Hello all! So yesterday was my first day of P90X Lean. I wrote this last night but internet wasn't working.

Well, today was my first day of P90X. I don’t have “before” pictures to post yet because…frankly, I haven’t taken them yet. But my photos won’t be much different at Day 2 or Day 3 than they were today. I’m starting the program on P90X Lean. I might change it over to P90X, but for now I’m doing Lean for better weight loss. I started with Core Synergistics, but had to modify it because I wasn’t able to finish the number of reps. I mostly just stopped after a few reps and watched Tony and the gang finish out the set. At the end, I was feeling really down—my core felt fine. My hip joints felt like hell, though. So I went back through and re-did the first few exercises and tensed my core muscles while I did them. Man, was that different.

I don’t really have a very fitness-conscious history. I became really overweight last summer – I ballooned thirty pounds in 3 months—and this year I got so frustrated after 5+ years of weight gain that I went on an intense diet. I lost back 30 pounds and I’m now at 160 pounds from a starting 189 pounds. I’m a woman, and 5’5”, so that’s still moderately overweight. I joined a fitness class at my gym and became motivated, between the diet and my weight loss, and now I hope to call myself an exercise addict. Unfortunately the last few days I’ve been a lazy butt. Yesterday I pigged out on a chocolate bar and chocolate covered coffee beans (say that five times fast). On Wednesday I didn’t work out at all, Friday I didn’t work out at all. Today I did a modified Fitness Test – only really very modified because instead of working to failure, I did the minimums to begin P90X. Except the pull-up. I got all prepped for the pull-up, got on a stool, grabbed the bar, let myself hang down, and… nothing. I couldn’t move an inch. I couldn’t even hold it for very long. I didn’t really understand Ins and Outs, but I did the best I could.

I'm concerned because I really want to "Bring It" and it seems like P90X Lean is so much easier - I didn't see Plyometrics anywhere on there. Day 2 is Cardio X, but everyone says that's the easiest. I just don't want to be getting less out of it than anyone else. Does anyone have any suggestions?
Thanks guys!

You can substitute Plyo for the cardioX days. Plyo is a calorie burner of all calorie burners. I am on Classic and I often use Cardio as a 'doubles' workout on non resistance days like kempo or stretch days.

Cardio burns some cals, but nothing like plyo!

Welcome Nicole.

I like your enthusiasm, it will come in very handy, because Tony can get annoying but you can't get mad because he's sweating just as well even with all that talking.

I understand that you want to take full advantage but for the first 2 weeks, I'd suggest that you stick with Cardio X and be very intense if you by the end of the 2nd week you still want to switch to Plyo then go right ahead.
I say this because it will take you a week to try to follow Tony and his crazies, and another week to feel comfortable.

I totally agree, Les! I think I'm going to transition slowly to doing P90X Classic. Since Day 3 and Day 4 of Classic and Lean are the same (Shoulders and Arms & Ab Ripper X Day 3, Yoga X Day 4.) So I'll be switching over!

Days 2 and 3 were much more difficult than I expected. It's a weird feeling to have gotten a workout, but nonetheless at the end not be winded. Day 2 was Cardio X, and yesterday was Shoulders & Arms and Ab Ripper X. Today is Yoga X. Cardio X was a workout - if Plyometrics makes Cardio look easy, I'm scared! Shoulders and Arms was fine, but Ab Ripper X really got me. A 15 minute workout, and I couldn't even complete the last two full poses! Today is Yoga X. I got up early to try to do Yoga X before I had to leave. My abs are still sore from Ab Ripper X, so doing the vinyasas was less stretching and more painful for me. I stopped doing the vinyasas in any appreciable form - my abs felt like I might actually pull one of them, so I essentially went straight into upward dog by lowering my butt. I had to stop the video after about 25 minutes - I couldn't do it anymore. I'll try to finish Yoga X tonight.


I decided yesterday that what I really want is to do P90X Classic. I do want to lose weight, but I also want to become very fit and muscular. I figure either way I do it, I'll lose weight, but P90X Classic is less about Cardio so I might do Doubles some days, just to get that Cardio in there. I also might continue doing normal workout training, like treadmill and ellipticals, some days - just to get the calorie burning in there.


I'd felt kind of deflated this morning, like my loyalty to P90X was already flagging on Day 3. But I think now, having finally finished Yoga X (and man was that hard!), I've got renewed energy to put into this program. Let's hope so! Tomorrow is Legs & Back and Ab Ripper X.

Stick with it Nicole.. Trust me, it gets easier. CardioX is by far the easiest of the workouts, Plyo is probably the most intense.

For me, Yoga came together when I 'relaxed' and I let my body do the stretching work. Don't fight it. Actually upward dog is a great way to stretch your abs after Ab-RipperX.

I usually split up my workouts on Classic. For resistance days, I do the workout in the AM, and Ab Ripper in the evening after work. Yoga, I do up to tree in the morning, then finish up in the evening. Plyo and Kempo, I just do. Kempo is probably as EZ as Cardio for me at least. Many times, I double them up and do Kempo in the AM, and Cardio in the PM.

At first, I recommend that you cut reps, not exercises entirely. IF they do 25, try to do 15 or 20 of each and increase rest periods. Write it down!! Next time, increase by 1 or 2. You will get there faster than you think. Remember, you have never used your muscles in these ways before!! They have to practice...

ENJOY!!! KEEP BRINGING IT!!