Understanding the P90X Schedule

Understanding the P90X Schedule

Compared to other workout programs, the P90X workout is an extremely versatile and comprehensive system that targets not only the major upper body muscle groups, but also the legs as well as all the other minor muscles P90X offers the major advantage of both muscle toning and endurance training at the same time. This workout routine was created for anyone who wishes to:

1. Become stronger and more physically fit

2. Become aesthetically balanced (muscle-wise)

3. Become generally healthier than before

But, unlike other systems out there, P90X is not for “weekend warriors” who can only workout 30 minutes once a week (or sometimes even less). It was made for the serious fitness enthusiast who wishes to turn transform his body completely. The workout routines are meant to be performed six times a week (with just one day of rest).

This type of schedule is used not only by recreational fitness people, but also by professional bodybuilders who are at the top of their game. This is the reason why the creator of P90X recommends that you engage in other exercise before trying the whole enchilada (P90X), so you are able to adapt to the intensity and rigorous nature of the workout program.

If you have tried classic bodybuilding in the past, P90X will come as a real shock to your system, because it exceeds the bounds of what “volume” means to the average fitness enthusiast.

With a classic bodybuilding program, you are lucky to perform about six different movements throughout the whole day. With P90X, you have to manage more than ten different movements that focus on developing and toning only two or three different muscle groups.

Here’s a good example: P90X has different worksheets for users of the program. One particular routine, which we’ve been able to examine, made use of a whopping 15 different movements just to target the biceps, triceps, and shoulders.

In a more conventional gym setting, this would have already pushed the average bodybuilder to the limit, because such a number of movements would require so many repetitions. But not for the P90X program.

With the P90X program, 15 different movements is just another day at work – and you should be prepared to focus on a different set of muscles groups the next day (unless it is the sixth day of the workout week, and it is your rest day tomorrow). Some examples of movements used in the worksheet we examined are:

- Shoulder press
- Bicep curls
- Tricep kick-back
- Dips
- Rows

You might be thinking to yourself: there is nothing special about these movements! We agree that the creator, Horton, used conventional movements in his workout routines, but you must understand that he actually modified these conventional movements to bring more impact to each workout.

So, the movements themselves are tougher and more hard-hitting than what people usually do in gyms both here and abroad. Movements that were formerly used to just isolate muscle groups were redefined, so that there is more muscle involvement.