P90X -- What do you put in???

Rinne129
Rinne129 Posts: 6
edited November 11 in Fitness and Exercise
I'm doing a P90X / Insanity hybrid right now and wondering how I should be recording these workouts. If I put in Strength Traning for 45 minutes it says I only burned 157 calories... with how hard I'm working through these sets, I find that hard to believe!! Any suggestions?

Replies

  • porffor
    porffor Posts: 1,210 Member
    I asked the same question earlier! lol

    I logged it as circuit training but that seems high as 40 mins is 437 cals - but then like you say strength training seems too low! lol
  • kit_katty
    kit_katty Posts: 992 Member
    I'm starting on Monday and was reading up on the subject, someone posted this link http://p90xcalories.com/

    Might be worth a look.
  • porffor
    porffor Posts: 1,210 Member
    Thanks - a friend has said tony Horton says it's 600 an hour that brings it in line with the circuit training on MFP so thats good to know.
    :smile:
  • porffor
    porffor Posts: 1,210 Member
    I'm starting on Monday and was reading up on the subject, someone posted this link http://p90xcalories.com/

    Might be worth a look.

    This worked out dead on the MFP cals too - very helpful thanks!
  • sjohnny
    sjohnny Posts: 56,142 Member
    Best thing to do is get a heart rate monitor. I would burn anywhere from 400 to 1000 depending on which tape I was doing and how hard I "brought it".
  • Rinne129
    Rinne129 Posts: 6
    I've read that heart rate monitors can be extremely inaccurate during strength training. Cannot recall the scientifics of why that is but apparently they tend to overestimate significantly...
  • sjohnny
    sjohnny Posts: 56,142 Member
    Seemed like the strength training in P90X still gave a pretty good cardio workout (it wasn't just do a set then rest for 5 minutes and do another set) so I figured it was close enough. I got decent enough results and went by my HRM.
  • tangal88
    tangal88 Posts: 689
    P90X is not straight "Strength Training" however, It is a fast paced circuit type workout, so if done correctly, closer to cardio, then a standard lifting strength only workout (which has longer rest periods, less fast paced, less aerobic type action)

    You can use the circuit training in MFP - but its still rough. But if you do not have an HMR that will be you best option.

    The 500-600 cal burn per DVD is a rough average of all DVDs, for the entire 90 day program, male and female. Fit or unfit. As your fitness level changes, calorie burn will change. As you drop weight, or as you increase wights lifted, or do the routines more correctly - these are all things that make the cal burn change from week to week.

    In reality, you are unlikely to hit that 500-600 mark consistently, all the time. :) Or you may never ever hit it. Remember that an "average" for all users in general. Some will be higher, some much lower.

    For example: I am a Fit female, short stature, having done P90X 7 times, doubles and classic.

    I do all advanced moves, with heavy weights, and exercising during all water breaks, and also use weights in ab ripper and all cardio DVDs. A good burn, for me, is 400 per DVD. I average anywhere from 300-400 per DVD. Less on Ab Ribber, Stretch, Cardio X, and Kempox (unless done with wrist and ankle weights, and hitting a heavy body bag)

    I am working out hard. :)

    Even when I was heavier, I never reached over 400 consistently, when I used a GOOD HRM.

    I had a Timex, that did not allow me to enter gender, and that always gave me a 600 cal burn. :) But it was wrong.

    Men do burn more then women, so if you can not adjust for gender on your HRM, it will be off. Mine was.

    Your fitness level, amount of excess weight carried, muscle mass, gender, size, how long you rest between reps, weight range used, reps done, all will change your personal cal burn.

    You will find using a good HRM, with chest strap, that allows you to enter gender, height, weight - will be much more accurate overall - though not perfect.
  • Hyoderrn
    Hyoderrn Posts: 54 Member
    bump
  • trybefan
    trybefan Posts: 488 Member
    Here are my numbers for the week. I am doing an X/Rev Abs hybrid.....

    Male, 5'7, 203

    Monday- Chest/back ARX 60 min, 605
    Wednesday- Shoulders/arms ARX 70 minutes 626
    Friday- Legs/back ARX 447

    I use a Polar FT4 HRM
  • Kat120285
    Kat120285 Posts: 1,599 Member
    You also tend to burn more when you weigh more. 600 is so far from what I burn but it's close for my fiancé. He burns over 600 where as I burned around 290 for Back, Biceps and Ab Ripper. We both have the same HRM that allows for height, weight, gender and age. I'm looking forward to seeing my burn for Legs, Back and Ab Ripper today :smile:
  • salsera_barbie
    salsera_barbie Posts: 270 Member
    It depends which workout your doing. Kenpo, Plyo and Cardio are all cardio and the most I ever burned was with Kenpo and Plyo at @500.

    On days I did Shoulders and Arms I would barely hit 250, so for me the 600 is way overstated.
  • alpha2omega
    alpha2omega Posts: 229 Member
    A HRM is your best bet. It may not be perfect but it will be the closest estimated calorie burn you can get. I also have the FT4 and have had great results.
  • sjohnny
    sjohnny Posts: 56,142 Member
    I'm 6'4" and weighed 230 when I started P90X last September. For the strength focused tapes I averaged 600 to 800 depending on my intensity.
  • suztheq
    suztheq Posts: 168 Member
    I've done P90X several times and I've honestly never burned anywhere near 600 calories. Not even during Plyo and that workout still kicks my butt. I went to that link and based on the amount of calories I burn according to my heart rate monitor, I could "sing during my workouts". Not the case. Maybe it has to with how good a shape you are in, but those calories seem very high to me. I still think a heart rate rate monitor is the way to go. If you program the user settings and wear it properly, it should be far more accurate than the online calculators. I'd rather burn more calories than I think I do than burn way less and eat more than I should. Hope this helps. :smile:
  • jerzeyrican
    jerzeyrican Posts: 2 Member
    Hey Rinne,

    Get yourself a heart monitor with the band. This is the best way to determine how much calories you have burn. Everyone could do the P90X but depending on your condition or lack of it, the numbers won't be the same for everyone doing the same amount of time. It all depends how hard you push yourself. I've personally have hit 800+ on P90X but I was really pushing myself to failure( I mean I didn't have nothing left in the gas tank when I was done).
  • jerzeyrican
    jerzeyrican Posts: 2 Member
    correction,
    I went back to my journey and I actually burned 688 NOT 800+ That was a combination of two different workouts, sorry for the wrong info.
  • junyr
    junyr Posts: 416 Member
    In the p90x documentation they say to add 600 calories to your diet on days you do the workouts.... *Shrug*
  • Okieace
    Okieace Posts: 56
    I've only logged three days from P90X but here are my results:

    Chest and back: 908
    Plyo: 1048
    Shoulders: 665

    Polar FT7 HRM

    I'm 29, 185 pounds.
  • thefuzz1290
    thefuzz1290 Posts: 777 Member
    P90x, even the "strength training" aspects, is still a cardio workout. If you don't have a HR monitor, I'd log it under circuit. Then again, the amount will vary significantly, depending on how much you actually do within the workout. That p90x calculator someone posted seemed like it would be more accurate than circuit training on MFP.
  • Antigone
    Antigone Posts: 70 Member
    Get a heart rate monitor FOR SURE. That's really the only way to tell what you are burning. I'm doing the hybrid right now too so I'll give you my numbers for the last week. I'm currently 203 pounds, 5'4". I did a round about a year ago and lost 40 pounds, then gained about 15 back while still doing a lot of cardio and surprisingly I'm on week 2 and can already see my muscles growing again! My body respond to muscle growth really well, I'm already down 4 pounds (technically on day 10 right now) and can see changes in photos!

    Day 1 - Chest & Back (no ARX, ran out of time) = 490 calories
    Day 2 - Plyometric Cardio Circuit = 687 calories
    Day 3 - Arms & Shoulders and ARX = 680 calories
    Day 4 - did't log Yoga
    Day 5 - Legs & Back and ARX = 663
    Day 6 - Cardio Power and Resistance = 548

    I log them all as cardio so that I can easily plug in the name of the workout and the calorie number my HRM shows.

    My husband routinely hits 800+ during our workouts but he's in REALLY amazing shape and can do far more weight/reps than I can.

    Hope that helps! :)
  • FittingIn
    FittingIn Posts: 162 Member
    I had the same questions. I eventually purchased the Polar FT40 HRM as it reportedly does a more accurate job measuring caloric burn.

    Still, I've not hit 600 calories on any of the workouts (and I thought I "brought it") :happy:

    I have a great link from a MFP blogger about HRM and their accuracy. PM if you are interested.
  • porffor
    porffor Posts: 1,210 Member
    Thanks everyone - I'm not the OP so hope she doesn't mind my posting. lol

    Really good insight and variation of cals burned. I personally don't eat all (or sometimes any) of my cals back if in any doubt but it's good to see how everyone tracks it. Def have a HRM on my shopping list - Will remember the gender requirement when shopping for one too as thats a great point.
This discussion has been closed.

Categories