Thoughts on the p90x system?

**Valiss** · Posted On: 4/27/2009 1:20pm

Disclaimer: I did some searches and didn't find a thread on p90x even though I thought there would be one on here. Point me in the right direction if it already exsists.

Has anyone tried this DVD set? My buddy has got the DVD set and offered to loan them to me. I think he's trying to tel me something. Anyway, I have seen the infomercial, but honestly I didnt pay attention to it so I dont know exactly what the program involves. That said, my buddy seems to really like it and has lots of good things to say about the workouts. Apparently there are 6 or so DVDs so the workout changes each week for the 90 days.

Has anyone here tried it? Does it look like a good workout to you? Is it just an overpriced aerobics program? Inquiring minds want to know...

**Massiveamounts** · Posted On: 4/27/2009 2:07pm

I know nothing about the system but I do know it works on the principal of muscle confusion, which is a very good method that will produce more results than your reg work out program....but as I said I have no clue about the p90 or whatever it's called....so I guess I should just shut the **** up now...lol. Peace bro.

**Mtripp** · Posted On: 4/27/2009 3:32pm

I have a friend who is using it... and I am seeing outstanding results.

That is all I know.

***JohnnyCache*** · Posted On: 4/27/2009 3:35pm

It seems like a damn good work out. I've watched but do not own it. It's hard. I haven't watched the ENTIRE set of tapes, but I think the only equipment you need is dumbells and maybe a chinup bar...

Not your typical infomercial ****. The full program includes good warmup/cooldown stuff and a diet.

**Valiss** · Posted On: 4/27/2009 3:54pm

Yeah my buddy told me the same thing: you just need a pullup bar and soem dumbells. I am looking for something I can do at home that doesnt require a lot of equipment - someting that I can use as a springboard to get back into shape since I've been a bit lazy in the last year or so. This sounds alright, but just wanted to hear some other opinions.

**Scrapper** · Posted On: 4/27/2009 4:41pm

It works because its fucking hard. My brother is doing it and the workouts are brutal. Which makes sense. Hard work=Results.

It's something different every week, and he doesn't let up at all during the workout. That's what any good trainer would do for you anyway.

**Emevas** · Posted On: 4/27/2009 5:10pm

I'm not a fan of it personally.

**Valiss** · Posted On: 4/27/2009 5:46pm

Originally Posted by Emevas

I'm not a fan of it personally.

Why is that? Please elaborate....

**Emevas** · Posted On: 4/27/2009 9:11pm

It may simply be the marketing I take issue with, but here goes.

1: It's a 90 day program, of course it's going to provide results. Any person following any decent program for 3 months is going to get results. The problem people have is sticking with the damn program in the first place. I know lots of people that keep falling off the P90X wagon after 1 month. There's nothing magical or exclusive to P90X on this one.

2: It's a system, not just a workout. Many people miss this fact. The system includes the DIET. If you follow the strict diet laid out in the program along with follow P90X, you'll get results. However, if you followed the diet and any other decent program on earth, you'd also get results, and I contend they may in fact be BETTER than the ones on the P90X workout.

3: Muscle confusion. Everyone has a hardon about this aspect of the program. Your body isn't dumb. You aren't "tricking" it into progressing because one day you did curls and the next day you did spider curls. It's just a mutation of the idea of progressive resistance. A GREAT way to "confuse" your muscles is by adding more weight or more reps to your workout every single time you step in the gym. Look at programs like Starting Strength, where you stick with the same movement for over a YEAR and STILL keep making progress, because every time you step into the gym you add more weight to the bar. It doesn't take anything overly complicated to make progress, just hard ass work, which most people would rather substitute by switching movements constantly.

4: Muscle group splits for beginning level trainees. I may just be old fashioned, by I fail to see the point in having an arms day when you don't even have any arms. Beginning level trainees don't need to focus entire days to muscle groups, they can work the whole body in one workout with simply a lower body movement, an upper body push, and an upper body pull. If you feel more volume is necessary, split between lower body and upper body. Save the muscle group splitting for more advanced trainees, and typically those with bodybuilding aspirations.

5: Ab ripper X. Most beginning level trainees spend WAY too much time on their abs trying to get a six pack through spot reduction, and really would benefit more from lowerback/core work to balance out the imbalances brought about by too strong of abs.

I will applaud P90X for getting people off the couch, but for the way the infomercials promote it and it's cultlike following, I just don't see what is so fantastic about it. I get tired of my friends telling me they're on P90X while they eat their 4th donut, or people in the gym talking about the great secret of "muscle confusion" and giving me a smug glance as I work on my front squats for the 6th week in a row. Oh when will I ever learn.

**Deadmeat** · Posted On: 4/28/2009 6:23pm

A guy at our club is on this system, and has achieved excellent results.

He said there is also a yoga-based aspect to the system intended to improve flexibility, and aid in recovery. He recommended the program to me yesterday, as I mentioned I have a hard time getting going in the mornings due to various aches and pains, mostly in my upper back, and joints.

Is there any truth to that claim?

Also, how time consuming is the program? I leave my home at 0700 to get to work work at 0800, finish work at 1600, then train from 1630 to 2000 throughout the week (sometimes adding to or replacing the Monday session with a game of indoor soccer depending on the scheduled game time), and spar for a couple of hours on Saturdays. As a result, My time is pretty limited.

If it's actually worth it in my case, I'm willing to add some additional activity to the start of each day for up to 90 days, but am afraid of over training, and would prefer to prioritize my time on the mat over any other form of training. Would the p90x system be too much to add to my routine? and if so, would would you recommend, particularly for someone with poor back and shoulder flexibility?