This doesn’t count as a zombie thread yet, does it? I pulled this back up to see people’s run-down of the specific DVDs, and was surprised to find that no one had done that yet. So here’s what I think, and I’d love to hear other people’s opinions.
(About me: 24 year old female, just starting Week Five. Started P90X when my performance in the gym started rapidly deteriorating. I was sorely disappointed with my fit test results, but I guess they were pretty good. From memory, the results were something like this: pull-ups 5, Vertical leap +10, push-ups 29, Toe touch +6, Wall Squat 1:30, Bicep Curls 10 reps with 15 lbs. per arm, In and Outs 100.)
Disc One (Chest and Back): I thought this was a great introduction to the program. Very basic moves that do exactly what they need to do. The only downside is that it takes a toll on your ego. I can do real push-ups and pull-ups, but you do so many that I have to go on my knees and use the chair just to still be alive by the end of the workout.
Disc Two (Plyometrics): My least favorite. This one absolutely kills my lungs. The first time I did it I had to pause the DVD several times to catch my breath. But I still completed it.
Disc Three (Shoulders and Arms): I didn’t like this one as much because you can’t get a good workout when you’re only working small muscles. You don’t get your heart rate up, you don’t work as many of your core muscles.
Disc Four (Yoga): I hate that P90X is making me do yoga. I also hate that the first part of the routine is almost an hour of leaning forward – it’s uncomfortable. But I love love love the way my body feels at the end of this workout.
Disc Five (Legs and Back): The first time I did this workout, I informed my boyfriend afterwards that I had just done the hardest leg workout of my life. So I was incredibly proud of myself when by the third week I was able to keep up with them. Although I still scream in pain every time I do that calf raise exercise.
Disc Six (Kenpo): My favorite one. It’s a lot like Tae Bo, which I’ve been doing for three years. It’s so fun that the hour’s over before you know it.
Disc Seven (Stretch): I didn’t do this one until Recovery Week, and it seems like a waste of time. You’re doing all the same stretches that you do during the other workouts. And I really don’t think I need to stretch for an hour. Maybe it’s because I’m young.
Disc Eight (Core Synergistics): Another one that I didn’t do until Recovery Week. I was surprised that they would throw in something that challenging in what was supposed to be a gentle week. I liked it, though.
Disc Nine (Chest, Shoulders, and Triceps): I like the idea of sticking chest in with shoulders and triceps rather than back. I think this will eliminate my gripe I had earlier, about shoulders and arms not being too intense of a workout. They’re spreading the wealth more this time around.
Disc Ten (Back and Biceps): Haven’t done it yet, but looking forward to it. I love back workouts.
Disc Eleven (Cardio X): The Plyometrics DVD I got with the original set was defective, so I did Cardio X for the first two weeks until I got a working Plyometrics DVD sent to me. This is basically a mixture of stretch, yoga, Kenpo, and Plyometrics. And my reaction to it is basically my reaction to the other DVDs: I started out coasting along with something not too difficult, started getting into it and having fun, and then all of a sudden plyometrics came in and kicked my ass.
Disc Twelve (Ab Ripper X): I don’t like this concept of having a single abs workout for all the different days. Whatever happened to muscle confusion? I am so sick of doing the same exercises three times a week. I wish they had just made the other workouts fifteen minutes longer and had different abs exercises in the different workout videos.
What’s nice is the option to turn off the vocals so I can just play some music if I prefer. Overall I do like the extremely upbeat style, stressing proper form and encouraging people to pause, rest, lower the weight or whatever if something feels too difficult.