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Whether you’re just starting out on your fitness journey or are a veteran in the gym, you probably already know about the versatility and endless options of workouts to choose from! You can just hit the road and run long distances, or head to the gym to lift heavy.
Some can get a personal trainer or search for fitness programs online to follow. One of these programs is the P90X, which is sold by Beach Body. But prior to joining it, you have to know the P90X workout schedule! Doing so can help you figure out what to expect and how to prepare for your future workouts. So read on!
About the P90X Workout Schedule?
Before learning about the P90X workout schedule, I want to introduce the program to you, if you haven’t heard of it yet.
The P90X is made by celebrity trainer Tony Horton, a very popular home workout program, with hundreds to thousands of workout fanatics joining the program worldwide. Its main goal is to get leaner and stronger, offering workouts and meal programs for the long term to ensure that you don’t only look strong, but maintain great health. This is best used for those who are looking to take a notch higher from their current workout routine, and not for beginners, as it has a slightly intense schedule.
You receive a set of 12 high-intensity DVD workouts, which will be done over the next 90 days (hence the name P90X). Expect to work out 6-7 days a week for 1-1.5 hours per workout. These workouts will have you moving to different exercises, such as circuit training, strength training, and even plyometrics, kickboxing, yoga, cardio, and core-focused workouts.
And as mentioned, the program already includes a nutrition plan and fitness guide to learn more about what you’re doing and how the program affects your body positively.
As you continue following this workout, expect your muscles to become even stronger, improve your endurance, and even burn fat.
All the workouts included in the program will work on all muscles and parts of the body, from the arms down to the glutes and lower body. Also, expect to prepare basic gym equipment, such as dumbbells and resistance bands.
What’s the P90X Workout Schedule Like?
What many people aren’t familiar with is that the P90X has different programs and schedules to choose from. These three varieties are tailored to meet specific fitness goals.
For those who want to start off slow and steady, sticking to the basics, then you can opt for the P90X Classic Workout Schedule. The other two options are the Lean and Double P90X workout schedule. The schedules and workouts vary in terms of how many resistance vs. cardio workouts there are throughout the 90-day period. However, the similarity between these three schedules is that you only get 1 rest day weekly.
Classic P90X Workout Schedule
The Classic variety has 3 days of resistance training workouts, and the other 3 days include cardio and yoga workouts. The resistance workouts involve using free weights, barbells, dumbbells, pull-up bars, exercise balls, and resistance bands.
Lean P90X Workout Schedule
The Lean variety is made for those who want to focus on cardiovascular exercises, meant to help users get leaner and burn fat quickly. It focuses less on building muscle, this more on cutting muscles to make them even more prevalent.
In this P90X workout schedule, you’re meant to perform cardio and yoga workouts 4 times a week, resistance workouts 2 days a week, and 1 day allotted for resting or stretching.
Doubles P90X Workout Schedule
The Doubles variety is exactly what the name suggests. You will be performing two, meaning double, workouts a day. In this schedule, you’re working out with the Classic schedule for the first 30 days, then adding an extra-strength workout in the morning and cardio in the evening during days 31 to 90.
This workout is very intense, and meant to give users optimum results in a short amount of time. While working out twice a day gives quick results, I recommend that you start off with the first two workout schedules before you try this program, as it is very demanding and may cause one to overwork their body and muscles, risking injury and over fatigue if you aren’t careful.
Here is an example of phase 1 in the CLASSIC P90X Workout Schedule:
Classic Phase 1: Weeks 1-3
Day 1: Chest and Back + Ab Ripper X
Day 2: Plyometrics
Day 3: Shoulder and Arms + Ab Ripper X
Day 4: Yoga
Day 5: Legs and Back + Ab Ripper X
Day 6: Kenpo X
Day 7: Rest day or X Stretch
Classic Phase 2: Week 4
Day 1: Yoga
Day 2: Core Synergistics
Day 3: Kenpo X
Day 4: X Stretch
Day 5: Core Synergistics
Day 6: Yoga
Day 7: Rest day or X Stretch
Where to Find the P90X Workout Sheets
Before you perform any form of workout program and schedule under P90X, I suggest that you consult with your physician first. After consulting with the physician and getting a go signal on what program is best recommended for you, you should first check out the exact workouts P90X schedules to see which program is best according to your schedule.
You can find P90X workout sheets available from the official website, or other Beach Body affiliated websites, too. They are readily available and free to download, though the workout videos, fitness guide, and nutrition plan need to be purchased by Beach Body.
To give you an idea of what the workouts look like, here is an overview. Take note that there are 3 phases to follow in all the workout schedules mentioned above.
P90X Shoulders and Arms Workout
Now that you’re familiar with what the schedule looks like, I’m sure you want to know more about what the workouts entail.
One main part of the schedule is the P90X shoulder and arms workout. This works on your shoulders, biceps, and triceps, using various free weights. In this workout, you can expect to perform a lot of chair dips, flies, rows, bicep curls, and tricep exercises within 59 minutes. The workout has 15 arm and shoulder exercises in total, giving this part of the body workouts comparable to those you get when lifting weights.
P90X Chest and Back Workout
Another main part of the schedule is the P90X chest and back workout. There are actually two workouts that tackle the back separately, which are:
Chest and Back
This is exactly what the name suggests, which is a chest and back workout focusing on pullups and pushups to help build upper body strength. You’ll be using both pull-up bars and floor mats a lot throughout the workout, and it incorporates free weights, too. It’s a 53-minute workout, and since this is the start of the program, expect to feel the effects of the workout for the next few days!
This workout is actually the first in the program, so you get an introduction to what to expect in the next few weeks into the program. Here, you’ll do 2 rounds of 12 exercises. One interesting exercise is Dive Bomber Pushups, which challenges your balance, core, and strength simultaneously!
Chest, Shoulders, and Back
For those who love working on their upper body, then you’re going to love this workout when it’s time to do it, based on your schedule! This workout will include all types of pushups you can imagine, including varieties like slow motion, clapping, one-arm, diamond, and military pushups. Tony Horton will even introduce a few exercises that are new to beginners and amateur P90X users, including the pour flies and pike presses.
This 55-minute workout helps strengthen the upper body and will give definition across your back.
Back and Biceps
In this workout, expect to use the pull-up bar a LOT! You’ll be using the pull-up bar to perform different varieties of pull-ups, working out all aspects of the muscles of both your back and upper body. There are also exercises that will have you perform various curls, such as the open arm, one-arm, hammer, and static curls.
This workout video will begin with sets of “21s”. “21s” refers to performing 3 sets of 7 rets for particular exercises. For instance, when you are working on your biceps, you begin with a set of 7 reps, working on the lower part of your muscles, then another 7 reps working the upper portion, and the last 7 reps performing the complete exercise in a full range of motion.
Legs and Back
Once you have worked out your upper back to the best of its abilities, it’s followed up with a lower-body and back workout. It’s a 58-minute long workout with 24 different exercises.
In this workout, expect to do a ton of squats and lunges to strengthen the core, working on your hamstrings, quadriceps, and glutes, along with all other muscles in your lower body. Some exercises you’ll be doing are wall squats, super skaters, sneaky lunges, and more!
Other P90X Workouts to Expect
Other than the workouts I talked about, there will be other videos you’ll be doing, which I mentioned when talking about the workout schedule. Here are the workouts you can expect, along with other inclusions of the P90X program:
#1. Core Synergistics is a favorite among users because it focuses on working the core muscles while doing cardio at the same time. It’s a part of “recovery” workouts and is only used once every 3 months within your program.
#2. Plyometrics involves a lot of jumping, making this the toughest and most explosive workout in the program. The exercises involved will help strengthen the core while improving strength across the lower body, as well as overall athletic performance, speed, endurance, and agility. Make sure that you prepare supportive shoes and that you perform the exercises on a soft surface and/or exercise mat!
#3. Kenpo X is a cardio kickboxing workout made to tone your butt and legs while they get leaner and stronger. The 55-minute workout includes exercises such as punches, blocks, strikes, and kicks, which is a favorite among women.
#4. Cardio is the easiest in the program, as well as the shortest, being 35 minutes long. This one is meant to raise the heart rate and provide a low-intensity cardio workout with little to no rest between exercises.
#5. Yoga is the longest but most interesting throughout the series (at least for me!). It’s 92 minutes long and consists of breathing and stretching exercises, yet it will still challenge you to the fullest, improving your strength, balance, flexibility, and breathing techniques.
#6. X Stretch is done after workouts and used as a cool down to help the muscles recover and prevent injuries.
#7. Ab Ripper X is the toughest ab workout across ALL programs available. While only 15 minutes long, it’s intense and nonstop, meant to improve the abs, core, and obliques.
#8. The other inclusions of the program are the Fit Test, Free Online Support, a Fitness Guide, a Diet Plan, and a Tracking Chart and Calendar to monitor your progress.
Wrapping It Up
The P90X isn’t for the faint of heart because of its high-intensity exercises and schedule. But it’s doable for intermediate to advanced fitness fanatics, and it can definitely give you the shredded, leaner body you’ve always wanted! Be sure to give yourself time every day for exercise, and you can enjoy the benefits this program offers, not just for your body, but for overall health for the long term.
I hope that my guide to the P90X workout schedule gave insight into what you can expect from this program. Now that you know more about it, try out the wonders of P90X and invest in the program now!
For those who have questions or want to share their experiences on this program, do comment below. I appreciate all of your thoughts and comments.
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