Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

So who here has done it? I've gone back and forth, never really spent more than a week doing it (changing sleeping locations really messes up my rhythm). However, I intend to put more dedication into it this month, and see where it gets me.

For those who don't know, p90x is a workout program that practically guarantees results in 90 days. Only thing is it's pretty damn hard to keep up with, but that's what makes me love it. None of that soft stuff, when I want to workout I want to feel like I dove into a grinder, and p90x delivers.

Also, Tony is an arse.

I only did the first 30 days, could not be arsed doing it in the cold all the time, the only room I could do it in was freezing.

Now the weather is getting warmer, I may start it again soon. I loved what I did though, insane how much it helps and you don't even notice. The best hands down is ab ripper x, if anyone reading this can just get this dvd, do it every 2 days or something, fast results. I am not quite there yet but progress is faster than what I used to do . I can't lift a lot hehe and started with like 5kg weights on day 1 trying to do the whole routines but I can now easily do the whole routines with 20's. Amazing workout.

I find Tony funny to watch, GHAMAN POTATO SOUP

What are you doing P90x for?

See, if only all those women that want to serve on the front lines knew about this thread, we wouldn't have a problem.

Amaya wrote:What are you doing P90x for?

To get into better shape why else?

unmercifulconker wrote:

Amaya wrote:What are you doing P90x for?

To get into better shape why else?

Are you trying to:

[ ] Lose Fat
[ ] Build Muscle
[ ] Build Endurance
[ ] Get Faster
[ ] Get Stronger
[ ] Become more explosive

rubiksnoob wrote:See, if only all those women that want to serve on the front lines knew about this thread, we wouldn't have a problem.

First of all, I lol'd hard.

Second of all, P90X is good for beginners but it's very easy to outgrow and most of the time you're better off with doing an actual exercise routine. Bodyweight is not gonna get you that fit. Better to do actual weight training+running if you're just looking to get "fit".

Third, I hope the OP didn't actually pay money for the DVD's and downloaded them instead.

Amaya wrote:

unmercifulconker wrote:

Amaya wrote:What are you doing P90x for?

To get into better shape why else?

Are you trying to:

[ ] Lose Fat
[ ] Build Muscle
[ ] Build Endurance
[ ] Get Faster
[ ] Get Stronger
[ ] Become more explosive

Oh I apologise, I thought you were mocking or something, sorry

Generally just to get stronger and build stamina I guess, I am the lightest in my martial arts class so just want to build up.

If you're trying to build strength compound lifts are superior. Look up starting strength or stronglifts.

P90x is fine for stamina, but you will not build a lot strength doing it.

unmercifulconker wrote:

Amaya wrote:

unmercifulconker wrote:

Amaya wrote:What are you doing P90x for?

To get into better shape why else?

Are you trying to:

[ ] Lose Fat
[ ] Build Muscle
[ ] Build Endurance
[ ] Get Faster
[ ] Get Stronger
[ ] Become more explosive

Oh I apologise, I thought you were mocking or something, sorry

Generally just to get stronger and build stamina I guess, I am the lightest in my martial arts class so just want to build up.

Personally I'd recommend something like this: http://www.scivationbooks.com/triphase.htm
It focuses on strength, endurance, and also hypertrophy (aka growing your muscles). The first phase is hypertrophy, 2nd is strength, 3rd is endurance, hence "Tri-Phase". I did it when I first started lifting and made some pretty good gains on it.

What the best thing for you to do would be to do Starting Strength for maybe a month or two, and then switch to Tri-Phase so that you have all of the compound lifts down. I'm not familiar with Stronglifts so I can't comment there.

All I know is that with Starting Strength, you end up looking awkward after a while as it doesn't build muscles like your rear delts very well. Furthermore, you're not going to get the stamina that you want for karate.

Necroshea wrote:For those who don't know, p90x is

An experimental version of this weapon!

Why would you recommend hypertrophy training when he wants to gain strength.

Starting Strength doesn't build rear delts because it doesn't hit the back very well outside of deadlifts. That's why I prefer Stronglift's programming with Pendlay Rows.

Thanks, the first 30 days are more of a fat burning regime but can feel the improvement in stamina. At the gym I mostly do presses, never really done much squats with weights, mainly done them with my own body weight.

knew the gun pic would make its way here

Amaya wrote:Why would you recommend hypertrophy training when he wants to gain strength.

Starting Strength doesn't build rear delts because it doesn't hit the back very well outside of deadlifts. That's why I prefer Stronglift's programming with Pendlay Rows.

He said he wanted to "build up", so I considered that to be in the realm of hypertrophy. You won't get that with SS or P90X.

Just looked up Stronglifts, it seems good for a Strength routine. Personally I do a bodybuilding split so I can't really comment too much on it but it looks fairly solid. I'm interested in seeing how beginners could handle 5x5 though.

Personally, I do p90x because it's brutal (which I like), and it works. I've seen some pretty swell improvements with the program. My only issue is getting sidetracked and putting it off. If I ever go to visit my folks for the weekend, it destroys my routine.

Then there's yoga x. That workout can burn in hell. I plan on replacing it with running outside.

Necroshea wrote:Personally, I do p90x because it's brutal (which I like), and it works. I've seen some pretty swell improvements with the program. My only issue is getting sidetracked and putting it off. If I ever go to visit my folks for the weekend, it destroys my routine.

Then there's yoga x. That workout can burn in hell. I plan on replacing it with running outside.

Yeah I never did yoga, tried it once and thought it was worse than the other workouts.

Fun fact: Tony Horton has personally threatened to sue me.

With that knowledge, please go legally acquire P90x immediately as it's really harsh and an effective tool. Be sure to get it legally. Make sure it's LEGAL.

I hate you Tony.

The thing is I'm just so nonflexible that it feels like I'm not really getting much. I love mondays, I feel the burn and the soreness, and it's great. Yoga day? I feel like I'm getting nothing. I think I need to get a little more fit before I can actually begin to benefit from it.

Vladsimpaler wrote:

Amaya wrote:Why would you recommend hypertrophy training when he wants to gain strength.

Starting Strength doesn't build rear delts because it doesn't hit the back very well outside of deadlifts. That's why I prefer Stronglift's programming with Pendlay Rows.

He said he wanted to "build up", so I considered that to be in the realm of hypertrophy. You won't get that with SS or P90X.

Just looked up Stronglifts, it seems good for a Strength routine. Personally I do a bodybuilding split so I can't really comment too much on it but it looks fairly solid. I'm interested in seeing how beginners could handle 5x5 though.

I had never done deadlifts, squats, rows, or overhead press before doing stronglifts and I made the following gains:

Deadlift 275x to 335x5
Squats 135x5 (probably could've done more, but I wanted to start with a safe weight) to 295x5 Olympic style, 315x5 powerlifting style
Rows 115x5 to 180x5
Overhead Press 115x5 to 145x5
Bench Press 215x5 to 260x5

It took about 4.5 months to make those gains. My lat pull down also went from 180 for 10 to 300 for 10 and I actually can do more chin ups and pullups (about 25 full ROM) despite gaining about 25lbs (5-8 muscle, rest probably fat).

You start light on everything and build your way up. If you've done any weightlifting you can probably bench more than you squat when you start, but it won't take long for your squat to shoot up past your bench.

If you start with just the bar you'll be at a 305 squat, 305 deadlift, and 175 bench within a year, which isn't bad for a beginner with only a year of training. Anyone with prior athletic training should be at 375-405 squat and 405+ deadlift within a year if you eat right and get plenty of sleep.

Amaya wrote:

Vladsimpaler wrote:

Amaya wrote:Why would you recommend hypertrophy training when he wants to gain strength.

Starting Strength doesn't build rear delts because it doesn't hit the back very well outside of deadlifts. That's why I prefer Stronglift's programming with Pendlay Rows.

He said he wanted to "build up", so I considered that to be in the realm of hypertrophy. You won't get that with SS or P90X.

Just looked up Stronglifts, it seems good for a Strength routine. Personally I do a bodybuilding split so I can't really comment too much on it but it looks fairly solid. I'm interested in seeing how beginners could handle 5x5 though.

I had never done deadlifts, squats, rows, or overhead press before doing stronglifts and I made the following gains:

Deadlift 275x to 335x5
Squats 135x5 (probably could've done more, but I wanted to start with a safe weight) to 295x5 Olympic style, 315x5 powerlifting style
Rows 115x5 to 180x5
Overhead Press 115x5 to 145x5
Bench Press 215x5 to 260x5

It took about 4.5 months to make those gains. My lat pull down also went from 180 for 10 to 300 for 10 and I actually can do more chin ups and pullups (about 25 full ROM) despite gaining about 25lbs (5-8 muscle, rest probably fat).

You start light on everything and build your way up. If you've done any weightlifting you can probably bench more than you squat when you start, but it won't take long for your squat to shoot up past your bench.

If you start with just the bar you'll be at a 305 squat, 305 deadlift, and 175 bench within a year, which isn't bad for a beginner with only a year of training. Anyone with prior athletic training should be at 375-405 squat and 405+ deadlift within a year if you eat right and get plenty of sleep.

If you're not e-statting, those are very good scores for a beginner. Though at the same time, had you ever done any fitness related activities before then? Or done a physical job? Like army/construction etc, because bench and dead are high for someone who has never done those exercises before. I just want to see where you come from haha

I got to 270 bench at 18 at 180 and I used to work as a mover for a couple of summers.

But this is the first time I've done actual strength training. My bench is decent, but my squat and deadlift are terrible.

Amaya wrote:I got to 270 bench at 18 at 180 and I used to work as a mover for a couple of summers.

But this is the first time I've done actual strength training. My bench is decent, but my squat and deadlift are terrible.

Ah aiight, that explains the bench. Regardless, it's very impressive.

Also your squat is above average for the typical gym goer to be honest, though then again so is your deadlift. In comparison to your Bench, they're not as stellar (yet are still good).

Why waste time on crap like this?
Get a gym membership card, do basic low rep exercises, eat, sleep and STICK to it.

Not some overated crap you stick with for a week.

Bla_Ze wrote:Why waste time on crap like this?
Get a gym membership card, do basic low rep exercises, eat, sleep and STICK to it.

Not some overated crap you stick with for a week.

Just like everyone who gets a gym membership sticks with it right?

Bla_Ze wrote:Why waste time on crap like this?
Get a gym membership card, do basic low rep exercises, eat, sleep and STICK to it.

Not some overated crap you stick with for a week.

Vladsimpaler wrote:

Amaya wrote:I got to 270 bench at 18 at 180 and I used to work as a mover for a couple of summers.

But this is the first time I've done actual strength training. My bench is decent, but my squat and deadlift are terrible.

Ah aiight, that explains the bench. Regardless, it's very impressive.

Also your squat is above average for the typical gym goer to be honest, though then again so is your deadlift. In comparison to your Bench, they're not as stellar (yet are still good).

Eh, I consider anything under 300/400/500 to be weak. Hopefully I'll be over 400 squat 500 deadlift by December. My long term goal is a 1500 total at 200 lbs.

Bla_Ze wrote:Why waste time on crap like this?
Get a gym membership card, do basic low rep exercises, eat, sleep and STICK to it.

Not some overated crap you stick with for a week.

Pretty much this. I've made gains just this semester doing 5x5 3 times a week. Other people are still in there lifting the same weights making no gains.

Necroshea wrote:

Bla_Ze wrote:Why waste time on crap like this?
Get a gym membership card, do basic low rep exercises, eat, sleep and STICK to it.

Not some overated crap you stick with for a week.

Just like everyone who gets a gym membership sticks with it right?

Of course not, but starting in a gym with either a good PT or knowledgeable friend that can read you and your capabilites will work way better then some stupid workout program. I can tell you now its a waste of money.
And with your goal in mind, not very effective.

P90x works in some ways, but it's more of a general fitness/fad thing.

In my experience PTs are idiots and extremely weak.

Just doing something like 5x5 or 3x5 with compound lifts 3 times a week will make you stronger. Once you max out your linear gains you move to something else, but you have to either follow a good program or understand programming and how strength gains are made. You can't simply throw something together and expect it to work.

Bla_Ze wrote:

Necroshea wrote:

Bla_Ze wrote:Why waste time on crap like this?
Get a gym membership card, do basic low rep exercises, eat, sleep and STICK to it.

Not some overated crap you stick with for a week.

Just like everyone who gets a gym membership sticks with it right?

Of course not, but starting in a gym with either a good PT or knowledgeable friend that can read you and your capabilites will work way better then some stupid workout program. I can tell you now its a waste of money.
And with your goal in mind, not very effective.

Sorry, but I'm not about to fork over no small sum of cash for a PT, and I think it's safe to say not everyone knows someone who knows their way around bodybuilding. I do p90x. It's cheap, It works, and I've seen the results that prove it.

Necroshea wrote:

Bla_Ze wrote:Why waste time on crap like this?
Get a gym membership card, do basic low rep exercises, eat, sleep and STICK to it.

Not some overated crap you stick with for a week.

Just like everyone who gets a gym membership sticks with it right?

I consider it my fat tax.

Why waste times with gyms or P90x when you can just buy some bull shark testosterone direct from Chile?