P90X, again...what are the bare essentials!?!

M

Michele S

Cathlete
Okay...you've all got me ready to cave in here. I've been talking to my husband so much about this that he's giving in to yet another workout series coming home with me!

What are the bare minimums that I need to get started? I have dumbbells up to 20 pounds, a barbell, a bowflex (that I don't use, but will if I need to.) What else do I absolutely need??? Are the bands necessary or will the dumbbells be a good substitute? I'm sure I'll buy the other stuff in the future, but don't want my credit card to be too nuts next month!

Thanks, again! P90X, here I come...yikes!!!:eek:
 
Michele, I think you have plenty to get started. You'll want a mat and have a towel handy to wipe off huge amounts of sweat.

And a BIG bottle of water. :D

I finally got around to getting some bands and I use the body bar on two chairs deal for pullups. Someday I'll get the bar, but I don't need it now.
 
I think that if you have budget concerns, you can do this series with the equipment you describe.

However, with that said, you should think about getting the following:

Pull up bar - My workout room has slanted ceilings and my hubby just slapped up a rod across two rafters and voila. Try to find a cheap way to do pull ups...the workouts won't be the same without them.

Sticky mat - I bought a cheap one at Walmart and LOVE it. I have a new appreciation for how Yoga works the body and I'm hooked. Don't NEED it, but it really does help.

Otherwise, good shoes, water and a towel to sop up the sweatfest.

Go for it. You won't be sorry. I have two babies in daycare and a husband who just started his own company, so I don't have any extra cash flying around either. This purchase was a difficult decision because of that, but now that I own it, I realize it is worth twice the cost and then some.
 
If your Bowflex has a lat tower, it will work for the pull-ups/chin-ups. If not, you can get bands, but I began P90X substituting heavy 1-arm lat rows and pullovers for the pull-ups work (though the bands work better). You can use dumbbells for all other exercises.

Some kind of padding is good for Plyo X. I use puzzle mats that I got at Home Depot. I also have started using them as my flooring for the weight workouts as well, and it helps with push-ups (pads my hands and knees or feet).

A yoga sticky mat is also good to keep from slipping during moves like downward dog and the warrior postures (though I find that when I get really sweaty during Yoga X, I need to put a towel between my hands and my sticky mat, or it IS slippery).

I second the recommendation for a good towel...or three! I once used three towels (hand towel size for wiping the face and arms, bath towel size for the body, beach towel size for lying on and extra padding during some prone yoga moves that make my hip bones dig in to the floor) and all three were sopping wet at the end of the workout (Core Synergistics, I believe it was, but they all make me sweat like a sumo wrestler after climbing 3 flights of stairs!)
 
Michele....I have nothing to add as the other posts covered it....except...Congrats on getting ready to BRING IT!.....:)...Carole
 
Can I clairfy - there are NO dumbells or barbells needed? So there are no weights in the series? If not, then how do you build muscle or define? Please explain. sorry for the confusion,.....and endless questions about this workout series!
 
Yes, if you don't use the bands you do NEED dumbells. There is weight used, just not every exercise. I have not used a barbell yet. I think 2-20 lbs dummbells would cover it unless of course you want to go heavier, that has worked for me so far...
 
Mckmain is right, one or the other you'll need. Keep in mind these workouts allow you to go REALLY heavy because you're not following an instructor with a set number of reps, this is you, competing against yourself, so if you want to build muscle and can only do six reps w/a really heavy weight, you can.

Or if you want to do more endurance work, you can use your lighter weights to do more reps. That's one of the things I totally love about P90X.
 
The leg workout is mostly without weights, but some of the exercises use light weights, and you can add weights to others.

Cab---down below me!--P90X is a workout system created by Tony Horton and sold at www.beachbody.com . There are several threads about it in this forum (how COULD you have missed them?) and information on it at the Beach Body web site.
 
Kathryn, where did you purchase the bands from? If you bought them from P90X how much were they? Do you think they could be purchased somewhere else for a cheaper price? I don't want to have to order anything with a card? Thanks
 
Kathryn,,,,if most of the leg workouts are without weights or light weights...how do you build muscle....or is it more of a toning?
 
I bought the bands that beach body offers (the "Men's Extreme" set because I'm only using them for pull-downs). They were around $39? I think. They are very sturdy and great quality. Better than the Lifeline bands they sold before (which were better than other bands I've tried). Nice thing about them, the handles and bands are separate, so when you replace the bands, you don't have to buy a whole new handle, so it costs less. You can definitely get something cheaper, but in this case, you get what you pay for.
 
Lynne,
A lot of the workouts actually work the legs well: in addition to the "legs and back" workout, plyometrics works the legs (and you start the workout with a long set of walking lunges), and Yoga X works the legs, too.

I've noticed more of a slimming effect in the lower area. Including a smaller and lower butt (not what I'm after!), so I've just begun adding 5 sets of heavy squats one additional day a week (I use my Soloflex Rockit, so I go really heavy). Now I'm noticing a bit more muscle (maybe more than I want) in my quads.

Interestingly enough, many early women bodybuilders (the ones who still looked very feminine, like Lisa somebody or other)didn't do much lower body weight work, but used running as a way to traiin their lower bodies.

The exercises in "Legs and Back" are very effective, even without weights, or should I say "extra weights," since we are hoisting the weight of our bodies. There are a couple of variations of one-legged squats (a very effective move even with no weights) and some variations of lunges (some with, some without, weights) and squats (one set) and moves where you crouch down into a "Groucho" stance and walk four steps forward and four steps back (by that time, your legs are about to give out!).
 
Thanks for the information, you said your behind became smaller and lower. That does not sound like a good thing. I'll have to watch for that. I prefer to have a little bit of something going on in the back. It just looks better in jeans. Thanks for the information.
 
I just bought the series yesterday!! After seeing all these wonderful reviews, I just had to do it. How long do the tapes usually take to arrive? I paid the amount in full. I'm so excited, and scared. :D
 
Due to not wanting to leave out my "mass building" exercises, I incorporate a heavy Cathe leg tape (like PS Legs) on one of the days. Even if that means I do half P90 Legs and half PS legs. I think these workouts compliment each other great, however, I have noticed that my butt isn't quite as "high". But, my overall activity level has probably also decreased due to school and work.

Due to the intense nature of P90X, I really think it is actually better utilized incorporated with Cathe and extra rest days. Chest and Back alone kills me!

Yes, and HOW could anyone NOT hear of P90X by now!! Almost unbelieveable Kathryn isn't it considering how many threads you have answered! Are you sick of it yet???:)
 
Besides, they also say that when you work your legs with heavy weights to build mass that you release a greater amount of growth hormone. They have done studies to show that those that do heavy leg workouts have more built upper bodies, even if they do not lift heavy for their upper body!! P90X will however keep your legs "toned" (as much as I hate that word). Kathryn is correct in that it all is very leg intensive.
 
I'm waiting for mine to arrive too, I ordered on 6/14. Someone mentioned that delivery is usually 7 - 10 working days. I hope to get mine very soon. I didn't order any extra equipment yet, I wanted to check out the workouts first.
 
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