Review: Tony Horton's 10 Minute Trainer Workout

I've been asked to look at Tony Horton's 10 Minute Trainer and to review it. What this really means is that I get to play. I have a lot of things that I do, but the only thing that can truly be counted as a hobby would probably be fitness. I'm dedicated, and slightly addicted to getting into anything new in the industry, as long as it isn't stupid like "lose 10 lbs with this amazing tooth brush!" or any other magic-in-a-bottle dangerous lies. I'm addicted to real fitness, not false promises. I just don't have time to waste on nonsense.

Now, my review of P90X is still dead on in my opinion. I still have the DVD set, and I still go through it here and there when the mood strikes me. However, the one big problem with P90X for most people is that while the idea of it sparks fire (not to mention the images people see in the infomercials), the body is often not at that point yet. They just cannot physically do it. P90X is not an "off the couch into a lunge" kind of program.

But you know what? Tony Horton's 10 Minute Trainer is, and I think that is why I'm actually impressed with the system. I didn't expect to be. I have a lot of respect for Tony Horton, but let's be honest - saying only 10 minutes to someone like me does not inspire confidence in a program. I'm a personal trainer, and in the end 10 minutes is NOT enough, and everyone pretty much knows that... but let me back up for a minute here.

The 10 Minute Trainer is another set of DVDs (mine came with two DVDs that contained a 10 minute routine for Cardio, Total Body, Lower Body, Yoga, and Abs) as well as a resistance band, and a belt kit (I'll explain this in a bit) and several little pamphlets of information. There was also a cool little flash-card set of a 10 minute workout you could take with you in your purse on business trips and easily do in your hotel room.

Breaking it down further the DVD workouts are 10 minutes of ACTUAL working out, so technically when there is a switch from one exercise to another the clock stops for a moment - and it should. I mention this because you need to plan for the time involved which is about 12-14 minutes per 10 minute workout (depending on how long it takes to swap workouts and get them loaded on your DVD player.) This is important to note because the program highly encourages "stacking" of the workouts. The schedule included has three listed per day, one day off a week (that's six days of working out, 30 minutes per day - suddenly it sounds a lot more realistic.) Now, you don't have to do the extra workouts - but they're there. They're encouraged.

I was highly relieved when I saw that schedule stacking line-up. After doing the workouts, I have to say that I was impressed because this program is really accessible to everyone. This can absolutely be the ice breaker for you to get into shape, or back into shape - whichever.

If you can only do a half-energy 10 minutes per day, that's fine! Because you have room to work up to the next level, and you will improve. If you need to split it up, you can do that too. If you are so busy you can only find time to pop one in and no others, well at least you did that! Breaking down a 30 minute workout into 10 minute increments means that people who need a place to start have it, and those who fall out of sync easily can stay on track in just a few minutes without starting down that path of "well I missed my workout, all is lost, lets pitch it all out the window... where are my cupcakes?" It gives you a place to hold on to your plan - even if it's only that 10 minutes.

Now, on to the equipment. There is a belt-kit in the box. What this does is allow you to tether yourself to a wall, with a resistance band (included) pulling you back. I cannot tell you how much fun I had with this. It's not at the level I want to try it (as seen in the 300 movie training videos), but I probably spent an extra 40 minutes bouncing around my basement, just playing, jogging out and letting it pull me back (and laughing myself silly the whole time. My husband kept demanding his turn, and thought it was fun too.) A word of caution here, be careful. Sometimes you get that forward momentum going and then realize the backward stabilization you thought would kick in...doesn't. If you're imaging me sling-shotting across the room right now, you aren't far off.

I started with the included resistance band, but I am glad I had my own set here (I got from a sporting goods store eons ago.) I just needed a heavier resistance level, and you will find as your fitness increases you will too. The band included is decent quality though, and there is an upgrade called the 10 minute Trainer Deluxe Workout. I did not have this, so I can't speak on the additional workouts (but I was glad to see they had an upper body focused one there. It's a shame all of them weren't combined into one package.)

The plan does come with an eating layout. It is not anything like P90X, which came with a whole layout of a major dietary program with recipes and everything. But it does have some general guidelines which are all good.

There is also a 10-day Lean Jean plan in there. This... well, quite frankly, this annoyed me. Basically it's 1,000 calories per day for women, 1,200 for men, for 10 days. I suppose if you are only doing 10 minutes per day, you could manage to do your workout and not pass out into a complete coma with only 1,000 calories a day, but seriously!

Look, the key to fitness is to find balance and health within yourself. This means treating your body with respect. Respect means eating healthy, eating the correct amount at reasonable times, and supporting the activities your body faces day in and day out. This "Lean Jean" program is a gimmick to inspire you - a quick fix, and fast weight loss so you are "hooked", instead of focusing on long-term weightloss with establishing a good solid plan. But I really think that everyone is smarter than that. Everyone knows that if you only ate 1,000-1,200 calories a day we'd lose weight - and that 1,000 calories a day isn't enough.

Maybe I'm delusional, and the public just really wants that miracle in a moment treatment still, after all these decades of stupid stunts. But anyone who is SERIOUS about their health, whether they're just starting into it or have gone round and round with it - you know deep down that it isn't about instant fixes. It's about doing the right thing, right now, for today. Not lowering your calories to stupidly low levels in order to satisfy your instant gratification.

If you are into your health, then you know that true instant gratification comes from the charge you get in doing the right thing in all those little moments scattered throughout the day. Picking an apple over the apple tart, taking that walk instead of lounging around doing nothing. Instant gratification fades. It ends, and then we're searching for our next fix. Doing the right thing creates a solid, real long term gratification. A place where you can wake up every day without regret about what you ate or workout you skipped yesterday - and a strong, lean, healthy body, because YOU MADE IT THAT WAY.

My life, my health, my fitness is longer than 10 days.

So, do I recommend that 10 day "Lean Jean" plan? No. But I DO recommend the healthy eating guidelines included with the main program (multiple smaller meals - 5-6 a day, broken up. Healthy choices.) Both are in the box.

Overall, the program is a PERFECT starting point for beginners (who are cleared by their doctor to workout.) It lets you start with as little or as much as you think you can take and work within your own limitations. The band is good, the belt is fun... er, I mean it provides additional exercise benefits (this is also true.) The workouts are shot in a well lighted studio with Tony Horton "training" a woman (just one for each workout.) Everything is explained and easy to follow. Tony Horton is upbeat and kind, not annoying and arrogant.

Is it a good long term program for the consumer already working out at a more than average level? No. It's a good filler, though. It lets you shake things up and maintain a level of fitness on a lighter level for a little while; but, if you are used to hitting the iron (like me) it's light. However, for the average person out there? It's a a well placed, nicely done program with everything you need in one box to get started.

Getting Ready

I have a new toy to play with. I just received Tony Horton's 10 Minute Trainer. I tend to be rather skeptical at anything with a claim of 10 minutes attached. It takes me longer than 10 minutes to fill up my car, never mind getting through a check-out line.

However, I have actually had several people email me about this program (and Power 90, I'm sorry I haven't gotten ahold of it yet folks. I'm sure I eventually will - maybe after this?) So, I figured I'd give this one a go. One of the reasons I decided to give it a try is that I am actually recovering from surgery. Now, before the surgery I was bouncing off the walls in shape - so I wouldn't recommend jumping into anything after a surgery recovery period without your doctor's approval, and I'm certainly not recommending this for that either (and I haven't started it yet, so who knows...) This just happens to be my personal situation.

I've been restricted from almost ALL activity for the past six weeks, they just let me start going for walks again, and after week six they're supposed to set me free! (Next Tuesday... come ON next Tuesday!) These six weeks feel like a serious set-back to me. My scale has dropped about 10 lbs, but the scale is just a measurement of mass*force, not body composition. I'm eyeing my muscle mass, and nervously poking various muscles wondering how much has deserted me. I'm too chicken to try my Omron and face the bad news head on. I feel that I have lost strength and other ground as well, and quite frankly it makes me pretty darn frustrated! But the truth is that I needed a kick in my ego to even let me take a good look at this 10-minute system.

When you can zip through P90X and P90X Plus without an issue, you look at something with "10 minutes" in the title with more than a little bit of doubt attached. Like I said... ego-issues. I was also kind of afraid to "downgrade" from long intense workouts, afraid that I would lose ground. But now that I've been knocked off my feet for six weeks, my preciously over inflated exercise ego is willing to look at just about anything if they will just let us off the couch!

So, I've got my box of goodies. I'm going through them now trying to figure out what I need to have on hand to do a run through of the program. It looks to be a four week set-up, six days a week. It looks like they'll let you get away with just the 10 minute workout per day, but they encourage possibly combining some of the other workouts from the week on different days (there is a "schedule") as an option, which would technically push it to a 30 minute workout - if you follow their suggestions. I'm not sure what I am going to do yet. If I start it off next Tuesday and 10 minutes doesn't feel like I did anything, AND it doesn't hurt anywhere... I'll probably add on according to their suggestions.

There is a diet portion, actually a couple different options. One of them is a 10 day "rapid results" program that limits you to only 1,000 calories per day. I'm not a big fan of encouraging that low a calorie intake. I realize it is for the purpose of getting that huge initial kick in the pants with nifty results, so you'll be excited and keep going... but it's so low, that it's really not a healthy option - at least they have you eating healthy foods for it, rather than shakes and other nonsense. I also worry about the people who foolishly believe that continuing to stay on it is a good choice (for the record: it is NOT.)

I've done low days on calorie cycling - never 10 days straight though, but that's a different story (and a long one.) I'm fairly certain I'm already losing muscle mass as it is, I don't know if I want to throw more of it in front of the firing squad... but we'll see. Can't talk about it if you don't do it, except from an outsider's naysayer perspective, right? Thankfully, there is a normal nutritional layout as well, with an interesting "tier" set-up. There is also a nifty little "on the go" workout card set which has moves (with demonstrative photos) and is actually is perfect for traveling, of which Mr. Savy is currently perusing.

Mr. Savy has decided that even he can spare 10 minutes of his day to try this program out with me. For those of you who know, when we tried to do P90X together I contemplated dropping a dumbbell on his head (long story, again.) Luckily I have extra resistance bands in my gym already (I received the lighter ones since I'm still recovering, he can use the heavier ones), and it doesn't require as much time and effort to get the workout in. Since he has agreed, I think I'm going to make him take pictures and measurements so I can share those too... purely for result tracking purposes, of course.

So, it'll be a test, kicking off next week of the 10-minute trainer... and possibly my marriage. But I'm sure we'll be fine...

P90X Plus Review

As anyone who has used P90X for the full plan... and then some, you know that after a while you are just bored with exercise again. You probably thought that wasn't likely to happen when you first started P90X, but suddenly there you were. I was there.

There are just so many times you can watch the same thing over and over. I had even gone to just popping in my iPod, and going through it that way for more entertainment, even after months and months break from the program (and on to custom ones designed for myself.) It's not that I am being down on the original P90X, I'm not. I just get bored after a while. I will say that P90X took me longer than other programs to get bored with, so it's still ahead of other DVDs in my opinion.

I was able to go through the P90X Plus routines, much like I did with the original P90X. So, I'm reviewing it. Many have asked me about it, from my earlier review of P90X (and no, I still haven't done Power 90, aka P90. I've had three people ask me this week alone about the regular Power 90. I don't have it yet, and I'm buried under life right now. When I do get it, I'll review it as well.)

One important point to make to everyone: you must have the original P90X to put this P90X Plus program together. It's set up to basically be additional DVDs to go with the P90X original set. You still incorporate lots of the original workouts with the new ones. You also need to have completed P90X. The reason for this is that the workouts are generally shorter, rely on you having already pretty much mastered a few things with resulting mechanical ability... and to be blunt, I felt like they were sort of a maintenance routine more than a "change everything!" kind of set up. But then, it would be if you had gone through the whole P90X program once... or twice... or six times. It's not a program for newbies, even more so than the original program for that reason. As a newbie, you wouldn't be able to do some of the more advanced moves and simply miss out, and thus get little benefit out of the new routines.

There is a saying "it's harder to maintain than to change." I used to apply that as "it's harder to maintain than to be actively losing weight." This is 100% true. I remember doubting this rather strongly, thinking I'd just like the opportunity to maintain. When you are 70 lbs from where you are suppose to be, and you just want to slap those "it's haaaard to maintain" people upside the head. You would just be so grateful to be strong and healthy and look it, that it would NOT be hard to maintain. Those people just didn't understand.

It turns out that those people are right. It is incredibly hard to maintain after you make dramatic changes. You work hard, you see these new results developing, and it's easy and exciting to keep going. But once you are fit and healthy the changes are very small and you realize that you still have to keep working out hard. That's where most people fall off the side of the mountain and lose a lot of their results along with their motivation.

So, what do you do? The answer is that you have to keep the actual activity interesting, and you have to find a way to use your newly fit body that isn't about creating changes. That really is the key. Find exercise that you think is fun (or at least fairly tolerable on a permanent level) and find activities that you can use the strong body for that make it all worth it (take up rock climbing, join a soccer league, start running races, take up kayaking or rowing, whatever.) P90X Plus is not the rock-climbing-activity type purpose you are looking for. But it could be the "tolerable exercise" routine that you need after you have your results from the original program and are sort of hitting a wall, as long as you really love P90X.

P90X Plus consists of four new routines (interval, total body, kenpo, upper body), and just to torture everyone there is a new extra ab routine too. Because the first one wasn't bad enough to have to do three times a week. *ahem* Alright, I know. I just loath doing abs. Not because I have some sort of belief that you shouldn't... just because I don't like doing them. (Hey, I'm human. I don't like going to the dentist either, but I do that too.)

I call P90X Plus more of a maintenance routine because it has a shorter, more cardio kind of feel to it. It just seems... well, "lighter" for lack of a better word. Many of the moves incorporated are more advanced, but they're fast, and you run through them quickly. Even the production is different, with a brighter feel. I have to be completely honest here, I was rather underwhelmed with it. I didn't have that "wow, they did a really great job with this whole set" as I did with the original program. In their defense, this isn't a whole program. It's just a supplement to the other one.

What I did like was the intervals being incorporated. I'm a big harper on the intervals. I believe in them. I have personally seen what they can do for my physical results and abilities, as well as for clients I train. Interval training is generally hard, and people whine about it, but seriously you are hard pressed to get a bigger bang for your buck (invested time.) The intervals in P90X Plus are not as intense as I am used to working out when I do them, but the workout lasts a little longer than my normal interval training does, too.

My favorite of the original P90X workouts has always been the Kenpo, and P90X Plus has a new one. This felt more like an aerobics/kick boxing/peppy-class than the feel of the Kenpo from the first one. Not entirely... but the impression was there. Still, I did enjoy it. There are moves in the other workouts that I completely get a kick out of too.

In particular there is a move called the Gladiator. Now, maybe everyone has done this before in other classes or workouts, or maybe you were just seriously obsessed with the Russell Crow movie and were pretending you were fighting gilded warriors in your back yard. But, I am not someone who has done this before. If you don't know me, let me say this: coordination with all four limbs at once is not my strong suit. I'm the woman who would take out the entire back section of a dance line or aerobics class tripping over my own feet. I sooth my ego by rationalizing that as an artist I am exceptionally right hand dominate, and all my coordination has gone there (don't burst my delusional bubble, it works for me.)

Still, I was determined to do this Gladiator move. It just looks like fun, and well... I admit it just looks cool. Alright, when they do it, it looks cool. I am highly embarrassed to admit that the first time I tried it, in mid-air, my son came around the door with a "mommy?" and time seemed to slow. It was like something out of a spoof of the Matrix. I contorted, my head turning in his direction, my body clearly going another, and somehow I had gotten good air on my leap too... right into the toy box. Well, one foot anyway.

"Mommy, whatcha doing? Were you trying to jump into the toy box? Can I do that too? Oh please??!?!"

It occurs to me that while I will have many a story to embarrass my son with when he starts dating, that the moment he realizes he has just as many about me and thus fantastic blackmail material, I am in serious trouble.

Oh, another thing about the toy boxes (the only place for me to workout with DVDs is my basement living/toy room area) - they worked great for another of my favorite moves. In one of the workouts you need two chairs. You have to do a slanted push-up between them, then swing your legs through and into a dip, then back again. I love this move, but I don't have two normal sized chairs. What I did have was two Fischer Price toy boxes, one blue and one pink. I have to tell you, those worked out perfectly for the move... even if I probably did look a little (a lot) silly swinging like George of the Jungle between them.

I may be uncoordinated, but I'm resourceful!

I found it interesting that the DVDs prominently featured Bow-Flex interchangeable dumbbells in the routines. As I had said in my original review of P90X, the timing was difficult with my standard plates (it's even worse with P90X Plus now that they've caught on to swift-changing weights.) I recommended a set called Power Blocks (which I still don't own, because I cannot afford them, but I have used them in a gym and love them), and it seems that the group over at P90X has teamed up with Bow-Flex. As a matter of fact, the ads for Bow-Flex on the new DVDs (including during workout pitching of them) were rather annoying. But in the end, this is a business for them and they're partners with Bow-Flex for the quick change dumbbells. The only thing I have to say about that is that hopefully Bow-Flex has improved their design.

You see, I would love to have a set of dumbbells that I could quickly shift through the various weights with. I have spent years with my set of plates with a screw on lock at each end. I have sliced open my foot with that lock at least four times (sharp edges, heavy lock, dropped it.) I have dropped plates countless times on my feet (luckily not my head.) I just have your standard kind of set, with lots of different sized plates that can be rather big and bulky. Basically, I have the caveman equipment, but I just don't have a lot of money to invest in these gadgets even though I may want to.

I was able to check out Power Blocks and the Bow-Flex version a long while back in a store. The Bow-Flex dumbbells were fine, and then suddenly it just released one of the plates, out of nowhere - Right onto my FOOT! One of the problems I was looking to avoid in the first place! I looked closer to see if it was operator error (very high probably with me involved.) I got the store involved in it, and Mr. Savy. Unfortunately, the only thing we discovered was that we were able to make the error happen repeatedly, and that it wasn't me. So, I steered clear of them.

I don't know if Bow-Flex has updated them or not. I sincerely hope so, but due to my experience with them I cannot recommend them. I need to know when I hold a weight over my head that it isn't suddenly going to decide to drop a 20 lbs segment, because that is just the sort of thing that would happen to me. I'm superior at injuring myself all on my own, I don't need any help in that department.

I'm sure people are going to come out of the woodwork to yell at me how much they disagree with something in this review. That they love Bow-Flex, or something else. That's fine, because here is the thing: I don't work for Beachbody, I don't work for Power Blocks, and I have had no contact with Bow-Flex as a company at all. So, this is simply my opinion. I link to an online store which sells the P90X programs because they offered a savings to those looking for one, and were nice to me when Beachbody (a representative that emailed me and identified themselves as such, I believe the person was just an operator that took orders) took the time to be incredibly rude. And that is something else to consider: I am not particularly impressed with the Beachbody company as a whole. So, if I like one of the routines, it's because I genuinely like it and would recommend it - even though I was treated as I was (and believe me, I tend to stew and hold grudges. It would be a lot easier if the products were just worthless, because then I wouldn't have to temper my irritation with them while trying to give an honest review.)

So, bottom line: did I like P90X Plus? Once I adjusted my mental mind-set to categorizing it as "additions" and more of a "maintenance" kind of set-up, I think it's good for that purpose IF you really like P90X. If you are looking for the "wow" of a whole new program, this just isn't it. But then, it's not advertised as that anyway. I'm not sure where my brain was with my expectations, or why - but once I adjusted, it makes sense. So, I'm not raving about it, but it's not bad either. I think it's a good option for those fit people who want to stick with P90X style workouts but are simply bogged down with the amount of time that goes into it (these routines are shorter, averaging around 40 minutes,) and just need something to liven up the monotony without shifting gears entirely.

Is it going to solve the long term dedication problem? No, because you need to find an active pursuit that you enjoy that puts that strong body of yours to use. Being healthy is about living your life healthy. You are not a hamster on a wheel, so don't expect yourself to be thrilled with just DVDs for the rest of your life. Get out there! Go ride a bike! Go for a hike! Surf! Swim! Whatever!!! But go DO IT! Be that person who is envied by your friends because you are showing off your pictures from the weekend where you suddenly decided to climb to the top of a mountain just because.

You'll never look back once you put all the pieces into place, and then you'll finally be wondering why anyone thinks that maintaining a healthy lifestyle is hard. It isn't, you simply have to learn to live first.

P90X Review

I feel it's probably time I posted my review of P90X, since I have gotten a lot of emailed questions on it. (Edit: Ultimate Fitness has contacted me to offer a coupon to everyone for $5 off the program. The code to input at check-out is: smw5off)

I initially started off with the standard P90X, and then switched to P90X Lean (in order to not beat up my husband, due to some scheduling issues.) Because I have done a big portion of both versions, I feel I can offer a pretty well rounded report on it.

The first thing I want to establish is a reminder of where I have come from over the past...Oh.... Eight years. I went from sedentary (220+ lbs), to cardio bunny (mostly tae-bo), to weight training, and then on to the serious fitness freak that you see before you today. I did NOT start this program after getting up off my couch one day and deciding it was the one for me.

This program is NOT a good starting point for ANYONE. I am speaking most directly to those men, and you know who you are, who regardless of your actual fitness level, assume that you can handle anything at any level, simply because of your testosterone and Y chromosome. I'm married to one of these "I can do anything" types, and trust me: he tried P90X, suffered, and dropped it - and he isn't a completely unfit guy either.

If you are interested in P90X, male or female - drop the ego and take their fitness test. For REAL. It will replace your normal workout, because it takes about 40 minutes. It's not a marketing gimmick, it's a necessary thing you should do. Because, if you can't hit everything you need to on the fitness test, you not only aren't ready for P90X, but you might cause yourself injury if you try it.

Now that I have scared everyone off, lets back up for a minute. It's not THAT bad, but you do need a certain higher level of core fitness in order to start in on this program. If you don't have that, there are a lot of places to start. If you have a long way to go, I recommend a doctor's clearance and then daily walks and body weight moves (like push-ups, sit-ups, etc), ramping up to a harder regimen. I also highly recommend Body For Life (NOT NOT NOT BFL for Women, that book is a total waste of good paper, and Eating for life is a good MAINTENANCE cookbook, but not so hot for an actual plan - and by the way, all the success photos/stories in the cookbook are from the ORIGINAL BFL plan, not EFL), but as the ORIGINAL plan was intended. Ignore the "official" website, and all the stupid tweaks people have tried to twist it with. Half.com has a ton of cheap copies ($1.37 when last I checked), so it won't even cost you much to look into it. Once you have completed that, you may or may not be ready for something like P90X, but you can try the fitness test again and find out where your weaknesses are.

The system is a set of DVD workouts which involve a ton of body-weight moves (like push-ups, pull-ups, plyometric moves, etc) as well as cardio and weight training cycles. The equipment you will require is a large enough space to go bouncing about in all directions without causing serious injury or property damage, free-weights of varying sizes, a chin-up bar/station, a yoga mat and blocks, and some people also use bands, as well as push-up bars (optional.)

**A note about the bands - I bought a set from Walmart. I snapped those suckers in half. They stink, don't buy them from Walmart or any of the other major retailers. You need a set of HIGH quality bands if you are going to be using them. I do not know if the set they sell through the Beachbody website are high quality or not, but you can try them or a serious fitness retailer. You need at least a medium weighted resistance band and the heaviest one they have (to mimic pull-ups if you can't do them.)

Personally, I have an interchangeable set of dumbbells with plates. This worked out OK, but there were times I had to hit the pause button because I couldn't get it set up quickly enough. If you have the cash (which I do not), I highly recommend PowerBlocks. I also have a Power-Tower station for the pull-ups. You can buy a standard chin-up bar from a major retailer for about $6, or you can invest in their fancy junglebar version for about $40. My power tower ($70) was a personal "I gotta HAVE IT!" freak-out, so it's not necessary. I just wanted a station that was good for not only pull-ups, but dips, leg raises and other exercises. Yes, I know, fitness freak. But for P90X , you only need the pull-up station, with the ability to do both wide and close handed grips.

The actual workouts range from a plyometric workout, core and cardio, to several weight/target area workouts (like legs & back, or shoulders & arms, etc). There is also a 90 minute Yoga session which you do every week, as well as a cardio workout of Kenpo. My favorite of all the workouts is the Kenpo, because I'm a sucker for anything that involves fighting moves - serious or not. I also value the yoga that has been incorporated because it has helped with some flexibility issues I was struggling with. Since the yoga also comes dead center of the week, it also relieves some tightness that you end up acquiring through the earlier workouts.

The weight workouts are good because there isn't a ton of monotony. You have a lot of different exercises you move through, and you never get bored because of that. The pull-ups aren't as bad as they sound. Yes, they're HARD. Yes, you end up doing a LOT of them. But there are ways to "spot" yourself, and assist with the pull-up until you can switch over to doing them without assistance. The DVD does show you how to do this, even expects you to. If you are interested in just learning about how to get your body doing pull-ups, Stumtuous.com has a whole "how-to" for you to get in gear.

I would say the workout I hate the most is the plyometrics, closely followed by the core synergistics. Why? Because plyo is HARD, people! Doesn't mean it's not worth doing. If anything, it's because it's hard that it's worth doing. Though, I admit that near the end of one of the workouts, I looked up to see the instructor doing a push-up where he brought his whole body into the air off the ground (feet and hands) and clapped in mid air, before coming down and doing it again - I almost took off my shoe and threw it at the screen.

The instructor, Tony Horton, is a good looking 40-something guy with a great attitude. Admittedly, at first I found him slightly grating. But I think that was because I have a lot of preconceived notions about DVD workouts, and their instructors. OK, they're not preconceived notions, we're talking outright hostility. If I had to endure another energizer-wind-up-pink-lollipop- cotton-candy-fluffy-should -be-tossed-out-of-a-plane instructor, I was going to lose it. Thank goodness this wasn't the case. Once I was able to understand the rhythm of his sense of humor, I was fine. Honestly, I think he's probably one of the best motivational exercise instructors I have ever seen.

However, for those who don't agree, the DVD's come with the options to play the workout with either the music or the instructor, or both muted and just have it give you your cues on the exercises. So far, I haven't done either, which was a total shock considering my propensity for a lack of patience in this area.

On certain days, you are expected to tack on the 16 minute "Ab Ripper" routine. This thing sucks. Sorry to use the language, but...Well... OW. Necessary, but OW. I also found that I have next to NO patience for tacking it on right after a regular workout. After 60 minutes of lifting weights and doing pull-ups, the last thing I want to do is look at some fresh-faced bunch of people and kill myself with an ab routine. So, what I have done instead is to tack it on later in the day. I'm MUCH happier with this arrangement, and it allows me to draft my husband into doing it with me. It's so much more enjoyable to hear someone else cussing and whining through a workout, than yourself.

These workouts are hard-core, but they're also geared for your own level. Basically, you will get out of this what you put into it. If you go through this DVD workout like a pansie: only lifting low amounts when you could lift more and doing half-hearted moves when you should be taking it to the mat - well, then you'll only get a blah workout and blah results. But if you hit it with the intensity you KNOW you have, and you work HARD and focused, you will get solid results. The upside to all of this is that it's an unlimited challenge. You keep pushing yourself harder and higher, and you will always be challenged by this workout (which is why I think you don't see many used ones for sale, they're definitely a permanent addition to my DVD library.) But, if you decide to be a slacker, then it's likely the best you'll do is whine that it's not enough and "whyyyyyyyy" doesn't it work for you like it does for everyone else?

This is like life, people. You want it? You gotta put in the effort. Plain and simple. It's a shut-up and put-up situation. In the end, you have the map - if you don't make it there, you have no one but yourself to blame.

From a personal trainer standpoint, I really appreciate that there is a real, serious, intense workout available like this. 99% of the video workouts out there are too weak for me, no matter how much effort I put into it. I think what makes this such a challenging set is because it has so many different types of exercise involved, as well as the open ended room to increase your own intensity level. After these workouts, I actually FEEL like I have worked out. In the case of all the other DVD workouts I have tried, I felt as if I hadn't done enough.

The regular version/schedule is six days of workouts (all different, except the added Ab-Ripper on three days), and then a day of rest (or you can do the stretching DVD which isn't included during the week.) Every three weeks, it changes over to a recovery week. While you still do six workouts, they aren't the weight training ones, so it is a little bit of a break. Not much, but enough. Then it changes to a different line up for three weeks, followed by another recovery week, and again for the last four resulting in a full 13 week program.

P90X also has a version called doubles, which is essentially the regular schedule plus doing the 40 minute CardioX workout (which you only see during the recovery week or on the Lean version) several extra times during the week. I have to tell you straight out that this would drive me INSANE. Doing the P90X Lean version, you do the CardioX workout every week, replacing one of the weight training sessions. If I had to see that cardio DVD that often I would probably lose it. The obvious alternative, however, is simply to add your own cardio workout of about 50 minutes to those days as your extra workout. They're just offering the basic option with their doubles plan, without having to figure out a different workout without guidance.

The program also comes with an eating plan. I will tell you straight that the plan is maintenance level as far as calories go for MOST people. If you are thinking about losing a lot of weight, the eating plan is too much. It's the right kinds of food, and I 100% approve of the layout, it's the quantity verses goal.

*If you are wanting to gain mass, it might be enough calories, or a little low for a male. For a female it might be enough. However, I would like to point out that P90X isn't a muscle-mass increasing routine. It WILL build some muscle, make no mistake, but it is more about power. P90X is about creating strength with what you have, and refining it. Power over size, for all intensive purposes.

* If you want to maintain, I suggest you follow their eating plan as it's laid out. However, I would suggest you monitor your levels of body fat, measurements and scale weight to see if you should add calories or subtract them.

* If you are trying to LOSE weight, this is where things get tricky. The calories are a bit high for women (for men, I would start with it and then adjust as necessary) and I would probably start off about 100-300 calories less than the plan equates to on a daily basis. HOWEVER, you need to understand that these workouts are power oriented workouts. They demand a great deal from your body, not only to rise to the occasion with the proper intensity, but also in the matter of recovery afterwards. If you drop your calories too low, you will wipe yourself OUT. Your workouts will suffer, you will get less results, and frankly, you will just feel AWFUL. So, on the angle of a cutting program, this one walks a fine line.

One of the reasons I chose the P90X Lean version of the schedule was so I could actively pursue the weight loss side of it. It IS easier than the regular version, and obviously less demanding than the Doubles. But even so, it is a demanding routine on the body. Because of that, there is no room for error. You must fuel your body at the appropriate times, or you will feel it. You cannot skip meals, because it will tank you.

Now, one last thing to be clear on. If you are after visible results, you need to understand that those are 80% rooted in your kitchen. What you feed yourself, how much, and when are absolutely KEY. There is no workout, or pill, or magic wand that will enable you to get around this fact. If you don't eat right, you will not see what you are working so hard for. You will experience an increase in strength/power, you will probably even feel better, but you won't SEE it, OR feel as good as you COULD if you did right by your body in the kitchen. You want to see your abs? You could do a million crunches, and it won't make a damn bit of difference if you are eating in excess and the wrong things. It's the one hard fact that people want to deny, yet can never truly do so.

You want to be fit? You gotta do the work. You want to LOOK fit? You gotta do the work AND eat right. It's that simple, it really IS that black and white. No if's, and's or but's.

So, to the point: I like the workout. I like the food plan. And I even like the instructor and his presentation of the whole plan. Oh, one technical note, though - the whole thing is kind of dark. Not that it isn't shot well, it is. It's just that the room it was shot in is dark toned, and there are often shadows in the background which leads to an even darker appearance. This was probably on purpose since it allowed you to 100% focus on the instructor who stood out well against this background. However, it did make it tough to see sometimes because of the glare of lights in my own room against the television, regardless of where the lighting came from (above, or from a lamp or window, etc.) Don't misunderstand me, it's not a poor quality recording at ALL. And hey, maybe it's just me.

If you are now interested in P90X, Ultimate Fitness Gear has contacted me to offer a coupon to everyone for $5 off the program. The code to input at check-out is: smw5off


Edit 2/2008: I have recently been able to try out two of the nutritional supplements many had asked me about, this link is my review of them.

Edit: I wrote this review in July 2006, and recently it has been getting a lot of traffic. I still stand by everything I said. I am not affiliated with Beachbody. Up until now I had been taking questions, but it is becoming more than I can keep up with, so I won't be answering any more. Please see if your question has already been answered in the comments. Thank you!