P90X, A Girl’s Guide, Part 2.  Fitness Myths.

In part 2, of P90X, A Girl’s Guide… let’s address common fitness myths.  I’ve noticed several of the girls doing P90X ask questions that are specifically mentioned here.  Questions about slow metabolism, more and more cardio, bulking up, and more.  If you found yourself wondering about these things, then read on.  Thank you Stephanie Saunders at Beachbody for such an enlightening article!

There’s a lot of pressure on women to look, in a word, hot. Sure, for a chosen few, curves in the right places come naturally, but the rest of us seem to spend all our time snatching up the latest fitness fad, be it the Abs-o-matic 3000, Cucumber Colon Cleanse, or Low-Cholesterol All-Bacon Diet, desperately hoping we’ll discover the new us. Instead, we usually walk away—or occasionally limp away—feeling confused, dejected, and as if we’ve missed out on the genetic lottery. › Continue reading

It’s not uncommon for Extremely-Fit to get questions from girls about P90X.  Let’s face it, girls can be just as good at tackling P90X as the guys.  So when Whitney Provost published this article, I thought it was a must share article and wanted to share it here at Extremely-Fit.  I hope this helps answer some of the questions from the girls, and gives them the support and motivation to take on the X!

Muscles are a girl’s best friend. Not only do they raise your metabolism and help you burn more calories, they also keep you living strong. And they look beautiful. Well-sculpted shoulders and lean, tight legs carry clothes better and allow you to power through everyday activities with strength and stamina. How do you get a body like that? A program like P90X will do the trick.

I know this because I’m a P90X graduate. I can vouch for its muscle-sculpting, fat-blasting, and body-shrinking powers. Before I ever started working for Beachbody, I finished two rounds of P90X and incorporated P90X Plus into my fitness routine. I still do P90X regularly, and Plyometrics is consistently in my cardio rotations.  › Continue reading

I find my customers fit into one of two categories. Those that want to lose weight and those that want to gain muscle mass. An alternative on the second would be that they have lost the weight, and then want to add some lean muscle mass back on. You can read articles all over the internet on how to accomplish these two tasks. Simply google: How to gain muscle mass, or how to lose weight. Well, in my opinion, Beachbody has already proven that losing weight with their programs is easy.  Well,

› Continue reading

I recently graduated Insanity, and prior to that P90X (several times), One on One with Tony Horton, and ChaLEAN Extreme. I’m always on the lookout for a way to “spice” up my workouts. Tony Horton always says that “Variety is the Spice of Life”. Taking that advice to heart, here is a rotation which combines Insanity with Tony Horton’s One on One. If you don’t have Tony Horton’s One on One, you need to check it out! You can buy them one at a time, which is cool, and you can pick and choose the ones you think you would like best. Follow this link to read the descriptions and watch videos of the various One on One workouts.

The One on One and Insanity hybrid was provided to me by Mark Briggs. However, I have had numerous requests for a rotation using P90X and Insanity. Below you will find the 12 week rotation. In parenthesis, you will find a P90X substitute for the One on One. Feel free to tweak the workout to suit your needs. In fact, I you may want to switch P90X Plyo for the P90X Legs & Back. Get creative! The idea is to keep things interesting, prevent boredom, avoid plateaus, and add variety.

This hybrid assumes you have access to at least the basic Insanity program, and EITHER P90X or One on One. As you add the One on One workouts to your fitness library, you get even more options! Have fun!

The One On One / Insanity Hybrid

Week 1

1. Thirty Fifteen (P90X Chest & Back)
2. Pure Cardio & Killer Abs (Pure Cardio and P90X Ab Ripper X)
3. Mammoth UML (P90X Core Synergistics)
4. Patience Yoga (1st 45 minutes of P90X Yoga)
5. Max Interval Sports Training (Insanity Max Cardio Plyo)
6. Core Cardio and Balance
7. Rest Day

Week 2

1. Core Ball Sandwich (P90X Chest & Back)
2. Plyo Cardio Circuit
3. Just Arms & Cardio Abs (P90X Shoulders & Arms)
4. Fountain of Youth Yoga (1st 45 minutes of P90X Yoga)
5. Max Interval Circuit
6. One on One Cardio Intervals (P90X Kenpo X)
7. Rest Day

Week 3

1. Road Warrior (P90X Core Synergistics)
2. Cardio Power and Resistance
3. Insane Abs and Killer Abs (Ab Ripper X and Cardio Abs)
4. Recovery 4 Results (P90X Stretch)
5. Max Cardio Conditioning
6. Bun Shaper (P90X Plyometrics)
7. Rest Day

Week 4

1. Fountain Of Youth Yoga (1st 45 minutes of P90X Yoga)
2. Core Cardio and Balance
3. Patience Yoga (1st 45 minutes of P90X Yoga)
4. Medicine Ball Core Cardio (P90X Kenpo X)
5. Recovery 4 Results (P90X Stretch)
6. Cardio Recovery
7. Rest Day

Week 5

1. Plyo Legs (P90X Plyometrics)
2. Plyo Cardio Circuit and Cardio Abs
3. Diamond Delts (P90X Chest and Back)
4. Patience Yoga (1st 45 minutes of P90X Yoga)
5. Max Cardio Conditioning
6. Just Arms (P90X Shoulders & Arms)
7. Rest Day

Week 6

1. Core Ball Sandwich (P90X Chest and Back)
2. Pure Cardio and Killer Abs (Ab Ripper X)
3. Cardio 5-6 Plus (P90X Kenpo X)
4. Fountain Of Youth Yoga (1st 45 minutes of P90X Yoga)
5. Max Interval Sports Training (Insanity Max Cardio Plyo)
6. Bun Shaper (P90X Plyometrics)
7. Rest Day

Week 7

1. Thirty Fifteen (P90X Chest and Back)
2. Core Cardio and Balance
3. Just Arms and Killer Abs (P90X Shoulders and Arms, Ab Ripper X)
4. Patience Yoga (1st 45 minutes of P90X Yoga)
5. Mammoth UML (P90X Core Synergistics)
6. Max Recovery
7. Rest Day

Week 8

1. Fountain Of Youth Yoga (1st 45 minutes of P90X Yoga)
2. Core Cardio and Balance
3. Patience Yoga (1st 45 minutes of P90X Yoga)
4. Medicine Ball Core Cardio (P90X Kenpo X)
5. Recovery 4 Results (P90X Stretch)
6. Cardio Recovery
7. Rest Day

Week 9

1. Core Ball Sandwich (P90X Chest and Back)
2. Max Interval Plyo and Cardio Abs
3. Just Arms (P90X Shoulders and Arms)
4. Max Recovery
5. Bun Shaper and Killer Abs (P90X Plyo and Ab Ripper X)
6. Max Interval Sports Training (Insanity Max Cardio Plyo)
7. Rest Day

Week 10

1. Plyo Legs (P90X Plyometrics)
2. Max Interval Circuit and Cardio Abs
3. Thirty Fifteen (P90X Chest and Back)
4. Patience Yoga (1st 45 minutes of P90X Yoga)
5. Max Interval Sports Training (Insanity Max Cardio Plyo)
6. Cardio Intervals and Killer Abs (P90X Kenpo X and Ab Ripper X)
7. Rest Day

Week 11

1. Killer Abs and Insane Abs (Ab Ripper X and Cardio Abs)
2. Max Interval Sports Training (Insanity Max Cardio Plyo)
3. Cardio 5-6 Plus and Cardio Abs (Pure Cardio and Cardio Abs)
4. Max Recovery
5. Core Ball Sandwich and Killer Abs (P90X Chest and Back and Ab Ripper X)
6. Max Cardio Conditioning
7. Rest Day

Week 12

1. Fountain Of Youth Yoga (1st 45 minutes of P90X Yoga)
2. Core Cardio and Balance
3. Patience Yoga (1st 45 minutes of P90X Yoga)
4. Medicine Ball Core Cardio (P90X Core Synergistics)
5. Recovery 4 Results (P90X Stretch)
6. Cardio Recovery
7. Rest Day

Download your P90X Advanced Excel Worksheets here.

The P90X Advanced Excel Worksheets are nothing short of AWESOME. Don’t picture a boring spreadsheet with a few cells to type in.  Do yourself a big favor, and download these worksheets.  The P90X Advanced Excel Worksheets are made by Beachbody, for Beachbody’s P90X program.  So that in and of itself, should give you an indication of what you are getting. The P90X Advanced Excel Worksheets come with complete instructions on how to use the worksheets, and is easily customized to YOU.  That’s right, you enter your personal information and then the excel worksheet is ready for your personal schedule and rotation.  That’s right, it acts as your worksheets, and your calendar for which exercise DVD you should do and on what day.

You can further personalize the excel worksheets and have it automatically figure your number of calories and which phase you should be eating at in the nutrition guide.  i.e.  Phase 1, 2 or 3 on the nutrition plan.  It will also allow you to track your food intake.  If you have P90X, then you know on the portion plan, you get so many proteins, carbs, fats, etc per day.  This excel worksheet calculates how many you get and allows you to track that information.

Enter in some personal information and have a calculator determine your Body Fat Percentage.

The P90X Fit Test is also available on this excel worksheet.

One of the absolute best parts of this excel worksheet is that it will graph your workout progress.  For example, when you enter your data, reps and weight for week one, it will automatically graph this information, then week two will show your improvement.

And not quite finally, there is more! But for my rave review, know that this excel worksheet also has the material available for print as well.  So you really have no need for the PDF format below.  However, if you are not the computer type, and want the good ol fashioned standby of pen to paper, it’s available.  Nothing wrong with that, I did the very same thing for my previous 8 rounds of P90X!

It is absolutely amazing what this excel worksheet will do!  I’d really be surprised if you have read this far, and have NOT yet downloaded it. 

Download your P90X PDF Worksheets here.

So now that my rave review for the P90X Advanced Excel Worksheet is over.  I can move forward and tell you why I think tracking your progress is so important!

If you’re working out with P90X, Tony Horton is constantly reminding you to track your progress.  Personally, I feel like there are two reasons to track your progress using either the P90X Advanced Excel Worksheets or the P90X PDF Worksheets.

1. When I first started working out with P90X, I started writing down my weight and my reps for each exercise. It’s encouraging to look back over time and see where you started, to see where you’ve improved. For example, I started P90X only being able to perform 3 wide grip chin ups. Today I can easily perform 15 wide grip chin ups, with good form. To me that’s encouraging. So that’s one important reason to track your progress with the P90X Advanced Excel Worksheets or the P90X PDF Worksheets.
2. To improve with each day, week, and month, you have to push yourself beyond your comfort zone. Constantly strive to improve your number of reps, or amount of weight each time you do an exercise. For example, let’s say on week 5, you start Back & Biceps of P90X.  If you do the Standard Biceps with 15 lbs, and are able to perform 8 reps, then the following week, your goal should be 8 reps. Once you hit 8 reps, raise your weight to 20 lbs. You see what I mean? How can you challenge and push yourself, if you don’t know what you’ve done the week before? Of course the amount of weight you lift and the number of reps you perform will vary according to your fitness goals, get lean or add some muscle etc.  And now that I think about it, I personally have a third reason for using the P90X Advanced Excel Worksheets or the P90X PDF Worksheets.
   
3. Using the worksheets, whether it be with ChaLEAN Extreme or P90X, prevents me from “bailing out” too early. Going back to the Back & Biceps example. If I lift 15 lbs, and get 8 reps, then I KNOW I can do AT LEAST that amount. So when I’m feeling “tired and run down” I can’t use that as an excuse. I will ALWAYS lift what I did the week before at a MINIMUM, and ALWAYS strive to improve.

So there you have it, 3 reasons to use the P90X Advanced Excel Worksheets or the P90X PDF Worksheets. I have used that phrase throughout this blog post so that you can download your extra copies. Just click a link. Obviously, you can use the workbook that came with the program, but what about round 2? And round 3? Remember, we’re in this together, whether it’s ChaLEAN Extreme or P90X, or whatever program you’re on, just keep pushing play, set goals, try new programs, and stay fit! Contact me anytime for help, encouragement, or questions.

If you’re doing P90X, you know that to maximize your results, you have to focus on your nutrition, just as much as your workouts.  If you want results, and I know you do!, then you have to watch what you eat.  However, you may have times where you just can’t get home to eat a P90X meal, or aren’t able to pack your food as you go.  It happens to all of us at some time or another.  When it happens to you, be prepared.  Here is an excellent article by Dennis Faye with Beachbody.  So from now on, no excuses.  You can stay on the P90X diet, no matter where you are!

A P90X® Restaurant Guide
By Denis Faye

You’re working late at the office. It’s time for dinner, but there’s a problem. You’re in the middle of your P90X program, and a big, greasy restaurant meal will throw your precision diet into complete chaos.

“But wait,” you think, “aren’t there restaurant meals listed in the back of the handy dandy P90X Nutrition Plan?” Yes, but you open it up and . . . d’oh! It’s all fast food! You’re with a client and you don’t want to slum it!

Relax. You’ll be fine. I’ll talk you through this difficult situation.

The first thing you need to do is use common sense. Here’s a quick list of things that’ll help you survive any restaurant.

1. Go for the chicken or fish.
2. Avoid fried food.
3. Unless it’s veggies, salad, or fruit, skip the side dish.
4. Pasta? Avoid cream sauces and just eat half your portion.
5. No bread, except if you’re having a sandwich. And get whole wheat.
6. Ask for the salad dressing on the side and use it sparingly.

If you do this, you’ll probably find yourself with a remarkably stripped-down meal that’ll be easy to judge. Here’s how to do that.

1. Piece of meat = 2 protein portions.
2. Side of veggies or salad = 1 veggie portion per side dish.
3. Salad dressing can count as 1 condiment portion if you limit the serving to 2 tablespoons.
4. If you ignored my extra side dish advice, count that as 1 carb portion.
5. If there’s any kind of sauce or marinade on your meat, add 1 condiment portion.
6. Add 1 fat portion. Restaurants are notorious for sneaking fat and sodium into food. That’s why it tastes so good.
7. In the event that you are 100 percent, categorically certain that there’s no hidden fat in your meal, skip step 5 and add 1 condiment portion, simply because I don’t trust those restaurant guys. I’m certain they snuck something in there. Trust me. I’m paranoid so that you don’t have to be.

So, for example, let’s take Denny’s Grilled Tilapia. Here’s how they describe it on the menu: a mild, white fish filet seasoned and grilled, then placed on a bed of savory vegetable rice pilaf. Served with your choice of two sides and dinner bread.

We have our fish, so that’s 2 protein portions. The vegetable rice pilaf is 1 carb portion and 1 veggie portion. The corn and tomato slices are 1 veggie portion each. Let’s call that 1 carb portion and 1 veggie portion. There doesn’t seem to be a lot of fat going on here, so we’ll skip the fat portion. However, the pilaf is savory, which implies a sauce, so let’s add 1 condiment portion.

Here’s where we end up.

Fit Fare Grilled Tilapia with Rice Pilaf, Corn, and Tomato Slices 3 veggie portions 2 protein portions 1 carb portion 1 condiment portion Calories: 600 Protein: 58 g Carbs: 66 g Fat Total: 11 g

Of course, don’t limit yourself to major chain restaurants. In fact, they usually cater to the lowest common denominator, so you’ll probably have better luck finding healthier food at an independent restaurant specializing in fresh fare for more selective customers.

Unfortunately, I haven’t spent much time in your neighborhood, so I don’t really know much about your local joints. I do, however, have access to quite a bit of information about several national chains, thanks to the Internet. Here are a few examples to get you started. You’ll note the nutrition information under the portion information. Many restaurants provide that on request. Don’t be afraid to ask.

Chili’s

Fajita Pita Chicken 1 fat portion 1 protein portion 1 veggie portion 0.5 carb portion Calories: 455 Protein: 31 g Carbs: 52 g Fat Total: 13 g

Denny’s

Veggie-Cheese Omelet with Eggbeaters (no sides) 1 fat portion 1 veggie portion 1.5 protein portions 1 condiment portion Calories: 410 Protein: 39 g Carbs: 11 g Fat Total: 22 g

Olive Garden

Linguine Alla Marinara (dinner) 1 protein portion 1 carb portion 2 veggie portions 1 condiment portion Calories: 430 Protein: 18 g Carbs: 76 g Fat Total: 6 g

Red Lobster

Chilled Jumbo Shrimp Cocktail 1 protein portion 1 condiment portion Calories: 120 Protein: 19 g Carbs: 9 g Fat Total: 1 g

Sources: Information taken from the following companies’ Web sites: Chili’s, Denny’s, Olive Garden, and Red Lobster.

The P90X DVD and Nutrition Guide is simply one of the absolute best ways to re-shape your body in just 90 days. With the P90X DVD and Nutrition Guide, you have the opportunity to take a 90-day life changing journey, accompanied by world-renowned fitness instructor Tony Horton. Tony Horton’s patented P90X DVD and Nutrition Guide employs a revolutionary fitness concept known as Muscle Confusion. By continually changing your fitness workout routine, the P90X DVD and Nutrition Guide ensures that your muscles are able to maintain high intensity workouts without ever getting fatigued. And you get the added benefit of a fun and exciting workout that avoids the mindless repetition often found in gym-based routines, which results in boredom.

At Extremely-Fit.com, we understand the importance of having a workout regimen that will keep your interest. We pride ourselves on supporting every one of our customers throughout their initial 90 day workout and beyond. If you have any questions about the P90X DVD and Nutrition Guide or if you simply want an expert’s opinion on how best to maximize your results, a member of our staff is always ready to assist you. Never hesitate to contact us with your questions or concerns.

P90X DVD and Nutrition Guide, The 90 Day Workout that Guarantees Results!

Another fantastic aspect of Tony Horton’s 90 Day Workout is that you don’t need a gym membership or any high-priced equipment to enjoy the benefits of a full body workout routine. The P90X workout system only requires resistance bands or dumbbells and a chin up bar. Other than that, all of the necessary workout and nutritional information is provided with the P90X DVD and Nutrition Guide package.

The 90 Day Workout you receive with the P90X DVD and Nutrition Guide is a high-intensity strength training program that is designed to transform your body in only 90 days. For some of you out there, 90 days may seem like a long time. But take it from everyone here at Extremely-Fit.com – a 90 day workout is a very small amount of time to devote to changing your life forever. The P90X DVD and Nutrition Guide system only requires an hour of your time every day. Think of it as one less television show in the evening or getting up an hour earlier in the morning. One 90 day workout is all it takes to get you on the path to a better body, a healthier future and a better life for you and the people who love you.

The Official P90X DVD’s includes 3 Guides to Get You Started:

• P90X 3-Phase Nutrition Plan

• P90X Fitness Guide

• “How to Bring It” video

12 highly intense workouts:

01 Chest & Back The first P90X workout is a targeted strength and definition workout that emphasizes two classic upper-body exercises.	02 Plyometrics Explosive jumping cardio routine proven to dramatically improve athletic performance.	03 Shoulders & Arms Potent combination of pressing, curling, and fly movements, that will leave you stronger.
04 Yoga X Combines strength, balance, flexibility, and breath work to enhance your physique and calm your mind.	05 Legs & Back Get ready to squat, lunge, and pull for a total-body workout like no other.	06 Kenpo X Intense cardiovascular workout with punching and kicking for endurance, balance, and coordination.
07 X Stretch Achieve a higher level of athleticism over a longer period of time, plus prevent injuries and avoid plateaus.	08 Core Synergistics Build and support multiple muscle groups to build and support the core while conditioning your body.	09 Chest, Shoulders, & Triceps Targeted strength and definition workout emphasizes two classic upper-body exercises.
10 Back & Biceps Flex those powerful biceps and focus on toning and tightening these showcase arm muscles.	11 Cardio X Low-impact cardio routine that is a fun fat-burning workout that will leave you feeling lean and mean.	12 Ab Ripper X Sculpt the 6-pack abs of your dreams and benefit your health and physical performance.

Tools to keep you motivated

• P90X Calendar

• FREE Online Support Tools

Are you ready to get Results? Try the P90X DVD and Nutrition Guide today. We have a Money Back Guarantee, and you also get access to a personal fitness coach if needed! Not only that, when you purchase the P90X DVD and Nutrition Guide from Extremely-Fit, you also get a Free Jump Start Guide. You have nothing to lose! If you are ready to get started, click the following link: P90X DVD and Nutrition Guide. If you would like additional information, check our P90X Reviews!

The Chalean Extreme workout retails for $119.95.	The P90X workout retails for $119.95.
The basic kit (not the deluxe kit) comes included with the following: Burn Basics and Band Basics. This is an instructional DVD that guides you through the basics of how to lift the weight or use the bands. Burn Circuit. The Burn Circuit has three workouts. Circuit 1, 2 and 3. Typically you will perform each circuit once each week, for a total of 4 weeks, if you are following the program guide. Push Circuit. The Push Circuit also has three workouts. Circuit 1, 2,and 3. Again, performing each one, once a week, for a total of 4 weeks. Lean Circuit. Just like the first two circuits, three circuits, performing each one, once per week for 4 weeks. Burn Intervals. Burn Intervals is a weight/cardio workout, performed during each week of the program. Burn It Off. Also a cardio workout but with no weights. Shorter, and somewhat easier than the Burn Intervals. Performed each week during the program. Recharge. Recharge is a stretch/yoga routine, performed each week of the program. Performed each week during the program. Two Ab workouts. Extreme Abs and Ab Burner. Bodyfat calipers and guide to measure your badyfat throughout the program. A thigh toner band, used throughout the program for additional resistance during the circuits and the cardio routines. A Motivational audio CD and a “Healthy Eats” and Kitchen Makeover DVD. Also included with Chalean Extreme is a Fitness and Nutritional guidebook.	The basic kit (not including P90X+) comes included with the following: “How to Bring It” DVD. This DVD is a short instructional/introduction to the P90X workout. Explaining briefly the program, what is needed, and what to expect. Chest & Back. This DVD, depending on which rotation you follow, will depend on when you perform. In the most popular rotation the “Classic”. You workout with this DVD in the 1st, 2nd and 3rd week, and then again in the 9th and 11th week. Plyometrics. An extreme cardio routine, “jump training”. This workout is done every week, except on “recovery weeks”. Make no mistake, the recovery week, is not a time where you sit on the couch and eat potato chips. it’s a tough week in it’s own right, Just different than the typical weeks where you lift weights. Shoulders & Arms. This DVD goes right along with the Chest & Back, and used during the same weeks. Yoga X. This is a Yoga/Stretch DVD. This workout is done every week, and on the recovery weeks, it’s often done twice per week. Legs & Back. This DVD is used in every week of P90X, with the exception of the recovery weeks. Kenpo X. Kenpo X is a cardio kickboxing type routine. This cardio routine is used in every week of P90X. X-Stretch. A stretch routine which is performed every week in P90X. It’s not a requirement, and is done on your 7th day, if you choose to use it. Core Synergistics. A total body workout. Used with lighter weights, and is mixed with cardio moves as well. Chest, Shoulders, & Triceps. This workout is used in the Classic rotation on the 5th, 6th, and 7th week, and then again in the 10th and 12th week. Back & Biceps. This workout program is used in the same weeks as Chest, Shoulders, & Triceps. Ab Ripper X. This ab routine is brutal, and is used in every week of P90X, with the exception of the recovery weeks. It is usually performed on the same days as the resistance/weight workouts, or 3 times per week. Cardio X. This DVD is not used in the Classic rotation, however, it does have its place in the other rotations. It can also be a substitute for Plyometrics if you are not “ready” for Plyo yet. Also included with P90X is a Fitness and Nutritional guidebook.
Equipment needed for Chalean Extreme: Resistance bands or dumbbells. The program demonstrates the use of both, and you can get a great workout using either. It’s personal preference which you decide on. I personally enjoy both, and use the bands when traveling, and weights while at home. If you are looking for a alternative to dumbbells, and want an “all in one” dumbbell setup, you might consider PowerBlocks as an option.	Equipment needed for P90X: Resistance bands or dumbbells. The program demonstrates the use of both, and you can get a great workout using either. It’s personal preference which you decide on. I personally enjoy both, and use the bands when traveling, and weights while at home. If you are looking for a alternative to dumbbells, and want an “all in one” dumbbell setup, you might consider PowerBlocks as an option. A chin up bar, or a place to do pull ups. As an alternative, you can use the resistance bands to simulate pull ups. You only need a door attachment for this option.

Chalean Extreme vs P90X, Similarities:

• Both programs are led by two of the best fitness trainers at Beachbody, they both motivate and inspire you throughout the program.
• Both programs utilize Muscle Failure and Muscle Confusion. I have linked both of these terms to articles I have written, explaining what this is.
• Both programs offer variety in the program, by changing the workouts to prevent boredom, and again, to promote Muscle Confusion.
• Both programs have a detailed fitness guidebook. An invaluable tool throughout the program.
• Both programs utilize weights/resistance bands and cardio has the basis of each program.
• Each program provides a Nutritional guidebook, which includes recipes and nutritional information to assist you in your nutrition throughout the program. Each guidebook provides details on what to eat and when. Your diet, will change along with the program, for the best results. Let’s face it, your success in either program is going to be a direct result in both the exercise AND diet. Having a detailed guide, like both of these program is a definite benefit!

Chalean Extreme vs P90X: Summary

Some of the statements I made in my above review are my personal opinion. I have completed both P90X (several times) and Chalean Extreme (once). I completed Chalean Extreme after P90X. I believe that both programs are solid. Each one has it’s advantages and disadvantages, and it really comes down to personal preference. I would without a doubt say that you will be happy with either. Both are complete in every way from nutrition to exercise, to providing the exercise rotation etc.

Having said that, I personally feel that if you have completed P90X already, and like that level of intensity, then Chalean Extreme will be a step down. If you have not completed P90X, and want a solid program to stay fit and healthy, and don’t necessarily want the extra added intenisty of P90X, I think you will love Chalean Extreme. Taking it another step forwards, if you are wanting to do a round of P90X, then I think Chalean Extreme is the perfect program to get you ready.

When I did my complete round of Chalean Extreme, it was with the goal of staying or maintaining my current level of fitness that I had previously achieved with P90X. After 12 weeks, (with the exception of getting weaker in chin ups), I don’t believe I took a step backward by doing Chalean Extreme. Of course, I can’t do as many chin ups as I once could, but I will quickly get back to speed in no time.

If you have done a round of P90X and would like to maintain your results and not lose the results you have achieved, and are looking for a nice change, I think Chalean Extreme will work nicely for you.

I am basing my reviews on the base programs of each. You can easily modify and make a hybrid routine of either program. For example. I am used to working out 6 days a week from P90X. So when I noticed Chalean was only 5 days, I simply added in an extra cardio day. If I wanted more ab workouts than Chalean Extreme has in the base program, simply add them. These programs are completely customizable to best suit the individual. Likewise, if you want to try P90X, without doing an entry program first, you can. You may start and decide to do the entire program, or you may start and decide to do the best you can on each workout, that may or may not be the entire workout.

I do not regret doing Chalean at all! I had previously completed 8 rounds of P90X and was looking forward to changing up my routine. If I do another round of Chalean, I will likely throw in some chin ups, and be perfectly content.

In my final words about Chalean Extreme vs P90X, I’m going to go out on a limb. I like the intensity of P90X, it’s harder than Chalean (as a base program). I don’t believe someone with weight loss as their primary goal should do P90X as a starter program. However, I believe Chalean Extreme would be an excellent choice for weight loss and a starter program. I also think that Chalean Extreme is a great program for those of you that have completed a starter program. So depending on where you are at in your fitness level, would really determine which to choose, and then of course, your personal preference.

Chalean Extreme has some of the best cardio I have ever done. I love Burn Intervals, Get Lean Intervals and Fat Burn Challenge. Excellent. I thoroughly enjoy these cardio workouts! To get the Get Lean Intervals and Fat Burn Challenge, you will need to get the Deluxe version of Chalean Extreme, or get the regular Chalean and upgrade to the Deluxe DVD later. Either way, you want these extra cardio workouts!

People all over the world, are getting incredible results with both programs! Some are doing them as written in the guides, others are making hybrid routines to satisfy their personal preferences. Either way, I strongly encourage you to pick one of these programs, you can’t go wrong in getting started in a fitness program, and either one of these can take you to your fitness goals. Even Tony Horton (fitness instructor in P90X) will tell you, that variety is the spice of life. So do both, build a fitness library, change it up, spice it up, keep your fitness moving forwards and break through the plateaus of doing the same old cardio and weight routines. I sincerely hope that you have found this review beneficial, as I have spent 3 days working on it off and on, I wanted to be as complete as possible, to help you in your decision. If I missed something you feel is important in the “Similarities or Differences” feel free to send me an email. Good luck on your journey, and I’m here if you need some help along the way! robert@extremely-fit.com

Don’t for get to take a look at my ChaLEAN Extreme Reviews. You may also review my P90X Reviews as well.

P90X Clothing, Bring It!

If you have been doing P90X, you know it’s an Extreme Workout! That’s why you need P90X Clothing, it’s Extreme too! Not to mention the t-shirts and tanks are just cool! I just got finished doing one of my Tony Horton ab workouts, while sporting my P90X tank top, so I thought what better time to get in here and give you a quick review on the P90X Clothing line.

I personally purchased the P90X T-Shirt (black) and the P90X Tank Top (black and grey). What can I say, I’m a fan. When I do something, I have to go all out! Ask my wife, that’s why I have to have everything Beachbody makes!

I really like my P90X Clothing. They’re all 100% cotton, they’re soft, and very comfortable. I’ve used my P90X Clothing for both workouts and also some casual wear (riding my Harley). I’ve had a couple people throw me the “X” sign, and others ask me about the program because they have seen it on TV.

They way I see it, I have to have clothes to workout in, and clothes to wear out and about, so I might as well be sporting a t-shirt or tank top from my favorite workout. P90X!

Jump on over to our product page(s) for more details. I’ll also post some pictures below for you to take a look at. I hope you enjoy wearing your P90X Clothing as much as I do mine.

Talk to you soon, I have to get back to writing my next article, a P90X vs. ChaLEAN Extreme comparison.

One of our most popular products is the P90X Chin Up Bar. Since this is such a popular product (with good reason), I thought I would write up a review regarding this chin up bar. I’m going to try my best to remain objective. I see this product from two different view points. The seller and the buyer. Some of you may read the review, and say, “Well sure he’s giving it a good review because he wants us to buy it.” Well, of course I want you to buy it. It’s a great chin up bar! But I also own this chin up bar, and it has served me well for 3 years!

The P90X Chin Up Bar requires assembly. It comes in eight different pieces, and requires you to bolt the chin up bar together in about ten different locations. Inside the box, you should also receive a hardware box (that contains your two wall brackets and the bolts and nuts). You should receive installation instructions inside the box. But if not, don’t worry! If by a slim chance you don’t get the instructions, you can view them from our product page. Or, alternatively, you can visit the following link for the P90X Chin Up Bar Instructions and P90X Downloads page. On this Download page, you may find some other P90X goodies you may want to download as well.

So you take the P90X Chin Up Bar out of the box, assemble the eight pieces with the included ten bolts/nuts. Now you should have the bar assembled and ready to use! Now all you need is a door frame.

Important Requirements for the P90X Chin Up Bar:

Fits doorways up to 32″ wide (sturdy doorframe with trim required—minimum 5″ width, maximum 6.5″).

So if your door frame is in the “standard” or “average” category, you’re more than likely in good shape. But please make sure. I don’t want you to get stuck with a chin up bar that doesn’t work for you. We’ll help you return it for a full refund, but since return shipping is not included by Beachbody (the manufacturer), please double check!

Now you have the required door frame and the assembled chin up bar. Inside your hardware package, you should find two wall brackets. These brackets will go on the inside of your door frame at the top. The brackets come in an “L” shape, so the bottom of the “L” will rest on the door frame trim. With your chin up bar, you should have eight screws and eight wall anchors. You’ll drill into the sheet rock, and tap in the wall anchors. Then place the bracket over the holes and the anchors and screw both brackets into place. Simple. Easy. I’d say “easy as 1,2,3″, but it’s actually 1 through 8.

So now the assembled chin up bar will slip right into the brackets and use the door frame to secure it into place. On my P90X Chin Up Bar product page I have two videos. One shows the bracket installation, and one shows the actual use of the chin up bar. Be sure to take a moment and check those out as well.

The chin up bar is rated to hold up to 300 lbs. I have personally used this bar at 205 with no problems at my home. I’m no longer 205 (P90X tends to cause weight loss). But even still, I have been known to use a weight belt and add 35 lbs back onto my chin ups. Which makes up for the 30+ lbs I lost using P90 and P90X

This chin up bar has multiple hand positions, which makes it more convenient than a straight chin up bar. The multiple positions are important, because the P90X program has you performing multiple exercises, suing all of the positions. After all, it’s call the P90X Chin Up Bar for a very good reason.

Each hand position has a nice foam grip. Not all chin up bars come with the softened grips. Which is nice, when you are doing numerous pull ups.

You can easily remove the chin up bar when you’re done. It slides into place in SECONDS. So the only thing remaining is the brackets. Since mine is mounted on the inside of a bedroom, these brackets go unnoticed by everyone that visits. So don’t think you have to look at a chin up bar every day. Although I have tried to leave mine up, so I could knock out a pull up or two while walking down the hall. But my wife put her foot down! So mine is only mounted on the days it’s needed.

Now, being objective, there are a couple of things I don’t like about the P90X Chin Up Bar. One, the black handles that rest on the door trim, can leave some slight (non damaging) black marks. I’m a VERY observant person. So this may not be enough to matter to anyone. It may also depend on the color of your trim. This is an easy fix, just take some old wash rags, and when you mount the bar, slide them between the trim and your chin up bar.

Two, I like the old feeling of jumping up and grabbing a chin up bar, and allowing my legs to remain straight. Since I’m tall, 6′3, I have to bend my legs a little to keep my feet from touching. My legs never touch while doing the chin ups. Again, this is a personal preference and may not matter at all to you. I think most people bend their legs anyway.

Overall, the chin up bar is great, I’ve used mine for 3 years , and have had no problems. Not to mention it’s convenient. I work out in my home, like most of us will/do, and this allows me to workout and go to the “pull up station” within ear shot of my television where the P90X DVD is playing.

Chin ups are a part of P90X, so you need a chin up bar or a place to do chin ups. This is an excellent option, and when you look around, it’s rather affordable. Not to mention the shipping price for a longer, heavier box (as this comes in) is amazingly low, which starts at $5.95 for standard UPS here in the store. It comes with a 30 day money back guarantee, and I am readily available if should have any problems. We are happy to help you with your products, whether you have questions, problems, or just need some fitness advice.

On a closing note, if you are using a chin up bar, whether it be a P90X Chin Up Bar or other bar, you might be interested in an article I wrote entitled, How Chin Up Exercises Can Be a Complete Upper Body Workout. Thanks for reading my P90X Chin Up Bar Review! Good luck with your training and nutrition. Talk to you soon!