P90X

[cael]

Wondering if anyone has experience with P90X. My fiance & brother and I are thinking about going in on it and giving it a shot - folks I've talked to so far have mostly nothing but good things to say about it.

We did hear that you need a lot of equipment (weights, pull-up bar etc) to do the exercises, I didn't think you did - is this true? I'm mostly looking for the yoga x and ab and arm routines for me. My brother also knows someone who might be willing to burn dvds for us, so we may not even have to buy it

[Deleted]

A friend of mine did it and he loved it. It got him in really good shape.

[thyme4change]

We bought Insanity instead because we didn't want to buy all the equipment - actually, because we didn't want to find a place to PUT all of the equipment. We did half of Insanity last summer and just couldn't stay committed. We are going to do the full program starting next week. If we do that for 8 or 9 weeks, we will be done right at the start of swimsuit season. I can't face another swimsuit season with my current shape.

[cael]

What type of equipment is required for P90X, is it a lot? If it's a few weights it might be worth it, but if it's more than that I dunno. Wasting - you like Insanity, it doesn't require equipment? My brother's hookup might be able to get us that too (bro works with a gym rat he's been discussing this with, lol)

If we get it for free, won't matter anyway because we'll just do what we can

[cael]

Thanks! Weights or bands we could probably get pretty easily.

[thyme4change]

My neighbor used to use the patio roof as his pull up bar.

[thyme4change]

Oh - and zero equipment for Insanity. Well - a good pair of sneakers.

[Frugal Nurse]

A pull up bar can be had for less than $20 bucks. We got one of those total gym ones that uses pressure to hold it onto a doorway. You can use it for pull ups, push ups, and sit ups, It is really handy, and not very big. You can store it under a bed or in a closet. I have always wanted to try p90x, but can't bring myself to fork over the $$

[vl]

A used Bow-Flex off E-Bay (picked-up locally) and some hand weights. Cross your feet under a chair with a kid sitting on it and do your sit-ups. walk the dog briskly. Under $150 and I can get at least that reselling the Bow-Flex if I ever do. It folds up nicely so I get a minor work-out just setting it up and putting it away.
P90X... if you don't have great wrists you are taking extraordinarily BAD risks doing it.

[vl]

Jack Lalanne died yesterday... at NINETY SIX! A TV fitness guru, Lalanne showed Americans it was possible to get in shape without buying any major equipment. In as much as P90X seems great, just DOING IT, is better.

[Artemis Windsong]

Thanks for commenting on Jack Lalanne. I did his exercises for years. The naysayers would say his ex. would make you impotent.

[azphx1972]

I wanted to share this rather lengthy, in-depth critique of P90X that I've been reading. It talks about muscle confusion, muscle building, body fat, diet, and alternate workouts. I haven't read all the scientific research referenced in the review, but once I have the time I would love to delve more into this stuff.

www.begin2dig.com/2009/08/reflection-of-p90x-review-part-1-of-3.html

What I got out of it is that P90X will produce some results (as any exercise program should), but whether it will deliver the results shown on TV is another story. This mirrors the real life experiences that I've seen from others who have tried the program.

I know of several friends/acquaintances/coworkers that have done P90X, and none of them have achieved the "ripped" body look so far. I've also observed a group of die-hard P90Xers at the gym. They show up religiously every morning and hog an area of the gym to do their P90X exercises for several hours (much to the chagrin of other gym goers who want to use the equipment in that area). I have not noticed any significant transformations in their bodies after over a year, even though some of those exercises look painfully difficult to me and I would be reluctant to try them. They still have noticeable guts and flabby muscles. Maybe one day I will talk to them and get more information about their diet and lifestyle to learn more about what they're doing outside the gym.

Has anyone here been able to replicate the results that are shown on the P90X and Insanity infomercials?

[pig]

P90X is stupid. It's old ideas rehashed. That being said if watching a DVD is your kinda thing it certainly isn't going to hurt you. Again, not one aspect of it is anything new.

[Deleted]

My buddy did P90x. He looked great and it made a big difference. He wasn't all ripped and shredded, but getting that look has a lot to do with diet. If you don't have the right diet you will never get ripped.

[pig]

"I know of several friends/acquaintances/coworkers that have done P90X, and none of them have achieved the "ripped" body look so far."

Little known secret is that a lot of bodybuilders/male models who routinely diet down to very low body fat levels are most often the people you see in the amazing before and after pictures that any program or supplement will tout. They make a little extra money doing something that they are doing anyway. No one is normally ripped 12 months out of the year because it isn't healthy and it isn't pleasant to stay that way. So they snap a before pic and when they're done and it looks like some fat Joe Schmoe did the incredible. Pretty sad but true.

[Deleted]

Apr 12, 2011 2:00:36 GMT -5 azphx1972 said:

I know of several friends/acquaintances/coworkers that have done P90X, and none of them have achieved the "ripped" body look so far.

That's because you need to decrease your body fat - via diet - to see those ripped muscles.
You cannot out-exercise a bad diet....

[cael]

I know several people who say this has worked really well for them. We (my fiance & brother and I) want to get a copy and try some of the exercises, but we haven't yet. My brother works with a guy who was going to get us some DVDs... we'll probably still see about getting it. I want to try the yoga workout!

You cannot out-exercise a bad diet....

[azphx1972]

I agree that low body fat (from a healthy diet) is necessary to show off muscles (particularly abs), but the people I'm talking about aren't that fat or muscular. In fact they look pretty average, as if P90X hasn't done anything for their physique. I don't know what their diets are like, so it's highly likely that could be a factor, but I wanted to know if anyone here has had first or second hand experience with P90X and can say if it is capable of producing results close to what's shown on TV.

No one is normally ripped 12 months out of the year because it isn't healthy and it isn't pleasant to stay that way.

Yeah, I've read that is unhealthy to keep body fat below 5% for any extended amount of time, so bodybuilders only dip down to that level for competitions. I've had good success keeping my body fat level between 6%-8% year round though, and while I may not be "ripped" I am able to see my abs every day. YMMV.

[Deleted]

Apr 12, 2011 9:03:22 GMT -5 azphx1972 said:

but I wanted to know if anyone here has had first or second hand experience with P90X and can say if it is capable of producing results close to what's shown on TV.

TV wouldn't lie.

[pig]

I've had good success keeping my body fat level between 6%-8% year round though, and while I may not be "ripped" I am able to see my abs every day. YMMV.

It's certainly possible but I don't think it's healthy. I guess some people could be hardwired for lower body fat levels. In my experience though people with really low bodyfat levels year round live on smokes, cigarettes and coffee or hard drugs like Iggy Pop lol.

[azphx1972]

From what I've read 6-9% is considered "extremely lean" and not unhealthy, but 5% is borderline and anything below is unhealthy (for men).

www.chetday.com/bodyfatindex.htm

I've never done drugs, smoked, or even drink, so sorry to burst your theory. ;D

[azphx1972]

Apr 12, 2011 9:06:37 GMT -5 ArchietheDragon said:

TV wouldn't lie.

Of course not. ;D

But I've seen rational people who ordinarily wouldn't bat an eye at infomercials buy into the P90X hype, and I'm wondering if they know something I don't.

[pig]

"The National Institutes of Health suggest a healthy body fat percentage for men is 13 to 17 percent. The average American man's body fat is 17 to 19 percent."

Sorry Az but based on actuarial studies those who fall within the ranges above for healthy body fat percentages, on average, live longer. And Iggy Pop is more ripped than you and I'm sure he uses herion lol. Seriously, it's not healthy to be below 9% on a long term basis. IMHO

[azphx1972]

I appreciate your opinion, Dr. Pig. Most of what I've read seems to indicate that above 5% for men is considered healthy, for example: www.umich.edu/~exphysio/mvs.240/Lectures/Ch6.BodyComp.ppt

And I feel I'm pretty in tune with my body, and it naturally wants to maintain <10% body fat. I guess I'm just weird.

[Deleted]

You are a good weird, though.

[pig]

Dr. Pig. Most of what I've read seems to indicate that above 5% for men is considered healthy,

Think you're misreading what they say. 5% is the bare minimum below which your bodily functions are impaired, not what is healthy.

[azphx1972]

Thanks fam (and for the exalt?). Dr. Pig, I feel perfectly healthy, and have for the years that I've maintained my body fat level. I guess if I start to feel unhealthy or get sick, I will reevaluate things. From what I've read, there are people who normally have low body fat and are perfectly healthy. I assume I'm one of them. ;D www.google.com/search?sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8&q=how+much+body+fat+is+too+low

[pig]

I think you need to go back and read reply #8.

[azphx1972]

[Deleted]

Dr.Pig, can't you just accept that azphx is a special and rare specimen? ;D