Workout Journey

Is All The Equipment In P90X2 Necessary?

Brad Gibala — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 23:15:39 +0000

I saw a post on the Team Beachbody message boards the other day from somebody saying that Beachbody is just trying to make as much money as they can with all the extra equipment needed for the P90X2 workout. I knew I had a lot of equipment in the house now but the first month of P90X2 didn’t use all of it at one time. This past Monday was my first day of the second month of P90X2 and I think I see what this guy was talking about. Chest + Back + Balance was the workout for the day and during the preview it lists everything you need and this is what I saw.

Quite a bit of stuff huh! And it doesn’t have dumbbells or resistance bands in it. I used a chair instead of the Plyo Box and I only have 2 Medicine Balls so I wasn’t able to do the exact move as Tony. The worksheets, pen, water, and towel are there for more of a reminder. Do I think the commenter on the message boards was onto something? Maybe. His biggest problem was that Beachbody made P90X2 a lot fancier than the simplicity and toughness of P90X. I could agree with that so far.

Chest + Back + Balance was a bit harder than expected. Trying to balance on Medicine Balls and the Stability Ball while doing push ups was a little sketchy. Arms were going everywhere trying to stay in one spot. I had to pause the DVD after almost every exercise to move the equipment around. I’ll probably get more efficient at this the more I do it. I don’t think Beachbody added all this extra gear just to make more money. I think they are just trying to do what they did with P90X in P90X2. Take health and fitness to another level. If they have to add in new equipment, than so be it.

Post from: P90X Workout – Insanity workout – Shakeology

Is All The Equipment In P90X2 Necessary?

What Equipment Do You Need For The P90X2 Workout?

Brad Gibala — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 21:04:06 +0000

You are going to need a little bit more equipment in P90X2 then the original P90X workout. I have a feeling Beachbody assumed most people who ordered P90X2 had the gear needed for P90X. It kind of surprised me how much gear I have now amassed in my house but I am using it all. I think it should be broken down into what gear you absolutely need for P90X2 and what gear is helpful. Forgot to add the P90X2 DVDs in the picture but here is all the equipment you need for the P90X2 workout. All of these items besides the dumbbells I bought at the Beachbody Store.

Gear You Absolutely Need For P90X2

P90X2 Workout DVDs
Chin Up Bar
Dumbbells or Resistance Bands
Stability Ball
Foam Roller or Rumble Roller
Medicine Balls

Helpful Gear For P90X2

Chin Up Assist
Jump Mat
Push Up Stands
Yoga Block

You could debate the chin up bar, stability ball, Rumble Roller, or medicine balls. Tony Horton shows you how to modify the moves without them but you’re really gonna want those because as you progress you will want to do the exact move in the workout. A resistance band will work to build up strength to do chin ups but it’s empowering when you can do the chin ups. You can get away with a basketball or soccer ball instead of medicine balls but you will want the extra weight as you master the moves. A towel could be substituted for the Rumble Roller or foam roller but it doesn’t have the same effect.

I just started using the Chin Up Assist instead of a chair and it works a lot better. You still get the burn from doing the rep while having to use your body to keep you in one place. The jump mat helps out with everything especially if you have hardwood floors like me. Absorbs a lot of the high impact moves including ones where your wrists hit the ground. Push up stands give more depth to the push ups and Tony has you do some crazy moves where you hold yourself above the stands in this knee tuck position. Its tough.

Are There Any Package Deals For P90X2?

P90X2 Ultimate Package - P90X2 DVDs, stability ball, two 8 pound medicine balls, rumble roller, Tony Hortons Power Stands, two bonus P90X One on One workouts, and P90X2 bonus workouts. Save $50 with the P90X2 Ultimate Package for $329.55
P90X2 Deluxe Package – P90X2 DVDs, stability ball, medicine balls, foam roller, and bonus workouts. Save $25 with the P90X2 Deluxe Package for $239.70.

I bought the P90X2 Ultimate Package in Blu-Ray. Be sure your computer and laptops can play Blu-Ray or the discs will not work. Otherwise, just buy the normal P90X2 workout.

What About Supplements For P90X2?

You’ll hear Beachbody talk about their entire product line of supplements after each workout. Most of them I use but in order of importance I would go with:

Shakeology – The meal plans are the hardest part and this simplifies the nutrition. One a day is all you need. I’ve been taking it daily since 2009 and it’s probably made the biggest difference with my overall health and fitness. Chocolate is my favorite.
P90X Recovery Drink – Soreness is very common in P90X2 (or any workout) and the P90X Recovery Drink reduces it in half. I use it after any workout and activity that I do.
P90X Protein Bars – Quick and easy snack. Bring one to work with you or when you’re out and about. I probably have one every other day and keep one on me when I travel, play sports, snowboard, etc. I buy the variety pack but the peanut butter one is my favorite.
Beachbody Energy & Endurance – Also known as the P90X Pre-Workout Drink it gives you a boost of energy right before you start working out.

There are many other supplements like Whey Protein and Vitamins you could buy but many of those ingredients are included in Shakeology and the P90X Recovery Drink. In my eyes, less is more. You can find any of those items at the Beachbody Store under “Nutrition and Supplements”.

Can I Get A Discount On P90X2 Gear & Supplements?

There are two options and one is much better. The best way is to sign up as a Beachbody Coach like I did so you get a 25% discount on all Beachbody products. You’ll save almost $100 on the P90X2 Ultimate Package as a coach alone. Throw in Shakeology and you save $130. There is a one time $39 sign up fee and $15 a month after that but you’ll want to sign up for Shakeology on auto ship to get free shipping. So you’ll still be saving another $15 on each bag you buy. The other way to save money is to sign up for a Beachbody Club membership. You get a 10% discount on Beachbody products and be able to use some tools at Team Beachbody. This costs $39 every 3 months.

In Summary: P90X2 Equipment Needed

I recommend you go with the P90X2 Ultimate Pack to save some money and you’ll have just about everything you need. The other items like the P90X Chin Up Bar are available individually. There is a little bit more gear needed for P90X2 than what you need for P90X. If you already own P90X then you should already have the dumbbells or bands and the chin up bar. Buy Shakeology and use it everyday with P90X2. Trust me, you’ll be happy with the results. You can find all of these items at the Beachbody Store. If you have any questions about the equipment or supplements for P90X2 then leave a comment below and I’ll get to it asap.

Post from: P90X Workout – Insanity workout – Shakeology

What Equipment Do You Need For The P90X2 Workout?

1.M.R Pre-Workout Drink Review

Brad Gibala — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 16:53:55 +0000

Just finished off my supply of the 1.M.R pre-workout drink formula and figured it was time to write a review about it. I went with 1.M.R mainly to try something different after using Jack3d twice. Had a good experience with Jack3d but wanted to see if any of the other pre-workout drinks were better. Probably spent 10 minutes looking at the entire shelf of pre-workout formulas at The Vitamin Shoppe near my house before picking 1.M.R. Can’t remember why I picked it over the others. Maybe because of the Blue Raspberry flavor.

First Impression Of 1.M.R

Was interesting seeing the water turn blue when I dropped a scoop into my cup. Wasn’t real keen on the taste. Like Jack3d, the tingles set in after 20 minutes. Did one of the Insanity Asylum workouts with it running through my system. Not sure if I noticed more energy doing the workout than if I did not take it. The one thing I did notice was it felt like the entire dose stayed in my head and did not circulate through my body. Was different then Jack3d because it felt like 1.M.R didn’t move to the muscle group I was using at the time. With Jack3d I could feel that muscle group burning with whatever I was doing.

How Often Did You Take 1.M.R?

I used 1.M.R before every single Insanity Asylum workout, before a couple of my softball games, and when I was going out for a long bike ride. Pretty much before every intense workout.

How Long Did Your 1.M.R Supply Last?

A good 5 months. This stuff is so potent that most of the time I’d have to scale it back to a half scoop or less. I workout at least 4 days a week and play double header softball games twice a week. For me to take so long to finish 1.M.R with being as active as I am says how strong this stuff is. Especially when I was using it almost daily.

Any Side Effects From Taking 1.M.R?

Somedays I would feel the effects of taking it the day before. Felt like going through withdrawals sometimes. Didn’t have a smooth increase and decrease of energy. Was like an angry energy. The biggest side effect I felt that I didn’t like was it really dehydrated me sometimes. There were numerous times where I felt thirstier than normal during a workout and playing softball. A couple of times I had to stop because my body wasn’t functioning the way it should.

Would You Buy 1.M.R Again?

Probably not. Taste wasn’t so bad but it did not deliver the same results as Jack3d did. 1.M.R boasts about their ultra concentrated servings on the label but it was too intense of a kick with a hard coming down period. It also had this overly chemical feeling to it. My body was not digging it as much as it did when I took Jack3d. The biggest reason why I probably won’t buy 1.M.R again is because of the dehydration. It felt like it sucked all the moisture out of my body and left me with a hangover.

My experience with 1.M.R was not as good as the one I had with Jack3d. To be honest, I was excited when I took my last scoop of 1.M.R. I’m sure others may disagree but I’m more into a smooth increase of energy and focus to get me through the workouts without the hangover feeling. I have seen the benefits of taking a pre-workout drink and will continue to do so. Not sure if I’ll go back to Jack3d just yet as I’m going to try the new P90X pre-workout drink. From what I have read about it there are more natural ingredients in it then any other pre-workout drink on the market. Beachbody has a good track record of making quality products so I’m hoping it works out for me as well or if not better than Jack3d.

Have you tried 1.M.R? What was your experience with it?

Post from: P90X Workout – Insanity workout – Shakeology

1.M.R Pre-Workout Drink Review

P90X2 Shoulders And Arms Workout

Brad Gibala — Sun, 08 Jan 2012 13:44:58 +0000

The P90X2 Shoulders and Arms workout is done in Phase 2 of P90X2. Tony Horton takes it up a notch from the original P90X Shoulders and Arms workout with the use of a stability ball. Much of the X2 Shoulders and Arms workout is done on the stability ball while using dumbbells. Tony even shows how to do the workout with a resistance band or even no weights at all so you can still feel the burn. Here is a short clip of the P90X2 Shoulders and Arm workout.

Post from: P90X Workout – Insanity workout – Shakeology

P90X2 Shoulders And Arms Workout

P90X2 X Core Workout

Brad Gibala — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 13:32:43 +0000

The P90X2 X Core workout is used during Phase 1 of the P90X2 workout. X2 Core is geared to develop a strong core area because it is the base of most of the moves you’ll be doing throughout the 90 days of P90X2. Tony Horton tests you with a variety of exercises in this 57 minute long workout. Equipment used in the X2 Core workout include the stability ball, rumble roller, and medicine ball. To build up your core strength you are shown how to modify moves. X2 Core is the very first workout you do in P90X2. Here is a preview of the X2 Core workout.

Post from: P90X Workout – Insanity workout – Shakeology

P90X2 X Core Workout

P90X2 Total Body Workout

Brad Gibala — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 12:38:04 +0000

The P90X2 Total Body workout is only done during Phase 1 of the 90 days of P90X2. Just like the title says, you will be working out your entire body. Equipment used in the X2 Total Body workout include a pull up bar, dumbbells or resistance bands, and a stability ball. Tony Horton shows how to modify the moves with and without all of the equipment. Here is a brief preview of the P90X2 Total Body workout.

Post from: P90X Workout – Insanity workout – Shakeology

P90X2 Total Body Workout

What Are The Names Of The P90X2 Workouts?

Brad Gibala — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 14:54:49 +0000

When Beachbody and Tony Horton were developing P90X2 they knew they had to introduce new workouts to make this one better or equal to the original P90X. The muscle confusion concept is still there but now it incorporates P.A.P or Post-Activation Potentiation. Tony shows you how to “Bring It Again” with an introductory dvd showing the nuances of P90X2 vs P90X. Here are the names of the new P90X2 workouts.

X2 Core
Plyocide
X2 Recovery + Mobility
X2 Total Body
X2 Yoga
X2 Ab Ripper
X2 Balance + Power
Chest + Back + Balance
X2 Shoulders + Arms
P.A.P Lower
P.A.P Upper
V Sculpt
X2 Chest + Shoulders + Tris

The last two are bonus workouts that come with any purchase of the P90X2 Ultimate Package at the Beachbody store. Beachbody also throws in two additional free workouts from the P90X One on One Series that are not listed above with any pack from the store. Just from looking at the names of the P90X2 workouts it looks like these are going to involve more areas of the body then the original P90X workout which focus on two major muscles at one time.

Post from: P90X Workout – Insanity workout – Shakeology

What Are The Names Of The P90X2 Workouts?

My P90X2 Workout DVDs Have Arrived

Brad Gibala — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 02:30:40 +0000

The P90X2 workout was dropped off by UPS the other day. Was pumped to finally get it after putting in my pre-order a couple of months ago. Have a feeling its going to be a lot different from the original P90X. Couldn’t have been delivered at more of a perfect time for me as I scaled back my workouts to only a couple of days a week over the past month to let my tennis elbow injury and knee recover. I don’t feel as strong and I’ve put on a couple pounds from doing this but I definitely feel more rested and ready for my first round of P90X2. I will be starting P90X2 after the New Years so I’ll be in shape for softball and golf season.

What Comes In The P90X2 Ultimate Package?

All P90X2 Workout DVDs
P90X2 Fitness Guide
P90X2 Workout Calendar
P90X2 Nutrition Guide
Two 8 Pound Medicine Balls
Rumble Roller
Stability Ball
Tony Horton Push Up Stands
Two Bonus Workouts From The P90X One on One Series

The P90X2 DVDs I bought came in Blu-Ray and I wish I would have bought the normal ones. I did not know Blu-Ray discs will not work in a normal cd/dvd drive. They only work on Blu-Ray drives. Was frustrated because I put in the “Bring It Again” DVD with Tony Horton and my iMac rejected the DVD. It didn’t even load it and give me an error. The DVD spun around a couple of times and the iMac ejected it before my Quick Time could even recognize it. Wondering if it was a mistake I pulled out my old HP Laptop and the same thing happened. Called Beachbody to ask for an exchange on just the P90X2 DVDs but they don’t have a policy set up for that yet. I’d have to return the entire P90X2 Ultimate Package to get the normal dvds which is a pain in the butt. Decided to keep the Blu-Ray discs and use them with my Blu-Ray player on the big screen. Will buy a normal set of P90X2 DVDs to travel with or use on the laptop when my girlfriend is using the TV for her workouts. Kind of a waste but I seem to be loaning out workout dvds every once in a while anyways. The normal P90X2 DVDs are cheaper than the Blu-Ray ones so its not that big of a deal. You can check out the P90X2 packages at the Beachbody Store. Here are some pictures of everything that came in the box.

What Does The P90X2 Fitness Guide Talk About?

Each one of the P90X2 workouts
Science behind P90X2
Supplements you should be taking with P90X2
Equipment needed for P90X2
Proper way to take before and after photos
What measurements to take
How to take the P90X2 Fit Test
Creating a P90X2 / Insanity Asylum hybrid when you are done

What About The P90X2 Nutrition Guide?

The 116 page P90X2 Nutrition Guide looks a lot simpler than the original P90X 3 Phase Nutrition Plan. There are a lot less recipes and they talk about portion control. It has grain free and vegan options. The plans are called Fat Shredder, Energy Booster, and Endurance Maximizer. You will pick the plan that works for you based around the goals you’re trying to achieve. For me it’s looking like the Energy Booster. The P90X2 Nutrition Guide comes with some good advice about when to eat, hydration, caffeine, alcohol, and cheat foods. You’ll also see recommendations for the P90X Recovery Drink, P90X Vitamins, P90X Protein Bars, and Shakeology.

Anything Different About The P90X2 Workout Calendar?

Not really. It shows the order you need to do the workouts in over the 90 days, when to take photos, and when to measure body fat %.

Expectations for The P90X2 Workout?

Everything I’ve read or heard from Beachbody says that P90X2 is going to be different from the original P90X. More geared towards athletic moves instead of intense working out. Either way I’m hoping for a tough workout that will push me as much as the first one. Looking at all of the equipment that comes with the P90X2 Ultimate Package I can only assume I’m going to be moving stuff out of the way a lot during the workouts which might be a pain. Hopefully it’s not and P90X2 goes smoothly.

Post from: P90X Workout – Insanity workout – Shakeology

My P90X2 Workout DVDs Have Arrived

2011 Beachbody Coach Success Club Leadership Retreat

Brad Gibala — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 21:40:50 +0000

Couple months late in getting this out but this years Success Club Leadership Retreat was held at the Laguna Cliffs Resort and just so happened to fall on the same weekend as my college’s homecoming weekend again. That’s two years in a row now. Oh well. I think this one was a little bit better than last years leadership retreat in Dallas. The venue was cooler and more people qualified. The weekend was full of upcoming product announcements and business building activities.

Day 1 Success Club Retreat

Beachbody invited all Elite Coaches to come a day early and go to a meeting held by Carl Daikeler and some of the Team Beachbody Executive Staff. They gave us a brief introduction into the new Beachbody Challenge Packs and the Ultimate Cleanse which will be coming out in 2012. They took us out to a welcome dinner that night. Was very impressed with the place because it overlooked a marina and the Pacific Ocean. Hung out with Jeff Armbruster, Jason Diebold, Barbie Decker, Josh Spencer, Monica Gray, Jenelle Summers, Deryl Williams, Dallas Carter, and met Sean Callahan. Seems like I see them every three months now. Probably left some people out and I’m sorry if I did.

Day 2 Success Club Retreat

The second day included a morning workout with Brett Hoebel, leadership development, and presentations from Craig Christensen and Joe Thomas. Both speakers specialize in building people up to be better sales people. Went out to dinner that night with Craig Holiday, Blake & Angie Warrington, and Mark Klanac. Had a great time with them and enjoyed seeing Laguna as only Craig knows it. The Detroit Tigers just so happened to be playing the Texas Rangers in the ALCS when I was out there. Of course I had my Detroit Tigers hat on and was one of two people watching the game. The other was Jeff Ochoa who lives about 20 miles away. Had a good time talking to him about the Tigers and Beachbody. Funny how you have to go 2300 miles away to get to know somebody who lives so close.

Day 3 Success Club Retreat

Started off the day with the new P90X2 yoga workout. I liked it a lot more than the original P90X Yoga X because it moved a lot faster. I hope to be able to do the handstand by the end of my 90 days of P90X2. The morning session ended with Carl Daikeler announcing how the Beachbody Challenge Packs will help us build our business and how to implement them. They also announced the new Les Mills Pump workout. Looks pretty cool. Too bad it had to come out at the same time as P90X2 or I’d start doing that one right now. Will have to wait til I’m done with P90X2. Carl also talked about how you can get certified to teach P90X. The morning session concluded with a presentation from John Amatt who climbed Mt. Everest and the first to climb the Troll Wall. His story was about figuring out how to do something that has never been done before. The afternoon session included a fun team building exercise where we had to move a bunch of rocks over an open area and help our teammates move on. The night ended with their “Good Vibrations” beach party.

I always have a fun time on any of the Beachbody Coach trips because I get to meet new people, share business building tips, and enjoy some of my hard work. The places Beachbody puts up in are pretty sweet so I can’t complain. All in all I’d say Beachbody keeps finding new ways to make the coach experience and business that much better every year.

Post from: P90X Workout – Insanity workout – Shakeology

2011 Beachbody Coach Success Club Leadership Retreat

2011 Beachbody Coach Summit

Brad Gibala — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 18:30:26 +0000

I know I’m 6 months late in getting this post up about the 2011 Beachbody Coach Summit but I figured better late than never. This year was bigger and better than the 2010 Coach Summit. Had to expect this because the amount of coaches almost doubled in size last year. We stayed an extra day because of all the travel from Michigan to California. Plus, it seems like there is no down time at Summit so the extra day was needed. Summit was held at the JW Marriott in downtown Los Angeles. Beachbody made it a day longer than last years to accompany the additional coaches, give more time for people to attend business building sessions, workout with the trainers, and some partying.

It was really cool to have Jonathan & Jen Register and Mark & Jessica Klanac from my newly created Team Epic there too. It was their first Coach Summit and from the looks of it they really enjoyed it. Ran into a lot of old friends and made some new ones too. Went up on stage a couple of times for some awards I won. My favorite was the Elite Coach medal. Congrats to Josh Spencer for winning top coach and the other coaches who won awards too. Walking across the stage for any award is an accomplishment on its own.

Beachbody introduced a couple new products like the P90X iPhone App, Tropical Shakeology, a new Tai Chi workout, and P90X2. Carl Daikeler and Tony Horton had a little sit down where they talked about how P90X2 was going to be different from P90X. They also talked about the making of the P90X iPhone App and how tricky it was making Tropical Shakeology.

It was pretty cool seeing everybody doing the morning workout outside of the Staples Center. Must have been over 2k people in the streets working out with the trainers. Don’t know how everybody made it to the workout after two consecutive nights of partying well into the night. My guess that it’s in all coaches DNA to get up and get going. Plus, how many times do you get the chance to “bang the drums” with Leandro Carvalho doing some Brazil Butt Lift?

The 2012 Coach Summit is going to be held at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. Had a feeling it was going to be there because of how fast the coach network is starting to grow. It was the only place that could hold everybody. Might have to make a week-long trip out of it. Can only imagine what its gonna look like to have 5k to 10k coaches inside the place. Pretty crazy to see how in 2010 there were maybe 1k coaches at Summit, then 2k this year, and it looks like nearly 10k next year. This whole getting people in shape and helping others live a healthier life is pretty cool. Get a little bit more pumped every time I get back from Summit. Can’t wait for next year.

Post from: P90X Workout – Insanity workout – Shakeology

2011 Beachbody Coach Summit