Help me get started on P90x, is there a kit to buy?

[Rockstead]

I really want to get started, I just have no idea what to buy and would like recommendations.

Is there a complete kit I can buy that will have everything I need? or should I be buying it separately for a better price?

I would like to avoid the dumbells, I'm just not setup to have them right now, but I heard resistant belts can be used.

I also don't want a chin up bar that has to be screwed in the wall, I think I read there were one's that didn't require that.

As well I want a HRMM, I also have no idea which one to buy.

Your comments will be appreciated! of course this is RFD so I'd like th ebest bang for your buck on the equipment, but I will spend more money if it is just not worth it for the cheap stuff.

[pcpchan]

I really want to get started, I just have no idea what to buy and would like recommendations.

Is there a complete kit I can buy that will have everything I need? or should I be buying it separately for a better price?


I would like to avoid the dumbells, I'm just not setup to have them right now, but I heard resistant belts can be used.

I also don't want a chin up bar that has to be screwed in the wall, I think I read there were one's that didn't require that.

As well I want a HRMM, I also have no idea which one to buy.

Your comments will be appreciated! of course this is RFD so I'd like th ebest bang for your buck on the equipment, but I will spend more money if it is just not worth it for the cheap stuff.

You probably need to buy them separately for best bang of buck. Resistance band does work ok but I find they do lose its stiffness over time, so unless you are really out of space/money or you travel a lot then dumbbell would be better. I personally suggest power blocks because they can be adjusted quickly and not too expensive compare to bowflex ones.

For chin up bar, you can get those "iron gym", "power gym" that hangs on top of your door frame, they range around 30-40 bucks in store (cheaper if you go on craigs). If you want to do a lot of wide grip pull up then you may want to look for more expensive ones. But these chin up bar may leave marks on your door frame too. You can use resistance band for chin up/pull up, this way is cheaper, you can rack more reps, but don't quite have the same burn as with regular pull up.

Not sure about heart rate monitor, I never had one and I survived plyo x.

[XxXSnake23XxX]

The iron gym is a good bar indeed. When it comes to the weights.. i would get adjustables. I personally have the bowflexs and i wouldnt trade them for the world. They have only broken once, but it was my fault dropping it on the ground due to a lack of a spotterx but they have held up. I bought them off kijiji for a good price, i would NEVER pay retail for them unfortunatly

[MS MSP]

there's a whole P90x thread, all the answers are there.

http://www.redflagdeals.com/forums/merged-p90x-483903/

http://www.redflagdeals.com/forums/good-deal-p90x-pullup-bar-48-88-fitness-depot-796558/

[Rockstead]

[QUOTE=MS MSP;9666976]there's a whole P90x thread, all the answers are there.

I know but there are like 150 pages, I was hoping to just get a summary from someone who has been through this.

1. People recommend adjustable dumbells, Powerblocks or the Bowflex 522s, I'm not sure which one to buy and depending on which one, which stand should I buy? and which are quicker to adjust?

2. It seems a wide grip bar is recommended, not sure which one to buy, I just want one that doesn't have to be screwed in to the wall and is quality made.

3. I have a treadmill mat, do I still need a yoga mat, or a yoga block (not sure what this is).

4, Which Body Weight scale should I buy.

5. Which Heart Rate Monitor to buy?

6. Do the torrents of the P90x normally include PDfs of the Calendar and Nutrition guide? I want to be able to track my progress.

7. Am I missing anything else? can't wait to get started.


Thanks so much.

[ck1223]

[QUOTE=MS MSP;9666976]there's a whole P90x thread, all the answers are there.

I know but there are like 150 pages, I was hoping to just get a summary from someone who has been through this.





Thanks so much.

OK, IV'E DONE P90X, SO LET ME HELP...

1. People recommend adjustable dumbells, Powerblocks or the Bowflex 522s, I'm not sure which one to buy and depending on which one, which stand should I buy? and which are quicker to adjust?

I'VE USED POWERBLOCKS, THEY'RE ALRIGHT. I'M NOT A FAN OF THE BOWLEX SELECTTECH DUMBBELLS, I FEEL THEY'RE AS WIDE AS AN AIRPLANE WINGSPAN.
IF I WERE BUYING ADJUSTABLES THIS TIME, I'D GET IRONMASTER
WWW.IRONMASTER.COM
I USE THE GYM IN MY BUILDING, SO I USE REGULAR HEX WEIGHTS.

2. It seems a wide grip bar is recommended, not sure which one to buy, I just want one that doesn't have to be screwed in to the wall and is quality made.

THE ONE YOU CAN BUY FROM BEACHBODY IS SCREWED IN, I KNOW CAUSE I HAVE IT. GARBAGE FOR THAT READON IMO. THIS IRONGYM ONE MIGHT NOT BE, LOOK INTO THAT. WIDEGRIP IS RECOMMENDED BECAUSE SOME PULLUPS REQUIRED ARE WIDERGRIP. AGAIN, GYM IN MY BUILDING, THEY HAVE A WIDEGRIP BAR.

3. I have a treadmill mat, do I still need a yoga mat, or a yoga block (not sure what this is).

YOGA MATS ARE FAIRLY THIN. I'M NOT SURE HOW THICK THE TREADMILL MAT IS. REALLY WHAT MATTERS IS THAT YOU'RE LYING ON SOMETHING TO CUSHION YOUR SPINE FROM A HARD FLOOR. MY FLOOR IS HARDWOOD, SO THAT'S DEATH. IF YOU WANT TO SAVE CASH, AND THE TREADMILL MAT FEELS OK (COMFORTABLE AND STABLE), IT'S PROBABLY OK.

4, Which Body Weight scale should I buy.

ANY. YOU CAN GO FOR A SPECIAL BF% CALCULATOR ONE, BUT IN THE END, ANYONE WILL TELL YOU THEY ARE NOT SUPER ACCURATE. THEY FLUCTUATE BECAUSE IT'S HIGHLY DEPENDENT ON HOW MUCH WATER IS IN YOUR BODY, MOST LIKELY MINERALS, AND MAYBE EVEN IF YOU'VE TAKEN A DUMP, HONESTLY IT'S ANYONE'S GUESS. I HAVE ONE, CAUSE I LIKE GADGETS. MY THEORY IS IF IT SAYS I'M 15%BF, AND I'M REALLY 12%, THAT WHAT MATTER IS THE DIFFERENCE IN THAT NUMBER FROM NOW AND A FEW WEEKS FROM NOW, AND NOT THE ACCURACY. SO IF THAT 15% BECOMES 12% OVER TIME... YOU CAN PROBABLY SAFELY SAY YOU LOST 3%BF.

5. Which Heart Rate Monitor to buy?

[B]WWW.POLARUSA.COM
I HIGHLY HIGHLY RECOMMED ONE. NOT THAT YOUR HEART IS GOING TO EXPLODE, BUT YOU WANT TO MAKE SURE YOU'RE IN THE CORRECT ZONE. IF YOU PUSH YOURSELF TOO HARD, YOU'LL GAS OUT TOO SOON AND WON'T REAP THE BENEFITS LIKE YOU WOULD IF YOU WERE IN THE CORRECT ZONE. I HAVE A POLAR F6, IT'S AN OLDER MODEL CAUSE I BOUGHT IT A FEW YEARS AGO. WORKS LIKE A CHARM. THE DOWNSIDE TO POLAR IS IF THE CHEST STRAP DIES (BATTERY), YOU HAVE TO SEND IT IN FOR REPAIR. YOU CAN FIND SOME HACKS ONLINE TO REPAIR IT YOURSELF, IT

[angekfire]

1. People recommend adjustable dumbells, Powerblocks or the Bowflex 522s, I'm not sure which one to buy and depending on which one, which stand should I buy? and which are quicker to adjust?

I don't like adjustable dumbells. I had some and hated it, just got regular ones. The fact is, you are doing different exercised every minute or 2, So one minute you might need 15lbs weights, then the next exercise 15lbs might be too heavy so you might need 5lbs weights. Then the exercise after might be easier so you need 15lbs again. It it a huge PITA to have to readjust the weights between every exercise.

2. It seems a wide grip bar is recommended, not sure which one to buy, I just want one that doesn't have to be screwed in to the wall and is quality made.

The P90X one sometimes you don't need to screw in, depends on your door frame I think. I've seen it for around $50 at walmart in the past.

3. I have a treadmill mat, do I still need a yoga mat, or a yoga block (not sure what this is).

The yoga mat is primarily to avoid slipping, and so that it isn't as hard on your hands & feet & back during certain poses. I guess it depends on your treadmill mat. You can always try using it, and if you don't feel it is good enough, go out and buy a yoga mat. A yoga block isn't necessary, I never got one. You can probably use something else, even a soup can as a substitute if you really want, until you decide whether or not you need it. I didn't bother though.

4, Which Body Weight scale should I buy.

5. Which Heart Rate Monitor to buy?

I just used a standard scale. I was more worried about appearance and how I feel over the number on the scale. I never used a heart rate monitor.

6. Do the torrents of the P90x normally include PDfs of the Calendar and Nutrition guide? I want to be able to track my progress.

Yes. Not that I recommend that sort of thing though *whistles innocently*

7. Am I missing anything else? can't wait to get started.

You can use resistance bands instead of weights, but personally, I prefer standard dumbells. You'll also need a decent amount of space (plyometrics takes up a lot of room with jumping), and either a large mat or good running shoes, or at a minimum carpeting for the plyo days. A towel & lots of water is also a good thing.

Some recommend protein shakes for recovery. I guess it depends on your goal, but whey protein could be beneficial.

[Rockstead]

Thanks so much for your replies, another question.

Would I be better off with regular weights instead of Adjustables if I could make the room? what's the cost difference and how many wieghts would I need, my goal is to be thin and toned, not to bulk up.

As well, if I did go with Adjustables, how long does it take to actually adjust them, be it Powerblocks or the Bowflex ones.

[angekfire]

I've never used bowflex or powerblocks, I just have dumbbells where you screw the weighs onto. But it takes some time to adjust and is a PITA.

If you are looking for toned, you should be doing low weight, high reps (12-15), so you likely won't need that many weights. I only use:
2x 8lbs
2x 15lbs
2x 25lbs

But then again, I am doing it to slim down AND bulk up, so I do low reps, high weight.

[ck1223]

Thanks so much for your replies, another question.

Would I be better off with regular weights instead of Adjustables if I could make the room? what's the cost difference and how many wieghts would I need, my goal is to be thin and toned, not to bulk up.

As well, if I did go with Adjustables, how long does it take to actually adjust them, be it Powerblocks or the Bowflex ones.

I only have experience with PowerBlocks, and they're quickly adjusted, less than 30secs for sure. My gripe with them is that if you drop them, they'll probably crack. That's why the IronMaster ones look appealing. The selecttech (bowflex) ones appear to not be drop proof either. I've lifted them up at a store once to feel the construction.

I would say a full set of hex dumbbells would cost more than an adjustable set. A full set probably reaches to $1000 and higher. When I mean full, I'm talking 2.5lbs - 90lbs lol. You can get a set of powerblocks for as low as $300? Depending on the model. The set I had cost close to $500 but they were adjustable to 50lbs. However, if you only pick and choose some hex weights (regular), of course there is a chance they'd be cheaper than a set of adjustables.

P90x will get you thin and toned, that was my experience. The videos state to choose a weight that will allow you to go for "8 reps" on the exercise at the time if you want to bulk, and up to 15 reps if you want to tone. I was aiming at 8, and i felt more athletically fit than "bulky".

[angekfire]

I would say a full set of hex dumbbells would cost more than an adjustable set. A full set probably reaches to $1000 and higher. When I mean full, I'm talking 2.5lbs - 90lbs lol. You can get a set of powerblocks for as low as $300? Depending on the model. The set I had cost close to $500 but they were adjustable to 50lbs. However, if you only pick and choose some hex weights (regular), of course there is a chance they'd be cheaper than a set of adjustables.

P90x will get you thin and toned, that was my experience. The videos state to choose a weight that will allow you to go for "8 reps" on the exercise at the time if you want to bulk, and up to 15 reps if you want to tone. I was aiming at 8, and i felt more athletically fit than "bulky".

Yea, but you aren't going to need a full set of dumbells for P90X. Like I said, the highest I went was 25lbs, and I could maybe do 30s for 2 or 3 of the exercises, but I still felt the burn regardless. And I was going for bulking. So going for toned, you'll need even fewer weights.

Yea, when I did it for "bulking" I didn't get huge, but I definitely got more practically fit. I wasn't ripped or anything, but my biceps were definitely bigger than before.

[ck1223]

Yea, but you aren't going to need a full set of dumbells for P90X. Like I said, the highest I went was 25lbs, and I could maybe do 30s for 2 or 3 of the exercises, but I still felt the burn regardless. And I was going for bulking. So going for toned, you'll need even fewer weights.

Yea, when I did it for "bulking" I didn't get huge, but I definitely got more practically fit. I wasn't ripped or anything, but my biceps were definitely bigger than before.

Exactly. Depends on the person. If you're not that athletic to begin with, you probably don't need much. I used up to 60lb dumbbells on some exercises so it depends on your ability.

The thing about lifting weights is when you're ready to jump to a heavier weight, you don't want to jump to something 10lbs higher than what you were just using.

If you're pushing out 8-9reps at 20lbs for 2 sets and it's hard but still good form, you'll want to up your weight next time. However, you don't want to add 10lbs and be pushing 30lbs next time around. I would limit increasing in weights to a max of 5lbs increments if you're choosing your weights correctly to begin with.

WE'RE ON THE SAME PAGE WITH THIS ANGEKFIRE :)

[angekfire]

Except when I increased my weight, I started with only 8lbs, then jumped to 15lbs, then jumped to 25lbs. So I did jump by 10lbs, and it worked for me, it was just pretty hard. The ones where 25lbs was too much I just kept using 15lbs. I basically only use the 8lbs ones for triceps now, and even then, some I can do with 15lbs.

[Rockstead]

OK it seems as though there is no screwless Chin-up bar available that will fit in a door frame that does not contain a trim, so unless anyone knows of one, it looks like I will have to purchase something that gets screwed in.

Is there a specific wide grip screwe in bar that people normally recommend for P90x? Am I better off with one of those free standing chin up bars if I have the space for it? not sure what to do here, I'm new to the scene.

[ck1223]

OK it seems as though there is no screwless Chin-up bar available that will fit in a door frame that does not contain a trim, so unless anyone knows of one, it looks like I will have to purchase something that gets screwed in.

Is there a specific wide grip screwe in bar that people normally recommend for P90x? Am I better off with one of those free standing chin up bars if I have the space for it? not sure what to do here, I'm new to the scene.

If you're ok with screwing in holes, I'd say go that route since it's cheaper and more compact. Free standing chinup bars would probably cost you atleast $150. I would go with the P90x bar, not cause of the brand, but it really is a good screwin bar. I just didn't like the fact that it's screwin :)

[Rockstead]

If you're ok with screwing in holes, I'd say go that route since it's cheaper and more compact. Free standing chinup bars would probably cost you atleast $150. I would go with the P90x bar, not cause of the brand, but it really is a good screwin bar. I just didn't like the fact that it's screwin :)

Do you have a link for that P90x screw-in bar, I cheched the Beachbody site and seems like their P90x bar fits around a trim of a door and is not screwed in.

[angekfire]

Do you have a link for that P90x screw-in bar, I cheched the Beachbody site and seems like their P90x bar fits around a trim of a door and is not screwed in.

It does both. Depending on your door frame. My friend has one (I think it is called the power gym or something, you can get it at walmart of canadian tire) that works well just on the door frame. I got the same thing, and it kept sliding off my door frame. It did however come with brackets to screw it in regardless though. Basically you screw in the mount, then you can remove the bar when you're done, and when you want to use it you just hook it back onto the mount.

I didn't want to screw anything in, so I just returned it.

If you do buy it, heres a tip: use some oil or dish-soap on the foam grips to get them on. It makes it a million times easier.