Whether it’s Billy Blanks’ high-velocity, cardio-boxing Taebo workout, Jake Steinfeld’s Body by Jake or the Bowflex workout system, there are plenty of fitness programs that help you get into top physical form.
Enter P90X, one of the newest fads in the fitness infomercial circuit. As of April 2008, P90X was the best-selling infomercial – of any type – in the United States. Let’s take a look at what P90X is about:
Program Overview
P90X is a series of 12 DVDs. The workouts can be done entirely at home, but the user must have access to the following equipment: dumbbells (10lbs, 15lbs, 20lbs and 25lbs), a pull-up bar, a resistance band and a sturdy chair. A yoga mat will be helpful during the stretching sessions.
In a nutshell, the program is 90-days long; 13 weeks of 6-day workouts and an optional seventh day of stretching. Typically, the user will alternate between strength training days (1, 3 and 5) and cardio days (2, 4 and 6), with a 16-minute ab workout tacked onto the end of strength training.
What most people don’t realize, though, is that P90X also has a strict dietary/nutritional component to it. While workouts are broken down into various weeks and days, the nutrition plan can be broken into three 30-day phases that work in conjunction with the strength training and cardio conditioning. The first 30 days, for example, emphasize higher protein and lower carbohydrates. In the latter third of the program, users are instructed to bump up their caloric intake and eat more carbohydrates to keep up with the demanding nature of the program. A post-exercise whey protein drink is recommended after each workout to help the body recover more optimally.
Is It Right For You?
Here’s the thing: anyone who works out 60-minutes a day for 90 days is going to see results. P90X is different from most workout programs in that it embraces muscle confusion – jumping around between strength exercises, cardio exercises, stretching exercises, etc. Your body is challenged in a variety of ways, from large muscle groups down to small, stabilizer muscles and from adrenaline-pumping chest exercises to slow, methodical breathing and stretching exercises. Like CrossFit, P90X is a holistic approach to getting fit.
From what I’ve read, the P90X is most optimal for those already in decent physical shape. The workouts are TOUGH. I’m in better-than-average condition and I can’t even complete the 16-minute Ab Ripper workout.
What about you? Have you tried it out? Seen any results?
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