P90X: Tony Horton's 90-Day Extreme Home Fitness Workout DVD Program
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Description of P90X: Tony Horton's 90-Day Extreme Home Fitness Workout DVD Program
P90X is a revolutionary system of 12 highly intense workouts, designed to transform your body. * Chest and Back * Plyometrics * Shoulders and Arms * Yoga X * Legs and Back * Kenpo X * X Stretch * Core Synergistics * Chest, Shoulders and Triceps * Back and Biceps * Ab Ripper X * Cardio X Extra DVD for a quick overview of the complete P90X Extreme Home Fitness training system is included. To get you started, you will also receive a comprehensive 3-phase nutrition plan, specially designed to help you lose fat; a detailed fitness guide, packed with valuable fitness information to help you get the most out of your program; and a calendar to set your workout goals, track your progress, and stay motivated.Sports reviews of P90X: Tony Horton's 90-Day Extreme Home Fitness Workout DVD Program
Customer Review: Great way to get in shape if you follow the program
Sport shop rating: 5 Stars
So lets start off with the fact that after 90 days this is not as extreme as it felt on day 1. Lets also be honest with ourselves that if you are starting off as I did with 23% body fat you may not end up with a 6pack.
Overall the product is great the routines keep you engaged and the nutrition plan is far easier to follow than most plans of this type would be. You have to follow the workouts and the nutrition plan or you will not get the results you want.
As with many who have completed this program I will say the only disc that I cannot stand is yogaX, this is the one failure of the program. I know or at least I now realize the value and that can be of value and it can also be a bit of a break for your body it is boring, painful, and i could do without the truly annoying comments made by Tony through the disc about pain and such. That aside it is a workout that you need to follow as part of the program.
As mentioned in other reviews you need to have 1-1.5 hours per day to devote to this program, on most days it will be 1:15 with the workout and the following ab ripper x , 1:30 for yoga and about an hour for kenpo and plyo, cardio x is not used in standard p90x but is less than 1 hour and is actually kind of fun.
Also be aware you need a fair amount of equipment to complete these workouts:
Pull-up bar (door frame ones are pretty good for this)
Bands - okay let me tell you this is probably the way to go particularly for men. bands are cheap, portable and adjustable. Be aware though these are several moves that they glaze over the inability to use bands. Plan on having a few light dumbbells 8, 10, 12, 15 for guys to supplement the bands. I got away with just a pair of 10's for these but sometimes wished i had 8's. My friend has now done the entire p90x with just bands, pull-up bar and 8, 10lns dumbells.
Dumbbells - I personally went with dumbbells since I already had hex bells in 10, 20, 30, 40 lbs. This was a huge mistake given the cost of new hex bells. I did buy 15, 25, 35's to fill in the gaps but now would like to have some 50's - 70's for some moves like lawnmowers. This would cost me several hundred dollars and I could see needing 70-100 soon enough. Just don't get yourself into these if you don't have a great reason. If you do save money in the long run and get a pair of the selecttech by bowflex 1090's for guys who need weight or 552's for lighter weight for the ladies or if you don't want any bulk... women can probably get away with 2-25's in the dumbbell range. You will make a huge investment in weights if you want to go this route.
Never mentioned until you put in the DVD's you also need a chair or stool and a yoga block isn't a bad idea if you are very flexible or like me totally not :P. Although not required a heart rate monitor is pushed on you during plyo and kenpo, I resisted until week 10 and found for me it added some fun to the workout, making it like a video game to push myself for more time in my zone or higher caloric burn. Youll no when you have gone to far with or without a heart rate monitor.
Yoga mat - not required but if you have hard floors get a thick mat for abripper and some of the other stuff and or a good yoga mat... i always did yoga on the carpet so it was okay but abripper i always used a 1.5" folding gym mat.
Also not mentioned do not plan on doing plyo and some other workouts for about 1 hour after you eat or you may get cramped up and that's no fun.
Overall the workouts are entertaining and challenging if you are driven. They do not set goals for you, you have to go as hard as you can. I started only doing 3-5 pull-ups at a time now I do 10-20 (in the range of the people on the videos). The workouts seem less challenging after 90 days but as someone a few weeks into a second round they still are good workouts if you still need to be more fit.
I went from 23% body fat to 11.5 or so during the program and hope to be in the sub 10% range in round 2.
So be realistic as to your goals, the total cost of the program and the owrk you have to put in. Don't cheat, don't skip and don't get lazy and you will be very happy. I will say though I started this program at the same time as 8 people I know and only myself and 1 other followed it to the end and we are very happy while the others are still pudgy and out of shape.
Last point, don't buy from sellers other than beachbody fulfilled by amazon or some other direct through the mfgr there are a ton of hacked dvd's out there and those are the ones that usually have the reviews talking about failed dvd's. Although I hate to drive people away from amazon if you order from the bb site you can buy disc protection for about $9 but they will push every extra and supplement on you before you can check out.
Iron Gym Total Upper Body Workout Bar - Extreme Edition
Bowflex SelectTech 1090 Single DumbbellX2
Bowflex SelectTech 552 Dumbbells
Bands - pick your poison, there are like 50000 kinds on here.
Mats - see above
yoga blocks - cheap pick something that wont break (i bought a bamboo one that sounds like its going to crack everytime i put any weight on it).
Have fun you'll be happy if you can stick with it.
Customer Review: Not a penny wasted!
Sport shop rating: 5 Stars
*Original Power 90 review*
Let me first say that i'm one of the people that tried the regular Power 90 workout videos at first. I was pretty much a couch potato who would work out once in a while, and then just stop completely for several months. Power 90 is a decent workout for people who are trying to get back into shape who want to get into a mediocre level of fitness; or just maintain an average body.
Pros for Power 90:
1.)A good smooth start for beginners. It will get your body in decent shape.
2.)Short workout time. The workouts last from 35-45 minutes; stretching, warming up, workout, and cool down in all.
3.)Good mix of everything. Tony incorporates stretching, warming up, and cooling down all at the right times during a workout.
4.)Has a timer countdown on screen.
5.)Tony has great direction, tries to motivate you, and tries to be funny. Just by listening to him speak and guiding on how you should do a certain movement/stretch, you get a sense that he actually knows what he's talking about when it comes to fitness.
6.)Tony TOUCHES, but doesnt dive into what's in the P90X program. He scratches on Stretching, Yoga, Strength training, Cardio, Kicking/Punching. This sets you up and gets you somewhat used to what comes in P90X.
Cons for Power 90:
1.)When I saw the routine and the small "studio" they shot this in, I really wasnt impressed. But then again, it was my first workout
video, so I have nothing to really compare it to. It just gave me the impression that the workout would be cheesy and generic.
2.)Repetitive. You have Level 1 and Level 2 routines. Basically Cardio Level 1, and Circuit Training level 1. Once you get to level 2, you're pretty much stuck doing the same thing every other day, and it gets old after the first month.
Bottom line for Power 90: If you're only a beginner or would just like to maintain your weight/average body, Power 90 is for you. If you can't get through the regular Power 90, don't try P90X just yet. Work your way up.
*And now for P90X Review*
Like someone already said, the packaging for all 13 DVDs is great, and no excess garbage cases. The Nutrition Guide is very informative and well written, and so is the Workout Book they include. I dont follow the food guide to the 'T' since i'm on a budget, but they include great recipes for pretty much anyone's taste.
The reason I included a review of the regular Power 90 was to express just how impressed I am with the improvement and greatness that the P90X routine is.
Pros over the regular P90:
1.) The workouts are HARD. Unless you've have an Olympian type body(which 99% of us dont), these workouts will kick your butt. If it doesn't, you're obviously not trying hard enough or doing something wrong.
2.) No matter what level of fitness or what sport you love to play, you'll benefit from these routines. Tony covers everything to improve flexibility, strength, endurance, and stamina. Any athlete will become an even better one after 90 days.
3.) Not repetitive. You can go for almost 2 weeks without doing the same workout twice. In the regular Power 90, you only tasted some of the things that P90X has. This expands on EVERYTHING you learn in Power 90; things like Yoga, Strength training, Cardio, High/Low impact movements, Flexibility, etc.
4.) Price. For 120 bucks, you get the Nutrition guide, Workout Guide, and 1 intro DVD + 12 Workout DVDs. Pretty much under 10 dollars per DVD. That would be about 30$ a month, which is an average cost for going to a gym. In the long run, the program pays for itself.
5.) In reality, all you need are workout bands and your own body weight to do everything in the program. The key thing is how you use the bands, so you dont necessarily need weights or the pull-up bar. However, if you're trying to bulk up, I recommend using weights.
6.) Presentation. The workout studio they shoot it looks great and truly fits the atmosphere for the whole P90X image. Direction and guidance from Tony like always, is outstanding. He tells you exactly how to perform a stretch/workout/warmup, why you do it, and where you should feel the burn or stretch. Like someone else pointed out, his workout buddies vary in body types so you can see the results of what each body type can achieve in the end.
Cons:
1.) The workouts are long. I guess technically this isnt a con, since the program is meant to be (P90)Xtreme.
2.) Supplements are expensive. I was going to say over-priced, but then I look at the supplements that I personally like taking as an alternative to BeachBody's stuff. BB's supplements dont have as much protein as I like in my post-workout drink.
As you can see the Pros greatly outweigh the Cons...which there pretty much isnt.
Bottom line: Like other reviewers have said, if you're a beginner dont start out on P90X. Start out with Power 90 first. But if you're in decent shape, there's no other program out there that will turn you into a better athlete.
Lastly, follow a good diet. Whether you're trying to lose fat or bulk up, 60% of your results will be from your diet, believe it or not it's true.
Customer Review: This rocks...
Sport shop rating: 5 Stars
Just throwing my two cents into the ring. I used to lift weights in my early 20s and then fell off the wagon. Stayed relatively thin and kept some semblance of fitness in a labor intensive job but wasn't in shape.
My wife is a personal trainer and exercise videos and infomercials abound in our home, all promising the same things. I just never got it. However, I had begun a small workout routine using body weight exercises (didn't want to have to hit the gym again) of push-ups, pull-ups and an ab routine for several weeks and then I saw the infomercial for this. I was captivated. So we got it.
It will radically transform you if you "bring it" as they repeat frequently. It's a 90 day program, about an hour a day (an hour and a half for the yoga), six days a week. It is time consuming and requires a commitment. But if you do this for those 90 days, even just one cycle, you will transform not only your body but your overall level of fitness and your mental state will be greatly improved by pushing you beyond what you thought you could accomplish.
With a great mixture of muscle building, cardio endurance and functional fitness, this is really a well-rounded program. I went through it once, did it loosely for several months and have jumped back in the ring for another round (P90X Plus is on the way). I am a changed man.
At 40 years old, my cardio stamina, my muscular ability and my flexibility are even better than when I was in my 20s. I could never touch my toes. Ever. Until now. I used to get winded riding my bike up the block to get air in the tire. Now I can ride around the city now barely breaking a sweat. I may not be able to whip off 50 pull-ups but I'm over 10 and can do over 30 push-ups with ease. Not bad for a guy who could barely do 2 pull-ups and 15 push-ups when starting. You may not see me on the cover of some men's magazine but I can honestly say I am in the best shape of my life.
This seems to be in every one of the reviews.
Most of the muscle building workouts use your bodyweight - didn't realize there were so many varieties of push-ups and pull-ups - and the rest use dumbbells. Each routine adds up to about 24 exercises in roughly 45 minutes along with about eight or nine minutes of stretching before and about three or four minutes of stretching after (which are a must). Some routines are 12 exercises repeated twice, others are 24 individual exercises, all done in rapid succession which fatigues the muscles quickly and brings the results.
The other exercise days mix it up, giving your muscles a little relief but giving your cardio and flexibility a boost. The Plyometric routine is brutal and will work your cardio system intensely but it will get you into shape if you push it. I got through about twenty minutes of it the first time. But then it was twenty-five, then thirty and finally I could finish. Now I look forward to it.
Though the Yoga routine is comparatively long (an hour and a half) and requires focus to do, I fell in love with it. It's not the stare at your navel kind of yoga. This is intense. Think you're strong? Wait 'til you have to do a Warrior Three and a half-moon after having moved for forty-five minutes straight without stopping. You will sweat hard even when it looks like you're not doing anything. The added benefits are flexibility and a great sense of well-being when finished.
The Kenpo routine is a lot of fun and is probably the lightest routine of the bunch but a nice way to end the week.
In the 'rest' week in between Phases is added a Core Synergism routine which didn't feel very fluid at first but I've begun to see the point of it and have begun to notice strength in my core. Also added is a Stretch routine which is a refreshing break. A Cardio routine is optional which can be done in place of Plyo or can be used in addition to the regular routine to really kick up the game. It takes elements of all the other workouts just listed above and really does a number on the cardio system. There is enough here to mix and match and keep you fit evey beyond the initial 90 days.
Tony Horton is a jovial guy, kind of annoying at first and something of a show-off, but in time I found him to be very motivational. He is 45 in this video and when you watch him rip off pull-ups like he is light as air and blasts out 20 push-ups with hands and feet leaving the ground, you'll be convinced. He stumbles on occasion (struggles with balance postures) and botches up some phrases ('hit the bause putton') but this makes it more real. He's a great coach and I know the scripts by heart which keeps it flowing. Tony is the man. "Do your best and forget the rest" is the mantra.
I cannot attest to the diet or the supplements and the equipment we use is a bar drilled into the rafters in my basements and a set of dumbbells. No need to get all fancy.
It's hard, it's work, it's intense and it requires serious commitment. But it's worth every penny and every minute.
P.S. Try Ab Ripper X without shoes first. When you get good at it, add the shoes.
Customer Review: Very Intense - Which is Why it Works So Darn Well
Sport shop rating: 5 Stars
I'm about to hit 40, and got really ill a few years back. A lot of personal upheaval in life too, with multiple moves, switching jobs, etc. and I got overweight. No excuses, just setting the stage for the review.
I finally got into an ok routine of reasonable eating and what I call my "two-minute" drill, which was two minutes of activity each day, like push-ups for example. Then began doing it every morning and night, then morning, evening, and night. I got to a point where the work outs got longer and I had lost 20 pounds. At this point, according to my BMI for my height, I'm about 15 pounds overweight. I hit a plateau and found myself stopping whenever I would see the p90x infomercials. I added the "mason's twist" that I saw on TV into my routine, and really liked it. I realized that I waste $100 on less, say a fancy dinner, and decided to forgo one night on the town and purchase the set.
With the background in place, on to the pro/con list:
Pro:
+ It works - I dropped three inches off my waist in the first 30 days, did my first pull-up in 20+ years, and can touch my toes again!
+ Full workout of different muscle groups, but mixed up and varied, including a superb ab workout ("ab ripper x") that can be done on it's own in only 20 minutes or so
+ Provides a diet program, and although I am going with the Zone diet mostly (increasing protein to add muscle mass), I appreciate what they've done here
+ Energetic instructor, real people, with humility... pleasant to work out with (thanks for helping me press play Tony)
+ They show many variants, some use bands, some tweak the moves... I appreciate the flexibility and having options!!
+ Very professional video, A/A-... only a few instances where I could not get the shot I wanted to be able to copy a routine
+ Options to run with/without music, or the cues (I opt to run with music, with cues)
+ Do it at home - no one watching so you can push, tremble, or stumble all you want
+ Doing it at home also means convenience - just going to/from the gym burns 30-35 minutes alone, and no snow, rain, traffic, parking...
+ One-time cost(s), unlike a gym membership
Con:
- Almost everything about this set is understated:
1) You should have dumbbells (initially I had 35s, 15s, and 8s) and found I immediately needed to buy more (25s, 20s, 12s),
2) A yoga mat (36" x 84" for me... bigger is better),
3) An "in-the-door" chin up bar (I'm 200 pounds and it holds me),
4) Heavy duty elastics (I have two that affix to the door),
5) An area 12 x 12 if you can find it (right or wrong I had the understanding 6x6 would do),
6) A huge fan to stay cool,
7) Yoga block, and
8) Time commitment is 90-120 minutes each day, considering set-up, DVD pauses, clean up, shower - not "about an hour" as I believed
- Case is hard to use and immediately damaged as it is paper-based - I switched to another aftermarket case to hold my CDs
- Lacks an obvious post-90x work out routine. I am still working my plan... stay tuned
- I have to get a deep-tissue massage every 4 weeks when I do this intensely - I just get too tight and sore. It's costly, but so it being unhealthy or injured.
- I don't like the supporting materials that ship with these discs. Something about the organization and content that just doesn't suit me. Maybe it's that they're not well indexed or contain extra commentary that lengthens unnecessarily. I don't know - something just doesn't appeal. I found the work out calendar (which disc, which day) on page 24 and stick to it... that's it really
- Very draining
Tips:
> Have a workout partner that is on the same schedule as you!!! Mine saves 2 or 3 workouts a month (thank you Kirsten!). Not saying to work out together; saying work out separate but share the same schedule and talk out the troubles, share tips.
> There's a lot of jumping, so consider how to manage the thumping if your in an apartment or condo
> You might feel sick or light-headed during some workouts... for me that's the pliometrics and yoga discs. Apparently that's somewhat normal.
> This is hard! If not, you are sandbagging or doing something wrong. You should be tired during and after.
> It goes without saying, don't eat right before doing this. I think it's best to have a light meal, wait two. maybe three hours, then have a protein drink within 10 minutes after the workout is over
> Supplements are a good idea. I am trying a competitor's protein drink. Working out well.
Bottom line: Highly recommended, but not for the faint of heart or those with other priorities. Have some humility, it will hurt, it will be tough, but you owe it to yourself to try it. Look at how many good reviews are here. How many other Amazon products have this many 5 star reviews? Original review written 30 days in (Phase I of III completed) and updated after 60 days (Phase II of III). Little changes, mostly minor corrections - still very happy.
Customer Review: Laying prone on floor, drooling, thinking if I do one more rep I'll barf.
Sport shop rating: 5 Stars
It's true. After the first few workouts, that's how it was. I don't like to do stuff half-arsed and it seems that this fitness program lends itself to that.
As for Tony Horton, yes, I often find him annoying. He was 45 when he made these videos and refuses to let the viewer forget that fact. I don't like being reminded every other day that this old man can do that many more pull-ups than I can. He also raises his voice an awful lot for the Yoga program, which kind of defeats part of the purpose.
But I'm getting better, and that's the whole point. I'm also learning to ignore the eye-roll-inducing parts.
There is really no gimmick to this. It's working your butt off six days per week. The optional stretch program for day 7 is no day at the beach either.
I'm 4 weeks in and it's working, and to be blunt, I suck at the diet. I still eat too many carbs and sneak in a sweet snack every now and then. Yet my waist is still smaller, my muscles are larger and more defined, and I don't feel like such a fat slob anymore (though it has only been 4 weeks, so the fat slob feeling isn't completely gone).
There are some reviewers who have said it's too hard. This is where Tony does the best. For most of the moves, there is an easier version. He also frequently reminds you that you can in fact take breaks and later jump back in, especially with the ab workout.
There are also some reviewers who have said it's too easy. I would guess that these people didn't actually watch the videos because, just as there is the aforementioned easier version for most moves, there is also an advanced version for the very physically fit. The instructor also reminds you that if an exercise seems too easy after 15 reps, you can do 2 more or add more weight.
Thus, while never easy by any stretch of the imagination, the program can be less difficult or more difficult depending on your fitness level.
Now be warned that there may be some additional cost beyond the purchase of the DVD package.
First, that single set of 25lbs weights you have will probably not be enough. I don't care if you're the ultra alpha male or a female gymnast, you will need smaller weights for some of the exercises. Also, if you don't feel like purchasing multiple dumbbells, bands can be substituted in all but one exercise (which requires either very light dumbbells or none at all). Bands are pretty cheap and you don't really have to have Beachbody brand.
Also, a pull-up bar, unfortunately, might be hard to avoid buying. If you don't want to use a pull-bar, you can substitute bands, but then I hope you have something from which you can reliably hang your bands. Draping them over the top of a door does not work. A basic pull-up bar costs about $20 (and I found that I like doing the actual pull-ups with one of my feet on a chair more than using the bands, but that could be just me).
You may also need to purchase a mat. I did the yoga and stretch routines on my carpet without a mat for the first few weeks. Everything was do-able, but I did experience some slippage on a few of the stretches and yoga poses. I recently picked up a mat from Wal-Mart for $9.
So while the DVD set with all the guides costs around $140, your total cost may be in the $200 or slightly more range if you don't have any of the equipment already. This bothered me at first, but I did some math while looking at Bally's, LA Fitness, the Y, and other local gym options. P90x is still way cheaper than the yearly dues for any gym I could find.
You can increase the cost substantially by purchasing Beachbody supplements, bars and recovery drinks, but as far as I can tell these are not necessary. Tony will recommend them to you a lot and there is a little commercial at the end of some of the DVDs for the bars and recovery drink, but if I can find success while continually ignoring them, so can you. Plus, as I've already mentioned, I have been very slack on the dietary recommendations, and am still seeing results. Would the results be better if stuck to the nutrition plan word for word and mixed recovery drink into my water? Probably, but with my life being what it is, I'm thoroughly happy with this product.
You'll notice that I do not have that comforting "Amazon Verified Purchase" under my review. That's because I viewed the product here, but then went to the source, which is Beachbody (dot com ;)). Others have mentioned, and I agree, that it is better to buy direct from the original source in this case. There may be a slight price advantage with Amazon's free shipping in some cases, but you get better support if you buy direct from the source instead of a third party.
I should also note that regardless of where you buy the program, or even if you don't buy it, you can still go to the website and use the forums if you're having trouble or have questions about modifying the program for a particular purpose. It appears that the company is really good about putting Tony or one of their other actual fitness people on duty to answer questions in the forum.