Workout Kit/Program Review: P90 Base Kit

 

This is a program designed to get you ready for the more intense workouts that Beachbody offers. It is mostly tailored to get you ready for the P90x series, but it could, for some people be a lead-up to a program like Insanity, if you get to the point where you can really push yourself in the cardio workouts. It is great for absolute beginners or for people who have fallen too far out of shape to jump right back into a higher-intensity workout.

Like the P90X workouts, this is a three-phase program. A, B, and C. The great part about this program is that all the workouts for one phase are on a single disc, so you do not have to keep swapping discs in and out, aside from the Saturday Special disc, which is the last workout of the week. Each phase has a resistance workout (Sculpt A, B, and C), a Cardio workout (Sweat A, B, and C), and an Ab ripper workout. In every workout there is a low impact modifier that you can follow if you are a true beginner or very out of shape, and a higher impact/intensity modifier that you can follow if you are in great shape, then one person doing the "regular" workout.

One good thing about this program is that if you hate all the pull-ups in P90x, this one has no pull-ups at all. Everyone, including the higher intensity modifier, uses bands for the pull-up type moves. The low-impact modifier uses bands for every non-pushup resistance move, whereas the others use free weights. There is no stretch or yoga DVD with this set (although depending on where you get it, it may come with the P90X3 Dynamix workout which is kind of a moving stretch workout, but there are some yoga moves incorporated into the program itself. The workouts in the first month are all very short, under 30 min including the cool-down. The ab ripper program in the first month is about 8 minutes.

In the second month, the workout times increase to just over 30 minutes each including the cool down. The ab ripper program in the second month adds 5 more moves to the original 10 from month 1, so you are doing the same moves as in Ab Ripper A, with just a few more added in. In month three the workouts are about 45 minutes including cool down. The Ab Ripper program adds a couple more moves on the end so it ends up being just under 15 minutes.

You have the option of following a strength program which basically means doing the Sculpt workouts 3 times a week, or a more cardio-based program where you to the Sweat workouts 3 times a week. The final Saturday special workout is a more cardio-based program that works in some flexibility and ab work as well. In the resistance programs, every move set is 16 repetitions, so you will be using lighter bands or weights for the most part. The max amount you would likely need in terms of free weights is 25 lbs if you are very strong, to do some of the bicep and shoulder exercises. My weight range went from about 10 lbs for some of the shoulder exercises, to 25 lbs for the arc presses. Mostly though I stayed in the 10-15lb range and a medium band for most of the band moves and was still able to get a very good workout.

The big con for the program is that it does not stick with the shorter (30 min max) workouts that most of their recent programs have been. But when compared to the length of the original P90X workouts, this is still far under the time commitment required for most of those. It also comes with a pretty easy meal plan guide for those who want to follow the meal plan and not go with their own nutrition plan. Finally, on the Sculpt workouts, every move is shown for about 23-30 seconds before the set starts so you can see proper form both for the modifier and the "regular" version.

All in all, it is a very good program that anyone, of any fitness level can use. It may be a little too easy for those who are ultra-fit, but you can tailor it to some extent. For those who are a beginner and/or out of shape, I would highly recommend it.

Workout Kit and Program Review: P90X2 Series Ultimate Kit

This is the Ultimate Kit for P90x2, which comes with the Tony Horton Power Stands, a foam roller (the rumble roller), and two 8-lb medicine balls. I love this workout. I actually like this a lot more than the original version. Since most people who are considering this have already been exposed to P90x, I will highlight some of the differences for you.

1) Like P90x, it is a three-phase program. The big key for me in X2 is there is more variety. For example, in P90x aside from the recovery week, you did the same legs and back workout every week. In X2, the only program you do in more than one month is the plyometrics workout. That is in phases I and II, but not in III. There is a recovery and mobility DVD that you can also use on your rest days throughout the program.

2) X2 yoga is much better. It takes all the good stuff from the original p90x yoga but compresses it into 61 min as opposed to 90 minutes. It flows much better, and I never found myself getting bored or wishing it would stop.

3) Foam rolling is awesome. In P90x you had a stretching DVD that you could use on your rest day. Here, there is a recovery and mobility DVD, the bulk of which is foam rolling. It is hard if you have never done it before, but if you stick with it, it will make your body feel so much better. The rest of recovery and mobility is stretching and low-impact movements.

4) There is less cardio in X2. X1 had the karate workout, plyometrics, and an optional cardio DVD. The only traditional cardio workout in X2 is plyometrics, and it is very different than the X1 version. The circuits in the regular workouts however kept my heart rate up so I still burned a lot of calories. And, in phase III you basically alternate two different workouts which do have quite a bit of cardio in them, and you do the 4 moves in the circuit back-to-back without stopping, then repeat the circuit 4 times. While it does not get your heart rate up like a program such as Insanity does, it does make you winded.

5) They focus a lot on the modifier in X2. They really set the workout up so you do not need all the equipment for people who are not ready to be balancing on medicine balls and stability balls, or who are traveling and cannot take all the equipment with them.

6) While some of the workouts are similar to what you saw in X1, they are more challenging. There are still lots of pull-ups and push-ups, but you are doing push-ups on medicine balls or stability balls, which are much different than they are on the floor. Even if you have done several rounds of P90x, there will be somewhat of a learning curve in X2.

Obviously, the best workout for you is the one you can stick with. I like rotating the beachbody workouts because, let's face it, the same workout over and over gets boring, and even when split into phases your body will begin to adapt. The price on Amazon is pretty steep (you can find it for a lot less), and you always have to watch out for bootlegged copies from third-party sellers. There is always some subjectivity in what you are going to like or dislike. For people who are fans of the original, I think X2 definitely will have something to offer.

 

Workout Kit Review: P90X DVD Workout Base Kit

 

I think the infomercial has been out there long enough to know what the program is all about, so I am going to list my opinion of the pros and cons. I have done multiple Beachbody programs, and actually, this is not my favorite. That said I still think it is very good.

Pros:

1) It can eliminate the need to go to the gym. While there are some benefits to going to a gym for sure, I definitely find that working out at home saves time and money.

2) It is a highly structured program. This is a good thing if you are a beginner, because it tells you what to do on what days, and requires very little guesswork.

3) It uses resistance training and cardio but is not excessive on either one. Most of the workouts are slightly over an hour or shorter.

4) It comes with a good, easy-to-follow nutrition plan, which is essential to getting good results.

5) there are different versions depending on your goals. There is a lean, classic, and doubles version of the program. The lean is for people who do not want to put on as much muscle (it eliminates some of the resistance workouts and subs in cardio). The classic is the regular version of the program, which incorporates all the workouts, and the doubles add a second cardio workout on the resistance days.

Cons:

1) It may be hard if you are a true beginner. If you have never worked out at all, or have had a long layoff this will be hard at first. It presumes you are in decent shape to start with. It does have a person doing modified moves, which usually means using resistance bands instead of free weights and lower impact version of the body weight exercises. While a beginner can do the program, you may need to ease into it a bit.

2) It can require a substantial equipment cost beyond just the DVDs. At the very least you will need a set of resistance bands. You can get a good set of relatively inexpensive bands. You need to get a set though so you have different levels of resistance because you will be stronger on some moves over others, and will just generally get stronger during the program. However you will probably want to, at some point, get a set of weights and a pull-up bar so you can do the program fully. That can get quite expensive. You also need a good pair of cross-training shoes (not running shoes) for the plyometrics workout, because it involves a lot of jumping and quick lateral movements.

3) The program gets repetitive. Unlike P90x2 where you get new workouts each month, in this one you do the same 6 workouts for 4 weeks, then take a recovery week, then do a new rotation of workouts, which rotates in two new workouts, but the 4 others remain the same. Then in the last month, you do month one's rotation for two weeks and month two's rotation for two weeks. Some people get really bored with the workouts by that point.

4) The yoga DVD is really long. It is the longest workout clocking in at just over an hour and a half. The first 50 mins or so is great, but then it kind of transitions into a stretching and ab workout. Since the program already has three days of abdominal work built into it, and an optional stretch DVD you can use on the rest day, I personally would cut it off after the first hour or so.

Ultimately, the best workout for you is going to be the one you stick with. I think P90x is a good overall investment despite the cons I gave it. If you order from Amazon make sure it is being fulfilled by Beachbody, which is the company that produces the DVD. Some of the third-party sellers make bootlegged copies and pass that off.

Product Review: Tony Horton Power Stands

 

I got these with the P90x2 deluxe package through Beachbody. They are very sturdy and work well. They are much heavier than the push-up stands that have the "h" shape if you look at them end-on. These are especially good f you are doing wide-arm push-ups ( which were done more in p90x than x2) because they will not tip and roll on you like other push-up stands. 

Like other push-up stands (or using dumbbells) these will give you more range of motion throughout the push-up movement and are great if you have any wrist pain. I have broken my left wrist twice, and it makes doing regular push-ups hard. I have no wrist problems at all when using these. Also, these can be used to do triceps dips while you are seated on the floor, which is not something that is possible with a lot of push-up stands. So, whether you are doing P90X (or X2 or X3), or just incorporating push-ups into your workouts, these are a great option to have.

Workout Update: P90X3 and PIYO doubles workout- Day 70

This is officially the last day for this round of workouts. I do not think I would do PIYO in combination with one of the more intense workouts again because it has a lot of strength-building moves (like squats, lunges, and pushups), and it is very easy to overtrain. I would probably pair it with another flexibility series and one that has a lot more variety because since both PIYO and X3 were put out before Beachbody transitioned everything to the Beach Body On Demand/BODi streaming app, they were not "real-time" workouts that basically had you doing a different workout every day, so they both get very repetitive. But, overall, I do feel that I made progress over the past couple of months doing this split.

Workout Update: P90X3 and PIYO doubles workout- Day 69

Day 69 was Eccentric Lower in X3 and Drench in PIYO. This is basically the last day for X3, although I am going to do the Dynamix workout tomorrow. Eccentric Lower went pretty well, I even bumped the weight I was using up for a couple of the moves. Drench was okay but again got a bit tedious by the end of it.

Workout Update: P90X3 and PIYO doubles workout- Day 68

 Day 68 was The Challenge in X3 and a Rest day for PIYO, although I did do the Sweat workout to make up for having skipped it a couple of weeks ago. I decided that the next workouts will be Job 1, which is a 20-minute circuit workout three days a week, and then cardio twice a week (HIIT on Tuesday and a less intense cardio on Thursday). Then, the second "workout" will be the XB flexibility series which is basically a set of stretching routines that run anywhere from 5 minutes to 15 minutes.

Workout Update: P90X3 and PIYO doubles workout- Day 67

Day 67 was Yoga in X3 and Sculpt in PIYO. Unlike the two workouts yesterday, I mostly like both of these workouts. In X3 yoga I mostly skip crow (I have to keep both my feet on the ground), and in the warrior-3, half-moon, and twisting-moon sequence I just stay in warrior-3 the entire time. But otherwise, I can do the modified or unmodified versions of the moves. In sculpt I find it easier to do the tricep dips using the power stands instead of a chair, so I made that modification. 

Workout Update: P90X3 and PIYO doubles workout- Day 66

Day 66 was the Pilates workout in X3 and Core in PIYO. As I have said in prior posts, I am not all that fond of either of these workouts, but I got through them and did my best. I think each of them would be much easier if I were in better shape, but I am definitely not there yet. 

Workout Update: P90X3 and PIYO doubles workout- Day 65

Day 65 was Accelerator in X3 and Sweat in PIYO. Accelerator was still tough for some of the moves, but I liked doing the more intense cardio again. It is similar to Triometrix but different enough that it is not boring. One thing that I liked a little better about the original P90X is that you had two workouts that were almost all cardio each week, whereas in X3, some weeks have a couple of multiple cardio workouts and others have just one.  

Workout Update: P90X3 and PIYO doubles workout- Day 64

Day 64 was the isometrix workout in X3 and Buns in PIYO. Isometrix was a little easier than it was the last time I did it. My balance is slowly getting better, but definitely not where I would like it to be. I was even a little better in the "bound dog" poses, but could not do the version where you lift one of your legs while doing bound dog. But, I am making progress. The Buns workout in PIYO went pretty well too, and I can tell that I am getting better at the various kinds of squats.

Workout Update: P90X3 and PIYO doubles workout- Day 63

Day 63 was a rest day in X3 and Drench again in PIYO. Drench went the same as it did yesterday. It was not any easier, but not harder. Since I am going into my final week of this round of workouts I am trying to figure out what I want to do for my next workout or workouts. I am not sure what that will be yet, but I am leaning toward a lifting-focused workout paired with the Tai Chi workout, called Tai Cheng that was put out by BeachBody a while back.

Workout Update: P90X3 and PIYO doubles workout- Day 62

Day 62 was Eccentric Lower in X3 and Drench in PIYO. Again, nothing really to report about either of the workouts. I am still using the same weight in the Eccentric workouts and some moves in the Piyo workouts are getting easier and some are still very hard. 

Workout Update: P90X3 and PIYO doubles workout- Day 61

Day 61 was the rest day for PIYO and Pilates in X3. I still feel the same way about the X3 Pilates workout. I will do it, but I don't really like it and can't wait to get it over with. It is fine if you are ready for advanced Pilates, but if you are a beginner, much of it sucks. 

Workout Update: P90X3 and PIYO doubles workout- Day 60

Day 60 was Triometrix and Buns. Trio was pretty much the same as it was last week, as was the Buns workout. Each workout has a lot of Squats which I like, but my legs were definitely tired during the second workout.

Workout Update: P90X3 and PIYO doubles workout- Day 59

Day 59 was Eccentric Upper in X3 and Core in PIYO. Again there is nothing all that new to say about either of those workouts. I have been using the same amount of weight in EU the past few weeks, but I think, for most people, that is not one in which you are going to be able to do a marked increase in the amount of weight you use because you are lowering the weight so slowly (if you are doing the moves correctly).

Workout Update: P90X3 and PIYO doubles workout- Day 57

Day 57 was MMX is X3 and Sweat in PIYO. The MMX workout is still a bit tough, at least the moves that have the sprawls. The rest of it is not too bad, but I am definitely slower at getting down and up when doing those. Even though I did not like the Sweat workout in PIYO as much when I first did it, I actually don't mind it now. It is a little longer than some of the other workouts in PIYO, but not so long that it starts to get boring by the time you near the end. 

Workout Update: P90X3 and PIYO doubles workout- Day 56

Day 56 was Decelerator in X3 and Sculpt in PIYO. I like the Decelerator workout even though it is one of the harder ones. As far as Sculpt goes, there is really no big change from the last time I did that one. 

Workout Update: P90X3 and PIYO doubles workout- Day 55

Day 55 was a rest day in X3 and Drench for the second day in a row. I was supposed to do Drench once during the week but because it is a much longer workout I moved both to the weekend. Nothing was different from the day before. 

Workout Update: P90X3 and PIYO doubles workout- Day 54

Day 54 was complex lower in X3 and Drench in PIYO. 

I am honestly not a huge fan of either of these workouts. I like CL better than Drench, but  I like the Eccentric weight workouts in X3 much more than CL. As for Drench, I think it is just too long, and get to be a bit too repetitive.