Review: P90X Legs/Back + Ab Ripper X

Beachbody

Initial disclaimer: I am not a Beachbody coach and I do not specifically endorse Beachbody programs. However, the Beachbody programs I've tried (especially Insanity) have taken me to an infinitely better fitness level and it is incredibly convenient to be able to work out at home when I don't feel like driving to school to go to the gym. 
My P90x reviews will be fairly scattered. I'm not doing P90x full as a program, for some of the reasons described below. However, I do really like Ab Ripper X and Legs/Back, so I have kept them in my workout routine. 
The legs/back workout will definitely have you feeling the burn in your legs. There's a variety of moves with no repeat leg movements, which makes the hour long workout go by faster than some of the other P90x workouts. My favorite moves the wall squats (talk about a serious burn) and the calf squats and raises (I'm trying to work on my calf muscles). You can up the intensity of a lot of the moves by adding resistance via resistance bands or hand weights and of course you can always go deeper into the lunges and squats. I do have to say that P90x has my quads looking great and my calves are more toned as well. The back exercises make use of the pull-up bars (you can also substitute the resistance bands for pull-up bars if you're just starting out). 
Ab Ripper X is exactly what it sounds like - intense! It's a quick 15 minute workout added on to the legs/back routine. The moves include in-and-outs, fifer scissors, cross-leg sit-ups, oblique sit-ups and leg climbs. Some of the moves can be altered to maximize difficulty and intensity once you have the initial workout down. If you perform the moves correctly, you will feel it the next day. And like the legs/back workout, my abs look more toned than ever!
So why is P90x as a system not for me? I prefer a more intense cardio workout. The Plyometrics workout didn't compare to a good run or Insanity's amazing Pure Cardio and Max Cardio workouts. Kenpo X was also too tame and Yoga X was boring and repetitive. The time factor is also the other issue. P90x requires about an hour and fifteen minutes to an hour and a half a day. I wouldn't necessarily mind dedicating that time if I didn't feel like fifteen to twenty minutes of a workout is often spent with Tony Horton talking. 

Posted in: ab ripper x, beachbody, exercise, fitness, p90x, workout