Fitness Programs

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So you’ve decided to get serious about working out but aren’t sure if P90X is worth it. Well, that depends on you and your goals.

The first thing you need to look at is your current level of fitness. Do you manage to work out on a regular basis (even if only once a week)?

If you’re die-hard couch potato that doesn’t schedule in time for exercise you’ll have a tough time turning your lifestyle around and sticking to a rigorous system like P90X. Don’t waste your money unless you are sure you’ll follow though! You may want to start with something more casual that requires less commitment such as EA Active 2 or a few workout videos from Jillian Michaels or Bob Harper. Once you outgrow this introductory material you can step up to P90X.

People that are already active have less to be concerned about. You’re already used to sticking with some kind of routine so now all you have to do is scale it up to the next level. P90X can get you to where you want to be.

Now let’s get to the specifics for those that are ready to tackle a challenge!

The P90X system itself costs around $140. At first it seems like a lot of money to drop. There are 13 DVDs included in the slick retail packaging along with a hard copy of the nutrition guide. If you break it down per video that is about $10.75 each. If you think of it that way P90X isn’t expensive at all, it merely seems like it because you are grabbing a comprehensive set of videos and content all at once.

Another item to consider is the equipment you’ll need to get started. It’s recommended that you start with the basics and grab the additional toys once you are sure P90X is for you. At the very least you’ll want a solid pull-up bar, dumbbells or resistance bands, plus an exercise mat. This of course assumes that you are starting from scratch.

Here is an example cost breakdown for a very basic setup that makes use of resistance bands. View this article about equipment needed for P90X for more options.

P90X: Tony Horton’s 90-Day Extreme Home Fitness Workout DVD Program – $139.80
Iron Gym Total Upper Body Workout Bar – Extreme Edition – $34.09
Bodylastics 13 pcs Quick-Clip Resistance Bands System – $44.95
Harbinger 340100 Durafoam Exercise Mat – $17.50

Total: $235.34

So if you currently don’t have any equipment you can use for P90X you’re look at around $240 to get started at the very least. This is certainly way less than buying a gimmicky exercise machine that may end up collecting dust in the basement or the long-term costs of a gym membership.

The Verdict

P90X is totally worth the admission fee but only for those that are willing to stick to it. The 13 DVDs have enough material to keep even the most hardcore workout enthusiast busy for quite some time. The people that get taken by the P90X craze are inactive folks that hop on the New Year’s resolution bandwagon but quit after two weeks.

This system requires some serious lifestyle changes. Of course the payoff is astronomical. If you are ready to improve yourself and aren’t afraid of a little commitment, quit pondering the issue and pick it up now!

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A good pull up bar will rack up more mileage with P90X than other piece of work-out gear. Using your own body weight instead of relying on workout machines is at the core of the system.

First off, many of the generic chin-up bars out there are absolute junk. Both the Iron Gym Extreme and 90X bar have an extensive track record with enthusiasts. So these two bars are the only obvious choices out there. It’s highly possible there are some obscure workout bars out there that are just as good, but there’s no reason to seek a needle in a haystack.

Not every door frame is a worthy choice. Consider the fact that supporting the entire body weight of a person is no easy task. You need to carefully measure your doorway and compare it with the dimensions of the pull up bar. The 90X bar works with doorways up to 32 inches wide. The Iron Gym claims to go up to 34 inches but in practice it is more like 32 inches. Ideally you want a few inches to spare for extra support, so if your door is 30 inches wide or less, you are among the lucky ones.

The P90X bar touts its ability to support up to 12 different grip positions. The Iron Gym is identical in this respect. The grips are all placed in the same way. Beside minor cosmetic differences, the design of these bars is close to identical. The all-black P90X does look a little slicker and more refined.

One major difference between the P90X chin-up bar and the Iron Gym Extreme is price. Currently the P90X bar by Beachbody sells for a touch over double what the Iron Gym costs.

Both bars have a good solid feel once mounted. Components tend to loosen up over time so you’ll need to tighten screws here and there if you want to retain the sturdiest feel possible. The screws on the P90X model were inclined to loosen quicker as they are undersized compared to the Iron Gym.

One common complaint with the Iron Gym is the low quality of the screws, bolts and nuts. If you are above 200 lbs. this may start to become as issue as there are reports of the screws snapping. So are you in the clear with the more expensive P90X? Not quite. The hardware might break with this model as well. Either way, you’ll want to have some backup hardware on hand in case something snaps. Replacements are cheap and readily available at any hardware store so this isn’t a biggie.

The Verdict

It’s hard to find any obvious differences in quality between these pull-up bars as both are incredibly similar. Neither product is perfect as screws tend to loosen over time and have a chance of snapping – this is simply the nature of the beast. Some simple maintenance is required.

The price factor makes the choice obvious. The Iron Gym Extreme is just as good and sells for less than half the price.