Rated 5 out of 5 by Len Bringing me again to another level
One of my favorite routines from P90X was recovery week's Core Synergistics. X2 works core into the entire program. The results are amazing.
With P90X, I realized I had made a smart decision. Despite thinking I know how to exercues, I would have never put together such a well-rounded program; it would have required hiring a regular trainer. In terms of total body coverage, my own workouts used to feel like 60%. P90X felt like 90%. X2: 95%. And I'm talking Richter scale...10% = 10x more effective. Ok, that analogy is not working, but hopefuly you understand what I'm saying.
The first month of X2 really focuses on core . the routines connected up abdomen, back, glute, and leg muscles in a way I did had never experienced. And, even with only one day a week of weights, arms starting growing noticably by the end of the second week.
Month 2 of X2 is more of the traditional weight lifting, but from an unstable platform. Month 3 - PAP - well, only started those, need to give them more of a chance.
In X2, form is more important than ever. For example, Abripper 2 won't feel like much unless the reps are down at the slower pace done on screen, with focus on keeping muscles engaged throughout the set.
While you can supposedly modify, I definitely think using the stability and medicine balls are important. Tough when traveling; I chose hotels with gyms that had the equipment. Or brought my own...
X2 is only 5 days a week, but I tihnk,the recovery daty routine really keeps muscles from falling asleep between workouts. this is because you spend a lot of time supporting yourself in various positions when foam rolling. Gains seeemed more noticable the weeks I did the recovery routine.
Should someone do P90X before X2? I'm not sure. Although I'm not really sure if it is required, for nostalgic reasons, I would not give up having done P90X. Also, during X2, Tony alludes to and compares a lot to P90X. I am guessing that some folks may feel a little lost, or that they are missing the joke if they do not do the first program. Doing X2 without having done the first may be like jumping into the second season of a great television series. Good writers will provide enough information that you can basically catch up. But the experience is that much better for those who watched from the beginning.
May 28, 2012
Rated 5 out of 5 by Alex awesome
Hello, I have done the program before even though it is so hard in the first month just stick to it and bring it.... I am currently doing it agian. i started 3 weeks ago and it has been very hard cuz i have cut out all bread, pasta and starchs, which has been hard because i love chips and salsa. :( I am getting married in 10 monthes and i want to look my best on my wedding day. since i have done this before i know that my body will go back to where i want to be at. I am doing Phase 1 diet:) oh joy. I am just keeping my head high and putting things that i use to wear around the house to keep me motivated. Like use a tiny bikin that you use to wear:) It is an awesome work out but you got to be strong mentaly to finish it. Your body can do it but keeping your mind shut is a different story.
May 18, 2012
Rated 5 out of 5 by CJ Amazing
This program met my expectations and I achieved great results. My athleticism grew even more from completing the asylum. The use of instability really takes these workouts to the next level, not just a rehash of p90x.People that do not like this program obviously did not do complete it as specified. If p90x2 is completed as planned you WILL achieve great results and an increase in athleticism.
May 8, 2012
Rated 5 out of 5 by Good Body Really Works
I bought P90x2 simply as a tool for maintaining my current fitness level. Well, imagine my surprise when my body changed. My body fat decreased, and I lost a few pounds. I am more ripped than I have ever been. I did not expect this at all. I highly recommend it.
May 8, 2012
Rated 3 out of 5 by Xfan Not Beachbody's hardest program.. by a long shot
I have done several rounds of P90x, P90x+, Insanity and one round Asylum (I also have all of the One on One discs) prior to doing P90x2. I've got to be honest, none of the workouts "killed me" like the aforementioned workouts did. My strength went down as did my muscle mass after P90x2. None of the workouts really caused me to get winded/sore (like Asylum). Some of the movements can be dangerous and quite frankly aren't necessary to achieve physical fitness. Since completed P90x2, I've bagged those workouts and have moved onto using Jim Wendler's 5/3/1 and have gotten immediate strength/mass gains from that program. I mix in some of the other Beachbody cardio routines on days where I don't lift and the results have been phenomenal. If I had to do it all over again, I honestly would pass on buying P90x2. This is not to say that the program doesn't have merits (because it does), but I definitely didn't think this program was as good as the hype.
May 7, 2012
Rated 5 out of 5 by
makethetime Amazing
P90X changed my life 2 years ago!!! I lost 17 pounds and 10 % body fat! After 2 years of maintaining I knew that when P90X 2 was introduced, it was time to step it up! Oh, and that's exactly what it did! I LOVED the different work outs each month keeping it challenging and interesting! i also loved the flexibility with your schedule letting me decide when it's time to move on to the next phase!!
I just finished my challenge this week and it never ceases to amaze me how it transforms your body. THANK YOU TONY!!!
May 6, 2012
Rated 2 out of 5 by mitlik Good for core strength and balance
I purcahsed the ultimate version of P90X. The workouts are shorter, but in some cases more intense. The yoga is much better and shorter, and I enjoyed pylocide/PAP Upper/Lower much better than the other cardio. Much less impact on knees in my experience. In addition, the Recovery and mobility was better than the X stretch or Kempo. I liked the variety of workouts, the fast paced nature, and wasn't as repetitive. I felt there was too much advertisement in the blue ray discs. Nothing like relaxing with Yoga with eyes closed then that gets interrupted with a sales pitch. In addition, I was disappointed with the stability ball. I am 6' 1" and it was too small for me. There should be an option with the ultimate package to get a bigger ball. Maybe an option for two more med. balls as well. The nutrition guide wasn't than much different than P90X. Finally, the jumping and some of the pullups just don't work in an average house. I had to modifty as my fists/weights would go through a 9 foot ceiling. In addition, a pull up in a door frame was difficult to maximize some of the moves as the wall/floor were too close. I felt I needed a tall vaulted ceiling or a gym to do the workouts.
Results:
I did 6 weeks of foundation as balance was tricky for awhile, strength for 6 weeks, and performance for 4 weeks. I only performed these exercises (basektball once a week) and did not do a recovery week. I visit the chiropracter/1 hour massage weekly as well. That felt much better than rumble rolling (RR isn't that bad).
My flexibility and balance definitely improved. I usually am very stiff. I still have a hard time with some of the yoga (splits and standing splits are hopeless). My hip flexor strength was lacking and definitely improved as well.
I was disappointed with strength and cardio. I only improved 11 pushups and 2 pull ups. In addtion, my 5:15 mile dropped to 5:34. My lower body felt pretty good throughout the workouts. I wanted to get my core stronger for an upcoming warrior dash race. I need to start interval training again to get my times back down.
My shoulders hurt/grinded on some of the workouts. I felt the workouts in p90X and have much better gains in terms of strength. My vertical didn't improve either. My before and after pics didn't change that much. Two rounds of p90X, I noticed more difference each time. I think I would do classic p90X before P90X2. I felt it in more muscles (P90X2 was focused on core which is good) in P90X and got better result with the exception of lower back. Superman weighted was awesome excercise. I am interested to see if I see improvement in P90X! I think I had too high of expectations since p90X was so great and expected better results in P90X2.
May 6, 2012
Rated 5 out of 5 by AndyK I've completed 1 round of P90X and 1 round of P90X2. I much prefer the X2 program. Much more variety. By the time I was done with the original P90X, I was bored with it. 90 days and done. With X2, I've continued doing workouts after the 90 days, mixing and matching routines from the program. Lots of great variety and the workouts are still interesting. Is it as hard as the original? In some ways, maybe not. But it's certainly not easy, and the results are great. And most important for me, I've stuck with it after the 90 days have ended.
Pros:
- Variety
- Three distinct and different phases: core, strength, and PAP
Cons:
- Recovery week is a joke
- Warm ups are too long
April 30, 2012
Rated 2 out of 5 by KC Definately not P90X-like!!
Like many others, I've completed multiple rounds of P90x, tried p90x plus, and many of the One on One series. I agree with most: P90x was great, P90x+ was in part largely a miss, and there are some real “gems” in the One-on-One series.
I was very excited to get P90x2! After doing two weeks of P90x2, I realized I was really missing the weightlifting aspect that was the foundation of P90X. Unfortunately - the thing I love the most, weight training, is the thing P90x2 offers the least of!!!
After evaluating all the workouts here are some of the reasons the P90X2 was a miss for me:
1. It's almost entirely core/balance focused with very little emphasis on actual weightlifting. Even when there is weight lifting, it's biased toward balancing. X2 Shoulders & Arms is the only redeeming lifting workout - though I’m not a fan of balancing while lifting weights.
2. It’s very repetitious. Warmups are almost entirely the same for every workout.
3. Many of the pull-up variations do not work with door-mounted pull-up bars because they require you to fully extend your legs. Try to modify X pull-ups and your knees hit the doorframe.
4. I have the One-on-One Plyocide and while it's rough around the edges, it's tougher than P90x2 Plyocide... that was a real head-scratcher.
5. The workouts are front-loaded with 10-15 minutes of stretching and foam rolling and warmup - so you don't actually workout until 15 minutes in! The foam rolling has benefits but I thought this would be a recovery-day thing.
6. The workout construction is at times off - which can lead to being challenged, but not thoroughly worked-out. Chest & Back is one of the worst offenders: you do so many balance pushups that your “stabilizers” wear out well before your chest/triceps do. Doing so many pushups on medicine balls was “tweeky” on my wrists.
7. I simply don't understand what the fanatical preoccupation with the core/balance work!! Wasn't it enough to dedicate 3 discs and an entire phase to it? Frankly, balancing on medicine/stability balls isn't the only way to challenge your core - a lot of the moves feel like a gimmick because of this relentlessly singleminded approach.
I'd like to point out some positives:
1. Massively improving yoga. It's significantely improved and the work done there should be commended.
2. I'm a fan of ABX2 which I feel is better than the original. I didn't find it nearly as difficult and it didn't affect my lower back as much either.
3. Trying to introduce some freshness into the program - some of the core work is pretty good (balance & power comes to mind).
4. The PAP workouts are the most intense. For performance type of workouts, these are money.
I thought the One-One series was a premise to developing X2. Killer routines from the One on One like 30-15, Just Arms, Diamonds Delts, Legs, Plyo and many others never came close to making it in the X2 series. WHY??? It seems BB has gotten caught up in fancy “gidgets and gadgets” and a preoccupation with core work.
If you do buy P90X2, try all the workouts within the first 30 days. I did, and it wasn't what I expected - maybe you'll find enough to enjoy the program. For me P90X2 will be a “fill-in” routine for something different at times. I’m going back to my Hybrid routines of P90x, Insanity and Asylum.
April 28, 2012
Rated 5 out of 5 by
ic-6607 P90X2 is the real deal!
When I first started P90X2 I was startled with all the moves you had to do. I couldn't do any of them with good form; but as the weeks went on I started to see a difference in the way I was working out. My form got better, and as my form got better , my reps got higher, then by the time I knew it I was mastering the moves in Phase 1. I could only wonder what was waiting for me in Phase 2. As said in the guide ; Phase 2 will seem much like P90X; and it was but the moves were different; I was doing curls from a lunge position! The majority of the moves in Phase 2 are synergistic. Phase 2 was my favorite; I even extended it to 6 weeks before I got to the performance phase. Over all this program was Awesome. I look forward to another round of this baby!
April 27, 2012