P90XWhile Jan and I were on the plane heading to Arizona for vacation, we took some time to go through the materials and DVDs for P90X. We’re planning to start P90X in July after we go through ChaLEAN Extreme a second time.

The first thing I have to say is that P90X is really complete, particularly on the nutrition side. And that’s something I want to emphasize right up front: while the eye-catching part is the workouts, your success is going to largely depend on how well (or poorly) you follow the nutrition part of the program. Both the nutrition and the workout guides are packed with good information that’s very well-structured, but there is a LOT of it: take some time to really get acquainted with both manuals before you start.

The DVDs are, not surprisingly, extremely well done, and there are a lot of them: ?twelve?, to be precise! I’m not going to cover all the workouts here in any detail, but I did want to make a few observations based on our previous experience with Power 90, Power 90 Master Series, and ChaLEAN Extreme.

I was not nearly as intimidated by the workout routines as I thought I might be. While they’re definitely extreme and will be really tough, the programs we’ve already done have provided us with a great foundation. We saw a number of familiar exercises - along with lots of new ones! - and that gave me a greater sense of confidence. Ironically, this was particularly the case with Cardio X: after some of the cardio workouts in ChaLEAN, this one’s not a huge deal.

The main concern I have with the weight training workouts are simply that, in addition to being extremely intense, they’re long, so muscular endurance is going to be an issue. And that brings us right back around to the nutrition portion of the program: it’s very clear (over and above the admonitions in the P90X documentation) that you’ve GOT to ensure that you’re eating properly to give yourself enough fuel to do the workouts, and enough protein to repair and build muscle.

Actually, the one that I think will be the toughest for me is Yoga X. Some of those folks were doing some serious sweating by the end! But it’s also probably one of the most useful workouts: I’m not a yoga kind of guy, but I can’t argue with the benefits of concentration, flexibility, and control that it gives you. So on the one hand I’m looking forward to it as a means of making some serious improvements in my body; on the other hand, it’s going to be a butt-kicker!

Finally, just a word to the folks who’ve seen the infomercial and are thinking about buying P90X: if you’re in good shape and you exercise fairly regularly, go for it! But if you’ve been sedentary or only work out every once in a while, please think about it. It’s called an “extreme” fitness workout for a reason! If you’re not already in decent shape, you really should consider starting with Power 90 or Power 90 Master Series first to build up a foundation that’ll help you succeed. You want it to be a challenge, but not so much that you get discouraged and drop the program.

And remember: as with all Beachbody programs, there is an absolutely awesome support community with on-line forums and independent coaches like Jan and myself. Joining Team Beachbody is absolutely free (although there is a premium membership that gives you access to a lot more goodies), and is one of the best things you can do to help ensure your success!

So, that’s it for now on my first thoughts of P90X. Now it’s back to ChaLEAN Extreme, round 2!

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