The P90X workout is pretty intense. What it really is though is a commitment. Its kind of like that Marines commercial where “we don’t accept applications, we only accept commitments.” If you are not ready to embark on this journey to get into better shape than this is not going to workout for you. I’m going to cover to areas that affect people the most if they can’t finish the P90X workout. There is the time when you about half way through the P90X DVD and you are just exhausted and then there is the time when your life is just getting in the way.
P90X is a life changing workout. If you really get into this workout you will see the results and you will start to realize what your body is truly capable of. When you start out you will struggle with every move that Tony Horton throws at you. I mean who really does push ups and pull ups. I bet if you currently go to a gym and look at the pull up bar in the corner your not going to see anybody on it. The majority of people will be hanging out near the benches or the machines. After you do P90X you will realize that a lot of your muscle building will have to come from other types of workouts. The reason why most people don’t finish P90X is because they usually workout 3 days a week and P90X demands 6. This forces you to make another 3.5 hours a week available in your schedule for your fitness.
P90X Is Hard Because Most Of The Moves Are New To You
So lets say that you are getting started with the P90X Legs And Back DVD. The first leg routines are pretty tough. You are doing those lunges and it puts quite a strain on your knee because you have never done this before. You are able to make it through and now its your first time ever trying to do a chin up. Its pretty intimidating especially if you are doing this by yourself. Its always better to do P90X with a friend but if you must go by yourself just do your best. Get a chair to help you with getting use to the motion of doing a pull up. It might take you a month to do one without a chair and that is fine.
Taking Breaks With P90X Is Ok
Continue on with the DVD as far as you can go. Don’t feel bad if you have to press pause to catch your breath. The people on the P90X DVD are all in great shape and can keep up. You can’t right now. Most workouts not including the pull ups or chin ups you do anywhere from 8-15 reps if your using weights or 25 reps if its like lunges or squats. Just do as many as you can and with time you will be able to do the full set.
Doing Half Of A P90X Workout Is Better Than Doing Nothing At All
The biggest excuse people have when doing P90X is time as many have an all or nothing approach to P90X. They know its going to take a little over an hour to do and don’t want to get started unless they know they can finish. Life gets in the way and while its best to set aside a designated workout time every day with no distractions it is still hard to come by. At the same time its better to do 30 minutes of P90X, stop, and do Ab Ripper X then to do nothing at all. I would say that 30 minutes of P90X is the same as most people who go to the gym for 1.5 hours because of the pace that P90X goes at. Its better that you do something then nothing at all. You won’t get the ripped results as fast but who cares. Your body is moving and changing.
What If Your Very Out Of Shape And Overweight?
This goes back to the previous point. Do as much as you can and then stop. There are two ways to approach P90X and this also goes for people who are in shape. You can either play the entire P90X Workout DVD and do as much of each move as you can while maybe missing a exercise or two to catch your breath or you make it a goal to do each move in sequence while pausing and catching your breath until you just cannot do anymore leaving the rest of the workout to do at a future time. These are both things to take into consideration if time is going to be an issue. Personally, I recommend doing as many reps with good form in order, pausing, catching your breath, and only moving further into the workout as you get stronger. Mornings are usually the best time because nothing in your day has happened yet. It takes awhile to get use to waking up an 1.5 hours earlier but you will feel that much more energized through out your day.
There is no reason to ever give up on P90X. The people at Beachbody made this workout as efficient as possible to do from your home. Think about it this way. You would normally spend 15 minutes driving to and from the gym. Then spend another 5 minutes getting dressed. You think your working out for an hour but you only workout for about 35 minutes because you spend a lot of time waiting for the gym equipment to open up. So you spend about 1 hour and 35 minutes going to and from the gym for a 35 minute workout. With P90X you are getting 1 hour and 15 minutes of blood pumping good old fashioned working out in the comfort of your home. The P90X results will be showing in your body in no time by going this way. Its just, you and Tony Horton getting at it to get into the best shape of your life.
I am 27 5’3″ 106 lbs. Mother of 3. I don’t need to lose weight by any means but I would like to tone up a lot. Is this work out right for me? I like it b/c I can do it at home since I stay home with 3 boys and homeschool. It fits my schedule good. But I am afraid I will lose weight.
Mandie
P90X will definitely tone you up. You’ll probably not lose weight. Maybe body fat %. More than likely you’ll put on lean muscle and have fun doing P90X.
Hey, I’m on day 4 doing yoga, but i wasn’t able to finish it due to that my muscles got too tired an distorted shaking a little, is this normal, or what should I do different in order to be able to complete the work out?
Very normal. Don’t do anything differently. Follow the P90X calendar. The strength and results will follow.
Hey, I’m 16 and I’m in the same boat as a lot of people finding it difficult to finish the first workout. I’m only on Day 1 and tomorrow I’ll be doing the plyometrics. I’m planning on getting up before school in the morning and doing the workout, but will this effect the rest of my day in a major way? If I do plyometrics in the morning am I barely going to be able to walk around for the rest of the day not because of pain but just being weak after the workout? Thanks for the help!
Denis – I’m guessing the only thing it will effect will be the amount of energy you’ll have through the day.
Thanks, Kavika-there is no shortage of crappy bands out there. Good ones are a keeper.
Thank you brad this website helps alot
@ Cedric im not sure right now i let my buddy borrow them but when i get them back in a couple of days I’ll let you know. They are very useful ive increased my pitching velocity alot in just a few months
kavika-what bands do you use? I have some Spri’s but they are individually handled and don’t go anywhere close to 95 lbs! Your bands sound awesome.
Day 3 for me when I get home. Some background-I am 313 lbs. I have been going to the gym and lifting and doing cardio 3-4 days a week during my lunch hour as work permits for the last 2 months. I have a lower disc trauma injury sustained from an Army training incident in 2001 that resulted in my discharge for medical reasons. This is to establish 1. that I am fat and lazy :-) and 2. that I have been in pretty damn good shape. I dropped weight to go INTO the Army from 4 years of college/married living so Ive been here once, minus the back herniation.
That being said I got through 1 round of Day 1 ( I also mowed the my front and back yard that day-and its pretty big) and thought about 40 minutes of Day 2. I am sore as hell. A lot of this feels like my PT sessions in company without the running. I figure I feel as sore now as any day in Basic Training, and after 2.5 months of that I came out in pretty good shape, so I must be doing something right. I’d say stick with it, just be aware of your limitations and listen to your body.
Well said Cedric.
I have two questions
1. Is it ok on days such as plyometrics or cardiox to go work out with my buddies at the gym after my p90x workouts because i was going to the gym with my friends before i started p90x and i love working out with them. I was just wondering if i can do both or would that be pushing it?
2. Do i need to go buy a pull up bar or can i just simulate pull ups with my bands. The bands can go up to about 95 lbs of resistance
1. Yes – How about get them to do P90X with you? It might be a lot of working out.
2. You can use bands if you want. I prefer the pull up bar to start the workouts with and then use the bands when I cannot get in anymore reps.
i just started working out again, im 22, 5’1 and about 165, but very large chested, id like to loose about 30 pounds. i did the plyometrics dvd today for the first time and got extremely discouraged because i couldn’t jump, especially for the rock start jumps and the one where you push your feet back and tap your thighs. am i just out of shape or can a lot of people not jump?
Hi Ashley – Don’t get discouraged. Plyometrics is one of the hardest P90X workouts. Its going to take a month or more to be able to just get through it with good form. I wish the Rock Star jumps were earlier in the workout too. Do a “Rock Star Sqaut” instead so you still work it out.