P90X Workout Review - Is It A Really Good Exercise Program?

You may have seen the TV infomercial for the P90x workout program and wished that a qualified professional would post their honest opinion of this program. Well after some research into this fitness system I have finally completed my P90x workout review. The P90x system is a fairly intense home exercise system based on their DVD program. The main claim is that you will get a ripped and lean body after 90 days. This routine is not easy, but then no real form of physical improvement is easy. It does require you to put real effort into it to get the proper results. It is also not for a complete beginner who is in poor shape. It is considered to be a relatively rigorous program. The first thing this P90x workout review should mention is the actual product. What do you get exactly? Well you get the 12 DVD set, a fitness guide that is over 100 pages, also a nutritional plan that is 113 pages and a 90 day tracking calendar to chart your progress. Since this is an at home training program it is suggested that you have some of the needed equipment available. This would include an exercise mat, resistance bands, dumbbells and a chin-up bar. The P90x workout program is sold by BeachBody form their website and from their TV infomercials. They offer a 90 day satisfaction guarantee so you can return it if you are not satisfied. Each workout is set up in circuit training format. You will move from one exercise to the next with very little rest. This helps to keep your heart rate elevated. The muscle strengthening DVDs work on specific body parts on certain days. Some of the DVDs focus on plyometric power movements, cardio fitness, yoga, flexibility stretching, Kenpo kick boxing and ab/core training. It should be noted that plyometric movements involve fast, explosive movements such as jumping and this form of exercise must be done with caution. For example the Chest and Back DVD is a 50 minute session that works your chest with various types of push-ups such as the traditional push-up, hands close push-ups, wide stance push-ups. The back muscles are targeted with various pull-up, pull-down and rowing type exercises. Again these are all performed with various positions and grips to challenge your muscles from various angles. The plyometrics workout is generally considered the most difficult part of the P90x program. After a sufficient warm-up this cardio endurance routine takes you through various jumping movements that are mainly using the lower body muscle groups. It is advised that you use a good pair of shock absorbing shoes and ideally a relatively soft landing surface. Because of the impact those with back, hip, ankle or knee problems may want to skip or modify this portion of P90x. The yoga and stretching portions of P90x are also quite challenging particularly for people who are not accustomed to those activities. Muscle Confusion The main concept of the P90x program is muscle confusion. This theory simply means that by performing various workouts and regularly trying new exercises your body keeps adapting and does not get stagnant and stall. This should help prevent you from reaching a plateau at which you do not improve your fitness level. This type of periodization and variation does make good physiological sense and is one of the reasons this program can yield good results. A lot of folks get frustrated in their fitness efforts because they keep doing the exact same routine and without a new challenge their body stops making improvement. When following the P90x routine you will change your weekly schedule every 3 to 4 weeks. You can also focus your daily routine on the various fitness areas that are addressed in each DVD. P90x Workout Review: Pros If you are already at a fair fitness level this can be an excellent program for reducing body fat and increasing muscle conditioning. On the DVDs instructor Tony Horton provides a very good explanation of all the exercises. This is a home workout program which means that you can pause the DVD when you want to go at your own desired pace. There is plenty of variation which is a good challenge for your body and helps prevent you from getting mentally bored with the routine. This routine is clearly laid out for you so you should have not any problems following along. The nutritional aspect is also very well covered with plenty of variety as well. If you consider yourself a real fitness enthusiast then you will find this an intense and challenging program, you will get challenging workouts and you will most likely enjoy completing the 90 days. Cons This is a program that is only for people in good physical condition and it is not intended for those who are in very poor condition, obese, have physical movement limitations or have a chronic disease. As with any exercise program you should consult your physician before you begin. Along with the cost of the program you will need to have available some equipment such as dumbbells, an exercise mat and a chin-up bar. Since you are at home you will want to be sure to avoid distractions that could interfere with your workouts. If your main fitness goal is to increase muscle size and strength you will probably see better results following a high intensity strength training program. This type of training will prove to be better in the long run for building stronger muscles as you will be using a wider variety of resistance training equipment training in a high intesity manner and following a different set of training principles. The DVDs with P90x are mainly aimed at increasing muscle endurance, cardiovascular fitness and muscle tone. For the P90x nutritional plan the first two phases are low carb which is generally not a recommendation that a nutritionist would make for a long term diet program. The diet plan is not following the standard Food Pyramid recommendations of the US Dept. of Agriculture. Developing good eating habits is generally considered the best way to improve your nutrition. Bottom Line It sounds simple at first - for 90 days you follow a specific program and at the end of 90 days you will be leaner, stronger and more fit than ever before. But like any real fitness endeavor it does require motivation and dedication. If you do follow the program as laid out you should get good fitness results. While this is not for beginners, since it is a rigorous program, but if you are rather fit and work hard to complete this system your fitness level should improve. And that is my P90x workout review! Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=David_M._Waters