P90X3 Review

Review time!  I am just finishing up 90 days of P90X3, and I have a lot to say!  Mostly because there are A LOT of different workouts in this program, especially if you take advantage of Beachbody On Demand, which allows you to access the Deluxe workouts, a HUGE bonus, as the Complex Lower Body workout is probably my favorite in the whole program.  I chose P90X3 because I loved the original P90X and I loved the idea that these workouts were only 30 minutes.  With my added coaching responsibilities and the intense meal prep I do in the morning, I don't have the time that I used to.  But let me slow down and start from the beginning!

What is P90X3?

P90X3 is truly a total body workout, dare I say even more so than the original P90X (I haven't done P90X2, so I can't comment on that).  While the original P90X spent a long period of time (usual an hour per workout) on weight-lifting for very specific parts of the body (back, shoulders, biceps and legs), most of P90X3's workouts focus more equally on the "four powerpoints of muscle gain and results":  Resistance, Power, Cardio, and Core/Flexibility/Balance.  There are quite a few moves that are cross-over moves, considered appropriate for some or all of the four areas.  The easiest example I can give is the pushup:  it is used in almost every single workout, including X3 Yoga.

Research shows that the most dramatic body transformations happen in the first 30 minutes of a workout, and a lot of Beachboy's newest programs are taking advantage of that.  P90X3 is not different.  There are very few water breaks, the cool down is NOT part of the 30 minutes, and if Tony finishes the program before the 30 minutes are up, he makes you do a bonus round!

How does P90X3 work?

Like most of the Beachbody workouts, P90X3 relies on muscle confusion.  The program comes with 16 (!) different workouts used over the course of a 90 day schedule.  Just when your body becomes used to the workouts, they change and your body is required to do something different and even more challenging.  The schedule has you completing the same weekly schedule for 3 weeks in a row, with a  4th "recovery" week.  For example, here is what the "Classic" schedule looks like:

There are also options for a "Lean" workout schedule, a "Mass" workout schedule, and a "Doubles" workout schedule.

Who is P90X3 for?

Pretty much anyone who is a fan of Tony Horton.  Personally, there's nothing I'd rather hear more at 4:30 in the morning than Tony's cheeseball commentary.  ALSO P90X3 is for people who want an extreme workout, but don't have a lot of time.  You are going to need weights.  For a beginner or someone who has never lifted weights before, 5-15 lbs is probably good.  However, if you want to go hard, especially if you're a man, you are going to need upwards of 30-50 lb weights, especially for the lower body workouts.  You'd be surprised how much your legs can handle.  You'll also need a pull-up bar or a place up high to attach a resistance band.  I did the entire P90X with no pull-up bar and no resistance band and while I still got a good workout, I had to skip A LOT of moves.  One of the videos is only pushups and pull-ups.

Although this isn't advertised, P90X3 (and all the P90Xs) are fantastic for cross training.  The weightlifting builds strength and muscle endurance while the power and cardio workouts build power (shocker!), stability and agility.  Any workout that includes a jump squat IMMEDIATELY improves my hip strength which allows me to run long distances pain-free.  I love it.

What comes with P90X3?

I'm glad you asked.  My favorite thing that comes with P90X3 (other than all the workouts) is the Fitness Guide.  This guide tells you exacts what moves are in every workout and how to do them.  If for some reason you don't have Beachbody On Demand (which has the entire P90X3 program including the Deluxe workouts and is stupid cheap), you can bring the guide with you while you are traveling and workout that way.

Let's talk about the workouts:

Resistance Workouts

Total Synergistics:  A full-body resistance workout featuring compound movements, which utilize multiple muscle groups in every exercise.  With compound movements, the increased force to the body stimulates the body's natural ability to produce performance-enhancing hormones, such as testosterone.  This triggers powerful metabolic changes and is one of the fastest ways to change your body composition.
The Challenge:  You'll be stacking push-ups and pull-ups, two of the most effective upper body exercises.  The result is not only increased muscle size and strength, but stabilization and functionality.
Incinerator:  This workout is designed for muscle fatigue.  If you don't burn out, you won't get the best results.  It is another push-pull routine, but this time, the push-pull moves that follow each other work the exact same muscle group.  So you'll work one muscle group doing either a push or a pull move, and then you'll work the exact same muscle group again doing the opposite exersize.
The Warrior:  This is a total-body workout, free of equipment.  You'll circuit upper- and lower-body resistance with core and cardio work, essentially touching on every area of fitness in one workout.
Eccentric Upper and Lower:  These are classic weightlifting workouts focused on the theory that "time under tension" is the key to inducing muscle growth.  In these workouts, you'll slow down the eccentric (or negative, lengthening) half of each movement.  The eccentric part of a move recruits more muscle cell motor units than the concentric (or positive, shortening) half, resulting in the biggest band for your buck.  These workouts will really pump up your muscles.
*Deluxe* Complex Upper and Lower:  These "complex" workouts focus on efficiency in all areas:  musculoskeletal strength, muscle elasticity, dynamic movement patterns, core functionality, and mobility.  Each workout is comprised of five rounds of four exercises that require a weighted resistance exercise followed by an explosive movement.

Power Workouts:

Agility X:  This is a full-body workout that requires floor targets to dictate movements to focus on precision, power, flexibility, balance, and strength.  As opposed to traditional cardio workouts, these targeted movements force explosion, deceleration, and proprioceptive adaptations, the sum result being an increased ability to move effortlessly for extended periods of time.
Triometrics:  My favorite!  Why?  It is the perfect cross-training exercise for running.  It's plyometrics, or "jump training", which are explosive moves that are highly effective at training muscular efficiency or power.  However, with Triometics, each move has three levels, and they are not all focused on jumping.  Some moves focus on stability, some focus on the landing.  Each of the three levels of every moves increase your range of motion, your stability, and your strength and power.
Decelerator:  Decelerator focuses on the landing, not the jumping, because studies have shown that most athletic injuries occur on landing, not takeoff.  You'll use strategic angles to force loads on different parts of you body, which allows you to increase your ability to stabilize and protect muscles, connective tissues, and joints.

Cardio Workouts:

CVX:  This is an interval cardio workout done entirely with a weight.  Each group of three moves is done twice, and the second time is always focused on speed.  Combining both resistance with intervals increases the impact across every energy system.
MMX:  My other favorite!  This is a Mixed Martial Arts routine that combines karate, keno, jiu-jitsu, judo, and tae kwon do.  The moves will not only give you a cardiovascular workout, but you'll be taxing your upper-body strength, core power, leg endurance and flexibility.
Accelerator:  This cardio workout has you exercising at two different speeds, which allows you to increase your cardiovascular and muscular efficiency.  It also eliminates downtime associated with power-based workouts, while maximizing the consistency of traditional aerobic workouts.

Core/Flexibility/Balance Workouts:

X3 Yoga:  X3 Yoga improves your musculoskeletal flexibility, balance, stamina, body awareness, and core strength.  Improving in these areas allow you to recover faster, get less injuries and even build stronger muscles.
Pilates X:  Pilates focuses on controlling the body through its core while centering on breathing and balance.  Pilates X takes this philosophy to build core strength and muscle elasticity, stabilize the joints, and create a solid human platform to perform any activity in life.
Isometrix:  Isometrix means every "move" is actually a position that you hold for 45 seconds (isometric contraction).  Adding instability to the mix requires your body to fire its stabilization muscles.  When training these two simultaneously, you create an unshakable platform to work off, heightening the affects of movement training that you'll target in other workouts.
Dynamix:  Dynamix is stretching with constant movement. The moves allow you to actively increase range of motion, flexibility and stabilization.  These systems are your keys to free and easy moment with daily activity and other exercise.
*Deluxe* Ab Ribber X3:  This 15-minute workout focuses on all areas of your abdominals:  your rectus abdominus, transverse abdominus and internal and external obliques.


Lucky for you, the P90X3 Challenge Pack is on sale this month.  As with all Challenge Packs, you receive a month of Shakeology (worth $130) and the entire P90X3 program (worth $120) for a total of $180 (originally $205).  Now is the perfect time to talk to me about ordering, because my next Challenge Group starts on Monday, May 4 (May the Fourth Be With You, har har).  I feel very comfortable talking about P90X3 and supporting you through the program.

You have two great options.  If you are 100% sure P90X3 is right for you, you can order here.  However, if you'd like to talk to me about your options or even getting a FREE ONE MONTH TRIAL of P90X3 (or a variety of other workouts) fill out my Challenge Group Application below and I will contact you!

And if you REALLY want to get pumped up, check out the infomercial!