How much do you like looking at pictures of yourself on the beach? Yeah me too. Not that much. As I travel around the beaches of the world I see all kinds of body’s. Some great and some not so great. My wife and I just got back from a slamming pool party at the Mondrian hotel in Scottsdale, Arizona.
I looked around the pool and saw some pretty incredible examples of great bodies. It got me thinking…What is the 20% that these people do that allows me to see veins in their abdomens? I’m a big believer in modeling the success of others (probably from my Tony Robbins upbringing). So I began the search for my lost abdominal veins.
At about 2 a.m. (and after a long night of shooting our first domestic show for Jet Set Life) we turn on the TV in our hotel room. A commercial for the P90X workout comes on. I would have NEVER watched it but I was held captive without my Tivo remote control to fast forward through it. After about 10 minutes I was completely hooked. It just felt real to me. You know how you know when something is real and something is B.S.? This just felt real.
The next morning I sort of sheepishly said to my wife Kim “What did you think of that infomercial for P90X we watched last night”? She said “It looks amazing”. You don’t know what kind of rave review that is from Kim. She has her degree in exercise physiology, has won many fitness competitions and has done years of personal training. I’ve been working out for most of my adult life, run marathons and hold exactly zero faith in infomercials. Did we fall prey to the marketing gods? We couldn’t still be tipsy from the previous night….could we?
We decided to order it. Just three payments of $39.95. What the heck. Right? We logged on to the P90X website and took the plunge. To be accurate the 3 payments of $39.95 doubled by the time the checkout happened because of a few additional items that we needed (chin up bar, bands and recovery drink). You really can’t do the program without the chin up bar or the bands.
A week later the box shows up. 12 DVD’s, a chin up bar, bands, recovery drink and a nutritional book. The program is based on the concept of “muscle confusion”. Simply put, your body never has time to adapt to anything because everyday (6 days a week) your doing something different. You do back & chest, legs, arms etc., but you also do plyometrics, yoga, boxing, stretch, cardio, ab ripper, core synergistic to name a few.
My workouts in the past have consisted of standard gym rat stuff. Back and Bi’s, shoulders and tri’s, legs and arms etc. I’ve been doing this for 20 years! Not only am I bored out of my mind with it but there are way more effective ways to achieve better results. Doing the same gym rat workout didn’t exactly help Arnold much after 30 years.
We popped in the first DVD thinking it would be a different kind of workout but not for a minute did we think we wouldn’t be able to get through it. Yes, dear readers we could NOT get through it. We had to stop it at least 5 times. No joke. Who is this guy on the DVD (Tony Horton), what planet did he come from and why at 45 is he wiping the street with me?
We are only a few weeks into this insane work out so I dont have hard data to give you yet. I will tell you that my body is definitely beginning to change, I absolutely love (and completely fear) the workouts, and will absolutely give it the 90 days it asks for (thats where the 90 in the P90 X comes from, the X comes from X-treme).
I’ll update you on my 30 day results from Greece in a few weeks.
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I LOVE P90X and I’m sure you will too if you give it a chance. I’m not too sure what kind of results you will get with the bands vs dumbbells but I’m sure you will see changes in your body nontheless. I am on Round 2 of P90X (second 90 day period) and still have not mastered the DVDs. Lot’s of diversity.
Fun, fun! Enjoy!
I brought the Slim in 6 several months ago and lost 30lbs. Changed my diet and started following routine. Don’t have enough time or nerve to buy the p90X yet. I also comes with bands, which I love, especially for traveling.
Keep us informed.
I completed the Power 90 a few years ago and loved it. (the predecessor to the P90X) I was in the best shape of my life at 41. I played Division III Lacrosse in College and thought I was in shape then. I was just thinking today how I needed to get back into it. Having completed P90, and knowing how hard that was, I have to admit that I was intimidated by the P90X workouts. I can completely relate to your comment “I absolutely love (and completely fear) the workouts.
I am inspired to get that shape back. I actually had a six pack. Thanks for reminding me…
Mike
Love it, too, and can totally relate to reeling from an infomercial! Have switched (for now) to hot yoga but plan to return to P90 after building up stamina from steam.
Own it!
I have just purchased the P90X program however my question is; do you see a difference between using weights as aposed to using the band???
will you get the same results??
Cant wait to get started!!!