If you are debating on whether or not to try P90X, one thing that could be holding you back is the unknown. It is obvious from the commercials and reviews out there on the web that this is quite possibly the most intense workout you will ever do. You may wonder if you can keep up or if the challenge will be too much. So, just how intense is P90X? Very. However, you can’t let a challenge discourage you. Our bodies are built to meet and sometimes exceed our expectations. If you set the bar high, you will be amazed at what your body does to reach that bar.
Tony Horton encourages you to “bring it” and wants to “see” you putting maximum effort into the P90X workouts. However, he knows that this is a process and for that reason, never suggests you do anything that will cause injury or discourage you. You are encouraged to set goals realistic but challenging enough for your fitness level. If you can only do 10 reps of a certain move, then do 10 but make them the best 10 ever!
The beautiful thing about P90X is the versatility. No doubt there will be days where you question your ability to stick with the program. But, as you meet and exceed your own expectations, your motivation will be spurred by your successes. The satisfaction you get from pushing yourself beyond your doubts and through your rough days will give you the confidence needed to carry on.
Look at what some P90X customers have to say about the program and its intensity:
“Tony will tell you if you cannot finish an exercise, that it is okay and encourages you to rest and then pick your pace when ready and also ensures you that you will be able to do the whole workout soon.”
-Suzanne F., N.J.
“The Power 90X routines keep you moving for over an hour each day! You really have to “Bring It” but the results are worth it!”
-Vanessa M., CA.
” I look at myself in the mirror now and I can’t even believe it’s me. I work for the Postal Service so I am always on the move, P90X has made my job so much easier!”
-Jeff H., IL.
For a great first-hand look at regular people doing P90X and bringing it on a daily basis, check out this day by day P90X review from husband and wife team, Jen and Tom. The weekly recap videos are a lot of fun to watch and give you a good idea of just how hard you will be working.
Dec 09, 2008 @ 14:12:24
I am a 52 year old woman and have had to have double knee replacements in the last year. Will this program require alot of jumping or running. These are the two things I was told to avoid. I would really like to get back in shape and gain strength.
Dec 10, 2008 @ 14:07:47
Hi Penny,
You’re going to find that P90X is a very intense program. You’ll also find that more than 1 of the 12 workout DVDs will require you to jump quite a bit. Plyometrics, Cardio X, Kenpo X etc.
I’d recommend taking a look at one of our other programs to start and then perhaps working your way up to P90X as you gain strength.
Take a look at 10 Minute Trainer
http://www.extremebodyworkout.com/10-minute-trainer-products/10-minute-trainer.php
and Slim in 6
http://www.extremebodyworkout.com/slimin6-products/slim-in-6.php
We offer a 30 Money Back Guarantee so you can give the program a try and if it’s not the right fit, you can always return it and try another one of our programs or get a refund.
-Matt
Staff
Dec 22, 2008 @ 03:56:37
I use to be pretty trim through high school till i was 21. when i turned 21 i ended up having my aortic valve replaced. Ive always been active but after my surgery I put on about 75 pounds and its gotten hard to do so many thing. im so tired of stupid diets an going to the gym and getting hardly any results. i dont mind working for something i work construction and its very physical. But I am skeptical will p90x truely help me loose the weight and tone my body . just want to feel and look healthy again. another thing its hard for me to do pull ups and push ups will p90x work with me till i can again?
Dec 22, 2008 @ 12:02:50
Hi Sam,
Thanks for stopping by. P90X is our most popular program, and for good reason. Unlike fade diets, P90X sets you on course to eating healthy for life. The P90X Nutrition Guide is not about starving yourself it’s about eating the right types of foods and eating enough food to give you the fuel you need for your workouts.
P90X is also not one of these exercise gimmicks or gadget type programs. The reason it works is because it’s such a well rounded program with specific exercises that target your entire body.
It works because of the commitment involved. You have to follow the P90X Nutrition Guide, which requires you to take the time to put together healthy meals each day. It also requires about an hour and fifteen minutes, six days a week for the workouts themselves. It’s about as close as you’re going to get to having a nutritionist and personal trainer working with you to transform your body for 90 days.
P90X is flexible. You’ll notice specific instruction in each workout that will show you for instance how to modify your pull-ups to get you started as well as pushups. For example you can begin to do pullups with the assistance of a chair. Pushups, can start on your knees.
P90X is a phenomenal program and we back it with a 30 Day Money Back Guarantee. As with any exercise program if you have had past medical issues please be sure to consult with your doctor before starting the program. Good luck and we hope to get you started with P90X soon!
May 27, 2009 @ 11:54:06
From reading all the comments, it seems like a very intense workout. I am just wondering if I might be able to do it. I am tempted to try it, and very curious about it. I currently belong to a gym that has Less Mills workout sessions, and we do the Body Pump and the Body Combat, which is intense. I am thinking that perhaps the intensity of the P90X would be similar.
Hello Lanah,
try the fitness test:
http://www.extremebodyworkout.com/pdf/p90x-fit-test.pdf
If you can pass, you are ready for the P90X. It will still be tough, but you should be able to handle it and stick with it.
-Mike
Jun 01, 2009 @ 12:26:57
I just checked out the P90X promo stuff and it looks great, but I noticed that the exercise guide shows a guy working on a pull-up mac hine. It made me wonder if you have to buy other products in addition to just the work-out system. I know you guys sell a lot of other products, but some of them were slightly pricy for my income range. If I buy the P90X for the $119.85, should I also be planning to buy other additional eqipment? I don’t have any gym equipment at my house. I would appreciate a response. Thanks so much and GREAT system! – Rick
Hello Rick,
there is additional equipment that you would need. Something to do chin-ups with, either the bar or the bands along with the door attachment kit, a yoga mat, and either dumbbells or bands.
For the least amount of equipment, I would get the bands with the door attachment. That way you don’t have to buy the chin-up bar or dumbbells.
-Mike
Feb 07, 2010 @ 19:44:39
I’m 16 I exercise everyday, I lift weights one day and the next day I run. I’m 5’5″ 130lbs, already in good shape but I want my muscles to be bigger especially abs, arms, and pecs. I was wondering how hard p90x would be for me because most people are older and out of shape when they start. I already have a little definition in my body, but I really want my upper body to be more muscular. Is this the right program for me?
Feb 08, 2010 @ 15:54:39
Hello Zack,
This program can be a challenge for you if you want it to be. You set your own goals, set your own reps, and can work at an increased intensity level if you choose. I’m sure you know that heavier weights and fewer reps leads to larger muscles and that too much cardio can counteract that. This program will allow you to lift heavy weights, and if you do the classic version, you will only be doing cardio twice a week (Plyometrics and Kenpo X), and Yoga once a week. I think you are a perfect candidate for this program.
-Mike
Apr 19, 2010 @ 13:05:47
Two questions:
How big of a space do you need to perform these exercises? I have only one room with dvd access and it’s a fairly small room
Can men and women use the same program or is it geared to males only?
Thanks for your time!
Hey Tom,
You don’t need a huge room, but enough space to do two lunges in all directions. The exercises that uses the most room are the lunges and you usually do two then turn around. Even if you can do two lunges the length of the room and not with width, that still might work.
Men and women use the same P90X. It does seem like it’s geared towards men, but women can use the program in the same way and still get a great fit and feminine body.
-Mike
Jul 31, 2010 @ 13:11:40
I used to be in pretty good shape when I was in high school 1999-2003(I did power lifting and I used to weigh 175 lbs.) But in 2005 my older brother had passed away, and it struck me so hard I lost motivation to do anything. The weight just stacked on like pancakes. One day I just work up and told myself ”I’m firggin’ tired of being a fatty!” Then I changed my diet and started walking and doing basic core exercises like benches and dead lifts among others. I lost 30 lbs. so far (I weighed 250 when I started)I feel like I have plateaued and feel like I lost motivation. For the 9 weeks I have been working out I would be excited to go pump iron, but now I feel myself getting lazy and not motivated. I want to have the hard push to keep going and re motivate myself and reach the goal I set for myself.
Hello Eduardo,
I am sorry to hear about your brother. It can be tough to motivate to do anything after and even like that occurs in your life.
P90X might be just the thing you need. If you have hit a plateau, this program will break right through that. I have done this program a few times, in different ways to experiment a little, and I can tell you that this program will break down any fitness walls that have been built up. It’s very motivating in itself because you have Tony talking your ear off the entire time…lol…a progress calendar, ways to measure your success, and a whole world of people out there that are also doing this program that you can feed off of and discuss your workout with. Take weekly pictures and keep a journal to keep yourself motivated.
In my P90X experiments, I found that doing the P90X and following the diet gives far greater results than not following the diet. FAR GREATER! If you can’t follow it exactly, use it as a guide line.
Good luck!
-Mike
Sep 06, 2010 @ 17:32:23
Hello, I’m a 20 year old male having recently purchased this program, should be here next week. I’m not doubting my ability to execute this program, but I’m a little skeptical on if I’ll be able to preform at my job still. I work at a very intense, fast paced Buffet. It requires the a lot of endurance and muscle usage. Will I be able to do this and still maintain a proper work ethic at my place of employment? Or should it be a ‘every-other-day’ sort-of endeaver. Thanks again.
-Tyler
Hello Tyler,
the thing is, you will be sore at first. Really sore! But it will get better! Can you bear to be sore at work for a week to reap the benefits of this program? I think you will be happy if you did! Even if you do it every other day, it’s the individual workouts that might make your muscles sore. That is to be expected with every workout that is new to you. Be sure to get the P90X recovery formula. This helps with muscle soreness and restores your energy levels after your workout.
http://www.extremebodyworkout.com/p90x-products/p90x-peak-recovery-formula.php
-Mike
Nov 23, 2010 @ 03:36:03
Hey guys, i just started a couple of days ago. i suffer from degenerative disk, at 17 : / but i have found that this program is really a godsend. The videos keep you motivated and you feel a friendship between tony and yourself. Anyone doubting ide say go ahead and try it, just give it YOUR personal best without killing yourself, (as they say you can break as you need) and you will get results. Its HARD and it challenges every aspect of your life … (im sitting here sore as heck) but if you keep going you’ll achieve your fitness goals. 100% go for it
Mar 12, 2011 @ 16:00:18
ya am thinking about getting p90x but i was wondering can fat people do this not like obese people cause am 6″6 250 pounds but i play football and i just wanted to know if someone like me can do this program and lose weight and get ripped thank you
Hello Kyle,
if you play football, I think you can “tackle” this program…….ok, that was a bad joke! I would first take the fitness test to be sure.
http://www.extremebodyworkout.com/pdf/p90x-fit-test.pdf
If you can pass the test, you can handle the workouts. If not, you might want to start out with Power 90 or you can try P90X with modifications. In general, this program isn’t for those new to fitness, but as an athlete, you should have a good foundation to start.
-Mike
Mar 16, 2011 @ 15:25:15
So I’m 17 weight 160lb and I’m 6’2. I’h been doing P90X for 2 weeks now and it’s truly challenging, but my question is when will i be seeing results without fallowing the diet plan? However it’s not like I eat unhealthy eather. I don’t drink soda, eat candy and I try to avoid sugar the most i can.
Hello Mike,
how are you with carbs? It’s really good that you are avoiding sugars. The amount of carbs you eat can really effect your results. Even if they are the whole grain healthier type, calories from carbs are much harder to burn off if you taking in too much. If you don’t want to follow the nutrition plan, use it as a guideline. It will tell you how many servings of each food group and how many calories you should be eating to maximize your results. For a man average height and weigh, two servings of carbs per day should be the limit.
Depending on what you are eating, you results could come a little later than they would if you were eating more like the Nutrition plan would suggest. Some people who do follow the diet might not see results until week 8, so you still have some time!
-Mike