P90X

Power 90 Extreme (P90X)

P90X Materials
Invented by	Tony Horton
Launch year	2003
Current supplier	Beachbody

P90X, or Power 90 Extreme, is a commercial home exercise regimen, known for its intensity.^[1] It is designed to take 90 days, and it consists of a training program that uses cross-training (weight training, martial arts, yoga, and calisthenics) and periodization, combined with a nutrition and dietary supplement plan.^[2]

History

The system was developed by Tony Horton, Beachbody CEO Carl Daikeler, Beachbody Fitness Advisor Steve Edwards, nutritionist Carrie Wyatt, Creative Director Ned Farr, and workout video director Mason Bendewald.

In 2002, Daikeler tasked Horton to create a fitness program for people who were already fit. Daikeler hired Ned Farr to document the process of developing the new program, giving a "look behind the curtain." Development took two years. Horton consulted various fitness experts and experimented with several disciplines before selecting 12 workouts. The program was tested and refined with several 90-day test groups. Farr's video diary documentary originally appeared every month on Beachbody's website and can now be found on YouTube.

In 2004, the completed program was released, and an infomercial was made using some of the documentary footage.

Farr continues to use a documentary approach to the infomercials, using raw home footage supplied by P90X graduates. "P90X: The Proof" infomercial won a Telly award in 2009^{[citation needed]} and "P90X: The Answer" infomercial won a Moxie award in 2010.^{[citation needed]}

P90X is Beachbody's best-selling product after years of positive word of mouth and heavy infomercial advertisements.^[3] Despite sales growth slowing to approximately 30%, P90X represented half of Beachbody's $430 million revenue in 2010. ^[4] As of November 2010, 3 million copies of P90X have been sold for an estimated $420 million.^[4] The program had grossed approximately $500 million in sales, as of August 2012.^[2]

In 2011, the sequel to p90x was released, p90x2. Another 90-day workout regimen, p90x2 focuses on an applied sports science called Muscle Integration. Instead of working one muscle group at a time, P90X2 uses resistance on unstable platforms to engage more muscles with each movement.^[5]

In December of 2013, p90x3 was released. p90x3 includes 16 new routines, and mixes in yoga, mixed martial arts, Pilates, and plyometrics into a series of upper and lower body workouts. The biggest difference in the latest program is the length of the workouts; p90x3 routines are 30 minutes long at maximum intensity.^[6]

Brands

P90X uses the term "muscle confusion" in their advertising to refer to their training methods.^[7] Muscle confusion is said to prevent the body from adapting to exercises over time, resulting in continual improvement without plateau.^[8]

There are seven programs associated with the Power 90 name: Power 90, Power 90 Master Series, P90X, P90X+, P90X One-on-One, P90X2, and P90X3 (Fall 2013).^[9]

Program overview

P90X is a 90-day program that combines a variety of exercise techniques, including strength training, cardio, yoga, plyometrics, and stretching.^[10] The program consists of a nutrition guide, fitness plan, calendar, and series of DVDs demonstrating a variety of techniques. The models also demonstrate some moves at lower and/or higher levels of intensity.^[11] P90X provides a fitness test to determine if the program is suitable for an individual.^[12]

Exercises overview

The P90X program cycle lasts 13 weeks, exercising six days per week. The program has three "rotations" or emphases, called "classic," "lean" and "doubles," that the individual selects according to their personal goals. There are a total of 12 DVD workouts included with the program; each targets different skills and muscles. Most of the workouts are less than an hour in duration, although the abdominal workout ("Ab Ripper X") is performed three times per week, after six of the rotating workouts, which adds approximately 15 minutes of exercise to the times in the table below.

Program	Exercise	Week	Muscles Worked	Type	Ab Ripper X	Length	Equipment
P90X	Chest and Back	1-3, 9, 11	Pectorals, Back, Biceps, Triceps	Strength Training	Yes	52:50	Weights or Bands, Push-up bars, Pull-up bar or bands, Chair, Fitness guide and pen, Water and Towel
	Plyometrics	1-3, 5-7, 9-12	Legs, Full Body	Cardio	No	58:36	Heart rate monitor, Mat, Stool or Chair, Water and towel
	Shoulders and Arms	1-3, 9, 11	Biceps, Triceps, Shoulders	Strength Training	Yes	59:53	Weights or bands, Wall, Chair, Fitness guide and pen, water and towel
	Yoga X	1-13	Full Body	Cardio, Stretch	No	92:24	Mat, Yoga blocks, Water and towel
	Legs and Back	1-3, 5-7, 9-12	Quads, Hamstring, Calves, Back	Strength Training	Yes	58:56	Weights or bands, Wall, Pull-up bar or bands, Chair, Fitness guide and pen, Water and towel
	Kenpō X	1-13	Full Body	Cardio	No	58:46	Heart rate monitor, Water and towel
	X Stretch	1-13	Full Body	Stretch	No	57:32	Mat, Yoga blocks, Water and towel
	Core Synergistics	4, 8, 13	Full Body	Strength Training	No	57:27	Mat, Weights or bands, Plastic plate, cardboard or towel, Water and towel
	Chest, Shoulders and Triceps	5-7, 10, 12	Pectorals, Shoulders, Triceps	Strength Training	Yes	55:44	Weights or Bands, Push-up bars, Plastic plate, cardboard or towel, Chair, Fitness guide and pen, Water and towel
	Back and Biceps	5-7, 10, 12	Back, Biceps	Strength Training	Yes	51:36	Weights or bands, Wall, Pull-up bar or bands, Chair, Fitness guide and pen, Water and towel
	Cardio X	doubles	Full Body	Cardio Workout	No	43:18	Stool or Chair, Mat, Yoga blocks, Heart rate monitor, Water and towel
	Ab Ripper X	weekly	Abdominals, Core	Strength Training	N/A	16:07	Mat, Water and towel
P90X+	Upper Plus	1-3, 5-7, 9-12	hips up: chest, back, biceps, triceps, shoulders	Strength Training	No, Abs/Core Plus instead	40 min	push-up stands, weights or bands, pull-up bar, water and towel
	Interval X Plus	1-3, 9, 11	Full Body	Cardio Workout	No, Abs/Core Plus instead	40 min	Heart rate monitor, water and towel
	Total Body Plus	1-3, 5-7, 9-12	Full Body	Strength Training	No	45 min	push-up stands, weights or bands, pull-up bar, water and towel
	Kenpo Cardio Plus	1-3, 5-7, 9-12	Full Body	Cardio Workout	No	40 min	water and towel, heart rate monitor
	Abs/Core Plus	1-12	Abs and Core	Strength Training	No	20 min	Mat, water and towel, weights or bands, pull-up bar

Nutrition

The nutrition plan is composed of three phases. The first 30 days emphasize higher protein and lower carbohydrates. The second phase increases the percentages of carbohydrates. The third phase further increases the carbohydrates.

In popular culture

The singer P!nk told the Oprah Winfrey Show on February 5, 2010, that she gets her body in shape for tours with P90X. She was interviewed after her "Glitter in the Air" performance at the 2010 Grammy Awards show. Singer Bruno Mars references P90X in his hit "The Lazy Song".^[13] Paul Ryan, Republican Party nominee for Vice President of the United States in the 2012 election, has performed P90X.^[14] Actor Breckin Meyer from the TV show Franklin & Bash stated he used P90X to get into shape for doing shirtless and nude scenes.^[15]

External links

• The p90x Program
• p90x2 Workout
• p90x3 Workout

References