Before we start, I want to make sure everyone knows that no matter what schedule you choose (classic, lean, doubles) you can get great results depending on your desired goals.  If you are looking to lose some body fat and gain some muscle in the process then classic will be for you.  Lean and doubles tends to increase leanness due to the higher amount of reps and cardio nature of these schedules.  That being said….

Who should try tailoring P90X for maximum weight loss?

• Those who want to avoid over developing their muscles.  (women tend to want this more)
• Those who need to lose rapid amount of body fat in 90 days
• Those looking for endurance over strength

Keys to Losing Weight with P90X

1. Nutrition/Diet: This is the most important part about getting lean.  Most people are afraid of overeating (which can be true) but with a program like P90X it is more important that you don’t under-eat.  Really? Yes!  You will be burning a ton of calories on this program and eating the right amount of calories is crucial so you don’t go into starvation mode and your body holds onto the fat.  This will help you avoid the plateau effect and increase your strength and endurance as you progress.  The P90X nutrition guide does a great job of giving you the right amount of calories.  If you aren’t losing the body fat like you desire, Steve Edwards (P90X nutritionist) suggests, zig-zagging your calories by eating less than suggested on some days and “normally” on others.
2. Resistance and Reps: Using the proper repetitions and resistance is crucial for not only getting the best results with this program but also for tailoring the program for your goals.  If you want to get lean we need a combination of some muscle gain with weight loss.  The best way to do this is with higher reps and lower weight.  Using enough weight to fail at the end of each exercise is going to be the goal.  The key is to know when to fail.  For staying lean anything over 12-15 reps will be enough.  But as you progress going as high as 25 reps will increase heart rate, endurance and promote lean muscle.  Increasing your weight as you progress is going to be key.  If you read my article on Gaining Mass with P90X you will know see that this is the opposite of that approach.

• Pull ups and push ups need to be modified so you can do higher reps.  Using a chair (pull ups) or dropping to your knees (push ups) will be the best way to accomplish this.  Try beginning, both pull up and push up exercises, regularly then drop to a chair or knees when you fail.  Finish each exercise until complete failure.

The Schdule:

Some people will think that doing this program to stay “lean” would be much easier than for gaining mass…they would be wrong.  Technically using heavier weight/lower rep is more intense than higher rep/lower weight but you won’t notice.  This lean program will build muscle endurance.  You will be very sore while your body adapts.  Don’t be afraid to drop weight mid set in order to reach your high rep goals.  Remember to keep good form as much as possible to avoid injury. Feel free to pause if you need to continue in order to reach your rep goal.  If you stick with it and you will get some great results.  Below is the Lean X schedule courtesy of Steve Edwards, pay special attention to the amount of reps for each week/phase:

LEAN X

Weeks 1 through 3

• Day 1: Chest & Back, Ab Ripper X
• Day 2: Plyometrics
• Day 3: Shoulders & Arms, Ab Ripper X
• Day 4: Yoga X
• Day 5: Legs & Back, Ab Ripper X
• Day 6: Kenpo X
• Day 7: Off

Targeted number of reps: 12 to 16 (focus on the higher number)
Recovery
Week 4

• Day 1: Core Synergistics
• Day 2: Kenpo X
• Day 3: X Stretch
• Day 4: Core Synergistics
• Day 5: Yoga X
• Day 6: X Stretch
• Day 7: Off

Targeted number of reps: maximum
Weeks 5 through 7

• Day 1: Chest, Shoulders, & Triceps, Ab Ripper X
• Day 2: Plyometrics
• Day 3: Back & Biceps, Ab Ripper X
• Day 4: Yoga X
• Day 5: Legs & Back, Ab Ripper X
• Day 6: Kenpo X
• Day 7: Off

Targeted number of reps: 16 to 20
Recovery
Week 8

• Day 1: Core Synergistics
• Day 2: Kenpo X
• Day 3: X Stretch
• Day 4: Core Synergistics
• Day 5: Yoga X
• Day 6: X Stretch
• Day 7: Off

Targeted number of reps: maximum
Weeks 9 and 11

• Day 1: Chest & Back, Ab Ripper X
• Day 2: Plyometrics
• Day 3: Shoulders & Arms, Ab Ripper X
• Day 4: Yoga X
• Day 5: Legs & Back, Ab Ripper X
• Day 6: Kenpo X
• Day 7: Off

Weeks 10 and 12

• Day 1: Chest, Shoulders, & Triceps, Ab Ripper X
• Day 2: Plyometrics
• Day 3: Back & Biceps, Ab Ripper X
• Day 4: Yoga X
• Day 5: Legs & Back, Ab Ripper X
• Day 6: Kenpo X
• Day 7: Off

Targeted number of reps for weeks 9 and 10: 20 to 25
Targeted number of reps for weeks 11 and 12: 25 (try to max out each exercise)

Please feel free to comment or visit the message boards with any questions.  You can also email me

-Coach Sean

Get Ripped, Make me your P90X Coach

• Overweight?
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Before I started P90X, I didn’t feel like I was living up to my full potential.   I had just come out of college and started my first real job. I should have been feeling confident and energetic, but my poor eating habits and lack of physical activity left me feeling lethargic and self conscious.  Business Lunches, Co-worker pressure, and long hours did me in.  I was tired after work, too lazy to eat well, and got sick every other month.  I gained 25lbs and decided that enough was enough…I started to go to the gym.

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I saw the P90X infomercial for the first time right before I went to bed. I was immediately intrigued but skeptical because there are so many products that make empty promises out on the market. In the year that I had been going to the gym I never saw those type of results, how could people get into that kind of shape in 90 days? What about gaining mass…could I gain mass on this program? When I woke up the next morning there it was again, Tony Horton talking about muscle confusion. For the next couple weeks everywhere I looked I saw something about P90X. A co-worker was talking about it and I saw people wearing P90X t-shirts, so I kept researching the product. I was convinced! I was going to get into the best shape of my life, and P90X was my solution.

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These workouts pushed me to the limit…and I loved every minute of it. Tony Horton is one of the most inspirational guys I have ever seen. The man was pushing 50 and doing things that I would never dream of. How many 27 year olds can say that? Before(P90X) I would get bored quickly with exercise but the muscle confusion always kept the routines fresh and fun. Just when I thought I was getting used to the routine, another phase would start and I would be doing totally new moves. My skepticism was erased, literally ten minutes into the first Chest/Back video, and I have never looked back.

I now proudly call myself a P90X grad. I have more energy, motivation and I am excited to challenge myself in every aspect of my life. I live a healthy lifestyle, eat clean and I have more energy in everything I do. I have also become a Beachbody Coach. I try to help others achieve their goals and change their own lives.  Making money helping people with their health/fitness is one of the best jobs around.  If you can imagine having a job where you create my own hours, take as many breaks as you want, help hundreds of people get into shape, and still be home to spend time with your family, then this opportunity can change your life.  It has for me.

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