1st Law of Exercise: Variety

By Tony Horton

Variety is the spice of life and fitness. A lifetime of health and fitness is achievable when you can think outside the box. You have to mix it up all the time. Stay curious and creative, and stick with the kinds of workouts that you enjoy. A variety of exercises, workouts, and sports will allow you to avoid injuries, plateaus, and boredom.

One of the reasons Power 90^®, Power Half Hour^®, Power 90 Master Series, and P90X work so well for so many people—people who have tried and failed with other programs—is because they are NOT one discipline. These programs incorporate a variety of things: sectional progression, plyometrics, ab and core routines, boxing and kickboxing, yoga, stretching, and cardiovascular exercises. From Tony & the Kids! to P90X, I have always tried to make the routines fun and filled with a variety of movements—these workouts are uncomplicated, easy to follow, and time-tested, and have combinations that work. I'm not a fan of boredom. Doing the same routines and movements over and over again doesn't appeal to me. That's why many of my programs don't repeat the same move twice.

Curiosity is a key reason I've been able to sustain a high level of fitness for over 20 years. If I see something that looks fun and challenging, I'll try it. If it doesn't ring my chimes, I'll move on to something else. Curiosity was one of the reasons you decided to order Power 90, Power Half Hour, Power 90 Master Series, or P90X. You weren't happy with the status quo. You were probably unhappy and unhealthy. You were in a rut and you wanted a change. When I'm in a rut, I look for ways to mix it up. Just because something works for me right now doesn't mean it will work or hold my interest later. Too many people hold on too tightly to things that don't work anymore. You know it's time to change things when you hear yourself saying "I feel burned out," "This isn't fun anymore," or "I'm no longer seeing improvement with this routine."

You could be suffering from a temporary bout of mind babble, or maybe it's your heart telling you that it's time to move on. Only you know the difference. Don't do something just because everyone else is doing it. Figure out what keeps you in the game, even if it's very different from what others think you need. If you're beating yourself up when it comes to inspiration and motivation regarding perspiration, then you need an alteration to your transformation.

Variety in your fitness world will keep boredom, injuries, and plateaus at bay. That's the reason Power 90 has two levels. P90X and Power 90 Master Series were created so you'll have myriad ways to mix it up and continue to see improvements over time. If you really want to improve your fitness and physique and make this a lifestyle thing, then eventually the other box you'll need to get outside of . . . is your house. This might be hard for people with a hectic schedule, but why not skip that Sunday barbecue for a hike or run or skate or swim or volleyball game? After you've seen my goofy mug too many times, you might want to open the door and explore.

P90X or Power 90 can be the on switch to a lifetime of health and fitness. After your 90 days are up, a nice variety of activities, workouts, and athletic endeavors will turn on even more lights. I like to call the program after Power 90 Power 10,950. That's 30 years. You can reinvent yourself and take control of your life if you stay curious and try new things. Finishing an exercise program lets you begin to explore all the possibilities. Variety in fitness and life is essential for keeping the lights on.

Peace,
Tony H.

Tony's Words of Wisdom: Life Is Behavior

By Tony Horton

I've learned from my own experiences (filled with the usual trials and tribulations) that life has stages. These stages can occur in any and all aspects of life—physical, spiritual, psychological, financial, romantic, adventurous, familial, and so on. As you look back at your life (so far), you can see where you've excelled and where you've come up short.

Most people spend their whole lives focusing on only two or three of the abovementioned categories. They neglect other areas of life because of lack of interest or desire or necessity. The truth is that a lot of men and women these days spend a substantial amount of their time working to keep a roof over their heads, food on the table, and money in their pockets. Many homemakers (male and female) spend most of their time keeping the hatches battened down.

So if life feels like an endless episode of Survivor, then how the hell do we focus on what I call the "Bliss Maker" areas of life—the romantic, spiritual/psychological, physical, purposeful, and adventurous areas? The three key ingredients for finding bliss in these areas of life are TIME, ENERGY, and PURPOSE. If you live in a 9-to-5 world and feel overwhelmed, then it's going to be pretty tough to find the TIME, ENERGY, and PURPOSE to discover your true bliss.

The average person can find temporary bliss in food, alcohol, drugs, tall tales, and sex. This kind of short-term bliss will take away health, consciousness, rationality, discretion, accountability, and responsibility, along with distorting values and a sense of morality.

If you're lucky enough to finally discover that there's more to life than making a buck, feeding your face, getting off, and manipulating reality, you'll start to inquire about how to find your bliss. Then you'll have to begin to find the TIME, ENERGY, and PURPOSE.

Time isn't that difficult, really. You look at your schedule, move some stuff around, explain to people what you're doing, and figure out a reasonable TIME frame in which to accomplish your goals. ENERGY is a piece of cake! You can master that every time you decide to Push Play! Doing P90X or any other kind of physical activity will automatically propel you into one of the most important "Bliss Maker" categories. PURPOSE is probably the most difficult and complicated variable when it comes to long-term success and bliss.

Pursuing your bliss by means of dishonesty, manipulation, coercion, or the need to seek self-aggrandizement will backfire worse than any short-term pleasure ever will. If your spiritual pursuits give you a holier-than-thou attitude, all your learned dogma will fall on deaf ears. If you exercise hard and long just to look hot at your high school reunion, then talk to me the next day when the show is over. If you start looking for adventure for the sole purpose of acquiring trophies, will you still enjoy it if you fail?

If you ever chase any of these areas of life for the PURPOSE of looking for attention, accolades, and kudos from others, then you are doomed to a life of confrontation, depression, confusion, illusion, and delusion. I never said pursuing your bliss was easy. That's why most people who try it fail.

You can avoid failure by pursuing your bliss with clarity, wisdom, acceptance, vulnerability, patience, consciousness, and truth. These words, in both the selfish and selfless ilk, represent intent. Your intent is everything and the only thing that matters when it comes to the right use of will.

I believe that real lifelong change and bliss are achieved over the course of three separate stages:

1. Recognition. Knowing and understanding that there must be a shift in the way you approach certain segments of your life and an undaunted willingness to want to make a change.
2. Catharsis. The period of time you spend venting, releasing, and unleashing the emotions that keep you from your bliss.
3. Application. The employment and utilization of the tools you've learned at the cathartic stage.

If you can move through these three stages with the right intentions, then you will know what it's like to live on this earth in a state of bliss.

Peace,

Tony H.

Female Fitness Myths and P90X

By Stephanie S. Saunders

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.

As it turns out, the answer's much simpler than you thought. From housewives to rock stars, there's a growing group of female followers who trust in the proven science of P90X. The truth is, hard work and clean eating are the ways to change your body forever. And P90X is the fastest and most effective program to get you a fitter body. But what about all the other options out there, the spot training, the fad diets? Let's take a look at some popular exercise myths and how P90X can help you dispel them.

Myth #1: If you want to lose weight, you must have an incredible metabolism; otherwise, you'll need to starve yourself.

If most of us had the choice between winning the lottery and having a perfect metabolism, the decision would be tough. For many people, the ability to eat whatever they desire seems a gift beyond price. The reality is that only a tiny percentage of people are so blessed, and that number decreases as people age, get pregnant, and experience various health issues. So when a Hollywood starlet claims she can eat whatever she wants and still look great, she's probably lying.

At the other end of the spectrum, there's severe caloric deprivation. The problem with depriving yourself of calories is that you can only sustain it for so long, and it can often lead to overeating and a slower metabolism. The longer you try to exist on a reduced-calorie diet, the greater the likelihood you can slow down how quickly your muscles repair themselves, as well as suffering psychological problems—or even brain damage. Of course, the answer is to eat, but you have to eat healthy foods that fuel your workouts. The P90X program includes a very specific nutrition plan you can tailor to your goals, but the nutrition plan requires a lifestyle change. This means not fad diets, but a plan that's going to require that you eat more food than you imagined possible. What's truly great is that the nutrition plan can be maintained for the rest of your life. So start eating—correctly—and watch the change begin.

Myth #2: Doing hours of cardiovascular exercise is the only way to burn fat.

Hours of anything, besides sleep, can be redundant and boring. The idea of spending hours on a StairMaster^® makes me want to fall asleep right now. Although a necessary component of any workout routine, cardiovascular exercise is definitely not the most effective way to lose weight. In fact, doing more than an hour of it without some type of fuel can cause your body to break down muscle mass and slow down your metabolism. And when you do the same repetitive motion every day, your body can become used to the motion, which can slow or even halt your progress.

P90X is effective in helping you lose weight because of the enormous variety it offers. Your body doesn't get used to the stimuli, because the stimuli are constantly changing and becoming more difficult. Plus P90X helps you build muscle, which turns your body into a fat-burning machine. And P90X is fun and entertaining, and doesn't take 3 hours a day to complete. The singer Pink was recently quoted as saying she does an hour of P90X 6 days a week and has seen incredible results. An hour a day for amazing results is a relatively small investment for such a great return.

Myth #3: Weight training builds bulky muscles.

Perhaps the greatest myth out there is the "bulky muscles" myth. Here's the reality: muscles do one of two things—increase (hypertrophy) or decrease (atrophy). But they don't just "bulk up." For a woman to create a bodybuilder-type physique, she'd need to overstimulate her muscles with very heavy weights, constantly training to failure with very short repetitions. And frankly, even then, unless she had a great amount of testosterone in her body, it might be impossible.

P90X effectively uses resistance training to increase muscle, thereby increasing your metabolism and helping you burn fat. And although you'll work to exhaustion, your muscles won't bulk up if you keep the repetitions at 12 to 15. P90X also keeps you moving, so your heart rate stays high, simulating the effects of a cardiovascular workout. You will build muscle but still maintain a sexy, feminine physique.

Myth #4: You shouldn't build muscle until you lose all excess fat, as building muscle will push the fat out and make you look larger.

This myth is particularly funny, as it was probably perpetuated by a fitness trainer telling a client there was a six-pack hiding underneath a layer of fat that just needed to be uncovered. Yes, we all do have a six pack in there, and possibly buns of steel, but muscle building doesn't happen under that layer of fat. Building muscle actually changes your body's composition, and eventually the fat becomes less a part of the picture.

No amount of sit-ups, push-ups, lunges, or squats will push any layer of excess tissue out. In fact, P90X is so effective at totally transforming your body, you'll soon forget there was a layer of fat to be concerned about.

Myth #5: You should only work out the specific areas where you want to shed fat.

It's been said again and again: spot training doesn't work. And yet every month, the fitness magazines print a slew of new, specific exercises for lifting the booty, flattening the stomach, or tightening dangling upper-arm flab. Yes, if you work a specific muscle group, it will become more toned, but that has nothing to do with the fat on top of the muscle group in question. The most effective way to change your body is to work large muscle groups, consistently altering the stimulus, and sticking to a sound nutrition plan. No amount of leg lifts alone will give you the thighs of your dreams.

P90X will attack every muscle in your body and create visible changes in your appearance. There are specific workouts for all your areas of concern, but there are many more for every other area, to give you a beautiful, proportioned body.

There's no magic pill, combination of foods, or even surgery that can give you the body of your dreams. An enviable physique comes from hard work, dedication, and a lot of sweat. P90X is the most effective way for a woman to shape her body because she has to work hard to get there. And as lovely as it would be to naturally have the metabolism of a 12-year-old boy, there's something truly satisfying about creating such great change in your own life and controlling your own outcome. We can often feel at the mercy of others. Our health and fitness are areas we completely control. So even if you dedicate 23 hours a day to your relationship, job, and/or children, one hour in your own living room can truly create transformation. And no diet book, magazine article, or silly celebrity statement can refute the thousands of P90X Success Stories out there. So make a decision to put down the fad exercise magazines, put in the work, and watch your life begin to change.

Running w/ P90X??

I know many people out there wonder if you can do P90X with running, but most of all if P90X will improve your running. Here is my personal running story below.

I was a runner in high school and college. In high school I had a cross country 5k PR of 21:30. I have always thought of myself as a runner but after having my son and not taking time for myself I was up to a weight where my knees could not handle me running. I wanted to run because it has always been a time for me to be out and just de-stress from the day.

My husband had seen an infomercial for P90X but we were not ready to tackle P90X so we started with one of the less intense programs Power 90. After 90 days of Power 90 my weight was back down to a point that I could start to run. I completed another 90 days of power 90 with running 3 miles three times a week.

I was ready to tackle P90X and set a new running goal for myself. I signed up for the Big Lake Half Marathon in Alton, NH in May of 2008. At that point I had never run a race longer than a 5k (3.1 miles). That day was also the 90th day of P90X for me. I completed the full P90X program with running three days per week plus my long run on Sundays. When it came to race day my goal was to finish in a time under 2 hrs.

I went out in the race at a steady pace and I wasn't sure what to expect, I had never run a full 13 miles. The first 4 miles went by easily but at mile 4 began the steady up hill climb to mile 6. I surprised myself to find the strength in my legs and the stamina to actually pass people going up the hill. The second half of the course was flatter than the first but I did begin to feel the toll of the miles around mile 12. I was shocked to finish and find out my finishing time was a whole 7 minutes faster than my goal. I was able to completed the course in 1:52:34!!!

Since that first half marathon I have completed another at the Manchester City Marathon this past November in a PR of 1:49:46. I was also part of a 200 mile relay team that ran from Northern NH to the Coast of NH in just over 28 hrs. I completed a total of 17.5 miles over 3 legs at a pace of 8:04.

I am currently training for my first full marathon in Vermont on May 30th with the help of P90X. In my experience P90X with running is a great combination. Many times (I know this from experience) runners neglect to incorporate weight training with their running or only train their lower body. Weight training combined with the flexibility training of yoga and running is the ideal training recipe. Just remember to listen to your body for any signs of overtraining and take those rest days when needed.

If you have any questions about combining P90X with running just send me a message.

Should Women Do P90X?!?!?!?

A Girl's Guide to P90X
By Whitney Provost

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.

I'm not a world-class athlete. I'm just a regular at-home fitness junkie. P90X has been helping me get the body I want—lean, tight, and strong but not bulky—and it makes me feel good.

Not sure if you're ready to tackle the X? Here are a few things to keep in mind.

Do your best and forget the rest. You'll hear Tony say this a lot throughout P90X, and it's important advice. All you have to do is lift as much weight as you can, and that's it. You're not in competition with anyone else. Don't worry if you can only lift 5 pounds while the women in the workouts are hoisting 15. Every time you Push Play, you'll get stronger, and before you know it, you'll be able to lift heavier than you ever have before. And don't be surprised if you find that you can do a few pull-ups at the end of 90 days.

Eat enough. A common mistake many active women make is undereating. With a program as intense as P90X, it's important to fill your body with enough healthy fuel to power through your workouts and help your muscles recover afterward. If you don't eat enough, your metabolism will slow down and your body will burn muscle for energy. Follow the P90X nutrition plan and take your supplements. They're designed to help you get the best results.

Don't be a slave to the scale. During a program like P90X, your body will go through a lot of metabolic changes. At first, your muscles may retain water as they react to the shock of the workouts and the recovery afterward. You may notice your weight going up for a short time before your muscles shed the excess water. As you continue with the program, you'll be building muscle and shedding fat, but the scale might not move downward as much as you want it to. Don't let that deter you. A pound of muscle is denser than a pound of fat, so your body may shrink even if your weight doesn't change that much. Keep in mind that muscle is a metabolism booster, so the more you have the more calories and fat you'll burn all day long.

You're not going to get bulky. Look at the women in the P90X workouts. They're all lean, strong, and feminine. Because women don't have enough testosterone to build massive amounts of muscle, it's nearly impossible for them to bulk up by lifting heavy weights. When women complain about feeling bulky, it's usually because they're new to a fitness program and their muscles are retaining water. If this happens to you, don't give up. Stick with your meal plan and workouts, and soon the extra bulk will go away.

You're going to love the way you feel. OK, maybe not when you're sore from working out, but as you get stronger and leaner, you're going to love how easy everyday tasks become, like lifting heavy objects, walking up and down stairs, or picking up children. And I can pretty much guarantee that you'll find yourself admiring your shoulders in the mirror or poking yourself in the belly to feel your tight abs. I do it all the time.

If you still have questions if P90X would be the right program for you send me a message. I've completed P90X a total of 4 times and I'm getting ready to start it for a 5th on March 8th.

Vicky

The Importance of Yoga...

I know that most of you starting P90X do not want to do Yoga and it is one of the longest and hardest workouts of the week. Check out this interview with Tony to see why it is just so important.

I Can't Believe My Eyes....

This is one thing I thought I would never see from the Creator of P90X. I guess he hadn't come up with Ab Ripper in 1996. Good thing for Tony that he meet Carl Daikeler only a few years later.





I hope everyone gets a good chuckle out of this.

Cheer Gut

Here is a little something to get you in the Holiday spirit. Pay attention at about 1:30. Tony Horton would be proud.

Tony Horton's Philly Fit Camp

We have used Tony Horton’s workouts for over 2 ½ year and last weekend we finally meet the man in person. It was an amazing whirl wind weekend of fitness, health and friendship. It is so amazing to be surrounded by people that understand the love of health and fitness.

The weekend started with a seminar on Friday night w/ Tony. Saturday we completed a UCML workout in the morning and Yoga in the afternoon as well as a few more seminars. Then we finished off the night with fitness challenges. I saw some amazing feats of strength and determination. Susan a mother of 3 held the plank position for over 12 minutes. Just shows you what your body can do if you don’t listen to the voice that says “I can’t”.

We finished off Sunday with a morning workout with 3 new 10 Minute Trainer workouts then Tony’s new One-on-One workout Iso-Abs. The weekend went by to fast even with all the painful workouts and we are looking forward to getting to see all of our Beachbody friends again in the near future.

WE GET TO MEET TONY!!!!

Pat and I have been working out almost daily with Tony in our basement for over two years now. We talk to him daily, well we talk at the television and finally we get the chance to meet the man himself.

Tomorrow morning Pat and I are off for a weekend trip to Philly for a Tony Horton Fitness camp. Most people think we are crazy for wanting to pay to spend a weekend away to workout. Well maybe we are a little crazy but Tony and the other Beachbody products have gotten us into such great shape and so excited about fitness.

Even our 8yr old son things that Tony is a celebrity. He as requested that we get Tony's autograph from him while we are there.

We are looking forward to the knowledge that we are going to get out of this weekend. We'll be back Sunday to share the pictures and the things we learned.

Workout Motivation

I know we all have different things that help motivate us and help get us through those tough workouts. We all know that P90X, Insanity and Chalean are all HARD workouts. We all start the workouts to get the amazing results, but what helps get you to the end of those hard workouts? What helps you push past the pain? For me it is Tony, Chalene, Shaun T, etc. The personality and enthusiasm they bring to the workouts makes me push harder. Without these videos there is no one there to crack a joke or encourage you to push harder. A lot of people ask me why I would rather do a video workout at home than go to the gym. Check out the latest promo video for Tony Horton's One-on-One and you will understand why I love to workout at home.



How can you not laugh and enjoy your workouts when you have a personal trainer like this. Get the FREE jump rope with Tony's new One-on-One workout 10-Minute Crusher Pack.

Patience Hummingbird

One of my favorite workouts from Tony's first One-on-One series is Fountain of Youth yoga. It is a great 48 minute yoga workout that has you feeling better when you finish than when you started. Yoga is one of my favorite workouts and Pat and I have been patiently waiting for our copy of Patience Hummingbird. We just got it in the mail the other day and it is on the books for this week. We are going to try to get some video for the review but for those of you that are wondering what Patience Hummingbird is please check out the video below.



We'll be back in a few days with a full review, that is after we recover.

Tony Horton in Atlanta

Here's a quick little clip from Tony Horton down in Atlanta doing what he does best!