Since becoming a personal trainer almost four years ago, one of the most often-asked questions I receive is, “What do you think about P90X?” Like most people, I discovered P90X on an infomercial while channel surfing.
I thought P90X would be the perfect program to push me to a higher level.
Since my first experience with P90X, I have gone through the program five more times, though not necessarily following it to a tee.
After a great deal of experience with P90X, here is my opinion.
P90X is a ninety-day, six-days-per-week, very structured program which Tony Horton, the program’s creator, claims will change “Your physique through muscle confusion, using a combination of resistance training, plyometrics, cardio training and yoga to keep your muscles guessing. Using the advanced science of Muscle Confusion, P90X is a well-organized training system that shows you how and when to change your routine for maximum results. All you need are a few pieces of equipment at home and about an hour a day.” The “Kit” includes: Twelve DVDs: 1.
With the use of dumbbells, resistance bands, bodyweight exercises and variation of routines, P90X does a good job preventing muscle adaptation.
He appears to be student of these disciplines, and obviously consulted with experts in each field, but users of the P90X program would have been better served if qualified instructors led these two workouts instead of Tony.
As my time with P90X progressed, I substituted Yoga X with videos by known yoga experts, and on Kenpo X days I went for a run – a much less frustrating experience.
As for the P90X Nutrition Plan, I did not follow the meal plan so I cannot honestly comment on its effectiveness.
I like how the P90X program builds in recovery weeks, giving your muscles a chance to rest from the intensity and focusing on stretching and core work.
If someone says P90X didn’t work for him you can be sure he didn’t follow the program and perform it at max intensity and/or he just stopped.
The second caveat is: POOR FORM WILL RESULT IN INJURY. Many people attempting P90X for the first time have little to no experience with weight training.
P90X IS NOT DESIGNED FOR BEGINNERS. In fact, it is designed for people who are already fit and want to reach a higher level – the Fitness Guide I received with my P90X kit specifically states this.
Many inexperienced P90Xers do not understand proper form and while struggling to keep up the intensity level can open the door for very serious injury.
I personally know two individuals who injured themselves when they were following P90X, one had to have knee surgery.
If you are inexperienced and considering P90X, I would strongly recommend first working with a personal trainer to develop a good foundation and learn proper postural alignment for various exercises.
Thank you, P90X producers! So, what do I think about P90X? In general P90X is a great program, but needs serious tweaking in the areas of Yoga X and Kenpo X. Tony Horton needs to step back from the front and let qualified instructors develop and lead these workouts, and in general he needs to just shut up.
You will only get the P90X body if you fully follow the entire program.
Let’s face it; you’re not going to get the P90X body on a 20-30 minute three day per week schedule.
Finally, P90X is really designed for people who are already physically fit and want to reach a higher level.
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