|  | | | Customer Reviews: | | | Average Customer Review: ( 68 customer reviews )
Write an online review and share your thoughts with other customers.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
172 of 176 found the following review helpful:
 It's Well Short Of The P90X Series Dec 05, 2008
By Machine Gun
"MnVols"
I purchased the P90X workouts the Summer of 2008, and I loved the original workouts. They are a must for someone working out at home, who has gotten a little bored with their traditional workout. At the same time, I bought the Plus series too. They just don't pack the punch of the P90X workouts from the standpoint of routines, challenge, and production value. They simply aren't as challenging and intense as the originals.
IntervalX and Abs/Core introduces variations of traditional ab and cardio work. Some of the new variations are fun, but they aren't that different than other routines in P90X. With me being almost done with my second round of P90X, I use these workouts about once every two weeks on average. I've been critical so far, but I do like the Interval X workout for its quick cardio. You can get a good burn doing the short 30 minute workout. Tony takes you thru 12 different routines of slow, medium,and then fast. It gets the heart pumping and you get a good sweat from it.
Total Body Plus is a 40 minute workout with 10 minutes of warm up and cool down, plus around 30 minutes of actual workout. Tony takes you heat to toe working out shoulders, chest, back, arms, and legs. Its not overly challenging, but you can get a good workout in the 25 minutes of actually working out. You do a variations of routines with and without weights. From push ups to pull ups to some lifting, this workout will work your entire body. You won't be spent after the workout, so you could do some cardio or abs along with this routine. It too easy for me, and I'm looking for something a bit harder. That being said, my teenage daughter and wife loves this workout. They do it twice a week, so its almost ideal for a total body workout at low to medium intensity. I'm not saying this workout is for women only, but its not challenging enough for me personally.
Kenpo Cardio is another short cardio burn that IS more intense than the first Kenpo P90X workout. I actually use this over the original, because while shorter I feel it gives me a better burn. The original Kenpo was more of a slow steady burn for 40 minutes, while this is more of an up tempo 32 minute burn. It has most of the same moves but at a quicker and more intense pace. As stated earlier, I use this one exclusively over the 1st Kenpo.
Upper Plus is a good solid workout that isn't much different. It variations of all your normal back, chest, and arm workouts. It maybe be the most intense of the Plus series, but its nothing you have to have or didn't do with P90X.
I don't want to be overly critical of the Plus series, but Beach Body made these to capitalize on the original. I don't blame them, but I am disappointed and wished I hadn't bought them. They simply fall short in production value, intensity, and the results you get from them. These are shorter workouts meant to go along with the P90X workouts and not to replace them. You simply won't get the results as the original routines, but I don't think they are meant to. They only compliment the others, and so I could live without them. At 40 I'm looking for intense and challenging workouts to maintain what I got, and these don't do it for me. These are ideal for men and women who want a moderate workout in less than 35 minutes. If you haven't bought the P90X workouts, then I highly encourage you to do so. You won't be disappointed and the 12 routines will keep things really fresh. If you do have the originals, you really don't need these at all. They are nice complimentary workouts , and only ideal for someone looking for a moderate workout. I'm not a fitness trainer, so my opinion may not be worth spit. But for all of you guys, that are looking for a challenging to hard workout...don't buy these dvds. They are good but not worth the hundred Plus bucks you'll pay for them.
93 of 101 found the following review helpful:
 Tony, what happened to you? A notch below the original Mar 21, 2008
By Ayayou
I did the entire P90X and loved/hated every moment of it. It's the best workout program on the market. What makes it different is the workouts, the schedule, the nutrition, but really what REALLY makes it different is Tony Horton's personality. He was a great motivation in P90X. Engaging, humorous, and working his butt off with the rest of them. In the new P90X+, not so much. I think he tried to push the extreme concept too far and it fell flat with me. First, the crew of 4 people is reduced to 2. Second, Tony hardly does anything anymore. Third, he seemed to have lost his humor and free spirit. Lastly, the workouts are getting so complex and convoluted, it's hard to keep up. What happened? I think he tried to make it a trilogy and like many before him should have quit when he was ahead. I went for a second round of P90X instead and I love Tony again. BTW, a tracking spreadsheet really makes a difference if you plan on going through the 90 day program. I got mine at workoutsoft.com, they're the best.
56 of 60 found the following review helpful:
 Exactly what they promise Apr 16, 2008
By Garvinstomp
First off, I do agree with the previous reviewer that there are certain elements missing in this series. The production quality seems to have taken a hit and the overall feel isn't at grand or dynamic as the first group. BUT. . .
These new workouts are more intense and will push you beyond the originals. They are more complicated than the previous series. But the moves in this system are no joke. The abs/core disc is worth the price of admission alone. I got these before I finished going through the classic a second time, so I substituted the new Kenpo for the old one in the "classic" timeline. The new one is much better as it keeps the pacing up where the first one tended to slow down towards the end. The full body is a great addition. The best part I've found is the mixing and matching of the old series and the new. It makes for some great weeks of working out.
So yes, it is more complicated and less visually friendly (although some member of the band Chicago wrote the music for the new series, a fact they are VERY proud to remind you of), but the workouts are 5-star through and through. Just a reminder, these are supplements to the original series and don't replace all the previous workouts. To buy just these would not be to have a complete set of workouts.
27 of 27 found the following review helpful:
Good enough for a P90X grad May 05, 2009
By Ronaldo A. Carballo
I have done many, many rounds of the P90X and purchased the Plus to augment the P90X classic. I am 46 and have been doing the P90X series for two years now. Most workouts are kept under 40 minutes. This is completely opposite from the Classic series where most workouts are 1 hr long. The difference in the Plus is that Tony keeps the participants moving from one exercise to the next one fairly quickly. This adds more intensity to the workouts. There is also a trainer's track where Tony discusses the howto and purpose of each exercise.
Kenpo+: Much better than the original Kenpo. It assumes that you know most of the Kenpo moves. To tell you the truth there really isn't any complicated moves in the original Kenpo (unlike B. Banks' Tae Bo). 40 minutes long.
Core+: This is an excellent workout for your entire core. I'd use it instead of the original Abs workouts. 20 minutes long.
Interval: WOW. This is a nasty one. Bodyweight exercises combined with some plyometrics. This one will leave you huffing and puffing. 40 minutes long.
Upper+: Just upperbody exercises in various flavors. It uses bodyweight exercises and weights (or bands). 40 minutes long.
Total+: This is a combination of upperbody/core/legs. A lot of the upperbody exercises are combined with a core or leg exercise; this raises the intensity of the workout. You will need a pull-up bar for four of the exercises.
Some of the reviewers complained about the speed of the strength-training workouts. Folks, the idea here is to move quickly from one exercise to the next to increase the intensity and combine strength and aerobic training into one session. Your sessions should not last longer than 45 minutes (from warm-up to cool-down).
My personal opinion of the P90X series (Classic and Plus) is that it is aimed at individuals who are already in shape. My only modifications to the workouts would be two things: one, the Classic's strength training workouts should be cut down to 40 minutes; and two, use P90X coupled with HIT concepts(high intensity training) to achieve better results in less time. That's what I have been doing for the last six months with excellent results; the DVDs have a ton of exercises from which to pick and create your own HIT routines.
KEEP ON PUSHING PLAY!
18 of 18 found the following review helpful:
"Now we could do head rolls & all that kind of stuff but no we're moving on, this is PLUS"---Tony Horton Dec 09, 2009
By mwreview
"mwreview"
P90x Plus brings a new attitude and tempo to the P90x workout. The workouts are shorter, but they move at a quicker pace with less pauses for instruction, fewer breaks, and faster transitions. These workouts are for P90x graduates and they do have an "advanced" feel about them. Tony works with the same two people for each of the five workouts. Traci Morrow uses dumbbells for the resistance moves and shows some modifications (usually for plank exercises or pull-ups). Mark Briggs does the advanced moves for some of the exercises and uses bands on the resistance workouts. These workouts are different than the standard P90x, but that is what "muscle confusion" and breaking plateaus is all about.
Total Body Plus: (45:30) The warm-up incorporates moves that would be in a regular workout in the P90X series like push-ups and dive bombers. The exercises take old P90X moves and put an advanced spin on them. For example, Pull-up crunches are a chin-up where you raise your knees to the bar. There is a one-minute exercise called Sumo Chair where you jump from a squat position into a chair position (those wear me out!). It also incorporates what I like to call "stations." In the 3 & 3 exercise, you do 3 squats with weights then do 3 push-ups and then rush to the pull-up bar to do 3 pull-ups and then it's back to the squats and so on until the time runs out. I call them stations because it's like moving from one station (i.e. the squat station) to the next. I guess there is a little cardio involved if you move fast enough. I like to mix it up and alternate wide, military, standard, pike press push-ups and wide, close grip, reverse grip, side of the head (using the bars that jut out) pull-ups. There is also a 1 & 1 exercise where you do just one push-up and then one pull-up and can mix that one up, too.
Interval X Plus is only 41:30 minutes and thankfully so because it is HARD! I had to give myself extra breaks the first time I did it. There is only one break in the middle. Intervals keep the heart rate up because you are consistently moving at three different speeds, not stopping and going. Your "rest" is doing a move at a less intense level for 20 seconds, then you pick it up for the next 20 and go full tilt for the last 20 seconds. After one move you go immediately to the next move at 20 seconds easy pace and so on. You also do Core Synergistic moves like Loading Dock and 3 Count and Prison Cell Push Ups (I HATE those!) which adds to the intensity. After a minute break, you do the same moves again but in the opposite order, so you do the Prison Cell push-ups back-to-back! Ugh! This workout is probably effective as heck, but I dread it!
Upper Plus (41:35) This workout is intense because it moves so quickly and some of the moves work multiple parts of the body (i.e. core, arms, legs) at the same time like the "Fly Blast" and "Warrior Swim." The "Combat Push-ups" are very hard. They are military isos where you move your feet from side to side for each rep. It runs for 90 seconds, which is very difficult. What I've found with a lot of the exercises in the P90x Plus series is that they are timed rather than maximum reps. The "Shoulder Everything" and "Bicep Everything," where you do shoulder lifts and bicep curls in different positions, isn't difficult at first, but they each run 90 seconds which really tests endurance as well as strength.
Kenpo Cardio Plus (41:30) In these moves you transition a lot more quickly than Kenpo X. You also move back and forth with the exercises and not one side at a time. You move laterally more in this workout, so make sure you have enough room. You also combine more moves which makes them more challenging. The first exercises where you do the shuffles, I like to move forward and shuffle back each time. New moves include "The Gladiator." This exercise is tough. You lift one knee up and kick with the other leg while in the air and then punch down towards the floor. That move takes practice. The "Spinning Swords" are difficult for me. You throw swords (and later add back hammers) to the back while turning and looking to the back. Those make me dizzy. I don't look to the back when I do those moves. There are no stationary "block" moves in this workout.
The Abs/Core Plus is excellent. It runs 20 minutes, so it is about 4 minutes longer than Ab Ripper X, but, unlike ARX, it does not consist of just floor exercises. Each round consists of an exercise hanging from the pull-up bar, standing sometimes with weights, in plank position, and on the floor. There are 5 rounds with all different movements. Most of them are 30 seconds long which is a relief when doing the hanging crunches because they are hard--especially "Mixed Bike" where you're cycling your legs while hanging. A couple of the plank exercises count repetitions. The weights used are very light (2.5 to 5 lbs for women, probably 7.5 to 15 lbs for men). Brand new moves are introduced in this workout including "Scorpion Plank" and "Cherry Bomb." New music is used in these workouts, too, but listen for the one played during "Wood Chopper"; it sounds like a whale sneezing.
See all 68 customer reviews on Amazon.com
|
| | |
