P90X - Don't Do It

Don’t do it. Put down the credit card. I’m telling you, you’re going to waste that $150 if you type those 16 numbers into the form and hit enter. Seriously. p90x is a fabulous workout, but not for you.

Here’s a brief explanation of why I do not recommend P90X for my clients.

P90X is too hard. Is that brief enough?

Tony Horton will come right out and tell you that P90X is hard, really really hard. He establishes a minimum fitness level one must attain before even attempting the workout. Well, I met those requirements. I am a personal trainer. I am in better than average shape and I can perform every exercise prescribed in this workout. I have tried twice now to work though the p90x DVD system only to quit each time in favor of other workout programs. It’s just simply too aggressive to sustain my, and I’m guessing your, motivation. I got to the point where I dreaded performing some of the DVDs. And when it comes to fitness, if there’s something you dread, sooner or later you are going to stop doing it.

P90X is too long.

I don’t have 90 minutes to workout. One of his DVDs, the yoga one I believe, was close to an hour and a half long. 20 minutes into the workout I was bored and ready to move on to the next obligation in my daily routine. I’m sure the P90X faithful will criticize my lack of discipline and will power, but that’s exactly why I don’t recommend P90X to novice trainers. It takes a tremendous amount of discipline and will power to make it through the program. I heard recently that the success of a fitness program is in its longevity. If you can sustain it, you can attain it. I just simply could not sustain my motivation to keep jumping around my living room when I would have rather been outside doing things I enjoy.

P90X is too complicated.

What’s so complicated about pushing play on a DVD player and doing what the DVD tells you to do? Nothing. But if that’s all you do, you’re going to see 50% of the results that P90X promises. That’s because exercise is 50% of fitness. What about your diet? I got nothing out of the diet and nutrition literature than accompanied the DVDs. I just could not figure out what in the world I was supposed to eat using their system. I go back to what I said earlier. Fitness is a result of longevity. Well to take that a step further, longevity is a result of simplicity. P90X and its accompanying diet plan was too complicated to offer me any benefit.

I have to give Tony Horton his props. I learned quite a few exercises from his DVDs and I shamelessly incorporate them into my own exercise programs. But as a package, I recommend that beginner to intermediate fitness goers pursue less intense, simpler exercise programs to which they will be more likely to adhere over the long term.

I mentioned in an earlier comment that I attended a presentation last October from a guy who works at large center in the San Diego area and is really an expert in a lot of fitness areas (and believe me, I do not use that term lightly). He did a survey in the San Diego area of people who had purchased P90X and said, according to his results, the dropout rate was 60%. It was not the kind of rigorous survey that could be published but, given the nature of the program, and the general drop out rate of people starting fitness programs in general, I thought the number was about what I would have expected.

Judging from the amount of people that sign up for a costly gym membership in January and are never seen again after March, I would imagine the drop out rate is 60% as well.

Don’t do it. Put down the credit card. I’m telling you, you’re going to waste that $150 if you type those 16 numbers into the form and hit enter. Seriously. p90x is a fabulous workout, but not for you.

Here’s a brief explanation of why I do not recommend P90X for my clients.

P90X is too hard. Is that brief enough?

Tony Horton will come right out and tell you that P90X is hard, really really hard. He establishes a minimum fitness level one must attain before even attempting the workout. Well, I met those requirements. I am a personal trainer. I am in better than average shape and I can perform every exercise prescribed in this workout. I have tried twice now to work though the p90x DVD system only to quit each time in favor of other workout programs. It’s just simply too aggressive to sustain my, and I’m guessing your, motivation. I got to the point where I dreaded performing some of the DVDs. And when it comes to fitness, if there’s something you dread, sooner or later you are going to stop doing it.

P90X is too long.

I don’t have 90 minutes to workout. One of his DVDs, the yoga one I believe, was close to an hour and a half long. 20 minutes into the workout I was bored and ready to move on to the next obligation in my daily routine. I’m sure the P90X faithful will criticize my lack of discipline and will power, but that’s exactly why I don’t recommend P90X to novice trainers. It takes a tremendous amount of discipline and will power to make it through the program. I heard recently that the success of a fitness program is in its longevity. If you can sustain it, you can attain it. I just simply could not sustain my motivation to keep jumping around my living room when I would have rather been outside doing things I enjoy.

P90X is too complicated.

What’s so complicated about pushing play on a DVD player and doing what the DVD tells you to do? Nothing. But if that’s all you do, you’re going to see 50% of the results that P90X promises. That’s because exercise is 50% of fitness. What about your diet? I got nothing out of the diet and nutrition literature than accompanied the DVDs. I just could not figure out what in the world I was supposed to eat using their system. I go back to what I said earlier. Fitness is a result of longevity. Well to take that a step further, longevity is a result of simplicity. P90X and its accompanying diet plan was too complicated to offer me any benefit.

I have to give Tony Horton his props. I learned quite a few exercises from his DVDs and I shamelessly incorporate them into my own exercise programs. But as a package, I recommend that beginner to intermediate fitness goers pursue less intense, simpler exercise programs to which they will be more likely to adhere over the long term.

Boy amI glad I don't have you as a trainer. I lost over 80 lbs doing P90X. Was it hard? Hell yes, but anything that's worth it is hard. It really makes me mad when people that couldn't even do the program come on a public forum and tells people not to do it. Here is a suggestion. Do P90X for the 90 days as it's layed out them come give us an honest recommendation. Until then you really can't talk negative about it.
For me, I was almost 250 lbs when I started P90X. I had high blood pressure and was on medication and I had obstructive sleep apnea. Now I am not on meds and do not have sleep apnea which is fatal by the way. I can say that P90X may have saved my life. Any Program, not only P90X but any program no mater how hard it is that can get somebody to eat right and exercise is well worth the money. It's way cheaper then a gym and a personal trainer. I have a personal trainer in Tony Horton and when I get tired of listening to him (which I don't, he cracks me up), I can mute him.
So I say if you wan't to do P90X and you can commit then go for it. You won't be sorry. If you give up, it's your fault not P90X's.
You are not expected to do what they do in the videos. If you could you wouldn't need the videos. You do your best and each week you get better.
Nuff Said...Rant Over

P90X changed my life too. Down from 270 to 200. Amazing change. Completed one round of Power 90 and 2 Rounds of P90X. If it wasn't hard or challenging, I would have never tried it. If you are looking for the easy way, try some bogus pills that make you think you are losing weight. P90X is amazing. Put me in the most amazing shape I have ever seen. I have never even seen a six pack in real life, now I have one.. Tony put the life back into me. Now I "Bring it" everyday. Tony is a modern day hero. I don't care how much it costs. It was well worth it. Oh and you can't pay for a month's worth of personal training for what you do P90X. Oh and thats my own opinion. BUT, most of is truth.

I mentioned in an earlier comment that I attended a presentation last October from a guy who works at large center in the San Diego area and is really an expert in a lot of fitness areas (and believe me, I do not use that term lightly). He did a survey in the San Diego area of people who had purchased P90X and said, according to his results, the dropout rate was 60%. It was not the kind of rigorous survey that could be published but, given the nature of the program, and the general drop out rate of people starting fitness programs in general, I thought the number was about what I would have expected.

Judging from the amount of people that sign up for a costly gym membership in January and are never seen again after March, I would imagine the drop out rate is 60% as well.

<snip> Zumba may be fun, I agree, but it doesn't bring results. Fun doesn't = fitness.<snip>

OK, I'm sure you saw it coming, but I couldn't let this post go by without a response. I couldn't agree less with you. I gotta tell you, I think your post might be useful for only the most naive & under-motivated individuals here. There are SO many people on this site that have had great success with P90X, I can't keep track of em (myself included). There are endless threads of people getting great results. Many of whom swear that they've saved money in the long run by foregoing gym fees & expensive personal trainers.

Too hard? It's supposed to be hard! How many times in their pitch do they make it clear that this is for those who "want to get REALLY fit"??? It 's not just to lose a few pounds. They also offer plenty of ways to adjust the exercises. Tony constantly tells you that you don't need to keep up with them - just work towards that goal eventually. By your logic I think we should also let people know they shouldn't have kids - because we parents know that it wasn't til after that we realized how hard & complicated it is! And how about marriage or getting a college degree? You don't really see how much is involved until after you're in it. So should we altogether bail on those things too? The point is it's worth it if you're willing to work hard. And you'll get out of it what you put into it. Only the very naive think it'll be a breeze going into it.

Too long? Really? I admit it's not a quick workout, but it's not supposed to be. I'm surprised to hear a personal trainer say that the 60 minutes is too long (only 1 is 90). Anything that incorporates some cardio should at least be 35-40 minutes to start getting any bang for your buck.

You also seem to be trying to warn people that they shouldn't expect to just plunk down $140 & hit play and expect the infomercial-type results. Isn't that just common sense? Of course you have to pay attention to nutrition as well. That's why there are so many P90X users here on this site - because they know they have to watch it closely. In fact, you said that 50% of it is nutrition. Actually I think it's more like 70-80%. Who actually believes that getting great results is no further away than buying some DVD program & not watching your diet carefully? I say only the most naive.

I admit that your post will probably be helpful to some, probably to those who are still looking for that quick fix. They've already tried magic pills & 10 minute workouts to no avail. Your head's up post should deflect their interest. But most regular users of this site are here because they know that good diet and exercise are the only real way to go to get fit and stay that way. And if you want to get really fit, it'll take more of that simple equation.

I don't mean to be barking at you personally. I just don't see the value of your coming down so hard on a great workout program that does exactly what it advertises - nothing more, nothing less. I've done the program successfully and now continue to do so with my own variations which include going "outside doing things I enjoy".

There was a time when I was still debating whether or not to get P90X & dedicate that much time & effort to it. I'm just glad I didn't run across your opinion then - it might've kept me from what I've accomplished now.

I just ordered P90X and it should be here tomorrow. I am extremely excited to give it a try. I am sure for beginners, it's not easy. But like that can be said about any workout. Once your body gets use to it, it becomes easier. P90X is a serious workout. Anybody who does any research should know this. While sticking to your diet and light exercise is wonderful and can really improvement your health and fitness. If you wanna see results and tone your body, you need to push yourself to the limits and then some when it comes to working out

You got it man. Cool you got it coming in soon. I guarantee results man!