Comments on: Why the P90X Exercise Program is Overrated http://naturalbias.com/why-the-p90x-exercise-program-is-overrated/ A better life through natural health, fitness, and personal development. Sun, 05 Feb 2012 20:12:00 +0000 hourly 1 By: Andrew http://naturalbias.com/why-the-p90x-exercise-program-is-overrated/#comment-62906 Andrew Sat, 21 Jan 2012 04:09:12 +0000 http://naturalbias.com/?p=7962#comment-62906 Hey Vin, nice effort. I think your main message is for people to build a program that suits their needs and I agree. Personally, I rearrange P90 and P90X myself, and it works fantastic. First of all, I ignore he nutrition part completely. I eat healthy. I am 5'11 and 168 lbs, I don't need to bother with supplements, although occasional protein shakes make me happy. Second, I started with P90 because I knew P90X was going to be too hard for me. P90 is the first weight exercise that I am able to do, and for this P90 deserves a huge credit. I am 10 weeks into P90, and I am gradually incorporating exercises from P90X into P90. The biggest change is that I actually do P90X Workout 7 Stretch almost every day. I know that flexibility is the most important part of the exercising, and the most part I think P90X Stretch pretty good. Third, in terms of intensity, I do wonder because I also play 3 hours of ultimate every Sunday. Because of this, I will likely loosely follow the schedule of P90X. I enjoy running and biking, so I really don't have intention of following P90X religiously anyways. Fourth, I think P90X is a fantastic place to find out new ways to strengthen different muscles. As an endurance athlete, I have a tendency to neglect strength training...and I HATE THE GYM! P90 and P90X is the first strength training that has worked for me. So will likely go through P90X to find out what types of exercises will most benefit me. Since P90X is just DVDs, I can just pause, fast forward, rewind, and skip whenever I want to. And that's what Tony Horton recommends anyways... So I only see benefits from P90X. It's just a tool, and it all depends on well we can use it. Hey Vin, nice effort. I think your main message is for people to build a program that suits their needs and I agree. Personally, I rearrange P90 and P90X myself, and it works fantastic.

First of all, I ignore he nutrition part completely. I eat healthy. I am 5’11 and 168 lbs, I don’t need to bother with supplements, although occasional protein shakes make me happy.

Second, I started with P90 because I knew P90X was going to be too hard for me. P90 is the first weight exercise that I am able to do, and for this P90 deserves a huge credit. I am 10 weeks into P90, and I am gradually incorporating exercises from P90X into P90. The biggest change is that I actually do P90X Workout 7 Stretch almost every day. I know that flexibility is the most important part of the exercising, and the most part I think P90X Stretch pretty good.

Third, in terms of intensity, I do wonder because I also play 3 hours of ultimate every Sunday. Because of this, I will likely loosely follow the schedule of P90X. I enjoy running and biking, so I really don’t have intention of following P90X religiously anyways.

Fourth, I think P90X is a fantastic place to find out new ways to strengthen different muscles. As an endurance athlete, I have a tendency to neglect strength training…and I HATE THE GYM! P90 and P90X is the first strength training that has worked for me. So will likely go through P90X to find out what types of exercises will most benefit me. Since P90X is just DVDs, I can just pause, fast forward, rewind, and skip whenever I want to. And that’s what Tony Horton recommends anyways…

So I only see benefits from P90X. It’s just a tool, and it all depends on well we can use it.

]]> By: Janine http://naturalbias.com/why-the-p90x-exercise-program-is-overrated/#comment-61624 Janine Wed, 11 Jan 2012 14:22:00 +0000 http://naturalbias.com/?p=7962#comment-61624 I know this conversation thread is dated, but it's new to me. I honestly cannot see how any one could have read this post and thought your were biased, unreasonable, lazy, misinformed. The post was thoughtfully written and thought-provoking. It makes sense. It was a call to action to your readers: To decide on their true health and fitness goals, to make choices based on their real goals, to respect their physical and nutritional individuality, to consider how the "depth" of their fitness values, and to become truly involved in the process of building their health and physical function. Vin, thank you for generously sharing your point of view, and I greatly admire your patience with the commenters. I received so much value from this post and your responses to the commenters. It seems that you haven't written anything new in year. This is definitely a loss for those of us seeking intelligent, balanced information on building our health -- without the hype. I hope that all is well with you and yours. I know this conversation thread is dated, but it’s new to me. I honestly cannot see how any one could have read this post and thought your were biased, unreasonable, lazy, misinformed. The post was thoughtfully written and thought-provoking. It makes sense. It was a call to action to your readers: To decide on their true health and fitness goals, to make choices based on their real goals, to respect their physical and nutritional individuality, to consider how the “depth” of their fitness values, and to become truly involved in the process of building their health and physical function.

Vin, thank you for generously sharing your point of view, and I greatly admire your patience with the commenters. I received so much value from this post and your responses to the commenters.

It seems that you haven’t written anything new in year. This is definitely a loss for those of us seeking intelligent, balanced information on building our health — without the hype.

I hope that all is well with you and yours.

]]> By: Nick http://naturalbias.com/why-the-p90x-exercise-program-is-overrated/#comment-56196 Nick Tue, 13 Dec 2011 21:12:11 +0000 http://naturalbias.com/?p=7962#comment-56196 I just completed a round of P90x, and I'm in the best shape since I played football in high school. (I'm 40 now.) To be fair to P90x, they put out a number of warnings about the intensity of the product, they show various ways of completing different exercises from beginner through advanced. They constantly advise you to modify exercises if necessary and keep track of your progress. There are quite a few exercises that I modify or avoid altogether due to a past back problem. But I still lost weight and built up strength. As for the diet, I did buy protein powder, but only used it a couple times a week. I didn't buy their recovery drink or protein bars. I went to a fairly standard, healthy diet after 30 days and didn't use the diet guide after that. Yoga X ... too long. I usually do about 45-60 minutes worth. Or I use the stretching DVD. I don't think it's for everyone, but I do think that it provides a good variety of exercise routines to keep you motivated and going. I'm doing cardio and strength training on my own through the holidays, and I'll probably start up another round of P90x in January. I just completed a round of P90x, and I’m in the best shape since I played football in high school. (I’m 40 now.) To be fair to P90x, they put out a number of warnings about the intensity of the product, they show various ways of completing different exercises from beginner through advanced. They constantly advise you to modify exercises if necessary and keep track of your progress. There are quite a few exercises that I modify or avoid altogether due to a past back problem. But I still lost weight and built up strength.

As for the diet, I did buy protein powder, but only used it a couple times a week. I didn’t buy their recovery drink or protein bars. I went to a fairly standard, healthy diet after 30 days and didn’t use the diet guide after that.

Yoga X … too long. I usually do about 45-60 minutes worth. Or I use the stretching DVD.

I don’t think it’s for everyone, but I do think that it provides a good variety of exercise routines to keep you motivated and going. I’m doing cardio and strength training on my own through the holidays, and I’ll probably start up another round of P90x in January.

]]> By: Chibi http://naturalbias.com/why-the-p90x-exercise-program-is-overrated/#comment-56097 Chibi Tue, 13 Dec 2011 08:30:12 +0000 http://naturalbias.com/?p=7962#comment-56097 Hi, I was about to purchase this program, to jump start myself, after losing my job 2 years ago, and constantly being taken down a peg for trying to fill work void, I have had other life altering disasters occur, like losing my family, trying to make sense of everything. I have spent enough time burying myself, other family have been trying to get me motivated to care really, this may sound silly, but I saw an asian guy on the p90 commercials, he was flabby, I am more than flabby. I am 310 pounds of irresponsible choices, and sadness. I fight my bouts of insecurity, depression, and pain...I don't do drugs or drink alcohol. But I have let myself go. I used to play football in high school years ago, I was very fit I believe, but alot of the exercises have prob been more harm than good, feet constantly hurt even back than, as did knee. I am down on my luck, and financially stuck. Going to use last bit of money, to buy the program, and try to invest in myself, no nearby gyms what so ever, so going to try to make the best of what ever is around me, from walking at night when its much cooler, and I don't have to get gawked at cruelly, or have things thrown at me. Your article really helped, so I can take this program with a bit of salt as it were, I hope it helps get me in the right direction, because I need to lose some weight, while I accomplish that, I may go back to school. Change career fields. I dont have much, and everything has burned down around me, my wife and kids may they rest in peace, but; I will try to change things. Whats the worse of things, that could happen. Oh yes, Diabetic, and liver enzymes are elevated. I dont really care about being super model visually hyped appearance, I just want to lose weight to be both lighter, stronger, and healthier most importantly. I dont want to be ripped, I want to get thinner. I want my body to react and be healthier, chemically my body to be healthier. Maybe this system can help me drop the weight a bit faster, and than I can switch to other forms of training and maintain the lighter me in the future. Hi, I was about to purchase this program, to jump start myself, after losing my job 2 years ago, and constantly being taken down a peg for trying to fill work void, I have had other life altering disasters occur, like losing my family, trying to make sense of everything. I have spent enough time burying myself, other family have been trying to get me motivated to care really, this may sound silly, but I saw an asian guy on the p90 commercials, he was flabby, I am more than flabby. I am 310 pounds of irresponsible choices, and sadness. I fight my bouts of insecurity, depression, and pain…I don’t do drugs or drink alcohol. But I have let myself go. I used to play football in high school years ago, I was very fit I believe, but alot of the exercises have prob been more harm than good, feet constantly hurt even back than, as did knee.

I am down on my luck, and financially stuck. Going to use last bit of money, to buy the program, and try to invest in myself, no nearby gyms what so ever, so going to try to make the best of what ever is around me, from walking at night when its much cooler, and I don’t have to get gawked at cruelly, or have things thrown at me.

Your article really helped, so I can take this program with a bit of salt as it were, I hope it helps get me in the right direction, because I need to lose some weight, while I accomplish that, I may go back to school. Change career fields. I dont have much, and everything has burned down around me, my wife and kids may they rest in peace, but; I will try to change things.

Whats the worse of things, that could happen. Oh yes, Diabetic, and liver enzymes are elevated. I dont really care about being super model visually hyped appearance, I just want to lose weight to be both lighter, stronger, and healthier most importantly. I dont want to be ripped, I want to get thinner. I want my body to react and be healthier, chemically my body to be healthier. Maybe this system can help me drop the weight a bit faster, and than I can switch to other forms of training and maintain the lighter me in the future.

]]> By: Romie Bourne http://naturalbias.com/why-the-p90x-exercise-program-is-overrated/#comment-51791 Romie Bourne Sat, 19 Nov 2011 03:04:03 +0000 http://naturalbias.com/?p=7962#comment-51791 I agree with this article 100% and I did P90X several times along with Insanity and Turbo Fire. I was at one time an elite athlete so I didn't come to these workouts out of shape BUT I ended up having many of the physical problems that are stated here. I was RIPPED at one time and sore every day. I looked great in a bikini but felt if I didn't continue to go full bore that I was going to lose it and then be a loser. Yes, my choices, my decisions but we all want to look great. And especially as time marches on. You are very well informed and I concur on every point about the protein bars and shakes and the weights and the plyo, etc., etc. I feel P90X emphasizes the WRONG things about being fit and healthy. If I am in pain from overexercising and suffer the problems athletes suffer from the abuse their bodies take in their career, (and this abuse has been self-induced because I want to look better in a bathing suit) honestly, I have discovered, I am coming from the wrong place about my fitness. I agree with this article 100% and I did P90X several times along with Insanity and Turbo Fire. I was at one time an elite athlete so I didn’t come to these workouts out of shape BUT I ended up having many of the physical problems that are stated here. I was RIPPED at one time and sore every day. I looked great in a bikini but felt if I didn’t continue to go full bore that I was going to lose it and then be a loser. Yes, my choices, my decisions but we all want to look great. And especially as time marches on.

You are very well informed and I concur on every point about the protein bars and shakes and the weights and the plyo, etc., etc. I feel P90X emphasizes the WRONG things about being fit and healthy. If I am in pain from overexercising and suffer the problems athletes suffer from the abuse their bodies take in their career, (and this abuse has been self-induced because I want to look better in a bathing suit) honestly, I have discovered, I am coming from the wrong place about my fitness.

]]> By: Darrell http://naturalbias.com/why-the-p90x-exercise-program-is-overrated/#comment-51023 Darrell Mon, 14 Nov 2011 22:04:35 +0000 http://naturalbias.com/?p=7962#comment-51023 Hi Vin, I just finished the p90x program and I'm happy with the results but found your article to be an honest assessment of the program. I plan to do the program again but will forgo the powder mixes and bars and will be using a diet plan based on real foods. I plan to modify the program the second time around in a way that works best for me. I like the yoga section for example but find 1.5 hours too long so I cut it to an hour and only work out 5 days a week. I like the ab routines though so I'll keep doing those etc. Some that stress the lower back I'll adjust accordingly. 'm looking at this as a long term investment and realize I can't or won't do a program this intense for long. I admit, I did begin this program in order to look good but I don't think that's a bad place to start either. Hi Vin,
I just finished the p90x program and I’m happy with the results but found your article to be an honest assessment of the program. I plan to do the program again but will forgo the powder mixes and bars and will be using a diet plan based on real foods. I plan to modify the program the second time around in a way that works best for me. I like the yoga section for example but find 1.5 hours too long so I cut it to an hour and only work out 5 days a week. I like the ab routines though so I’ll keep doing those etc. Some that stress the lower back I’ll adjust accordingly. ‘m looking at this as a long term investment and realize I can’t or won’t do a program this intense for long. I admit, I did begin this program in order to look good but I don’t think that’s a bad place to start either.

]]> By: Megan http://naturalbias.com/why-the-p90x-exercise-program-is-overrated/#comment-50525 Megan Sat, 12 Nov 2011 22:22:19 +0000 http://naturalbias.com/?p=7962#comment-50525 Oh my goodness! Thank you so much for writing this! I wondered why the heck I wasn't getting anywhere and all the soreness and extreme fatigue was happening. when Tony and the gang all looked like they weren't even tired. :( I followed the meal program and the exercise was way too much for someone my size 5'4'' female ~135 lbs. :( I was exhausted all the time. I tried cutting out certain workouts like plyo and yoga and some of the weight training exercises that were repeats. I can't afford all the protein they were requiring and the carbs I ate were all that were keeping me going. I'm glad someone else agrees that this program isn't all healthy. Oh my goodness! Thank you so much for writing this! I wondered why the heck I wasn’t getting anywhere and all the soreness and extreme fatigue was happening. when Tony and the gang all looked like they weren’t even tired. :(
I followed the meal program and the exercise was way too much for someone my size 5’4” female ~135 lbs. :( I was exhausted all the time. I tried cutting out certain workouts like plyo and yoga and some of the weight training exercises that were repeats. I can’t afford all the protein they were requiring and the carbs I ate were all that were keeping me going.

I’m glad someone else agrees that this program isn’t all healthy.

]]> By: Jhimbo http://naturalbias.com/why-the-p90x-exercise-program-is-overrated/#comment-47573 Jhimbo Thu, 27 Oct 2011 04:18:44 +0000 http://naturalbias.com/?p=7962#comment-47573 Thanks for the articule man, I start P90X, 3 weeks ago and was wondering about a life long term on this Thanks for the articule man, I start P90X, 3 weeks ago and was wondering about a life long term on this

]]> By: Kimberlynn Shaffer-Silva http://naturalbias.com/why-the-p90x-exercise-program-is-overrated/#comment-40418 Kimberlynn Shaffer-Silva Thu, 29 Sep 2011 16:17:11 +0000 http://naturalbias.com/?p=7962#comment-40418 Great article Vin, I truly appreciate being able to hear ALL of the pros and cons about a program in order to make the the best and most responsible choice possible. I was 190lbs last summer, and in January (2011) I joined sparkpeople.com - which is where I heard about P90X - and have, so far, gotten down to 155 by making a lifestyle change. Not a diet. What you said about needing to make changes that last a lifetime are so true. Our society has become so focused on the instant gratification of every single thing in their lives (remote control; microwave oven; dishwasher; garage door opener; high-speed internet; etc.) that the thought of gaining success slowly and over an extended period of time is unfathomable. But that's the only way for it to really and truly work. Thanks for such a great and informative article. Great article Vin,
I truly appreciate being able to hear ALL of the pros and cons about a program in order to make the the best and most responsible choice possible. I was 190lbs last summer, and in January (2011) I joined sparkpeople.com – which is where I heard about P90X – and have, so far, gotten down to 155 by making a lifestyle change. Not a diet. What you said about needing to make changes that last a lifetime are so true. Our society has become so focused on the instant gratification of every single thing in their lives (remote control; microwave oven; dishwasher; garage door opener; high-speed internet; etc.) that the thought of gaining success slowly and over an extended period of time is unfathomable. But that’s the only way for it to really and truly work. Thanks for such a great and informative article.

]]> By: Stephanie http://naturalbias.com/why-the-p90x-exercise-program-is-overrated/#comment-30872 Stephanie Wed, 07 Sep 2011 17:13:32 +0000 http://naturalbias.com/?p=7962#comment-30872 Hey Vin! Great article. I am one of those people who really enjoy P90X..but it was refreshing to read your article and some of your tips about the program I've already been doing... I've never followed the nutrition plan since I eat pretty healthy already (if it aint broke, don't fix it..etc) and yoga-X is better used as a coaster around here..I hate it. While I do enjoy plyo once a week or so...I normally replace the "cardio" DVDs with outdoor running or hiking in the mountains. I will say that I've seen impressive results from doing it this way! I feel like I am in the best shape of my life..the only thing I wanted from P90X is to feel stronger and have more energy..and it has done that for me! I'm also not planning on doing it for 90 days..I don't follow the calendar...I just wake up every morning and do it. I have no idea how long i've been doing it...I alternate the weight DVDs (never doing back muscles twice in one week, etc...) and it seems to be working just fine. It's part of my life..not just a note on my calendar. Thanks for the article! Hey Vin!

Great article. I am one of those people who really enjoy P90X..but it was refreshing to read your article and some of your tips about the program I’ve already been doing… I’ve never followed the nutrition plan since I eat pretty healthy already (if it aint broke, don’t fix it..etc) and yoga-X is better used as a coaster around here..I hate it. While I do enjoy plyo once a week or so…I normally replace the “cardio” DVDs with outdoor running or hiking in the mountains. I will say that I’ve seen impressive results from doing it this way! I feel like I am in the best shape of my life..the only thing I wanted from P90X is to feel stronger and have more energy..and it has done that for me! I’m also not planning on doing it for 90 days..I don’t follow the calendar…I just wake up every morning and do it. I have no idea how long i’ve been doing it…I alternate the weight DVDs (never doing back muscles twice in one week, etc…) and it seems to be working just fine. It’s part of my life..not just a note on my calendar.

Thanks for the article!

]]>