The Ultimate P90X2 Guide & P90X2 FAQ

In Phase I (the base training phase) of P90X2, you can expect to:

• • • Move better
    • Feel better
    • Reduce likelihood of injury

This Phase is really about building up fitness in your stabilizing muscles. The goal is to fix imbalances that most of us have.

If you are like me, and have a repaired ACL, you know what I’m talking about. My left knee was repaired, so my left leg is not as strong as my right. This was far worse before I started working out, but those years of left leg weakness have caused hip flexor issues in my right leg.

P90X2’s Foundation Phase is designed to level those types of things out and get you ready for Phase II.

This Phase is going to be hard…okay, very hard. In Phase II of P90X2 you can expect to:

• • • Get stronger through wider range of motion
    • Get more supple (who doesn’t want that?)
    • Look good (hahaha)

P90X2 will combine strength and stability. You’ll be doing pushups with your hands and feet on balls. You’ll do levers (a brutal pull up maneuver). If you have carpet, your stability ball will burn a hole in it.

Phase III is where the money is at—it’s all about performance. In Phase III of P90X2, you can expect to:

• • • Jump higher, run faster, ride faster, and be more explosive
    • Start to fee like a kid again

It’s amazing what fitness will do for your attitude. Get to Phase III of a program like P90X2 and you’ll know what I’m talking about. You really will feel like a kid again.

This is the phase when the P90X2 workout employs P.A.P. (Post Activation Potential). It’s truly fascinating.

It only works in conditioned athletes, so you don’t want to even attempt this type of workout until you’ve done the work in the other phases or you could get hurt. P.A.P. increases the production of muscle cell motor units, adding explosive power. P90X2 will have you doing a weighted resistance exercise prior to an explosive exercise, which results in amazing muscle growth.

Ah, not so quick. Just because Beachbody introduced P90X2 doesn’t mean it’s meant to replace P90X. In fact, nothing could be further from the truth. Sure, it features new workouts, an updated nutritional guide, new recipes, etc., but the goal of P90X2 is to be an evolved extension of P90X. It’s designed for folks who demand more out of their bodies and more focused on athleticism. For people who need a solid workout that’s geared toward fitness and weight loss, P90X is likely the better choice.

Does P90X2 have more “Muscle Confusion?”

What was called “muscle confusion” in P90X is a bit different in P90X2. Tony Horton and his team are always on the cutting edge of fitness research and P90X2 is filled with a newer approach called Post Activation Potentiation (PAP). This breakthrough sports science technique pushes you right to the limit and then allows for more rest time.

All sorts of athletes have been using this training method for years. Most them had professional coaches who closely monitored their progress. In recent years, training plans have become readily available. The problem with those plans, and a weakness of P90X, is that they are “cookie cutter” plans.

Frankly, you might not be ready to move from Phase I of P90X to Phase II of P90X, but there it is on the schedule: Recovery Week—Phase II. P90X2 will change that by using flexible training periods. (We highly suggest you work with a Team Beachbody Coach to figure out how and when to switch phases. Guess what? We do that for FREE.)

This is the number one question I’ve been getting. Any Beachbody workout is going to kick your butt at first—they’re designed to challenge you. If you’ve done P90X, then you remember doing it for the first time and not being able to walk right for a few days, right? The point is to push you toward Muscle Confusion.

P90x2 is going to repeat this experience. Until you get in the groove, it’s going to be tough—but, not any tougher than P90X. One of the things I appreciate about P90X2 is that it pushes me harder for five days, then gives me two rest days. That’s doable.

The truth is that P90X2 isn’t harder than P90X, it’s just better.

No! As I mentioned above, P90X2 is designed for a of five days of butt kicking workouts and two days of rest. Workout days are intense, so believe me you’ll appreciate the two days of rest.

Beachbody went a different route with this program. Instead of more choices, you’re encouraged to spend more time in the phase that best suits you.

So, if you’re wanting muscle growth, you’ll hit Phase II harder. If you’re working on flexibility and balance, you’ll hang out in Phase I longer.

The Guidebook will outline how to adjust the program to suit your needs. You’ll see, it’s easy to tweak P90X2 to get the most out of it.

Times have changed and diets are changing, too. Beachbody make a concerted effort to stay current with nutritional research and dietary needs. You’ll see more vegan options, options for gluten free folks, and new recipes for everyone in the P90X2 Nutrition Guide. There are also more options on how to alter the diet to suit your needs, too.

Check out our P90X2 Nutrition Guide!

Although P90X used anaerobic training, it wasn’t really a “cardio” program. You were supplementing that with other activity.

You might have thought the interval style training included cardio, but that was just because it was a tough workout. The same is true for P90X2.

You’re heart rate will increase because it’s a challenging workout, but it’s not going to keep you at the sustained level to qualify as a true cardio program. But, frankly, the PAP approach seems to get my heart rate soaring so even though Beachbody doesn’t call this a cardio program, it sure feels that way to me.

You can do P90X2 with just exercise bands and some basic furniture. Heck, you could do this work out in a hotel room if you had to, especially considering you can stream it On Demand. So, don’t hold back thinking you need to buy a bunch of stuff, because you don’t.

BUT—if you’re like me, you get excited about new workout toys. If you really want to go all in and add to your home gym, you can pick up a few things that will really help you maximize P90x2 (and your other workouts).

Here’s the list I suggest to clients all the time:

• Resistance Bands: Free weights are awesome, but you can also do it with easily transportable resistance bands. The point is to get something that gives you resistance to really push or pull your muscles.
• Pull-Up Bar: I highly suggest a pull up bar. They make ones that just fit on a door frame. You’ll be glad you have it.
• Pull-Up Assist: While you’re at it, consider investing in a pull-up assist. It gives you an edge with your form and efficiency and it’s way safer than using the back of a chair.
• Yoga Mat: No matter how young you are, having a cushioned yoga mat under you when you’re stretching and doing some of the moves in P90X2.
• Yoga Blocks: You’ll be wanting yoga blocks if you want to increase your reach and get some added stability.
• Stability Ball: Stability balls are good for your core and can be used for tons of different moves. Totally worth the investment.
• Medicine Ball: P90X2 uses stability and a medicine ball to throw your body off a balance in order to get your core in better shape. You could use a basketball or other substitute, but I recommend trying the real thing.
• Foam Roller: One of the side effects of pushing for muscle confusion and exhaustion in P90X2 is a buildup of lactic acid in your muscles. This kind of soreness happens to everyone, even seasoned athletes. There are sections of P90X2 that have you stretching and giving your body a chance to heal and recover. The Foam Roller or Rumble Roller will help tremendously with this.If you use the Rumble Roller, prepare for some intensity. It’s covered in little nubbies that, when combined with your own body weight and gravity, will dig right down into the muscle tissue. It’s a little like meat tenderizing for you muscles. That being said, the therapy really gets the muscles to release. Check it out:

• Push-Up Stands: Tony Horton’s Powerstands keep your wrists in a more natural position and are one of my favorite pieces of equipment. These are a little different than the original ones—a bit shorter with a wider base. If you already have a pair of Powerstands and they are stable, then you should be good to go.