If you’re a sucker for watching infomercials or stay up late watching TV, you may have watched Tony Horton promoting the wonderful results of his P90X workout. You can get the whole miracle package for up to $350 and within 90 days looked ripped and fit, with a significant amount of body fat replaced with rippling muscles like Tony. 
The question include, is this the real miracle that Tony says it is? Does everyone get results? Why does it work?
Tony says it causes “muscle confusion.”
While muscle confusion may be a new term, the concept isn’t new. If you do the same workout continuously, your body becomes adept at the movements and efficient. That efficiency means you’ll burn fewer calories, which can cause plateauing. Personal trainers have always varied the workout to prevent plateauing from occurring. It’s not a new concept, but it is a valid one. Your muscles aren’t confused, however, just not as efficient as they would become doing the same exercise continuously.
The workout uses a circuit format
The workout does contain most of the exercises you’ll get from any personal trainer. The program also has a nutrition plan. According to the plan, you’ll workout hard for an hour to an hour and a half, six to seven days a week. It offers workouts for specific muscle groups, plymetric workouts, yoga, Kenpo, stretching and core synergistics.
The problem is that it’s not for everyone.
- Those severely out of shape shouldn’t attempt to tackle the workout. It’s great for those already fit, but can be extremely taxing and even dangerous for the obese, the out of shape and people with physical limitations. It does get your heart rate racing, but if you’re unfit, the chances of falling behind and eventually quitting are great. Unless Tony was working with you on a one-to-one basis, you won’t get the workout based on your fitness level. You also don’t have the advantage of someone watching you to ensure your form is perfect.
- As a personal trainer, I understand the benefits of the P90X workout and find it great if you’re already in shape and want to try something different. I highly recommend a more personalized approach for everyone else.
- The nutritional plan isn’t recommended for long term use. Therefore, you aren’t learning to make lifestyle changes to use the rest of your life. It has the same drawbacks of type of diet that isn’t healthy eating.
- P90X doesn’t build strength as much as tone since there’s no rest between the exercises. You need to rest muscles between exercises for about a minute to build strength. If you want a workout designed specifically for your needs and one that holds you accountable, use the services of a personal trainer who creates a plan specifically for you.