After my last pregnancy I used P90X to blast myself back into shape. While I had a hard time sticking to the diet, as a vegetarian, I followed the exercise program to a T, and it helped me get back some of my upper and lower body strength. These days I don’t have time to do an hour and a half workout each day. And with starting running again, I don’t want to add a whole other exercise routine to the mix, but I have found doing the P90X videos on my non-running days, now and then have been a real help.
Plyometrics – Tony Horton says these are the center of P90X, and while his commentary may be as annoying as all hell, it is also a bit motivating. And Plyometrics isn’t dull; it keeps you moving and jumping in a way that is challenging and interesting. I was worried that Plyometrics would bring back memories of me hating gym class, but instead it kept me vastly entertained. As someone who cannot handle dance moves to build lower body strength, I found jumping – what plyometrics is really about – to be much more fun and entertaining.
Legs and back – This is a great combination to really help you build lower body strength. Back and core strength is essential if you are going to be able to use your newfound lower body strength. This workout weaves both together so that you can help build up both. Again, Tony isn’t my favorite trainer, but since one of the biggest perks of working out at home is yelling at the trainer, this workout suits me fine. This workout mostly consists of different squats, and it can really help build strength for runners or anyone looking to build lower body strength.
Yoga X – I’ve written here before about how yoga can help build lower body strength. The Yoga X workout is a long one, but it gives you a nice run through of a basic yoga series that can help you build and maintain lower body strength. While Yoga X has gotten a bit of criticism, it is mostly, I think, because the people doing it have never tried yoga before.
If you are looking for a good at home workout, P90X is really a great solution for everyone. You need to devote yourself to it, and not get bogged down by all of the chatter. It is a fun workout, and you can continue to use the DVD’s despite not following the program to a T if you just don’t have the time.
My husband purchased the P90X program several months ago and has been using it intermittently. I have a set workout routine that keeps me in shape, but having been doing the same routine for about a year, I decided to give a few of the workouts a try. I enjoyed the YogaX and was pleased to see that I could do all moves with little effort. The Plyometrics was a fabulous workout, raising my heartbeat and coating me in sweat.
I also find Tony to be absolutely annoying to listen to! Additionally, the length of some workouts can be ridiculous. With my regular workouts, I am done in 30 minutes and manage to stay in excellent shape.
I will use P90X as an occasional supplement to offer some muscle confusion and a change in routine. However, I can’t imagine using it daily.