A Great Starting Point: The Power 90 Master Series
I am a firm believer that anyone can do the P90X workouts. The workout schedules are extreme, but you can modify them. However, if you’re looking at too many modifications, it might be a better option to try the Power 90 Master Series.
The Power 90 Master Series has the variety that people demand and a duration that can fit into virtually any schedule. Since it’s a Tony Horton program, you can bet it’s challenging, entertaining and, most importantly, effective.
Power 90 Master Series Contents
The Power 90 Master Series includes six discs:
- Core Cardio
- Sweat 5-6
- Cardio Intervals
- Plyo Legs
- Sculpt 5-6
- UML [Upper, Middle, Lower]
The first three are pure calorie burning cardio. Plyo Legs is also a hybrid cardio workout, but involves a great deal of strength training. Sculpt 5-6 follows a strength circuit, much like the original Power 90 1-2 or 3-4. UML also follows a circuit, hitting virtually every muscle group, but focusing on large muscle groups rather than more centralized ones. The workouts are an average length of about 45 minutes.
Power 90 Master Series 8 Week Schedule
Monica and I have devised a special 8-Week Power 90 Master Series Program that is designed to get you into shape so you CAN tackle any of the P90X workouts.
It’s designed with five workouts per week. You can decide how to space them out. There are recommended Recovery Days within the program, but do what works best for you and your schedule. An optional sixth day is provided with the plan. If you can do all six, then that will help to prepare you for the 6-day P90X workouts.
Take the Recovery Week seriously. This week is not for lifting. It’s a week to recover and focus on cardio and core strength. It is not a week off. The purpose is to allow your body to absorb the new muscle fibers you’re creating. This concept is part of the “muscle confusion” theory behind P90X and will also help to prepare you for that program.
(PHASE I) Cardio Focus
- Weeks 1 through 3 (Cardio Focus)
The Weeks 1-3 phase is designed to jump start your metabolism and prepare you for the heart-pounding cardio in P90X. It’s designed as a Cardio Focus Phase, but if you do the optional sixth day workout, then it’s an evenly balanced phase.
- Sweat 5-6
- Sculpt 5-6
- Cardio Intervals
- Recovery Day (Recommended)
- Sculpt 5-6
- Plyo Legs
- Recovery Day (Recommended) or Sculpt 5-6 (OPTIONAL)
- Week 4 (Recovery Week | Cardio + Core Focus)
In this phase, we introduce Core Cardio. You will need to build a solid base of core strength for P90X, and this is a great way to do that. While UML is a strength exercise, I recommend that you try to take it easy during this week. Don’t go too hard during UML and take two days off. Try to focus on stretching this week in addition to the base workout.
- Core Cardio
- Sweat 5-6
- Recovery Day (Recommended)
- UML
- Core Cardio
- Sweat 5-6
- Recovery Day (Recommended)
(PHASE II) Strength Focus
- Weeks 5-7 (Strength Focus)
After four weeks of cardio focus, you’re now ready to lift some weight. Try to go as heavy as you can during this phase. You should be at muscle exhaustion at between 8 to 10 reps. Go for extra push ups here as well. You should have lost some weight during the first four weeks, which lowers the push-up resistance during this phase. Really get after it for these three weeks.
- UML
- Cardio Intervals
- Sculpt 5-6
- Recovery Day (Recommended)
- Sweat 5-6
- Sculpt 5-6
- Recovery Day (Recommended) or Plyo Legs (OPTIONAL)
- Week 8 (Recovery Week | Cardio + Core Focus)
The same advice applies to this recovery week. Take two days off here and stretch. Also, make sure you’ve ordered your P90X workout by now as it will take 5 to 7 business days to arrive. You want to hit the ground running here and pick right up with Chest + Back and Ab Ripper X right after you finish this recovery week.
- Core Cardio
- Sweat 5-6
- Recovery Day (Recommended)
- UML
- Sweat 5-6
- Core Cardio
- Recovery Day (Recommended)
UPDATE: Power 90 has been updated and is now known as P90 and is included in the Beachbody on Demand Library.
Free Coaching
As always, Monica and I are here to help. We offer FREE coaching to help ensure you succeed on your health and fitness journey. This plan was devised by us, not Beachbody, and we would very much appreciate your feedback.
And, remember…nutrition is key with ALL exercise programs. Our website is packed with tons of nutrition info and resources…please take advantage of it. As a general rule, limit your starchy carbs, saturated fats, and sugars. Increase your intake of protein, low glycemic index carbs and monounsaturated fats. Work hard, eat right and you will have great results.
