It’s big, it’s bad, it PUTS THE X IN EXTREME!!! (It also puts the yelling into infomercials!) That’s right, after over a year of pleading from you guys, I’ve finally got a hold of a copy of P90X for a Great Fitness Experiment! At $140, this workout is a little out of my budget and sadly I’m not cool enough to get them to give me an evaluation copy but fortunately for me Christmas came twice this year. See, Gym Buddy Megan’s husband Sensei Don got her P90X for Christmas and she generously offered to share the love (and pain) with me.
For those of you who have not been sucked into one of their mesmerizing infomercials – they’re everywhere, even on QVC! – nor have been accosted by one of the many P90X devotees – they’re almost as rabid as CrossFitters! – it’s a series of 12 intense workouts and a diet plan designed to take you from Pillsbury doughboy to winner of the bake sale (’cause you’re cooking beefcake!). You do a different workout each day, 6 days a week for 3 months.
In addition to all this, P90X has the one aspect in a workout that is like catnip to me. No, it’s not buff shirtless men doing crazy pull-ups (although it does have plenty of that). It’s a challenge. This is not one of those “it’s so fun you won’t even know you’re working out!” workouts. This is a “I will beat your body into submission and you will lie in a puddle of your own sweat and thank me for it” workouts. Apparently in my mind, P90X is the dominatrix of fitness (my “issues” duly noted.) They even have a test you have to pass before you are authorized to do the workout! I love tests! I love numbers! I love elitism!! Seriously, the best way to get me to try a workout is to tell me you think I can’t handle it. Strangely this tactic does not work with household chores.
The Gym Buddies and I did the test before January’s Great Personal Training Fitness Experiment with Lindsey and passed, except for one thing: women are supposed to be able to do one pull-up. There was a time when Gym Buddy Allison and I would have snorted derisively at one measly pull-up. As they are wont to do, our newly born children have made us humble. None of us could get higher than halfway. But tonight as Megan and I did Day 1 of the program, I discovered that I could eke one out! (Yes, I jumped a little. I’m still counting it.) This is important to me because there was an incident in college where I got locked out of my apartment and had I been able to do a pull up onto our deck I would have saved myself the humiliation of having to ask the boys next door to break into my own house for me and then promise to wash their car in a bikini before they’d let me in. (Which I totally didn’t do, by the way.) So thank you for saving me from future embarrassments Lindsey! After one month we will repeat the test.
Megan and Don are going to be playing the program straight, doing the whole 90 days and the diet plan – a high-protein low carb plan similar to South Beach. Myself and the other Gym Buddies are only committed for February. I will not be doing the diet plan (more on that tomorrow.)
Unfortunately, this is going to be one of those Experiments that will be very difficult to follow along with at home unless you own the DVDs or are willing to buy them. (Check your local library! Many have exercise DVDs and you might just get lucky!) But after you read about tomorrow’s workout (an hour of plyometrics – my quads are burning just thinking about it) you may be grateful for that.
Any of you tried P90X? Have any recommendations/hints/warnings for me? Do you love arbitrary tests and challenges as much as I do or do they scare you off? Anyone else ever been in a situation where a pull up would have been a really hand skill to have??
Hi!
Great post, you write really well.
That plyo routine is killer. I finished a round of P90X recently and have taken a month off. I'm starting another round soon.
Definitely take advantage of the team beachbody website. There is a lot of support on there. There's a video on there of Tony showing you how to do a pull up with a chair. They've got this other English guy who's always cooking up something healthy and tasty.
It's pretty neat. If you want to sign up, I am a Beachbody Coach. You can through me here: https://teambeachbody.com/signup/-/signu
p/free?referringRepId=33249.
I'm building a website right now. It's under construction but feel free to check it out. http://www.be-a-home-fitness-witness.com.
It's great to read good original funny writing. Enjoy this great fitness experiment. You'll blast past any self-imposed limitations you may have.
Hope to stay in touch.
Frank
WOO you're going to rock it! Looking forward to hearing how it goes for you, Charlotte. It sounds like a toughie. Can we see a before/after photo of you with the gigantic muscles that they show in the informercial please? Tehehe.
Cheering you on all the way!
Yeah! I'm so excited about this experiment! My fitness experiment has been boxing at the park district for the winter season, but maybe this should be next…..
I'll have to look in to finding a copy. Keep us updated! I want to hear all the ups and downs. Oh yeah–and how your strength improves, a spike here, plateau here…I should incorporate tests in to my weekly routines! I, too, love a challenge. 🙂
P90X scares the SH$%&(T out of me.
Good luck with it, you crazy, insane chica. I'll read alone from the safety of my apartment.
I had a feeling the next challenge would be p90x! If you do a quick search on amazon, they have used copies of the p90x program from $88.99. I'm sure you could find cheap copies on ebay as well!
I am looking forward to hearing if it is really worth the hype. Haven't seen the commercials (not a big tv watcher) but I see their ads on the internet a lot.
My hubby and I are in the second month. I couldn't stick to the diet plan because it honestly made me sick. The workouts are intense, and I needed more nourishment. No, I didn't get the "recovery drink" and maybe that's why. Anyway, I use the bands instead of the pull up bar because it was ruining my door frame! By the way, plyo is way intense, so take it easy on your knees at first since you just had a baby!
My hubby and I are in the second month. I couldn't stick to the diet plan because it honestly made me sick. The workouts are intense, and I needed more nourishment. No, I didn't get the "recovery drink" and maybe that's why. Anyway, I use the bands instead of the pull up bar because it was ruining my door frame! By the way, plyo is way intense, so take it easy on your knees at first since you just had a baby!
There was a time not so long ago when I would have been rip-rarin' to do this one with you. But those babies! They make me tired! So, for now, I'm just poking along with The New Rules of Lifting.
AND TKB OF COURSE (WOOT WOOT!)!!
(oh, sorry about that–I get excited sometimes)
I LOVE p90x! It's such a great workout!
I'm super super excited about this. I've never seen the commercials but I've seen the print ads- and it looks like a barf-fest to me- sign me up! Can't WAIT to see how you like it!!
PS An hour of plyo- I love plyo like the next workout maniac, but a whole hour? Hmm, come to think of it, I've done that. Crazy. really nutty. but fun!
I'd never heard of it so I checked out some video's on Youtube. Wow – I'm exhausted watching for 30 seconds ! Good luck with it, I think you might need it 😉
Hi Charlotte!! BRING IT!
(I had to say it!) I can't wait to hear how it goes for you. One of my coworkers has seen great results with it. I broke down and bought INSANITY. I LOVE IT. I am in week 3 and am seeing great results. The best part about these programs is that you can do them at home…while baby naps!! Maybe consider INSANITY as one of your GFEs one day? Good luck! Lisa
just came across your blog and wanted to say hi! you have so much good information about fitness! looking forward to read more ! 🙂
P90X rocks.
the complete metamorphosis Ive seen in friends whove done this program is seriously stunning.
(this comment is NOT sponsored by P90X)
Yay! I've been waiting for you to try this one.
Hubby and I were wanting to try it after the baby is born since our gym doesn't offer childcare and getting time to do my normal 2 hour gym routine isn't going to happen. I've researched it to death and read all the blogs about it, but it will be nice to get your take on it before I drop the bucks.
Also, after gestating for 9 months, there is no way I'm going to pass the initial test, but I figure I'll just wing it. He's not nearly as scary as Jillian.
I'm also intrigued by challenges. Can you give details on the "test" you had to pass before starting the program?
i've been curious to p90x because i've heard about so many people doing it. i'm not really a fan in general of dvd workouts but i like the "I will beat your body into submission and you will lie in a puddle of your own sweat and thank me for it" aspect (awesome way to put it by the way).
but alas i am too cheap to buy it. i totally would because i do like the challenge of it.
I have not seen the infomercials, but I've definitely heard of P90X and I've been curious. I've looked at the DVDs but, as you say, they are expensive! So I'll be curious to hear what you think. Meanwhile, I'll be slogging my way through another month of Lindsey's workouts.
I so want to try P90X & have ever since I first started seeing the commercials a few years ago … can't afford it though. I can't wait to hear more!
I did p90x over the summer and I tried to follow the diet plan but I started gaining weight(which was muscle but in my mind it was fat)….and freaked out and starting cutting back the calories too much and putting in extra workouts, ect…and basically ended up wasting the last month(I got crazy good results after the first month) and put on 10 pounds of fat cause I wasn't eating enough to support my workouts and was working out too much…and 6 months later I'm STILL working at losing that fat!
Moral of the story is: don't try cut your calories while doing p90x(and turn yourself into a fat building mess like me!), you need all the nutrients you can get to support your workuouts!!
I've been really interested in this for while, but didn't want to shell out for it until I knew someone who'd tried it and told me what it was actually like.
So go on. Try it.
Let me know how it is 🙂
I have some problems with P90X. I don't like it's short term nature as a realistic, sustainable, lifestyle behavior. I don't like the unattainable before and after marketing, making it a waste of money for individuals looking for a quick fix. This is not a workout for the average individual, unless they are the average MMA professional fighter, which in my fantasies, I am 🙂
Hi Charlotte,
I've been doing P90X consistently since October and I gotta say, it's a phenomenal workout. Plyo may be the most difficult workout EVERRR!!!! I sometimes missed legs/back and now I always pay for it. It's the one workout that's guaranteed to get me sore each and every time.
Also, I started out barely able to do pull ups and now I can do 7 reverse grip and 3-4 of most of the others. I can't do corn cobs though and have to drop down for switchers.
Nowadays, I generally run instead of doing the cardio dvds because I want to train for a 1/2 marathon but I still do core synergistics once in a while. I also am not able to do the abs workout all the time because of time constraints and its sooooo hard.
As for nutrition, I follow Weight Watchers because I feel that the P990X diet is just too much food for me.
Hope you love it and remember to bring it.
My credit card is jumping out of my wallet wanting to join you but as I have signed up for more Lindsey, it will need to wait a few months. Can't wait to hear how you like it and also very interested to hear about your eating plan to accompany all this exercise.
Given that it is DVD based, are you doing it at home or is there a place to watch the DVDs at your gym?
My husband and I finished P90X in November and we really liked it. We were both in decent shape to start, but I was sore for a few weeks after starting–plyo and legs/back were the hardest workouts, but they were my favorites. I found kenpo to be the easiest and didn't get a lot out of it (that might have been my own fault, though).
We didn't follow the diet, but we each lost 5-10 pounds, though weight loss wasn't our goal.
As for pullups, if anything is going to get you doing them, it's P90X. I could do quite a lot before doing P90X, but now that I'm back to my regular lifting, I'm doing sets of 5 with a 25 lb weight between my ankles. It's crazy.
Have fun!
Exercise / Diet regimes scare me off because they don't work lifestyle-wise. If you're supposed to follow a strict workout plan and a strict diet to make something work, I have doubts about its credibility. Not knocking anyone who has tried it and loved it.
I should mention I'm a bit of a CrossFitter. The lifestyle works better for me – clean eating and short intense workouts. If I actually had to work my quads for 1 solid hour I think I would cry. Or puke. Or both. Way to go and I hope you get the best-ever results!
I just had to know what a "corn cob pull up" was, and I found it on youtube. Good name for it!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0_VBxJ4eNlg
I do believe we share a brain sometimes because the beating my body into submission type workouts and the tests and numbers and elitism just makes me want to say "screw saving money, I'm IN", but I think I'll have to pass this time. I cannot wait to hear how it goes for you though – I've heard it's pretty hardcore and I WANT TO BE HARDCORE!!! hehe
A question for you – I want to get back into a good weight training routine after kinda slacking on it for a few months and doing light circuit weights. I have a gym membership (very basic type place) but the thought of just doing the same ol' thing I was doing before makes me yawn. It also embarasses the crap out of me that I can do 50 pushups, but not ONE pullup. Any suggestions?
I did one round of P90X and am through one month of my second round. Plyo is tough but its not really a whoooollle hour, there's lots of breaks. I still cannot do a pull up on my own… but I can do lots of pushups 🙂 I love it as a strengthening program, but I don't feel there is really a cardio component, so I still run 3-4 days a week, just not on Plyo day. Usually I need more of a stretching cool down after the videos, I don't think he does enough. And the ab workout gets boring because its the same thing every time but at least its short. Also I do not follow the nutrition plan, I'm using the Flat Belly Diet Plan from Prevention and I do have protein shakes after the push-up intense workouts and the leg workout. I definitely am seeing muscle definition, who knew I actually had biceps?
you can get it at QVC on 4 monthly installments…
My only warning: be completely diligent with your form. (I know you will). A LOT of people have been injured doing P90X.
Will enjoy your comments along the way.
I'm curious about this — I look forward to hearing your report. Your blog doesn't have much usage of words like "@#!!%" or "@#%!%^!^" which apparently many people use when they start this program, but I imagine you'll find some appropriate synonyms.
Also, if you could find a motivational tool that inspires one toward housecleaning, I'd be really grateful!
Anyone who has done it before, what equipment do you need?
As far as dumbells (for a woman) and do you NEED a chin up bar? Kind of interested in doing this but don't have a place in my apartment for a chin up bar. Is it possible to do without?
Thanks! 🙂
Oh, I'm so excited you're making P90X your new challenge. Yay! My husband randomly said he wanted to try this a few weeks ago. This, coming from the guy who whines about having to go to the gym? Ha! I'm going to make him read what you have to say about it.
Ooooh ooooh! I can't wait to hear allllll about this one!
I have been waiting for someone with credibility to do this program. I have watched the infomercials a thousand times but I still haven't had the guts to spend the money.
Also, I hear that it works great if you have at least 20+lbs to lose, but that if you already fit/thin it doesn't really do much other than make you really sore. A girl at my gym tried it and said it made her weak because she had to go down on the weights in order to do all the reps–while she lost some weight, she didn't get stronger nor was able to add more muscle and had to start all over again with lifting heavy weights.
anyway, I can't wait to see what you have to say about it. Good Luck!
You don't need a pull up bar if you use resistance bands. We used bands in place of weights and got the Iron Gym pull up bar. Worked great.
I'm so excited to hear what you think of this!
I tried multiple times to get through P90X, but I kept injuring myself. (I also didn't have to do a pull-up; they gave an option of draping an exercise band over the balcony and pulling on it. Hmmm…)
But I really like the workouts, and Tony Horton cracks me up. he's not everyone's cup of tea, but, hey, the due's 50 and he looks like THAT!
Oh, and when my son, who was 3 at the time, locked me out of the house and the only open window was on the second floor, pullups would have come in VERY handy! I maybe could've avoided having to meet an entire fire battalion outside in my robe. I'd just showered, and wasn't wearing underwear. (I'd been doing laundry in the garage, and he locked the door that went from the garage to the house.)
Dragonmama – Off the top of my head, I can't remember the test. I know you had to do at least 15 full push-ups from your toes, 25 in-n-outs (abs), a one minute wall sit, a wall jump, a sit-n-reach stretch and possibly a 200m sprint.
For those of you asking about modifications or lack of a pull-up bar, Tony does offer options. You can use a resistance band looped over something in place of the pull ups.
In regards to the question about equipment, it's pretty basic stuff. You do need some basic weights but not too much other than that.
And thanks for all the warnings about injuries! I had the same issue with CrossFit – really hard on the ol' joints. I will keep good form as best as I can!
Best of luck Charlotte. I hear P90X is brutal, but I know you love a good butt kickin at the gym.
Low carb high protein…glad you're not going there again. :)Me neither…never!
Hi Ya'll,
next time when looking for dvds–try craig's list. found mine there for $100.00usd & totally worth it.
Hope This Helps
Good thing that this is a home workout, otherwise those old ladies at the gym might have had some additional comments for you all.
Looking forward to hearing more about this program – it's always looked interesting!
Wow. This looks hardcore, even for you! And this:
winner of the bake sale ('cause you're cooking beefcake!)
HILARIOUS. I love you so much, you don't even know. (In a totally non-creepy way, of course. ;D)
This quote made my WHOLE night "Apparently in my mind, P90X is the dominatrix of fitness (my "issues" duly noted.)"
I have done some of the P90X and my friend Mia does it a couple days a week with her BF. My BF swears by the plyometrics and ends up super sweaty. I LOVE the yoga DVD.
Unfortunately, it doesn't compliment my 1/2 marathon training very well so I've never tried the plan "by the book" but I do like to pick up aspects of it for variety.
I can't wait to hear how this works for you!!! I'm jumping in my seat I'm so excited lol. Where are you going to work out? And curious, what are you going to do with the little people while your doing the videos? I've tried home workouts and having a toddler clinging to my leg during lunges and jumping on my back for push ups is I'm sure not the *right* kind of burn haha.
Niki and everyone else who asked where we are doing the workouts – we are doing them at the gym for the most part. I have tried several at home with the DVDs to get the feel for it but the program comes with a workout book that lists all the exercises and we just bring it to the gym and work off that. It may not work for all the workouts though (Kenpo?) in which case we'll meet at someone's house and either try and put all our kids in another room or do it after bedtime.
Niki – I too have tried to hold plank, which my children just saw as invitation to jump on my back. Def. bad hurt!
I've done a classic round of P90X, it's hardcore done correctly. I have the P90X and P90X plus, I mix them both up with classes to cross train a little more. Prefer interval X to plyo as it's easier on the joints (bad knees) but still the killer burn.
Are you going to do one week of each phase? Include lean/classic/doubles?
Equipment wise, weights or resistance bands, pull up bar (or again bands) and a mat.
You can easily substitute cardio days which is what I do when possible.
Intervals/plyo – hardcore step class or run
Yoga – P90X version is tough at 90 mins and that first 45 with the push ups is tough!!! I sub with a yoga class to check form.
Kenpo – kickboxing type class will be a good sub.
Ab ripper is awesome, as is abs/core plus from P90X plus.
Thanks for all the tips Di! We were planning on just doing "classic" P90X for this month and then perhaps trying one of the other variations for a different Experiment. Thought I'd play it straight the first time thru. And you are so right about the yoga- it's a killer, although I really liked it! We've done the ab ripper twice and my abs – well, they feel ripped! And not in a washboard kind of way…
I'm so excited that you are going to try this! I've been really intrigued by the commercials and considered buying it in lieu of my gym membership so it'll be really interesting to see how it goes… good luck! and ps. if anybody can handle p90x with a smile, it would definitely be you :]
Yeah! I'm in.- maybe I'll even take before and after photos 🙂 So far, I really like the cardio. It's short and varied and my kids love to do it with me, they stand on one foot and punch and kick, but they do jump on my back or my stomach when I'm trying to do superman, banana. I'm not sure doing the reps without Tony is quite the same though, he really rips through them… Now if I could just take my Hubby into doing it with me…