Who is it for?
Originally designed for graduates of Power 90 (now P90), P90X can be done by anyone with a good fitness base. Just make sure and follow the modifier when and wherever it’s necessary.
What equipment does it require?
Weights and/or resistance bands. A pull-up bar or door attachment for your bands. A yoga mat and a good pair of shoes. A plyo mat, yoga blocks, and push-up stands are excellent options to have also.
How much muscle mass will I gain with P90X?
There are three different rotation options with P90X: Classic, Lean, and Doubles. Classic is designed for more hypertrophy, the other two for a leaner look. There is also a specific mass rotation that you can find here.
Do I really have to do P90X Yoga?
While Yoga creates the most complaints by new Xers, those people tend to be the biggest converts by its end. The balance, isometric strength, and mobility gains you make doing yoga are hard to surpass using other exercise modalities. You can’t simply replace Yoga with X Stretch. Stretching does very little for strength and balance. This is why Tony never goes a week without yoga. He considers it the most important aspect of his fitness.
How often can I do Ab Ripper X?
While it’s technically possible to work your abs daily (because they have a higher percentage of slow-twitch muscle fiber), results come quicker when you work them harder and then recover longer. This is why we only have it on the schedule every other day.
How effective are the modifications?
They can be very effective but it’s important that you push yourself as well. For example, when you’re using a chair for pull-ups, you need to force enough weight onto your upper body so that you can barely finish, or even fail. If you’re just doing squats to reach the bar you’re doing a different exercise. As long as you’re pushing toward failure, and failing at times, you’re on the right track.
What if I can’t finish the workouts?
It means that you could probably use some more time doing P90. You can still progress through P90X, however, by abridging each workout to suit your current fitness level. It’s somewhat common for people to begin doing only the warm-up, cooldown, and one round of a workout, then increasing the time and intensity as they can. Perhaps it’s not as effective as doing P90, but it works just fine.
Can I run and/or train for other sports while doing P90X?
We don’t generally suggest piling the two things up, unless you’re using light aerobic work as a recovery workout, but we do have a series of articles on how to customize P90X for your sport. If there’s something you’d like us to add, let us know in the comments.
• How to Combine Triathlon Training with P90X
• How to Customize P90X for Specific Goals
• How to Combine Running with P90X
I need a basic, basic meal plan for when I am training with P90X.
The Portion Plan in the P90X Nutrition Guide is as basic as it gets. However, if you’re looking for more detail, check out the Meal Planner on Team Beachbody.
Can I do the 21 Day Fix Eating Plan with P90X?
Given the three phases of the P90X Nutrition Plan, we recommend sticking to that. However, the 21 Day Fix Eating Plan will still work. Just follow the calorie levels given to you in the nutrition guide that came with your program with one of the 21 Day Fix Calorie Charts.
I missed a week due to vacation/work travel/sickness. Where do I start from today?
Missing a few days is no big deal. Just jump back into your program where you left off. After about five or six days off, your body is fully recovered and very strong, and you actually have the ability to hurt yourself by breaking down your fast-twitch muscle fibers. This can make you too sore to work out for over a week. If you’ve missed more than five days, start slow on your first day back, maybe doing a third to a half of your normal workout and ramp up little by little, taking about a week to get back to where you left off.
What’s the perfect next step?
This depends upon your goals. P90X2 or INSANITY: THE ASYLUM are the natural extensions, though almost any fitness option is possible. The world is now your oyster. We recommend that you take a short break consisting of maintenance work before moving into your next hard program.
What is maintenance work?
It’s much harder to get into shape than it is to maintain that shape once you get there. You can generally maintain a level pretty close to peak fitness with about half the volume of your program. To maintain, you can utilize many different forms of training but the easiest is often 3–4 days per week of the program you just finished. It will decline slowly over time, but you’ll probably start another program or activity to pick up the slack after awhile.