Will P90x2 Be Better Than The Current P90x Routine?

P90x Routine Vs The New P90x2

So you have the current P90x Routine, but did you know that P90x2 is coming out in the next few months?

That is right, Tony Horton and BeachBody.com are going to be releasing the updated and upgraded version of P90x.  From what I have read on the Beachbody site, it is due to be released on December 25th, 2011.  That is just in time for the after christmas holidays when you have a lot of time to start a new workout plan, especially after enjoying a few goodies at xmas dinner.

The new version of the product is very similar in nature to the original P90x Routine.  It consists of a set of DVDs that walk you through the workouts with Tony himself.  You of course get a fitness guide that helps explain the program and all the workouts that you are doing on each DVD, plus like the original, you get a Nutrition Plan and Workout Calendar.  So what what makes P90x2 so special?  Well for one, the discs can be in normal DVD format OR you can get less discs but in Blue Ray versions so you can see Tony’s sweat on your 60 inch big screen LCD in it’s full glory.  Another thing is that instead of just the same old “Muscle Confusion” that was all hyped up in the first version, this version has something called P.A.P., or Post-Activation Potentiation and Tony says not to worry about remembering the words, just know that it WORKS!

A little excert from the BeachBody sites says this:

Does it have to be P90X branded equipment?

I have outlined the basics of what kinds of gear is needed for the P90X Routine in the P90X Equipment Needed article.  Not all of it is required to do the exercises in the P90x routines but lots of it is very recommended if you want to achieve the best results from the program.  The one thing many people ask is “Do I have to buy the P90X branded equipment or will other brand names work just as good?”

Well for every routine, there is a specially designed piece of equipment with the P90X brand name on it.  So you can easily outfit yourself with everything you would need in order to complete each routine properly.  With that said, the P90X gear will only give you the choice of one item, so there is not much variety if you want or require something slightly different than what they sell.

The P90X equipment is designed well with the specific exercises in mind, but if you are injured, extremely out of shape, in great athletic shape, have physical constraints in the location you choose to workout in, want to add some variation to the exercise routine or you are just on a budget.  Then the P90X equipment might not be the best option for you.  In my particular case, I workout in the basement of my 100 year old house and the problem is that the doorways in the house are not suitable for the doorway style P90X Chin-Up Bar.  So instead I purchased a Stamina 1690 Power Tower which takes care of all of the pull up and chin up exercises in the P90x Routine.

Another example is the P90X Pro-Grade PowerStands Push-Up Stands, do not get me wrong, these are great push up stand.  The thing is a friend of mine that has done P90x had a lot of trouble and discomfort doing push ups due to his weight and weak forearms.  After consulting with a sports therapist, they recommend him try the Perfect Basic Pushup, which is a push up bar that rotates.  This allows for your arm to rotate a bit while doing the push up, which took the strain off his forearms and wrists.  After using this different push up stand, he was able to complete the P90X routine with much less discomfort.

My last example is for the cheapskates like myself.  The P90X Comfort Grip Resistance Bands Workout Kit, comes with 3 bands and is prices around $46.00. As an awesome alternative, you can get the Black Mountain Products Resistance Band Set. This set includes FIVE bands, a door anchor, Carrying bag, Ankle Strap, B.M.P. and Starter Guide, with the better price of #39.00 with it seen on sale for $29.00.  Now to me that is a much better price for more product and trust me, getting the door anchor and Ankle straps are well worth it.

The one thing I want to mention again, that is the Branded P90x equipment is all great, well constructed workout equipment.  I have a few of the products in my basement right now.  I just want to let you know that there are great alternatives out there and you do not require P90x equipment to do the P90x routine.

The P90x Routine Ranked Easy to Difficult

So what are the easy workouts compared to the more difficult workouts in the P90x Routine?

Well that is a little hard to say since everyone is at different fitness, athletic and injury levels.  Something that might be easy for me to do, may be difficult with someone that has had a knee injury or is just starting out on their fitness journey.  There is no answer for everyone here, but I will try to at least give you an idea of what to expect when it comes to the P90x routine.

Here is a listing from 1 to 12, with 1 being the easiest and 12 being the hardest.

1 - x Stretch : x Stretch is the easiest because they are no impact exercises that do not make you sweat too much.

2 - Yoga X : Still no impact but let me tell you that you will be sweating when you are done.

3 - Cardio X : Low impact and super sweaty.  If your cardio is weak, this may be tough for you to complete.

4 – Kenpo X : About the same cardio but the kicking and punching is not easy when you are tired or swore.

5 – Legs & Back : A total body workout but not super difficult.  Most people will do this without too much trouble.

6 – Shoulder & Arms : More concentrated on arms/shoulders which are weak for many people, so can get difficult at times.

7 - Chest, Shoulders & Triceps : Adding even more concentrated muscles means more difficulty for most non athletic people.

8 – Back & Biceps : A lot of the same type of exercise that drains your muscles and leaves you swore the next day.  I love to hate it…

9 - Chest & Back : Push ups and pull ups which are super hard for most people when they start out.  Getting one or two pull ups is great for most their first time.

10 - Core Synergistic : Ummm all I can say is get ready for an ass kicking workout.

11 - Plyometrics : Lots of jumping and movement.  If you are out of shape or injured this is extremely difficult to complete without a few breaks.

12 - Ab Ripper X : The abs are one of the weakest muscle groups for a majority of people, so doing multiple intense ab exercises tops the list for most difficult in the P90x Routine.  The thing is, this one makes you feel the best when you are done it.  That is till the next day rolls around and you have a hard time getting out of bed.

That was a quick a dirty list of the exercises in the P90x Routine, ranked from easiest to most difficult in my opinion.  Some people may find specific exercises in a particular routine difficult, but I think overall this is pretty much the order that I have heard over and over from friends that have completed the program.

The P90x Routine

P90X or P90 Extreme, is a workout system developed by Tony Horton in conjunction with Beachbody, Carrie Wyatt, Ned Farr, and Mason Bendewald. The P90x routine is a home exercise system that claims to drastically improve ones physical fitness in 90 days. This is achieved through an intense daily training workout program which is matched with a nutrition and dietary supplement plan.

The key to this exercise system is something that has been branded as “Muscle Confusion”. This is P90X’s term for the combination of Cross-training and Sports-periodization, which is to switch the order of the exercises you are doing while introducing new and different movements that continually target different muscle groups. This “Muscle Confusion” is to prevent your body and muscles from adapting to the exercises over time, which in turn results in continual fitness improvement without the normal plateaus in conventions exercise training.

The P90X Routine consists of 12 DVDs, each one containing an ulta-targeted workout that will definitely make you sweat.  Each DVD takes around 60 minutes to complete, including the warm up and cool down sections.  In addition to the DVDs you also get a 3-Phase nutrition plan with meal recipes, a detailed fitness guide, a workout calendar and tracking worksheets to keep an eye on your progress.

Here is a look at the P90X Routine DVD breakdown:

Disc 1 – Chest & Back : A strength and definition workout that uses classic upper body exercises.

Disc 2 – Plyometrics : An intense jumping movement cardio routine to increase athletic performance.

Disc 3 – Shoulder & Arms : A circuit of curling, pressing and fly exercise to increase overall upper body strength.

Disc 4 – Yoga X : An intense yoga routine that improves overall strength, flexibility, balance and breathing.

Disc 5 – Legs & Back : A total body workout through squatting, pulling and lunging.

Disc 6 – Kenpo X : Punching and kicking to improve cardio, endurance, coordination and balance.

Disc 7 – x Stretch : A stretching routine to prevent injuries and stiffness.

Disc 8 – Core Synergistic : Targets multiple muscle groups to improve over all body conditioning.

Disc 9 – Chest, Shoulders & Triceps : A strength and definition workout to target all upper body muscles.

Disc 10 – Back & Biceps : Powerful exercises to increase muscle in biceps and related back muscles.

Disc 11 – Cardio X : A low impact cardio routine to help burn calories and tone the entire body.

Disc 12 – Ab Ripper X : A targeted workout to tone and sculpt the abdominals.

Here at P90X Routine, we try and explain the program, give tips, advise and other useful information that will help you get the most out of the P90X program.  Please checkout our articles and other information.  If you do not have the P90X Routine and you are interested in purchasing the P90x Program, get it at the link to amazon which is the best price on the Internet.