Getting in Shape with P90X

After watching the infomercials for P90X countless times, my husband and I finally gathered our gumption and ordered the P90X DVDs. We nervously awaited the arrival of the 12 DVDs and informational materials. After using the program for a while, I can tell you that P90X is definitely an intense workout regimen - but it works.

The premise behind P90X is that by changing up your exercise routine, you will enlist "muscle confusion". And, this muscle confusion will help you get better results and avoid the dreaded plateau that many people experience when trying to improve their fitness and/or lose weight.

Tony Horton is the personal trainer featured in the P90X DVDs. He is definitely in shape, but is not overly muscular. Tony Horton is also a great motivator. He encourages everyone to do their best without being condescending or annoying. Thankfully, he doesn't seem to have one super-annoying phrase that he repeats time and time again. (Remember Jane Fonda's "Make it burn" or Kathy Smith's "Uh-huh"?)

On each DVD, Tony Horton is joined by several people to do the workouts. It's interesting to learn a little about each person. A few are fitness professionals - like aerialist Dreya Webber. But, most of them are regular people who are "graduates" of a P90X test group. This is very inspiring to the P90X'ers at home as they sweat their way through the DVDs. The Plyometrics DVD even features a guy who has a prosthetic leg - that is really a huge inspiration!

Tony and "the kids" as he calls them, demonstrate different versions of most of the exercises. This allows you to either scale things back when you're beginning or struggling and also demonstrates how you can really challenge yourself as your fitness improves.

To participate in the workouts, you do need a few items of equipment - a pull up bar, some weights or a workout band. Sometimes a yoga or workout mat adds extra cushion as well. But, really, this is "old school" working out - no fancy-schmancy equipment or machines are required to see true results.

The P90X workouts are tough - and long. Most are 1 hour long and the Yoga workout is 90 minutes long. This can add to a person's mental tendency to making the excuse of not having time to exercise. But, the workouts do go by quickly once you finally hit the "play" button on your DVD player. There is a time countdown on the screen too - so you can see exactly how much longer the workout will be.

The DVDs come with several important informational items. One is a nutritional guide that helps you pinpoint the food intake that you should aim for during each phase of the program. Another is a booklet that describes the exercises on each DVD. There is also a calendar where you can keep track of your progress.

P90X takes the guess work out of planning a fitness program. Tony Horton truly takes you through a rigorous workout each time - and it's just like having a personal trainer in your living room with you encouraging you.

You can order the P90X DVDs and find more information and support on www. beachbody.com