P90x3

I'm currently doing it and have been for perhaps the last 9 months or so. I like it pretty well. It's fairly expensive, and I won't claim that it's necessarily the best workout set on the planet, but it does get the job done, and is great for someone like me that needs a bit of structure in order to stick with it. The 30 minute format works really well for me as well -- I did P90X in the past and most of the workouts just took far too much of my time in the evenings making it MUCH harder to stick with. An hour and a half of Yoga? Someone shoot me! I don't mind the 30-minute version in P90X3, but I hated the one in P90X!

Anyway, if you really stick with it and work hard at it, you WILL see pretty good results (assuming you're not already in amazing shape). Additionally, if you start this without being at least moderately fit, be prepared to be VERY sore from some of these workouts initially -- even after 9 months, I still get a bit sore from some of the strength routines as new ones get switched in every 4 weeks.

As far as equipment, I started with (and still use) the Manduka Pro Yoga Mat which I used to use for all my workouts originally. It's got a good amount of padding without being too pliable and has decent grip for actual Yoga while being extremely durable -- my mat is still going strong despite taking quite a beating, so while they're expensive, they're worth it IMHO. I switched to a Square 36 Extra Large Exercise Mat 8' x 6' when I created a dedicated workout area in my basement which has also proven very durable - it does tend to be a bit less grippy than my Yoga mat which is why I still pull out the mat for Yoga.

Next investment was in a pullup bar -- I started with one you put in a doorway (Iron Gym Total Upper Body Workout Bar - Extreme Edition), but moved on to a Stud Bar when I moved to the basement. While the doorway bars get the job done, the stud bar is just so much nicer. I honestly don't know how taller guys manager to use the doorway models -- I'm only 5' 6" and I found doing pullups in a doorway somewhat annoying (feet dragging on the ground, etc). You can also use Fitness Bands which are also good if you ever travel for work. I personally feel like doing pullups rather than using the bands is the way to go if you can swing it though. Last but not least, if you struggle with pullups like so many people just starting do, the Pullup Assist Band is very helpful. I still use mine to help increase my reps, but will probably retire it for the next round now that my pullup counts are hitting double digits.

Last but not least, I invested in some adjustable dumbbells. I personally don't care for these as they're fairly wide (which makes doings curls with both arms at the same time somewhat problematic), but if you're limited on space, they get the job done. You may be able to find another brand that aren't nearly so wide as these -- I remember seeing some with square plates that looked more compact. I opted for individual dumbbells when I moved to my dedicated basement workout area which I far prefer -- no fiddling with dials or pins when switching weights when things are moving quickly.

Those are the main things you'll need. I also have a yoga block which is sometimes useful but hardly critical. The last important item I bought were some half gloves -- you'll find when doing lots of pullups and with the heavier weights, you'll probably start getting some serious calluses on your hands. The gloves do help protect your hands somewhat. Oh, and get yourself some good shoes! Running shoes are horrible for a lot of these routines as they just don't have enough ankle support. Cross trainers of some sort usually work best.

Last but not least, P90X3 has 3 programs -- a lean version, the classic version, and a mass version. I personally feel like the lean and classic version have too much cardio for my tastes, so I prefer doing the mass set which focuses a bit more on strength, but the lean or classic programs may be easier for someone starting out. I started with classic, but have since switched to mass and prefer it. Despite having less cardio, my heart rate still gets up there pretty good because Tony mostly keeps things moving along at a brisk pace.

I think that's pretty much it. If you have any questions about any of this let me know and I'll do my best to answer. If you do decide to pick it up and get started, please let us know how it's going!

(How's that for a first post? )