Is P90X The Best Workout Ever?

You will never hear me say that. What you will hear me say is that P90X is the best workout for me. When I bought it from Beachbody in March of 2007, no one had told me about it, I had never seen an infomercial and didn’t know anything about it except what I read on the website and it looked very good.

I was an ACE Certified Personal Trainer for more than a dozen years, going to people’s homes when I lived in New Jersey, working briefly in a club, The Training Sensation, here in Albuquerque (I didn’t like it) and then finally having people come to my home to work out.

When I added a sunroom to my house in 2002, it was designed to accommodate the equipment that I had - complete set of hex head dumbbells and an Olympic weight bench with bars, attachments and a full set of plates. In addition, I purchased a Body Solid Multigym and a Smooth 9.1 HR treadmill (the gym was about $2,400 at the time and I had to assemble it from six boxes that were delivered to my door and the treadmill was about the same price).

Big mistake, in many ways. The gym was boring and I had to make myself use it and I never used the treadmill because I just ran outside given Albuquerque’s great weather. I have a picture of me standing in front of the gym in June 2004 and you can see that the results are far from impressive.

Now let’s fast forward almost four years and I have discovered P90X. It cost $129.95 and I bought a P90X Chin Up Bar for $54.95. I have a dust covered multigym and treadmill in my sunroom that is taking up way too much space and I would have to disassemble the gym before I had any idea of selling it or even giving it away. I already dissassemled the weight bench and it is packed away in the garage.

The treadmill and the gym cost about $4,800.00 and P90X and the chin up bar cost me $184.90 (I already had the dumbbells, but the set would cost about $100.00 or so).

Is P90X the best workout ever? Everyone who is selling a product these days says that their product is the “best ever”, so you have to figure that out on your own. Is P90X the best workout for me? Yes. I am 57 and in less than 2 months using P90X, this is my transformation from January 30, 2008 to April 4, 2008.

How do you think I will look at the end of 90 days? Do you understand why I would say that P90X is the best workout for me?  Can you imagine what P90X could do for you?

P90X Keeps Coaches On Par

A new Coach and hearty P90Xers, the golf team from College of the Southwest in Hobbs, NM recently won their first match. Their coach, Daniel Hayden, attributes it to the fact that P90X has such intense core work which has increased his balance, flexibility, and agility. “Besides the strength I’ve gained, I have more control of my swing and feel more centered over the ball than ever!” he said. What’s more, they are a great example of how you can use the Beachbody coaching opportunity when fundraising. The team is selling Beachbody® products (P90X, etc.) to other students and staff, and making money for their team. Think of the advantage of selling fitness over candy for an athletic program! They really walk the talk.

Beachbody P90X Message Boards

There are 66 pages of threads on P90X with posts by everyone from a 63 year old woman who did 90X, to average guys and gals, runners, triathletes and my favorite X-Athletes. X-Athletes are athletes from virtually every sport who have embraced P90X and incorporated it into their training, realizing the incredible benefits to their fitness, strength, flexibility and their ability to play their chosen sports at a higher level.

With all of those posts, why not just go to the Beachbody P90X Message Boards yourself and check them out. If you like what you read and you decide to get P90X, you can either click here and buy if from me (I am an Independent Beachbody Coach) and help me support my family or you can buy it directly from Beachbody (they might have a special offer). Either way, P90X is a journey that I highly recommend that you take this first step on if you find out from your reading that it is something that would benefit you as it has me.

Inspiration From the Boards

“Well I would just like to say I jumped into P90X 3 months ago. But let me start at the real beginning. Last October I was laid off of work just out of heartbreaking relationship and had not really worked out in years. So I bought a used crossbow machine and started working out on my own. I saw some progress but wanted so much more. Then I heard about P90X and what caught my attention was the Kenpo X. You see I used to be a kenpo karate instructor and loved it. I went out and ordered the program right away. It was everything and more that I could ask for. Tony Horton’s way of motivation worked for me right away. I found myself high 5ing him after a workout!

Anyhow 90 days later I am ripped and @ 6% bodyfat. I can do more pullups and pushups than ever before. My abs look great and my lungs feel like I can suck in the world they feel so strong. I know my weaknesses now also. And am going on to P90X Plus. I also have decided to get a personal trainer certificate and start helping others out there. I loved teaching kenpo back in the day and feel I still have that in me to help others get fit and stay fit.

So if anyone needs some reinforcement and you are feeling depressed about life there are not total answered but P90X kept me going and pulled me to my feet again. I still have a journey to travel but I am on the right path.”

Beachbody P90X Message Boards

A Message From the Boards

“Hi P90X-ers! I just have to post this message for whoever is starting the program. All I have to say is that this was the best decision I have ever made. I weighed 158 pounds when I started and I am now 138 month 2…AND I am gaining muscle like crazy. When my shirt is off and I walk in front of a mirror I have to stop and examine the muscles that are showing that I never knew I had! I love P90X!!! And Tony makes the workouts fun….(great humor!!!!) And that helps me!!! My results just from the second phase has motivated me to do this program for life…I have more energy, more muscle definition and I just feel AWESOME!!! I will always BRING IT!!!”

BeachBody P90X Message Boards

David is a Whole New Person at a New Weight

I could never be a P90X success story because I didn’t lose a lot of weight, which always makes for a great story or go from a 90 pound weakling to “Mr. America”. But I am thrilled to be able to let you see other people’s P90X success stories and hopefully they will motivate you to take charge of your life like David did.

At 360 pounds, David was convinced that he’d never lose the weight. Yet he never let the challenges of weight loss get him down and now he’s a whole new person with a whole new life.

Growing up overweight wasn’t easy for David. He grew self-conscious about eating and began eating in secret by himself. At 19 he tipped the scales at 360 pounds. His doctor told him that, in order to save his own life, it was vital he get healthy. But he didn’t know where to start. David was skeptical when his older sister told him about a program that had worked for her and an aunt. Having tried a variety of fad diets and “springy fitness toys” with little success, David found it hard to buy into anything new. But he saw with his own eyes the difference it made for his aunt and sister. Their results and enthusiasm convinced David to give Power 90® a shot. The next thing he knew, his sister wanted to take “before” pictures and measurements. He was so nervous that he wouldn’t even take off his shirt for the camera. A few days later he Pushed Play for the very first time.

Right off the bat, Tony was moving and David was struggling to catch up—but his determination kept him going and, at the end of the first 35 minutes, he says that he “looked like [he] stepped out of a pool and panted like a woman giving birth.” This was the start for David and before he knew it, he was halfway through the program and 40 pounds lighter. Every time David ran into people he hadn’t seen in a while, they were blown away by the weight he’d lost. Recognition like this really helped keep him going. In a year he was down to 250 pounds but had hit a plateau. He decided to add Slim in 6® in the mornings and keep with his Power 90 at night. This combination, coupled with his now almost impeccable diet, led to great results. He was hooked on the programs and decided to move up to P90X®. David says that P90X was the most challenging physical activity he’d ever attempted. But when he saw the results he knew it was worth it. Having lost an astounding 160 pounds, he had lost half of his body weight! Coming up on year five, David has managed to lose a total of 160 pounds and 27 percent body fat. But more importantly, he says, is that he’s kept it off and changed his lifestyle. His eating habits and exercise routine are all designed to help him lead a better and healthier life. He’s gained an abundance of knowledge and finds it funny that he, a former 360-pounder, now gives diet and exercise advice. David says that to struggle with a battle your whole life and come out victorious is the greatest feeling anyone could ever experience.

P90X+ Is Here!

Tony Horton’s ALL-NEW P90X+. If you love P90X® and you’re saying, “Give me more,” or, “I need a challenge”—then here it is, the P90X+ Series.The NEW P90X+ will break through plateaus with intense new cardio, muscle chiseling, and ab/core-ripping moves to ramp up your results. Adding these new advanced workouts into your P90X rotation will literally TAKE YOUR WORKOUT TO THE NEXT LEVEL and create workout combinations beyond your imagination.

You’ll dig Jason Scheff’s music, the wildly intense workouts, and Tony’s reliable banter. For anyone who wants to truly “feel” their workouts, we dare you to feel these! To purchase P90X+, click here.

Tony Horton A 98 Pound Weakling?

I kid you not. This is not lore. This is straight from the source:

Growing up, Tony Horton preferred fast food to his mother’s healthy home cooking. Tony wasn’t always Bringing It. Born in Westley, RI, and raised in Trumbull, CT, Tony preferred fast food to his mom’s cooking, hated exercising, and didn’t particularly like sports. He describes himself then as the “quintessential 98-pound weakling.” Having moved to Hollywood to pursue his dream of acting, Tony realized he had to get fit to succeed. He joined the renowned World Gym in Venice, California, where Arnold Schwarzenegger and Lou Ferrigno worked out. With friends and acquaintances blown away by his physical transformation, it wasn’t long before Tony’s career as a sought-after fitness trainer began, and programs like P90X and Power 90 came to fruition.

Is P90X Another Beachbody Scam?

No. Unequivocally no. P90X is a professionally produced workout DVD that is unquestionably effective and when used as intended it produces guaranteed results.

But instead of just ending the post there, I would like to address the issue of Beachbody scams, since P90X is produced by BeachBody. Before I begin, let me just say that I don’t work for Beachbody, a relative or friend of mine does not work for Beachbody, I don’t know Carl Daikeler or anybody else at Beachbody.  The reason that I care what you think about Beachbody is because I am a Sagitarius and I always want the truth to be told, so let’s get going.

Beachbody and Carl Daikeler are trying to change the pitiful state of our health and fitness in this country by selling fitness products that include workout DVD’s like P90X and Hip Hop Abs, workout accessories like chin up bars and resistance bands and supplements like recovery drinks and meal replacement shakes. There are many, many companies doing the same thing - some good and some bad. No one would disagree that Beachbody sells good products. Beachbody also has an online fitness club, which is unique and excellent by the way, that has perhaps 500,000 members. And finally, Beachbody runs infomercials that you see on the weekends if you are flipping channels. If there are any complaints, they stem from the operators who answer the 800 numbers that appear in the commercials. Whether it is a handful of operators which is most likely since in every company, organization, etc. there are always a few bad apples or systemic I don’t know, but apparently some people have gotten annoyed because the operators are trying to upsell them. That means if you order a workout DVD, they might suggest resistance bands to go with it or a recovery drink for after your workout. Every retailer does that. One issue that arises, however, is the option to purchase supplements on Home Direct. That means that if you buy a thirty day supply of a vitamin, it will automatically be sent to you again in 30 days and you will be billed every thirty days. If you choose that option and then get a charge on your account that you forgot you agreed to, then, yes, I am sure that you would complain, but did Beachbody make you agree to something that you didn’t want to?

Finally, the online fitness club comes with a 30 day free trial. After that, you are billed $2.99 a week for three months in advance and again every three months if you continue to be a member. Can you imagine billing half a million people for $2.99 every week? That would be absurd. You get a free month. If you want to continue, you are billed for the next three months in advance (about $40.00) and then again in three months, but only if you want to continue. If you don’t want to continue in the club and you forget to tell Beachbody, well, you are automatically billed and all you have to do is tell them and they will reverse the charge. If you choose to complain about the charge, then that is your right and that is why some people think that Beachbody is a scam.

What happens when people complain and it gets on the Internet? You type “Beachbody scam” in Google and sites like www.infomercialscams.com appear and people have the opportunity to voice their complaints. And even if the issues have been addressed by the company and individuals reprimanded if that was necessary, the complaints will stay on the Internet probably forever. That is the truth and that is all that I care to address. Otherwise, you can think what you want about Beachbody, but you won’t find a company trying harder to sell products that will improve your health and fitness and doing it with all good intentions.

Is P90X Fun?

You bet! And again, I am not a fitness guru or one of those guys who rides his bike across the country or runs 63 marathons in 63 days. I am an older runner (you know, those skinny types) of average build and no exceptional genes. But, five mornings a week, I do P90X. You can call it going to class with Tony Horton as the teacher and different students in each of the 12 different “classes” or going to the “gym” and working out with Tony Horton and his friends. Either way, the workout DVD route to fitness coupled with the fact that I am working out in the comfort of my own home, is the optimum way for me to enhance and maintain a high level of fitness. In fact, working out at home gives me the opportunity to multi-task and since I work out in the same room as my computer, I can pause P90X if necessary and check and answer customer emails. It also means that my workout time is very compact and efficient because there is no getting dressed for the weather, no drive to the gym and no excuses, since whatever else I might need to do in the time that I am working out (like one of my girls waking up early and wanting Dad time) I can do and still get in a complete workout.

So, yes, P90X is fun and coupled with the fact that it is a complete fitness and nutrition plan, I am blessed to be able to benefit from the opportunity it provides me to optimize my health and fitness while at the same time saving money on gym memberships and adding a lot more minutes to my day.