P90X2 Exercise Program Review
9.75/10
Quick Overview
- Difficulty
Advanced
- Cost
High
- Trial Period
90 Days
The P90X2 exercise program is the sequel
to the original P90X program, one of the most
popular at-home fitness programs in the
world. Similar to the P90X fitness
program, P90X2 is the result of a
collaborative effort between fitness trainer
Tony Horton and Beachbody, the company
responsible for popular, advanced and highly
effective programs such as P90X, Turbo Fire,
ChaLEAN Extreme and Insanity.
Tony Horton himself has appeared in a number of other Beachbody programs, including Tony and the Folks, Tony and the Kids, Power 90, 10-Minute Trainer and all variations of the P90X fitness program.
While the original P90X program was based on the concept of muscle confusion, in which different workouts are continually introduced to prevent your body from getting used to a set routine, P90X2 focuses more on a brand new athletic training approach: Post-Activation Potentiation, or P.A.P. Post-Activation Potentiation workouts involve a combination of heavy lifting and explosive aerobic performance, delivering a high intensity cardiovascular workout with many benefits of traditional strength training.
P90X2 is arguably the most intense exercise program ever released by Beachbody, even more intense than previous programs such as P90X, Insanity and Insanity: The Asylum. Although P90X2 is not intended for fitness beginners, those who have found success with previous advanced exercise programs and are looking to achieve the next level will feel right at home.
P90X2 fitness program is designed as a 90
day exercise routine and includes a matching
90-day trial period, as well as the high quality
customer support you've come to expect from Beachbody.
The intent of the P90X2 fitness program from Beachbody is to provide an even more intense workout than what was delivered with the original P90X program, as well as variations such as P90X Plus and P90X One on One. Tony Horton and Beachbody have collaborated once again to create an advanced workout program based on the absolute latest developments in sports and fitness science. The result is a high-intensity, 90-day program intended to boost your core strength, agility, balance and overall athleticism.
The P90X2 exercise program accomplishes its goals by including the following materials with your order:
- 12 workouts designed to provide a total body workout.
- A Fitness Guide that thoroughly explains the moves and provides helpful tips for making your way through every stage of the program.
- A Nutrition Guide with healthy recipes and meal planners, allowing you to create a dietary regimen that's perfectly matched to the physical exercise portion of the program.
- A 90-Day Workout Calendar to ensure that you're performing the right exercises on the right days for the full three months of the P90X2 fitness program.
P90X2 is also available in Deluxe and Ultimate formats for an additional cost. The Deluxe version includes everything found in the P90X2 Base kit along with the following:
- 2 additional workouts, bringing the total number of workouts to 14.
- A Foam Roller.
- A 55cm Premium Stability Ball.
- 2 8-pound Medicine Balls.
The Ultimate version of P90X2 goes even further, including these additional upgrades:
- A Pro-Grade Foam Roller.
- Tony Horton's PowerStands.
The P90X2 exercise program is a total body fitness system that comprises 12 different workouts. The workouts focus on various parts of the body, as well as various physical fitness concepts including balance, yoga, mobility, recovery, plyometrics and Post-Activation Potentiation (P.A.P.). Each workout is designed to work as many muscle groups as possible beyond the targeted area, something that's noticeably different from the orignal P90X workout program. The name of each workout gives some indication as to the primary area it works:
- X2 Core
- X2 Ab Ripper
- P.A.P. Upper
- P.A.P. Lower
- Base + Back
- X2 Shoulders + Arms
- Chest + Back + Balance
- X2 Balance + Power
- X2 Yoga
- X2 Total Body
- X2 Recovery + Mobility
- Plyocide
The P90X2 exercise program lasts for a total of 90 days, which should come as no surprise to those who have completed P90X, Insanity and other advanced Beachbody fitness programs that share the same duration. You can expect to spend about one hour per day exercising at a high level of intensity, though some of the individual workouts (such as X2 Yoga at 90 minutes) last for longer or shorter and compensate with an appropriate change in intensity. As with most advanced Beachbody programs, you'll be exercising six days out of every week and resting for only one.
The 12 workouts included with P90X2 can be categorized into three different training phases, each of which have their own unique focus:
Phase One focuses on your core strength, balance and stability, incorporating individual workouts such as X2 Balance + Power and X2 Core. You'll develop strength and the ability to perform explosive movements in addition to core stability as you complete workouts under Phase One.
Phase Two focuses specifically on total body strength, with improved coordination and explosive power as particular goals. Some of the workouts conducted under Phase Two include Chest + Back + Balance and Plyocide.
Phase Three is all about performance, and incorporates the P.A.P. Upper and P.A.P. Lower workouts that pair a few repetitions of heavy lifting with strenuous, fast-paced aerobic moves. Phase Three should be of particular interest to high level athletes, though benefits will be obvious to common exercisers as well.
The P90X2 fitness program achieves incredible results by utilizing the concept of Post-Activation Potentiation, an all-new training technique recently developed by some of the world's best fitness trainers. Post-Activation Potentiation (P.A.P.) relies on the concept that heavy weight lifting immediately followed by explosive exercises, commonly called plyometrics, can lead to the most significant gains in terms of your speed, strength and agility. A good example of P.A.P. in action would be squatting an amount of weight near your maximum for a highly limited number of reps before performing a sprint. The resistance training effectively "opens up" your muscles to prepare them for explosive aerobic performance. This basic concept proliferates the P90X2 exercise program.
As with any fitness program, your results with P90X2 will depend on your ability to stay motivated and stick with the program as precisely as possible. You can maximize your fitness results by carefully following the program's included Nutrition Guide, which now comes with gluten-free and vegan recipes in addition to more traditional ones. The included Workout Calendar should help you to track your progress and ensure strict adherence with the program's daily requirements.
In order to properly use the P90X2 exercise program, you'll need to purchase a few pieces of additional equipment. At a bare minimum, this includes a few pairs of resistance bands or dumbbells appropriate to your strength level, as well as a pull-up bar installed in a safe location such as a doorway. You'll also want to purchase a gym or yoga mat if you haven't already, as this will make the floor exercises far more comfortable and prevent the onset of premature fatigue as you complete the program.
If you wish to take full advantage of P90X2, it's advisable to purchase the Deluxe or Ultimate versions of the program, both of which contain additional equipment designed to better facilitate the performance of the exercise moves. Both the Deluxe and Ultimate versions of P90X2 include two 8-pound Medicine Balls, as well as a 55 cm Premium Stability Ball. P90X2 Deluxe includes a Foam Roller, while the Ultimate kit includes a Premium Foam Roller. The P90X2 Ultimate exercise program also includes Tony Horton's Powerstands, which are not included with the Deluxe or Base programs in any form. Again, these items are optional but strongly recommended for the full completion of P90X2.
Since P90X2 is a video-based home workout program, you'll obviously need a TV and a DVD player located in a room with ample space to perform all of the program's exercise moves. P90X2 is the first program offered by Beachbody with a Blu-ray disc option, and you'll need a Blu-ray disc player if you wish to take advantage of this higher-resolution option.
The P90X2 fitness program is specifically designed for those who have already completed another advanced program from Beachbody, such as Insanity, ChaLEAN Extreme or the original P90X program. P90X2 does include exercise move modifications, making it slightly more accessible to those who aren't quite at the level of easily completing programs such as P90X.
Tony Horton and Beachbody have explicitly stated that P90X2 is a highly advanced total body exercise program not designed for fitness beginners. If you've lead a sedentary lifestyle up until now, or if you've been physically inactive for an extended period of time, it's advisable to begin with an easier program before eventually graduating to P90X2. Beachbody specifically recommends Power 90 and 10-Minute Trainer, two of their less-challenging programs, for fitness beginners who may not yet be prepared for the advanced challenges of P90X2.
With all of that said, it should be noted that even novices should be able to derive some benefit from P90X2, so long as they're willing to work at a slower pace and carefully monitor their body's pain signals to avoid injury. However, the fact that P90X2 is relatively expensive in comparison to most Beachbody products means that fitness beginners could find a more cost-effective solution in one of the company's introductory or intermediate programs.
Beachbody is well known for providing comprehensive customer support that's virtually unparalleled in the home fitness industry. Those who purchase P90X2 from Beachbody will have access to several different customer service avenues, including:
- Email
- Live chat
- 24/7 toll-free phone
In addition, all Beachbody customers gain access to the company's message boards, which allow you to ask questions about the program and share your workout experiences with other P90X2 users. You'll also receive complete access to the Beachbody FAQ, where the company answers the most common questions regarding their workout programs including P90X2 and more.
If you purchase P90X2 from Beachbody and are dissatisfied for any reason, you can send the complete contents of the fitness system back to the company for a full refund minus the cost of shipping and handling. The Beachbody guarantee lasts for 90 days from your purchase of the program, which should allow ample time to decide whether the program matches your personal fitness requirements.
The cost of the P90X2 workout program is
dependent on which edition you choose.
Options include P90X2 Base, P90X2 Deluxe and
P90X2 Ultimate.
The P90X2 Base exercise program is
available for a single payment of $119.85,
or three monthly payments of $39.95 each.
Shipping is an additional $19.95.
The P90X2 Deluxe exercise program is available for a single payment of $239.70, or three monthly payments of $39.70 each. Shipping is an additional $34.90.
The P90X2 Ultimate exercise program is available for a single payment of $329.55, or three monthly payments of
$109.85 each. Shipping is an additional $39.90.
The P90X2 Additional Extreme Workouts package consists of two additional workout DVDs. The V Sculpt DVD targets the back and biceps muscle groups, while the X2 DVD focuses on the chest, shoulders and triceps muscles. The Additional Extreme Workouts package is available for a single payment of $59.85, or 3 monthly payments of $19.95 each. Shipping is an additional $5.96.
Blu-ray disc versions of all three programs can be purchased for an additional fee of $30.00 for the Base program or $60.00 for the Deluxe and Ultimate programs.
Another option is to purchase the P90X2 Base exercise program and then purchase the additional equipment delivered with the Deluxe and Ultimate programs separately. Doing so will increase your overall costs by 35.00%, so it's advisable to decide whether the additional equipment is worthwhile before making your initial P90X2 fitness program purchase.
Summary
P90X2 represents the new gold standard in highly advanced exercise programs offered by Beachbody, the same company that brought us P90X, Turbo Fire, Insanity and several other acclaimed programs. The program lasts for 90 days, and has you exercising 6 days per week, at least 1 hour per day with 12 different routines, each of which are delivered on DVD or Blu-ray. While most of the workouts target specific areas of the body, each is designed to work as many muscle groups as possible in addition to the primary target. This approach makes for a highly efficient routine that will lead to gains in muscle mass and density, a well as improvements in balance, core stability, cardiovascular stamina, coordination and more.
The P90X2 fitness program does have a few disadvantages worth nothing. The price is relatively high, especially if you purchase the Deluxe or Ultimate versions and even more so if you opt for the Blu-ray upgrade. You'll need some additional support equipment in order to take full advantage of all the workouts, though much of this equipment is provided with the program's Deluxe and Ultimate versions.
Regardless of those minor shortcomings, those who have completed other advanced programs from Beachbody and are seeking the next level in at-home fitness will not be disappointed. The program's inclusion of Post-Activation Potentiation, a concept you won't find in any other Beachbody program to date, makes it a must-have for any serious at-home exerciser.
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