Yes, it is like the informercial says
This product is what I expected from the infomercial - the infomercial is a good representation of what you'll get. The DVDs are good, come in a small case (no excess packaging to exaggerate or compensate for lack of real product). The accompanying written materials are good too.
However, I found that I wasn't quite in shape enough when P90X arrived to use it well. I went back and bought Tony Horton's "Power Half Hour" and used that for a few weeks first - had to wake up some muscles I've let go dormant. I've been in good shape most of my life, but kind of got lazy lately - I needed to get a basic foundation before I could jump into the incredible workouts he provides.
Make no mistake; this is a commitment. The workouts are long, and hard, but they are engaging. No geeky cheesy cheerleader pep talks in the DVD, and no arrogant gym rat jerks either. If I win the lottery, I'll try to hire Tony as my personal trainer; he has a good positive attitude, and seems to keep the workouts real with a sense of humility and humor.
The segment timer is great. Though the workouts are typically an hour long, he has "chunked" them down into segments, with a "progress bar" on the screen - kind of like the bar on the computer - so you can adjust your pace or your mindset with the workout.
Tony uses both men and women of differing degrees of flexibility and fitness; there's always a body on the screen up there to help me with my own form.
I'm a former Marine - and this is used to replace my "daily thirteen." If only I knew about some of these workouts back in the day... So I give it a thumbs up from the perspective of some really challenging workouts I've experienced in the past.
Overall, a good deal. But be warned, it isn't for the fat couch potato. Like the infomercial says, its for folks that want to get in BETTER shape; the expectation is that you already are in shape and want to take it to the next level.
Why did I spend all those years in the gym?
There's so many positive things to say about this product it's hard to know where to begin. I'll try to avoid covering too much familiar ground of the other reviews. So let's start by saying this: It absolutely works. What's great about this program is that it addresses ALL your fitness needs. Whereas most workout videos/programs tend to focus on either strength training or cardio or flexibility or target specific areas, P90X does it all. Just be aware that you'll have to invest in a pull up bar (although alternatives are given for substituting power bands, but nothing beats the bar), some dumbells or power bands (the bands work fine if you're looking to tone up or travel with them, but for people really looking to do some work and get their Bruce Lee on, dumbells are a must), a yoga mat, possibly some push-up stands (they're worth it, or you can just use your dumbells if you have the kind shaped like a hex or a square), and a heart-rate monitor isn't bad either. I'm 30 and I've been an avid gym rat since I was 15. This thing beat me up the first time through. Plus, I'm flexible like I've never been before which makes life so much better getting out of bed not being stiff. Best of all, my abs are chiseled better than when I was 20. Tough to argue with that. Alright, enough about me, I think one of the strongest points of this program is it's level of customization.
The way the program works is this: For the first three weeks you'll do strength training workouts on days 1,3, and 5(each bodypart being worked once per week with the exception of the back-you're gonna do A LOT of pull-ups/chin-ups). On days 2,4, and 6 you'll do some form of cardio (yoga, plyo, kenpo). And then on day 7 you have an optional stretch. Then on week 4 you completely remove the resistance days and they're replaced with other types of cardio and stretching (the Core routine is amazing). In weeks 5-7 you keep the same days 2,4, and 6, but you have all new videos for the resistance days so your muscles are forced to adapt and grow and avoid plateauing. Week 8 is the same as week 4, allowing you to catch up for the final push. Weeks 9 and 11 are the same as 1-3, weeks 10 and 12 are the same as 5-7, and then there's the final week, same as 4 and 8. I know it may sound a bit confusing, but it's all laid out very clearly and concisely in the accompanying book. Plus, you'll be doing abs on the resistance days.
What I just described is called P90X Classic. It's the standard arrangement of exercises. Again, here's where the customization comes in. If your goals are more weight loss and slimming down, the book rearranges the videos into what's called P90X Lean, de-emphasizing the resistance training in favor of the fat burning. And for those truly "touched in the head", there's P90X doubles. This has you doing 2 programs per day on certain days, one in the morning and one in the evening. This is truly the ultimate challenge (but also a bit time consuming as you'll need more than 2 free hours per day to dedicate to exercising).
Another great feature of the program is the inclusion of Cardio X. PlyoX is, by far, the toughest of the cardio programs. It will chew you up and spit you out the first few times you try it. For those that find it too difficult or may have some joint issues preventing them from jumping, Cardio X is designed to be a low-impact substitute. Throughout all the different programs, Tony and the crew will show alternate exercises for people that may have some health issues (knees, shoulders, etc. . .).
Some people wonder what's next once they finish. Good question. For most, you'll benefit from going through the program one more time as is. Or, you can try the lean or doubles. Maybe just do the classic again, but try and do things double-time or increase your weights a good deal. It'll probably be a month or so before you're able to truly begin to keep up with the videos the first time through-and then they switch it up on you (that's the beauty of it). So doing it a second time allows you to go hard from day 1. Also, Beachbody is releasing P90X+ in Dec. 07. These are 5 new workouts that you can substitute in to the existing infrastructure. But, be aware, these are for people that have already gone through the entire 'X' or are in world-class shape, as they are more difficult than even their predecessors were. They were designed specifically with the intent of building upon the foundation laid by P90X, by no means are they a jumping on point. Plus, they don't replace all the existing videos, so you would be far from a complete set should you choose to grab just the + programs. But hop over to youtube and put in P90X+ for a preview (I get tired just watching). With the inclusion of these videos, the ability to mix and match as you choose to in order to meet your goals, and the format that allows you to determine intensity and speed, you'll be able to keep your workouts fresh for a very long time.
And once you've gone through the program, you'll get an excellent feel for what each video does and how to customize the program. You may want to increase your flexibility by using the Stretch X and Yoga X a few times per week, supplementing it with some cardio and strength work. Bottom line, the choices are yours. Just remember, these are not for beginners and you will need an hour per day (hour and a half for yoga)-no "30 minutes 3X per week" nonsense here. If you head on over to the P90X website (just google it since we can't use URL's), click on the picture about half way down that says "Learn more about P90X" and then click on "Is P90X for me", there'll be a link to a PDF of the fitness test you can do at home that will give you a good idea of whether or not you're ready to begin the program.
Even with the additional equipment to buy, it is well worth the money. Remember, you're not expected to be able to keep up right away. It'll be quite a while before you do. Go slow and at your own pace. You are encouraged to just keep with it, even if you can only do 1 pull-up, do it and wait for the next exercise to begin. Just stay with it and you'll be amazed at the progress you make. The last thing you want to do it burn yourself out right away. When I first got the program I spent 2 weeks just "walking" through all the routines (and I was still spent). One final note, just be careful if you live in the upstairs of a building as I do, it can make Plyo day a bit disconcerting for the neighbors beneath you if they're not expecting it ;)
One last note because I've seen some of the negative comments on here: Buy it from the official site. Just say no to all the special offers so you don't get billed for anything extra (I declined all offers and have never had a single problem with extra charges). Just buy it from the regular site at P90Xdotcom.
Not a penny wasted!
*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.
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