From Fit to SUPER Fit – P90X
Before & After – how I looked before I started my workouts compared to how I looked after graduating from P90X.
After finding more energy and a healthy body by using Power 90, I was ready to take the next step in my fitness journey. I knew the Power 90 routines and was getting comfortable with them. I wanted to push myself and I was ready to COMMIT to the next step. I was confident in my fitness level but knew in order to keep seeing more changes I had to do something more, and I was capable of it.
The next logical step for me was P90X as I was already comfortable with Tony Horton’s philosophy. I had seen the results that P90X promised and I had prepared myself both mentally and physically for the commitment. The biggest difference was the time I needed to commit to my workouts. Power 90 was 35 minutes a day, but P90X requires 75 to 90 minutes a day. As a busy mom, time wasn’t something I had plenty of – but I knew that I would be getting the best workout for the amount of time I was putting in. I also knew that by continuing to workout at home, I was leveraging my time by eliminating the commute to the gym.
What I liked best about P90X was tracking my results and seeing improvements each week. I enjoyed the variety that P90X offered and found the dialogue with Tony to be comforting. He was goofy and I felt like I was getting to know him, especially since I was working out with him on a daily basis. There were plenty of struggles for me during P90X. But, I took it one day at a time and as Tony says: “I did my best, and forgot the rest”. I started with a modified version of the pull ups using a resistance band and then moved to a chair for leverage. I now use the chin-up max and LOVE how I can get my maximum number of pull ups in with this accessory. At the end, my hard work paid off and took me from fit to SUPER fit (and I even got to meet Tony Horton).
Meeting Tony Horton
P90X works because it uses the principle of “muscle confusion.” In this case, confusion is a good thing because each training phase is designed to keep your body guessing and thus working to its maximum potential. The 90-day program is a mix of weight and cardio routines that keep things interesting. It even includes 90 minutes of Yoga each week to improve balance and flexibility. Before P90X I had not done any Yoga (unless you count the 5 minute yoga warm-up from Power 90) and to be honest I struggled BIG TIME with it. But what I saw was that just by doing what I could and moving on (but not turning off the DVD) – I built strength while continuing to work on balance and flexibility. I have a full appreciation for what Yoga can do for fitness and I now try to practice Yoga at least once a week. I agree with Tony when he says that Yoga is the Fountain of Youth.
When I think about WHO should do P90X many types of people come to mind: the former athlete looking to get their fitness back, the Power 90 graduate looking for something to push them to the next level, the person who wants to be pushed to do their best, the person who wants an in-home personal trainer but cannot afford one, someone that loves a challenge, or just a MOM looking for her abs. I typically recommend this workout to people looking for variety in their workout and who are prepared to exercise at least an hour a day.
If you are thinking about trying P90X my biggest tip is: modify the workout as needed. Tony always shows you a slightly easier modification for each exercise, and you get to choose the level of intensity that you use with each cardio workout. If you’re a new to fitness, then be careful not to over do it. You’ll risk injury as well as potentially find yourself too exhausted to stick to the program. It is easy to compare yourself to the P90X grads that are working out on the DVD, but remember they too had to start out somewhere. Just take it one day at a time. I promise it gets easier every day.
