P90X

HPNPilot1200 said:
Anyone try P90X? Thoughts? Thinking about starting...
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I have seen 2 people go from not so skinny to skinny.

If you have the discipline to stick with it, it seems to work, but so would probably any other exercise regime with similar time and intensity.
 
I'd be skeptical of anyone selling videos of "Extreme Yoga".

Why not save the $, go to wal-mart, get a chin up bar etc... and find a routine on the internet.
 
I can vouch for P90X whole-heartedly.

Two years ago my younger son, then age 31 and a Type 1 insulin-dependent diabetic, weighed 260 lb (6'2" tall). He and his wife started P90X and within eight months he was down to 180 lb, and still is. He'll always be insulin-dependent, of course, but his numbers are under much better control now, and he's never been healthier. They progressed through "Insanity" and "Asylum", all part of the "Beachbody" suite of exercise programs. Earlier this year they completed the "Tough Mudder" obstacle course in Phoenix. I'm in awe of what they have accomplished.

My wife has also done P90X, and is now doing the "Chalean Extreme" program from the same company. At age 60 (she said it's ok to say that), she's in great shape! :yesnod:
 
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My son did p90x and it was successful for him. He can't keep it up in Afghanistan, but I expect him to restart when he gets back.
 
P90X is hardcore. I'm in very good shape and have been doing Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu for ten years and P90X kicked my butt when I did it a few times. For those of you who do not know what Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is it's basically the pitbull of martial arts and is all about grappling, wrestling, clinching, arm locks, leg locks, chokes, etc....It is physically demanding itself but the rough P90X workouts are brutal. I have colleagues who are in their forties who do it regularly and look like they're in their mid twenties physically.
 
Did P90X for a while. Was a hubby/wife thing. It's intense. The Ab Ripper video is definitely not my "happy place". :)

Always been an upper body wuss. Pull-ups and I don't get along. At the gym I can use the machine that counterweights a portion of my body weight and get a "real" full motion pull-up that way. At home I was modifying with a chair or using stretch bands, blah.

For a workout that I could otherwise keep up with, the pull-ups kicked me in the tenders. Ha.

Long story short, we quit due to non-compatible schedules and co-motivation dropped off. She likes to workout early, I'm a night owl. We also had company coming for an extended stay and rearranged the extra bedroom, pulling out the TV and workout stuff and never really set it back up.

In other words, a whole lot of excuses. ;)

There was a lot of sweating going on when we were doing it. I need to get back at it.

We did not like their diet plan. Very incompatible with our busy schedules, but it was a framework for what to eat. If you have a brain, you can modify it. It's important not to do something dumb like starve yourself while you're slamming away at something like P90X. I wasn't taking in enough calories overall and "bonked" a bit around the one month mark. Figured it out with assistance from friends who knew better.

Watching Tony Horton do push-ups clear off the floor by a foot or more while you're grunting and squeezing out regular ones is incredibly motivating. That dude is crazy.

Bring it.
 
P90X kicked my @ss! Stick with it, it will be worth it. It's not "extreme yoga", even though they do have a yoga workout. It's more of a crossfit without the weights. Remember, diet is key to any successful weight-loss program. The diet they have in the plan is a little to hardcore for me. Just take in more fruits and vegetables, and eat everything else in moderation, you will see results.
 
I think it's great, but I don't think it's better than other disciplined cardio and weight training programs. It's up to the individual to push themselves to make it work, as with any exercise program.
 
Matthew said:
Is the equipment on that list optional?
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You will be doing pull ups (lots of pull ups) and you will be doing weight training. If you can find a way to get those to work for you without getting equipment then go of it.

I didn't have a yoga mat for the first several weeks and was just using my carpet. So, no, it's not required. However, the mat does give you a level of grip that a carpet does not. A really cheap mat would cost you like $5-$10 at wally world or FiveBelow. I actually bought my blocks for $2 at FiveBelow and they work fine.

You can get away without the heart rate monitor but I would recommend getting it anyhow.
 
I did a couple workouts last summer, before my daughter took P90X off to vet school. Now that she's back for a little while, I started the "lean" program this week. So far I've done the Cardio, Core Synergistics, Arms and Shoulders, and Ab Blaster.

Holy crap am I sore, but it's a good sore. When I was dropping weight last year for my surgery, I did 100% cardio on a treadmill, which was boring as hell. So far, I love this workout.

However, as a 52-year old who can't do quite a few of the exercises (especially the Ab Blaster - are you kidding me?), I would prefer something more like a P45ish-X :D program, but I've been impressed with P90X so far.
 
I did P90X this spring (well 2.5 months of it). I'd recommend following the diet AND exercise routine. I did just the work-outs and attempted to eat better, the results were I trimmed up / lost 10 lbs.

It's a commitment and it helps if you have a work-out partner to motivate you.

As a side note, especially for Yoga..... don't force the postures. I pushed it with some of the more extreme ones and hurt my right shoulder. Still isn't back to normal, and I've fallen off the work-out wagon because of it (and lost the results I worked hard for)
 
My fourty something wife did it a little over a year ago....went from hot....to Smoking HOT in 90 days. The bathing suits she bought after those 90 days would make a blind man blush

She tried to get me to do it, told her sweating was against my principles.
 
My knees are pretty bad from a lot of years of running - How rough is it on knees?
 
nddons said:
However, as a 52-year old who can't do quite a few of the exercises (especially the Ab Blaster - are you kidding me?), I would prefer something more like a P45ish-X :D program, but I've been impressed with P90X so far.
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It's called Power 90, I use it myself. The people bored with P90X go to Insanity, which is basically Guided Masochism.

Beachbody is one of my clients. I don't care if you buy their stuff or not, but if you do, thanks for the avgas money. :)
 
Is there a recommended way to ease into this routine? I've tried a few like this before, but hit it too hard early on and quickly lost motivation.
 
Takes about a month to really get into it...there is no easing, you go at it full bore and do what you can. Eventually you can do it.

I did it for about two months, lost 15 lbs and then got an injury. Six months later, I was back at the beginning.
 
AggieMike88 said:
Is there a recommended way to ease into this routine? I've tried a few like this before, but hit it too hard early on and quickly lost motivation.
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They are clear it's a pretty tough course and they start with a fitness measurement at the beginning that if you don't meet the minimum requirements they recommend some of their aerobic lighter stuff first just to get movin' and burn off some of the fat cells. ;)
 
AggieMike88 said:
Is there a recommended way to ease into this routine? I've tried a few like this before, but hit it too hard early on and quickly lost motivation.
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P90X is extreme (thus the "X"). You and I would be candidates for starting with the Power 90 (P90) program, which requires less equipment, is 30 - 45 minute routines vs 1 - 1.5 hr routines, and helps get you in shape.

P90X has a "pre-program fitness test" you're supposed to take... if you can't pass it, they suggest you do NOT do the program, or you'll hurt yourself.

Here's the test: http://trek2befit.com/images/P90X Fit Test.pdf

I have the same upper body strength issue Nate mentioned; I couldn't pass the P90X fitness test. My brother and sister did it... all I can say is WOW about their results (and I have the pics to prove it, you can find your own on YouTube quite easily... lots of P90X fans post their results).

Power 90 is also cheaper, and is a good place to start. When you can do that without issues, then move on to P90X.

It's also good for increasing aircraft useful load and making it super easy to climb up a C172/182 strut to check fuel.
 
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This is a very popular workout routine at the firehouse. We several that do this every day. If you ever met me, you would realize I am not one of them.:no:
 
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