My Somewhat In-Depth and Comprehensive Review of P90x

[Itagaki]

Let me start with my background, so maybe you'll have a better understanding of my opinion of this program (and they are just my opinion, whether or not you take it to heart is really up to you)

before P90x, i had done a 3x5 strength training program for a few months, and was kinda into it, unfortunately due to a deadlift injury, my lower back was just demolished, and it affected my major lifts. I decided to try p90x as an alternative to the gym. I figured it would be a cheaper way to get some good workouts. I was right, at least in my case. So basically, i was already in pretty decent shape going into this, which may have affected my progress, motivation, and patience as there wasnt a great deal of room to grow.

First of all, i would not recommend p90x to ANYONE that cannot get the dvds FOR FREE. Otherwise its really not worth it. The dvds alone cost like $100 if you buy from the source. Add in dumbells and a pull up bar and you'll be spending a pretty penny. Alternatively, resistance bands will be much cheaper than weights, so consider that as well. In my case, i already had dumbells, so i just needed a pull-up bar, and i got the dvds for free, so my total cost here was like $40 (and the gym i like to go to is 16 for 3 months, see my motivation here?)

If you take into account these costs, you're better off doing some research into a decent free-weight regiment(i.e. SL 5x5, Starting Strength, Madcow 5x5 etc etc). But if you're hell bent on doing p90x(or got them cheap/free) keep reading.

Next think about where you are now. Are you in decent shape? can you squat your body weight? bench press it? do 10 pull ups?
If so, this probably isnt the ideal program for you unless you wanna switch things up

so what about if you're out of shape? personally i think those out of shape will benefit the most from p90x by far. From my experience, P90x will get you "fit" in a general sense.

Also consider your goals
If you want to get fit, do p90x
if you want to get stronger, dont
if you want to build muscle mass, consider something else(or read the article on the beachbody site regarding using p90x to build mass)
If you want to lose weight and burn fat, maybe do p90x

Weight and body fat is mostly a function of diet, so if you're trying to lose weight or fat, FOLLOW THE NUTRITION GUIDE
this is probably more than 50% of the visible results you'll get with this program.

Of course, if you went to a gym and knew what you were doing(and i mean actually knew what you were doing, not spending all your time on nautilus machines) then you could just as easily lose weight/fat by eating right and maybe throw in some cardio and you'll get your results

Now the next thing to consider is if this will help your tennis performance(this is after all a tennis forum). Honestly, i am not sure if this is extremely beneficial to tennis. Since the focus seems to be primarily on muscular endurance, only a few of the videos will really be beneficial to tennis. However, if you're completely sedentary, give this a shot

Thats all i can really think about talking as a general overview right now, but below i have somewhat short reviews of each individual video with my own opinion on it and some tips(particularly for those who have bad lower backs like me)

Edit: ill have to break it up into two posts, turns out its too long

Oh, and if Coyfish happens to read this, please provide some insight from a bodybuilding perspective, particularly in reference to the Shoulders and Arms video along with the Back and Biceps video

 

[Itagaki]

My P90X review

Ill be taking these videos in the order that they appear on the workout overview that comes with the program. Note that the reviews on the weight sections will be a little more detailed as I have my worksheets out in front of me.

Chest and Back
As far as the workouts here go, this is probably one of the better ones, as it focuses on compound exercises. Unfortunately, it only focuses on 2 of them for an assload of reps. You’ve got 12 sets of pushups, 6 variations all for maximum reps, then 6 sets of 3 different pull-ups, also for maximum reps. There are also a few weight exercises thrown in that work the back (and biceps) as well. This is probably one of the more intense workouts in the program, provided of course you put the intensity in it

Tips:
Don’t do this workout on a completely empty stomach(such as right after you wake up). If you do, you run the risk of a nice nauseous feeling if you really get intense about this. So I’d recommend eating something small maybe an hour or so before you begin.

For those with a bad lower back like me, see if you can set something up in your house to do inverted rows to replace the Heavy Pants exercise. The forward bend will stress your lower back a little, and inverted rows will probably be a better exercise anyway.
See http://stronglifts.com/how-to-do-inverted-rows/ set up can be accomplished with a couple of chairs and a broom stick(of decent strength)


Plyometrics
This is probably one of the better workouts, and something ill consider keeping around. Plyo has a bunch of squat-jumping moves and keeps you off your feet for close to an hour. This can get a little intense, but if you’re having trouble, try to stick with it, its worth the effort

Tips:
Even Tony recommends you don’t eat for at least an hour before this workout, probably a good tip to follow.
Also, for everyone, but ESPECIALLY those with a bad lower back, DO NOT DO THIS RIGHT WHEN YOU WAKE UP. This is a high impact workout, which means if you aren’t careful, your spine will be taking a hell of a beating. The spine hydrates at night, and thus requires time after you wake up to dehydrate. During this time, your spine is more prone to injury, so wait at least an hour before you start going crazy

Shoulders and Arms
Ok, now I have serious qualms with over the top isolation work, and this is up there on the ******** scale for me. 12 main exercises, 3 bonus, total of 30 sets of exercises. This splits nicely into 10 shoulder, 10 bicep, 10 tricep. Although technically a couple of the shoulder workouts work the triceps as well. As far as im concerned, this is over the top and unnecessary work, particularly for biceps. The biceps are actually a small muscle, and are very easily overtrained. Bodybuilders may have an arm day, but if you’re reading this and are doing/considering p90x, I highly doubt you’re one of them.

Tips:
If you agree with my opinion on this video, consider skipping the bonus round. For those with bad lower backs, careful on the Crouching curls and the shoulder presses.


Yoga X
Personally, this was probably the hardest workout for me, and it will be for many that do this program. That being said, it is very rewarding, and I wish I had the time to do it more often. Unfortunately, with my class schedule, I could only do this early early morning on Thursdays, which is kind of a motivation shot due to the length and the back issues(see tips). The first 45 minutes (sun salutations, warrior positions etc) are probably the hardest for anyone, but after that it gets easier(balance postures, more traditional stretches, core work). This one is definitely a keeper for me, maybe ill start doing them Saturdays

Tips:
Get a yoga block or something to act as one if you have flexibility issues, do it, seriously, now. Also, for lower back issues, be VERY careful doing the sun salutations. You do not want to over stretch on the hyper-extension of the lower back. Tighten your butt cheeks, it will help. Also, probably another video to do after the spine dehydrates if you workout in the morning


Legs and Back
I have rather mixed opinions on this video. This will definitely give your legs a workout, but it does so in the form of many many many reps. A lot of this stuff is body weight only(some using light weights), so there isn’t much room for growth in terms of strength(or hypertrophy if you’re into that sort of thing). I suppose this is one of the better relative workouts, but far from the best. The pull-ups added in are kinda nice to give the upper body some attention.

Tips:
Wall squats are tough, and they don’t really get any easier, just stick with them. No real lower back issues here, just don’t round your back out during any exercises. Chest up people.

Kenpo X
This is an absolute utter waste of time. If there was any video to ignore, its this one. If you can get the Kenpo Cardio + video (from P90X+), do that one instead (only slightly better than the original). The other option is to ramp up the intensity some. Get some ankle and wrist weights, that might make it a little more interesting.

X Stretch
Usually meant for Sundays or during recovery weeks. As far as stretching goes, its pretty useful if you don’t stretch on your own, although the program gives the option of taking Sundays off, i wouldn’t, Especially if you have flexibility issues.

Tips:
No real tips here, just be weary of some stretches. If it hurts a lot, don’t do it. For lower back issues, skip the double leg sitting hamstring stretch, it’s a bad stretch anyway.

 

[Itagaki]

Core Synergistics
This is by far the best workout of this series, hands down. It’s a shame you really only get to do it six times in the classic program. The overall purpose of this workout is to workout just about all parts of your body, with a heavy emphasis on the core and engaging it in non-core specific exercises (you’ll get the picture if you do the workout). My absolute favorite video, and definitely a keeper.

Tips:
No real tips here, it’s a rather straightforward video. If you have a bad lower back, this shouldn’t be too much of a problem. If anything, this workout is the best thing for a bad back.


Chest Shoulders Tri’s
This is maybe one of the better workouts in the series, though I think the extra emphasis on triceps is unnecessary. Once again there are several push-up variations (varying speeds, which you’ll feel, trust me) along with some isolation tricep exercises (bleh). The shoulder exercises in this are decent, though they may be unnecessary as well, since the shoulders do get worked some in push ups. However, the “scarecrow” exercise is something that is great for the rotator cuff, and the weighted circles will burn…hard

Tips:
Nothing really, although if you have elbow issues, be careful on any of the tricep-extension type exercises. Oh, and if you’re decent at pushups, follow Tony on the Plyo pushups, they’re pretty fun.


Back and Biceps
Ok…if you thought I had qualms with the Shoulders and Arms workout, you’ve seen nothing. This is TOTAL overkill. First of all, for any novice (or even intermediate) weight lifter, a few sets of pull-ups are all the bicep work you need. However this is flipping ridiculous. Along with the I think 6 pull up variations, there are ELEVEN sets of curls, plus the final Strip set, which is essentially another 4 sets of curls. Now I said above that the bicep is a relatively small muscle and is easy to overtrain, this video is the epitome of overtraining those things. Its completely unnecessary to do 15 sets of curls along with 6 sets of pull ups. Oh, I forgot to mention theres also 4-5 other back/bicep exercises in this video. Its crazy, ridiculous, why the f*** would you want to? Unless you have some great genetics, I highly doubt this will get you big arms. Also theres a random superman exercise thrown in here. Probably the only direct lower-back exercise in this program (at least that comes to mind). Good exercise to do though.

Tips:
Other than, “don’t do this video” (or hate it while you do) don’t get overeager and pick heavier weights for all the curls, for one thing your arms will give out, for another your forearms will probably give out as well from holding all these weights for long periods of time. Also, Corn-cobs will kick your ass, they are kinda fun though…in that holy crap this hurts like hell kinda fun.
For the bad backs, the same tip applies to the Bent-over reverse grip rows as the above tip regarding Heavy Pants, just use an underhand (i.e. chin-up) grip for a similar effect. Also, for everyone, avoid swaying on the curls.

Cardio X
Well I really have nothing to say about this video, I never tried. Hell I didn’t even watch it. At the beginning of the Plyo X video, Tony recommends it as a less intense option for those not “Plyo X ready.” From what I’ve heard, its nothing special, and it isn’t actually on the workout regiment for the classic program

Ab Ripper X
First of all, read this article so you know where im coming from: http://elitefts.com/documents/ab_time_waster.htm
Well ill start with the positives. This is a pretty good ab workout (I guess), personally the first couple days I wasn’t able to keep up completely with all the exercises(for some it takes weeks to catch up). Your abs will be sore the next day until you can keep up with each exercise(or settle into some sort of cop out that fall short of the ~25 reps for each thing and your abs get used to the exercise). So that’s all good and well.

HOWEVER, I HATE this video, even moreso after reading that article a few weeks back. I always thought this was a waste of time, and that confirmed it. I suppose if for some reason you want your abs trained for endurance, this is a great video to do 3 days a week for 10 weeks of your life. However I think its useless. Towards the end, I stopped doing it and instead switched to ab wheel rollouts and planks because I want (and eventually require) a stronger core, one that can handle heavy loads, not one that can do 349 reps of over 10 exercises. However, many people swear by this video, so to each his own. Maybe it suits them.

For those with lower back issues: I do not think this will HURT your back any worse than it is, but I also don’t believe it will help at all either. I’ve switched to the ab wheels and planks for nearly two weeks now, and its done more for my lower back than I could have possible imagined, consider those options


Now I’d like to give a little info about the P90X+ videos
First of all, I’ve only actually done the Kenpo Cardio +, and I think it’s a great replacement for the regular Kenpo X video, but it still isn’t super amazing
I have watched the other videos and I can at least give some first impressions for them

Interval X
Looks interesting, and if you love cardio I’d give it a whirl. Works on the concept of doing cardio exercises at varying intensities

Upper Body
Looks like a decent “workout” in the sense that you’ll definitely sweat and burn some calories. However, several exercises move away from the “rep rule” into “pick a weight that you will feel the burn with after doing _____ for 60 seconds.” Personally I think this will end up focusing on muscular endurance vs. hypertrophy or strength, and its not my bag.

Total Body
This looks like a pretty good video as well, kinda has that same feel as the Core Synergistics video, my only issue is that it again has some exercises like those in the Upper body where you’re focusing on time, rather than anything else.

However, for both Upper and Total, I suppose if you picked a heavier weight and spent more time under tension (i.e. doing the exercise very slowly, kinda like the pushups you see in the Chest Shoulder Tri vid) then it may rectify my issues.

Abs & Core +
This again looks like something of a time waster, but not as much as AB Ripper X. It is longer though, but it has more focus on the entire core, as opposed to just the abs. Still, I think it’s a little unnecessary.


and there you have it

Jesus, it took 3 posts to get this all in

 

[Itagaki]

Man, over a 100 views and no one posts their opinions?

feel free to put out opposing opinions and such people

 

[charliefedererer]

Thanks for taking the time to post such a comprehensive review.

If someone is pursuing a more traditional weightlifting and HIIT offseason program, what videos do you see as most helpful additions? It sounds from your review it may be that the core synergistics and plyometrics and would be worthwhile additions. But do you think you can/should do them on your "off" lifting days, and keep up with your usual lifting routine? It does sound you can do the yoga and stretch videos on your "off" days, right?

And how do you think is the best way to use the p90x videos during the long spring, summer and fall tennis seasons? I struggle to keep lifting and crosstraining and keep up my time on court. Is there a definite place for the p90x videos to maintain strength, conditioning and flexability, and if so, how do you envision this?

 

[mikro112]

Amazing review!

Once I've done the first week of the P90x, I'll let you know if I agree with your opinions. However, your comments are good reference points for me already!

I'm also interested if somebody has used this in addition to HIIT training?

 

[Itagaki]

Thanks for taking the time to post such a comprehensive review.

If someone is pursuing a more traditional weightlifting and HIIT offseason program, what videos do you see as most helpful additions? It sounds from your review it may be that the core synergistics and plyometrics and would be worthwhile additions. But do you think you can/should do them on your "off" lifting days, and keep up with your usual lifting routine? It does sound you can do the yoga and stretch videos on your "off" days, right?

And how do you think is the best way to use the p90x videos during the long spring, summer and fall tennis seasons? I struggle to keep lifting and crosstraining and keep up my time on court. Is there a definite place for the p90x videos to maintain strength, conditioning and flexability, and if so, how do you envision this?

For off season, i think the focus should be primarily on a strength training regiment. While it may be possible to include plyometrics and the core synergistics into this, i think thats a good recipe for overworking your body.

However the yoga, and perhaps the cardio options if you enjoy them, are perfect for off lifting days. In fact, yoga and the like are perfect for any time

I've never gone through a traditional tennis season, so im not sure how you might incoroporate these in. I would venture to guess that for on-season though that core synergistics would be a great supplementary workout. The plyometrics might be good if you have an off day, or if a practice gets cancelled, but if you arent careful you'll overwork your legs and performance on the court may suffer

as for p90x as a whole program, it might be a decent summer conditioning program. pre-season preparation i think should be more focused on building strength (stronglifts 5x5 perhaps?) but again, this is not my area of expertise

 

[jamauss]

I'm going to be starting p90x at the beginning of April. My reasons are mostly to lose weight (I need to lose about 25 lbs) and to build more muscle (and increase strength).

How closely did you follow the diet? It seems pretty specific in terms of the foods it asks you to eat.

 

[Itagaki]

I'm going to be starting p90x at the beginning of April. My reasons are mostly to lose weight (I need to lose about 25 lbs) and to build more muscle (and increase strength).

How closely did you follow the diet? It seems pretty specific in terms of the foods it asks you to eat.

I actually didnt follow the diet since i dont have total control over my food, but i did eat healthier than i used to

given your first goal, following this program and the nutrition guide will get you there, but the second is a little tougher to pull off

although there are some exceptions, it is usually not feasible to burn fat while at the same time gaining muscle and strength

additionally, p90x is neither a muscle building, nor a strength building program

being able to do 40+ pushups is not strength, its endurance
a bench press of 1.5x bw is strength
being able to do 20 pull ups(although impressive) is mostly endurance and not strength
5 pull ups with 45lbs or more attached to your waist is

plus curls are more or less useless for the novice exerciser, and p90x has way to many curling motions

lastly, the leg workouts in this program are severely lacking in terms of muscle building and strength

if you wanna get bigger and stronger, lift heavy and eat heavy

the leg work out has you doing mostly bodyweight exercises(or small weights) of 20+ reps for each given leg

this program will get you in good shape though and help with weight loss (especially following the nutrition guide), so focus on your first goal

once you've achieved that, then you can consider building muscle and strength, though you may find p90x is not the program to do so

 

[jpr]

lots to comment on here

my experiences with p90x do not match this review. i suggest caution with this information.

Before p90x
- travel for a living, lots of bad habits
- followed a powerlifting routine in the gym (3 days/wk, 5x5 on major lifts)
- 5'11'' 240lbs; bench 315x5, squat 350x8, deadlift 420x5
- very little cardio outside of tennis
- avg 4.0 player with strong FH & serve, good mobility for size, poor endurance
- because of fitness level, had a tendency to try to end points too quickly thus leading to many errors

i was skeptical at first. i've lifted for 20 years. i've read tons of materials. i knew better than some workout video guy.

on day 1 i could not keep up with his pullups. this 47 yr old guy was kicking my butt. i was inspired.

i did 3 rounds of p90x last year.

results
- lost 50lbs
- cholesterol dropped 100 pts
- became most fit 4.0 in my league(s)
- gained newfound confidence in my game due to fitness, learned to work the point better...now competing well at 4.5

costs
- program $110
- chin up bar $30
- dumbbells $200 (i chose to buy db, not required but recommended)
- gym -$1200 (i cancelled my family membership at the gym)

reflections
- i believe p90x is great if you desire fitness, weight loss, and 'pool' muscles (ie look good at the pool)
- p90x is not great if you want to be a competitive bodybuilder or powerlifter
- i did get bored...i did try to enhance the program...i did say i knew better than Tony...none of it worked = stick with the program
- my results inspired my wife to try. she has now completed 3 rounds
- my results inspired my dad to try. he has completed 2 rounds at the age of 60
- our dedication (wife & I) have taught my kids the importance of fitness & nutrition

recommendations
- if you cannot do 10 pullups & 50 pushups, you should try p90x (or equivalent) rather than powerlifting/bodybuilding routines
- if you desire weight loss, p90x is less boring & more beneficial than the treadmill
- if you desire overall fitness, there are many options...i like p90x
- if you are a teenager & havent lifted before, start with p90x

 

[jpr]

forgot one thing

i was concerned i had lost strength over the year. i satisfy my curiosity i went to a gym and tried my old routine. i completed 90% of the reps at the same weight. i was shocked

 

[r2473]

forgot one thing

i was concerned i had lost strength over the year. i satisfy my curiosity i went to a gym and tried my old routine. i completed 90% of the reps at the same weight. i was shocked

This is astounding if true.

You are able to move the same weight for nearly the same reps at 190 lbs. as you could at 240 lbs?

And (if I read your post correctly), this is after not lifting heavy for around a year and not taking any time to get back into heavy lifting (just went to the gym one day after not lifting heavy for a year and basically hadn't lost anything).

Before p90x

- followed a powerlifting routine in the gym (3 days/wk, 5x5 on major lifts)
- 5'11'' 240lbs; bench 315x5, squat 350x8, deadlift 420x5

I am assuming at 190 you can do 5X5 routines as follows:

-bench 315 X 4

-squat 350 X 7

-Deadlift 420 X 4

Truthfully, I have never known anyone (myself included) that could lift the same weights after losing 50 pounds. Also, most people take a bit of time to get back up to their big poundages even after simply taking a few weeks or a month off.

To me, this is the truly inspiring part of your story.

 

[jpr]

concerning strength loss

sorry, i have overstated my results.

after the year of p90x, i went to the gym and completed the following:
- bench @ 315, 2 sets of 5, 1 set of 4, 1 set of 2 = < 90%
- deadlift @ 365, 3 sets of 5 = < 90%
- squat - i did not squat for fear of injury for not training up to the lift

i concluded i had retained much of my strength and was happy. My statement of 90% was not accurate. my apology

 

[r2473]

^^ The only reason I sort of "went off" on you is because I had a similar build as you (I am 6' 1" and weighed 250 - 255) and was moving weights similar to yours in November. I have since lost about 40 pounds and am moving (much) less weight.

Truthfully, my results mirror yours. You seem to have retained a lot of your bench strength but lost strength in the other two core exercises. For me, I have retained much of my deadlifting strength, but have lost in the other two.

At any rate, congratulations. A great achievement. I am going to guess that you are around 12%-ish bodyfat, fit and strong. I am just a bit behind you (I have about 10 more pounds to lose).

My longer range plans include lots of cardio and bodyweight / gymnastics style exercises this summer (along with lots of tennis). Then in the fall, I plan on moving back to a hypertrophy training regimen in an attempt to add 5-8 pounds of muscle. I estimate that will take nearly a year.

 

[Itagaki]

lots to comment on here

my experiences with p90x do not match this review. i suggest caution with this information.

Before p90x
- travel for a living, lots of bad habits
- followed a powerlifting routine in the gym (3 days/wk, 5x5 on major lifts)
- 5'11'' 240lbs; bench 315x5, squat 350x8, deadlift 420x5
- very little cardio outside of tennis
- avg 4.0 player with strong FH & serve, good mobility for size, poor endurance
- because of fitness level, had a tendency to try to end points too quickly thus leading to many errors

i was skeptical at first. i've lifted for 20 years. i've read tons of materials. i knew better than some workout video guy.

on day 1 i could not keep up with his pullups. this 47 yr old guy was kicking my butt. i was inspired.

i did 3 rounds of p90x last year.

results
- lost 50lbs
- cholesterol dropped 100 pts
- became most fit 4.0 in my league(s)
- gained newfound confidence in my game due to fitness, learned to work the point better...now competing well at 4.5

costs
- program $110
- chin up bar $30
- dumbbells $200 (i chose to buy db, not required but recommended)
- gym -$1200 (i cancelled my family membership at the gym)

reflections
- i believe p90x is great if you desire fitness, weight loss, and 'pool' muscles (ie look good at the pool)
- p90x is not great if you want to be a competitive bodybuilder or powerlifter
- i did get bored...i did try to enhance the program...i did say i knew better than Tony...none of it worked = stick with the program
- my results inspired my wife to try. she has now completed 3 rounds
- my results inspired my dad to try. he has completed 2 rounds at the age of 60
- our dedication (wife & I) have taught my kids the importance of fitness & nutrition

recommendations
- if you cannot do 10 pullups & 50 pushups, you should try p90x (or equivalent) rather than powerlifting/bodybuilding routines
- if you desire weight loss, p90x is less boring & more beneficial than the treadmill
- if you desire overall fitness, there are many options...i like p90x
- if you are a teenager & havent lifted before, start with p90x

Thanks for posting, its nice to see other opinions on the matter, especially from someone with your background

anyway, your situation is different from many others. I was writing from the stand point of someone that works out alone, and i imagine several people that might read this are in the same.

Comparing a family gym membership to the costs of everything else(since you can share the videos, equipment etc) is definitely better in your case, in mine it would not be unless i planned to do p90x multiple rounds through, which i didnt.

However i think your weight loss and cholesterol drop are more a function of your diet, not necessarily the workout program, though i am pretty impressed that you were able to retain as much strength as you did despite the 50lb drop

as for your reflections and recommendations, i agree wholly

personally, having to do a series of the same video over and over got intensely boring

Also you have to remember that you're an experienced weight lifter, so you already know what works for you and what doesnt for many things, but not everyone that does p90x has the same background experience and knowledge as you

but of course different things work for different people, so results will almost never be uniform