P90X: Extreme Home Fitness

YES! I have finally found it. This has to be one of the greatest fitness products in the market today. P90X is not like any other program out there, or any other program you may have tried before. I could go on and on about the positives of P90X, but to sum it all up in just three words, let's just say that THIS PRODUCT WORKS. It more than works, it works fabulously to help you lose unwanted weight and build or tone muscle to keep it off for good. Most workout videos/programs tend to focus on either strength training, cardio, flexibility or on targeting specific areas, but P90X is different because it addresses all your fitness needs. But of course effort will definately need to be put in. Nothing comes easy. The workout is definitely hard (even for the regular gym-goers), and oh man will you be sore the next day, but if you need a change in your life, and you need something that works, this is the program for you. I started the program earlier this year to help me lose about 15 pounds and tone target areas like my thighs, butt, hips, and stomach, and in just two weeks I had already lost 10 pounds and was able to notice how toned I was getting. My strength improved, my endurance improved and my flexibility improved so much, even after doing years of yoga. Of course the workout alone didn't provide such a speedy path to weight loss, I followed a strict diet as I worked out. This was probably the hardest part for me, cutting out carbs completely and not being allowed to have chocolate was tough at times, especially since all I had been eating was chicken breast and salad. It was hard for me to stick to the diet completely, but I found that by giving myself one meal a day to cheat on (usually lunch), I was still losing weight and toning my body. One of the strongest points of this program is it's level of customization. Whether you're trying to lose fat, gain muscle, tone muscle, or just grow into a healthier you, this program can be customized to fit your own personal needs. You are probably thinking that a program like this probably requires you to workout for hours a day, but that's not the case at all. Everyday you will need to put about an hour aside to break a sweat. I have an extremely busy schedule, with both school and work, but I found it easier to stick to P90X than go to the gym for hours a day, only to become frustrated with not seeing any results.

For the program, it would be a very good idea to invest in a few items to assist in the workouts. These items include: a pull up bar, some dumbells or power bands, a yoga mat, possibly some push-up stands, and a heart-rate monitor isn't a bad idea either. The fitness guide that comes with the videos, allows you to customize the program to fit the goals you are trying to meet. There is P90X Classic, which is basically the standard arrangement of exercises. However, if your goals are more directed towards weight loss and slimming down, the guide rearranges the videos into what's called P90X Lean, changing the emphasis from the resistance training to the exercises in favor of fat burning. And for those looking to really push and challenge their fitness capabilities, there's P90X doubles. This specific program has you doing two programs per day on certain days, one in the morning and one in the evening. This is truly the ultimate challenge, but obviously more time-consuming than the others. Beachbody is the latest addition to P90X. It consists of 5 new workouts that you can substitute in to the existing infrastructure. These workouts are intended for people that have already gone through the entire P90X 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, and by no means are they a starting point.

The way the P90X Classic program works is this: For the first three weeks you'll do strength training workouts on days 1, 3, and 5 (each body part being worked out once per week with the exception of the back). On days 2, 4, and 6 you'll do some form of cardio (either yoga, plyo, or kenpo). And then on day 7 you have an optional stretch. On resistance days, you will also be working out your abs intensely. Then on week 4 you completely remove the resistance days and they will be replaced with other types of cardio and stretching (the core routine is amazing). In weeks 5-7 you will be keeping the days 2, 4, and 6 the same, but you will have 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 weeks 1-3, weeks 10 and 12 are the same as weeks 5-7, and then there's the final week, which is the same as weeks 4 and 8. I know it may sound a bit confusing, but it's all laid out very clearly and concisely in the fitness guide that comes with the videos. The whole idea is to confuse your muscles into burning the most fat and creating the most muscle possible.

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 workouts. Cardio X is designed to be a low-impact substitute, and is great for keeping up with fat-burning exercises once you have completed the program. Even with the additional equipment to buy, P90X 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 is burn yourself out right away. When I first got the program I spent a week just walking through all the routines, which still managed to leave my muscles sore and limber. Ulimately, P90X is a very good investment to make. It beats any gym membership and allows you to workout in the comfort of your own home. Where can you purchase this? I bought it on Amazon for $30.00 cheaper than the in-store prices I had seen. Follow the links below if you're interested in getting your own P90X set and/or workout accessories.