NFT: Need Fitness Advice: Considering P90X

If you want to loose weight, I would try T-25 over P90X (both Beach body products). I lost weight and gained strength with a combination of T-25 and a Kettlebell workout (Skogg).

I tried P90X but the length of time of each workout was too much for my busy schedule.My workouts now are mostly 25-30 mins (some 40 mins)

For me, getting toned was all about Kettlebells and weight loss was T-25

I did P90x about 2 years ago and pushed hard for about 66 days. The program did show awesome results but I feel like a hemster on a wheel doing the same routine in the confines of your house for 90 straight days.

And the program requires major dedication of at least 1 hour/day with Yoga being 90 mins or so. So, be prepared to spend a lot of time. I've been dying to try the new 25 min program by the same trainer. There is also the Insanity program but I've heard about people complaining about knees and ankles from all the jumping around.

Overall, the program is great and you'll feel awesome. Also, change your eating habits when you start the program to maximize results. Give up alcohol if you can for 90 days and you'll be gold!

all cardio and no weights involved...

i started yesterday and going for the glory...

Just do some tabata routines for 20-30 minutes daily and cut calories and you're good to go

I really liked it, and they have a workout schedule that focuses on weight loss (their 'lean' calendar).

You're going to get results with any of them but p90x is hands down the best one for a complete workout, and the results were by far the best.

The only thing is that its very demanding. An hour workout daily plus 20 minutes for abs three times a week (1:30 for the yoga workout). I would highly, highly recommend it though over the others.

Like I said, they all work to varying degrees. But p90x is the best of the bunch.

couch to 5k by someone on this site

its a great starting point to getting in shape if you are over 30 and havent done serious physical activity for a while p90x will result in more injuries then benefits in my opinion.

Once you complete the couch to 5k then get a little more ambitious but going from zero to 100mph might be tough on your body and muscles

to get your butt in gear. That being said it does have it's draw backs. The workouts are very time consuming - about 90 minutes in length, you need some kind of weights and a pull up bar, and they are pretty intense for beginners (though you can modify the workouts and pause as needed). But the bottom line is it does work.

If you are self motivated, modify your diet and increase your activity level. You'll save a lot of time and money and after 90 days you're more likely to keep the weight off imo as there's no "end" to the program.

yeah Insanity is really hard on your knees. Its basically jumping around and pushups every single day. It gets old real quick but it does burn fat.

It did nothing good for my knees however, whereas after p90x my back and knees became pain free thanks to the Yoga and Plyo. It really transforms you, completely.

then did the exercises as part of a routine regularly for a few more months. The time requirement cannot be overstated, it is a lot of time. While I never became overly ripped, huge, or lost more than 10 pounds I was in the best shape of my life. More flexible, quicker, stronger, etc... It's easy to follow IMO and each week you get better and better at it. Got down to 180 pounds.

Early on you likely will have to alter many exercises to make them work, but if you stick with it for 90 days the results are pretty impressive.

4 years ago and dropped 38 lbs. Loved the program if you follow it closely. This includes the meals. I since have gained weight back and plan to do P90X again since I have the equipment. You can easily get right into it from the beginning.
It will take a week or 2 before you are used to all the different exercises. Doing them correctly is important. Don't let it overwhelm you and think your lost. If they are doing 12-15 reps and you only get 5 reps in during the beginning, don't worry about it. You are learning it.

That was a requirement for me, sometimes I'm working out at 11 at night and really don't have it in me to go another hour. 30 minutes you can squeeze in any time, which is extremely convenient.

The routines are monotonous, require total dedication and take up 6-7 days a week. Tony Horton's constant barrage of quips and puns are amusing for 2 weeks, then you start memorizing them and know where you are in the routine by which joke bombs when. It also is almost vital to follow the diet to the letter, which is difficult and may prove even harder with a child at home. If you can follow all of that, find 60-90 minutes (with another 15-20 minutes for Ab Ripper X) daily and can eat clean for 6 meals a day, it will work. But so will an exercise routine that's much more easy to follow....

I have a friend who has religiously done it for the past 6 months and he looks almost identical to where he started. His starting weight/build sounds comparable to your's and while he is healthier now, he doesn't look much better and still is in poor cardio shape (he's the matchup you always want on Flag Football). He has a kid and has worked out his schedule to allow him the 90+ minutes daily to do it, but his diet is still mediocre-at-best (its impossible for him to follow the meal plan with a kid) and his devotion to P90X prevents him from doing anything else that would net better results (like going outside for a jog).

For your goals, I would suggest downloading a C25K App on your phone and just get out of the house for 30 minutes at a clip while you build up to the point you're able to jog for distances. I'd also see if there's anyway you can get in some Yoga or anything like that, as it will help (I know, I know...its Yoga). Long/lean muscles are easier to maintain and likely what you want to pack on vs. bulking. Not that P90X will turn you into a Hulk, its just going to be gains you're going to have to continually maintain and some of the routines (like plyometrics) are terrible for your joints.

By Bill Phillips

I dropped 56lbs the first 3 months, 121lbs in less than a year.

I was 40 years old at the time.

Eat every 3 hours to maintain metabolism
Cardio 3 days a week
Weights 3 days a week
Pizza and wings for football on Sunday

No injuries. Went from 6' 215 or so to 175. Ended up doing 2 (well, more like 1 1/2) cycles with one month in between.

At 41, I'm still sitting at 175, although I'm not nearly as toned as I was.

The time commitment is pretty big. As a single parent now, I'm trying to figure a way to work it back into my daily routine.

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It also is almost vital to follow the diet to the letter, which is difficult and may prove even harder with a child at home.

isn't true. Results may vary of course, but I didn't change my shitty diet except for adding a protein drink post workout.

P90x3 sounds like an interesting option. Shorter workouts, and if we like, could possibly use as a springboard to the full p90x.

Any others who have used X3? Am I thinking about this correctly? Is X3 ok for beginners or is it for more advanced?

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I have a friend who has religiously done it for the past 6 months and he looks almost identical to where he started. His starting weight/build sounds comparable to your's and while he is healthier now, he doesn't look much better and still is in poor cardio shape (he's the matchup you always want on Flag Football).

I find this hard to believe.

Insanity is much more difficult cardio wise, but some of the strength workouts definitely improve you cardiovascular (namely, legs and back)

its critical to make it a daily part of your existence, like brushing your teeth or shaving. Theres no "Do I feel like working out today?" - it has to be automatic and it has to be as consistent as your life will allow. If you wont get to the gym after work if you stop at home first, pack a bag the nite before. Etc. Its all about dedication.

but its not easy. It works though. Its basically the same thing with some different moves thrown in for variety, just condensed into 30 minutes.

I really don't think anyone needs any kind of primer for p90x. I was in pretty bad shape when I started it and it kicked my butt the first few weeks but you'd be surprised how quickly your body adjusts.

I say just jump into it. You aren't supposed to be able to do all the moves from the get go. You work your way up to it. The key is not to kill yourself trying to be perfect at first.

I don't know that your friend is being entirely honest with you about his commitment over those 6 months. :-) I don't know the guy and I'm sure everyone is different but I find that really hard to believe as well.

In comment 11837024 Curtis in VA said:

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but its not easy. It works though. Its basically the same thing with some different moves thrown in for variety, just condensed into 30 minutes. I really don't think anyone needs any kind of primer for p90x. I was in pretty bad shape when I started it and it kicked my butt the first few weeks but you'd be surprised how quickly your body adjusts. I say just jump into it. You aren't supposed to be able to do all the moves from the get go. You work your way up to it. The key is not to kill yourself trying to be perfect at first.

+1000.

I jumped right into P90X too. Completely kicked my ass at first and had trouble doing a lot of the moves or all of the reps. Just started out pushing and doing what I could until after a few weeks I was right there doing everything. (some of the yoga moves took longer than a few weeks, tho.)

i dont have an area to do it. i want to get the stand to do the pull ups but there isnt a spot in my basement for it. the bands i feel dont help much.

In comment 11837009 BrettNYG10 said:

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I find this hard to believe. Insanity is much more difficult cardio wise, but some of the strength workouts definitely improve you cardiovascular (namely, legs and back)

His diet is the issue - which was what I was trying (and failing) to illustrate as being vital to the discussion (though it should be seemingly obvious).

He eats like crap and blames it on having a baby at home. I don't have a kid, but imagine the truth is in the middle (its hard to eat as clean as they want you to, especially with a new drain on your bank account, but that doesn't mean you need to do takeout often) - which is why I brought up his situation as somewhat related to the OP's. My friend looks better, but is still big - just not flabby.

Results obviously vary, but I lost interest after 2 months and haven't seen a firsthand experience to make me think its a slam dunk for everyone. Finding a realistic routine and making better choices that work for you and don't feel like punishment should be the way to go forward. P90X wasn't that for me and seems to be an exercise in futility for someone who puts in the effort to do the routines, but not make the rest of the commitment.

In comment 11837056 GMAN4LIFE said:

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i dont have an area to do it. i want to get the stand to do the pull ups but there isnt a spot in my basement for it. the bands i feel dont help much.

I do it with the bands in my door as well. It kind of sucks.

In comment 11837061 UAGiant said:

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In comment 11837009 BrettNYG10 said: Quote: I find this hard to believe. Insanity is much more difficult cardio wise, but some of the strength workouts definitely improve you cardiovascular (namely, legs and back) His diet is the issue - which was what I was trying (and failing) to illustrate as being vital to the discussion (though it should be seemingly obvious). He eats like crap and blames it on having a baby at home. I don't have a kid, but imagine the truth is in the middle (its hard to eat as clean as they want you to, especially with a new drain on your bank account, but that doesn't mean you need to do takeout often) - which is why I brought up his situation as somewhat related to the OP's. My friend looks better, but is still big - just not flabby. Results obviously vary, but I lost interest after 2 months and haven't seen a firsthand experience to make me think its a slam dunk for everyone. Finding a realistic routine and making better choices that work for you and don't feel like punishment should be the way to go forward. P90X wasn't that for me and seems to be an exercise in futility for someone who puts in the effort to do the routines, but not make the rest of the commitment.

I find it hard to believe he hasn't improved cardio-wise, though, which makes me think he's full of shit that he's been so dedicated. I buy that he wouldn't see big changes physically, but the lack of improvement is weird to me.

P90X was great for someone like me who had no clue what to do and needed a structured system to get me going.

In comment 11837067 BrettNYG10 said:

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I find it hard to believe he hasn't improved cardio-wise, though, which makes me think he's full of shit that he's been so dedicated. I buy that he wouldn't see big changes physically, but the lack of improvement is weird to me. P90X was great for someone like me who had no clue what to do and needed a structured system to get me going.

Possible, though I give him benefit of the doubt. And its not like he's gassed after jogging 10 feet, he just can't keep up with the rest of us in a flag football league - most of who do a half-assed jog routine when they can.

I should not really hold him up as an example to speak against P90X, though - so please disregard OP. Apologies to divert the conversation around my slightly chubby friend who may be a BS artist.

My points on time commitment, etc. still hold - but that may work for some.

you can get the bars that hang from the door trim.

It's also really handy for other occasions.


UAGiant- agree- there is no solution or workout that is a slam dunk for everyone.

but the bands sucks and there is no place to put in the bar on the door...

In comment 11837081 Jon from PA said:

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you can get the bars that hang from the door trim.

Probably a dumb question, but isn't my 255lbs of pure sexy going to fuck up my door trim and/or frame and/or tear my house down?

And I'll probably say it 5 more times, but THANK YOU to everyone for the thoughtful feedback.

In comment 11837097 bigbluehoya said:

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In comment 11837081 Jon from PA said: Quote: you can get the bars that hang from the door trim. Probably a dumb question, but isn't my 255lbs of pure sexy going to fuck up my door trim and/or frame and/or tear my house down? And I'll probably say it 5 more times, but THANK YOU to everyone for the thoughtful feedback.

What's the worst that could happen?

If you're too worried about it, have your wife film it so when something gives you'll have a video to post to youtube and make it onto Tosh.0. Win-win.

IIRC, they don't actually hang on the trim. The weight is on the studs of the door frame pressing in, not down.

Recommended diet is like??

a more accurate explaination than mine.

For your reading pleasure
Re: door mounted pull up bars - ( New Window )

what I did was wrap a small towel around the top mount of the pull up bar and the two side bars that lean against the door frame so that they don't scuff up the frame. This puts some padding between the bar and your door frame. It still left a very small indent but nothing really noticeable.

might have to look and see what my options are...

i hate the bands

would you guys recommend?

In comment 11837156 bigbluehoya said:

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would you guys recommend?

If you can afford it, or buy them used, the select tech dumb bells from bowflex...folks rave about them. I didn't like them because of how large they are circumferentially. I have the old hex-style from 10# to 50#...you'll really need more for some of the back workouts tho. (and usually the select tech is comparable in price to the old style free weight sets.)

You can always start with the bands and slowly buy weights to replace them. I too, have tried the bands and pretty much hated them.

I intend on purchasing the select techs the next time they go on sale.

In comment 11837167 BrettNYG10 said:

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I intend on purchasing the select techs the next time they go on sale.

Don't listen to Brett. He's an asshole and can't get laid.


Of course he likes the bands.

They're bulky. I have to turn my wrists out a bit when curling so they don't clank together. Instead of my forearms going straight up and down parallel, they start out and come in a bit...sort of like a hammer curl.

Its also awkward when doing a crush dumbbell bench press or anything where the weights are pressed together. Because of the grooves they don't stay together very well and I've jammed my finger a few times.

I much prefer regular dumbbells. The Selectechs are nice because they don't take up as much space but they really aren't as practical.

.

In comment 11837300 BrettNYG10 said:

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.

Curtis says shut the fuck up, Brett.

especially the 1095 version. And the grips for the model I have (bought two years ago) sucks. They should have kept it the old way instead of making it ribbed metal.

I mainly use KB and just barbells for 90% of my lifting workouts now...focusing on complex movement lifts. Haven't done curls in years.

I sang you a song!
link - ( New Window )

In comment 11837312 RC02XX said:

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especially the 1095 version. And the grips for the model I have (bought two years ago) sucks. They should have kept it the old way instead of making it ribbed metal. I mainly use KB and just barbells for 90% of my lifting workouts now...focusing on complex movement lifts. Haven't done curls in years.

Would you recommend them overall? Or no?

along with battle ropes and various bodyweight exercises for the majority of my workouts.

In comment 11837325 BrettNYG10 said:

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Would you recommend them overall? Or no?

Unless you need something real heavy, I would recommend the 552 version more than the 1090 version. With the 552 version, it's a bit more manageable (and cheaper as well). But expect to work with bulky weights, no matter the version.

In comment 11837327 Jon from PA said:

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along with battle ropes and various bodyweight exercises for the majority of my workouts.

I'm with you. I workout these days with my body armor that I've inserted two 10lb plates for a total weight of 32lbs. Doing pull-up, burpee, squat workout with it on is a bitch, especially when the humidity is stifling.

I invested in a nice set of bumper plates from Rogue that I do cleans and other complex lifts with. I also bought a Rogue plyo-box (20-24-30) that I absolutely love.

In comment 11837332 RC02XX said:

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In comment 11837325 BrettNYG10 said: Quote: Would you recommend them overall? Or no? Unless you need something real heavy, I would recommend the 552 version more than the 1090 version. With the 552 version, it's a bit more manageable (and cheaper as well). But expect to work with bulky weights, no matter the version.

Thanks. I've been deciding between the two and waiting for the 590's to go on sale. But I don't think I need much more than 50's, TBH.

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In comment 11837418 GMAN4LIFE said:

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Haha...I agree. Anna wasn't too bad though.

t 25 is awesome
there is no excuse to not set aside 25 minutes a day for workout

what weight training did you do. Please email me as I want to know more.

sfishman99@yahoo.com