Who is it for?
P90 is an introductory/intermediate fitness program. This means it’s easy enough—if you modify—for anyone to do, but also hard enough those who have a fitness base and are just out of shape to get great benefits from. It’s not P90X, but most people will find it plenty difficult and it will have to ready for P90X by its end.
What equipment does it require?
Weights and/or resistance bands. An exercise mat is nice.
Won’t I get better results with with P90X, since it’s harder?
Not at all. The harder you can push during individual workouts the better your results will be. Unless P90 workouts are actually easy for you, you’ll get better results by starting with it than P90X.
Is it a cardio or weight training program?
It’s a balanced program, alternating between cardio and resistance days. All workouts, however, are based on intensive anaerobic intervals followed by rests, which is by far the best way to create rapid body composition changes. So even though you are lifting more weight than, say, FOCUS T25, the overall results are similar. It mainly comes down to which program you’ll enjoy more and work the hardest in.
How often can I do Ab Ripper?
While it’s technically possible to work your abs daily (because they have a higher percentage of slow twitch muscle fiber), results come quicker when you work them harder and then recovery longer. This is why we only have it on the schedule every other day.
Will I get results if I follow the modifier?
Everyone should go at their own pace. As long as your pushing your body daily, and eating well so that you recover, results will happen. You should follow the modifier until you can do the regular moves with good form and then you should continue to use the modifier after this as soon as your form breaks down.
I missed a week due to vacation/work travel/sickness. Where do I start from today?
Missing a few days is no big deal. Just jump back into your program where you left off. After about five or six days off your body is fully recovered, and very strong, and you actually have the ability to hurt yourself by breaking down your fast twitch muscle fibers, and this can make you too sore to workout for over a week. If you’ve missed more than five days, start slow on your first day back, maybe doing third to a half of your normal workout, and ramp up little by little, taking about a week to get back to where you left off.
What’s the perfect next step?
The perfect next step is the C series. Assuming you’ve finished this, you’re ready for almost anything. P90 is designed to have you ready for the X series, but it will have you fit enough for the INSANITY series, TurboFire, Body Beast, or any kind of sports specific training you desire. A short break of maintenance work to allow your body to fully recover is always recommended before moving onto your next challenge.
What is maintenance work?
It much harder to get into shape than it is to maintain that shape once you get there. You can generally maintain a level pretty close to peak fitness with about half the volume of your program. To maintain, you can utilize many different forms of training but the easiest is often 3-4 days per week of the program you just finished. It will decline over time, slowly, but you’ll probably pick another program or activity to pick up the slack after a while.