If you are interested in P90x but want to check around for other reviews, please feel free, but I would really appreciate it if you return to my site and purchase the product through my link if you do choose to buy it later. Thanks!
Click here to go to the Beachbody.com website and purchase P90X!
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Great review. I may have to try this program at some point.
Interesting. I am an X gymnastics coach and most of my family is still in it. My son uses this with his boys team. Very good for them. I could never afford such a thing but since my son uses it have been shown parts. I maintain my own fitness program which includes many similar things. Maintain is the key. No program will work w/o consistency. Do something and do it most everyday with lots of variations.
A couple things:
I’ve heard that to even start P90x, you need to be in fairly good physical condition to begin with, and if you are out of shape, it is nigh impossible. Is this true?
I disagree your comments about Jillian Michael. I think she’s fantastic, albeit a little awkward at times, but she has great workouts I think.
Beth,
That first part is pretty much true, to a certain extent. They include a “fit test” with the program that you are supposed to complete to make sure you are able to do the rest of the program. I could do about half the things really well, but struggled on things like pullups (I still can’t even do one). My solution is just that I take more breaks in the middle and figure at least I am improving some, even if it is not at the rate that someone doing every single move would be. I can always go back and do the program again later to really maximize results.
And about Jillian Michaels – you might be right that she has effective workouts. I really have tried only one. It was not a bad workout, I was more just put off by her attitude. Maybe she just had a bad day she filmed the video I did, haha.