Working Out With P90X

23
October
2007

So I saw this infomercial… Sounds like a funny start to a post huh? Well, this infomercial said all the right things to me. I’d been pretty lazy lately and I wanted to get into the best shape of my life. I am pretty educated about fitness and this infomercial spoke to me in a big way. So I ordered the program off of Ebay for $115. I also went out and bought a yoga mat, a yoga block, some free weights, and a pull up bar. I already had the heart rate monitor. So that was all I needed. The P90X program arrived a few days later. I knew from the ad that this was a very tough workout, not for the average person. It includes around 15 workouts on DVD, most around an hour long. The program centers around muscle confusion. Basically when you workout, after a week or two of the same workout, your muscles plateau or get used to it and growth slows greatly. This workout varies everyday so that never happens. You rotate through 6 completely different workouts, then take 1 rest day for 3 weeks repeated. Then you take a rest week with lower impact workouts so the muscles can get stronger. Then you repeat that 1 month sequence, but with different workouts than you did before. So this way you muscles never had a chance to get used to what you are doing and growth is constant. And there are 3 different plans. You can do Classic which will increase size and strength, or Lean which will lean you out and increase strength, or Cardio which is the Classic with some extra Cardio workouts thrown in so you do 2 - 3 workouts per day on some days. The program also includes an eating plan which is toutted as being just as important.

I’d been pretty sedintary lately so I decided to start with the 2 intro workouts, the UML and Cardio. Both kicked my butt. I hadn’t sweat like that in a long time, especially the Cardio one! An hour of intervals is hard as hell. So I did those workouts a couple times a week to get in better shape for the real program. Then I started the program after a few weeks more of laziness. The Chest and Back DVD was day one. I think I did 300 pushups and 150 pullups. It was an hour long and I was toast afterwards. Had my protein shake to revive and the next day I could barely move lol! My upper body was hurting to the touch. Boy this program works the muscles! Who needs a gym membership to workout? So I gave myself a day of rest, could barely sleep that night because I was so sore. Then went on to workout #2, Plyometrics which is jump training. When was the last time you jumped for an hour? Well it was Tuesday for me. They call this the “mother of all workouts”. And it pushed my heart to places it hadn’t been in a long time. Then it was time for Yoga which was 90 minutes long. Sounded easy, but oh my god, this killed me! I mean that in a good way. I stretched and got into impossible poses for sooo long. Some of it I couldn’t do the 1st time around. But I think Yoga was harder on me then Plyo. Next was Legs and Back, then Kenpo Karate, then a break for a day! I was supposed to do an Ab Ripper routine every other day but I was so exhausted I didn’t try. The second week I was really exhausted all the time. Slept like a baby though. In fact I went from sleeping 6-7 hours a day to 8-10 and could go to 12 if I let myself. Why was I so tired all the time? Well my body is going through Boot Camp from hell that’s why! Today is day 6 of week 3. I’ve taken about 5 extra days of needed rest, but I must say my body has changed. I’ve cut a ton of fat off my mid section and more. My arms and chest are way more sculpted, legs too. I would say I’ve seen more results in 3 weeks then I’ve seen in 6 months at the gym.

This is by far, the hardest exercising I have ever done. This program is not for the average person. I can barely do it myself, but I started in better than average shape. It’s for the person who already works out for 3 hours a week and wants to take it to a whole new level. I imagine many people have bought this that don’t workout. I mean who doesn’t want to look like the people in the commercial? But there is no way they could survive this. Well I suppose anything is possible. I know by the end of this program I will have an entirely different body, one I’ve always dreamed of. And I’ll have the coveted 6 pack abs. But it’s going to take some serious, serious dedication on my part. And to think I bought this off an infomercial!

Has anybody else tried this program? I am interested to hear your results and comments.