Does Power 90 work? An honest review

In 2001, personal trainer Tony Horton launched ‘Power 90’ through Beachbody, a fitness company dedicated to providing exercise routines at home. Power 90 was so successful that in 2004 Tony Horton launched the P90X, a program that sold 2 million units, became a household name and a favorite workout for celebrities. Yet even as the P90X claimed the limelight, the Power 90 continued to sell and is still one of the most popular home fitness programs on the market today. In this article we ask: Is Power 90 still a relevant workout? Can you deliver outstanding results? Has it not been replaced by P90X?

First, a brief overview of the Power 90 workout itself: Intended to take 90 days, the workout is designed to go through 4 stages of intensity gradually increasing as you go through six different workouts contained on 2 DVDs. These workouts consist of two ‘Sculpt Circuit’ workouts, two ‘Sweat Cardio’ workouts, and two ‘Ab Ripper’ workouts. The user is responsible for deciding when they are ready to move from one difficulty level to the next; Power 90 clearly states that you need to listen to your own body and progress at your own pace.

The actual workouts are pretty short. The longest runs in the Sculpt and Sweat workouts range from 29 to 42 minutes, while the abs workouts are very short at 4 to 6 minutes. Anyone familiar with the P90X workout will recognize the components that are part of each of these routines. Sweat Cardio begins with yoga as a warm-up and then continues with a variety of cardiovascular exercises including martial arts punches culminating in a yoga stretch / cool-down. The Sculpt Circuit also begins with some stretching and light yoga, and then continues with a weight resistance routine that is demonstrated with free weights and resistance bands. As such, they progress through a combination of different styles and workouts in their 40-minute duration.

What is immediately apparent from viewing these workouts is that they do not have the intensity or output values ​​of P90X. The stage is a smooth, featureless studio space, and you’ll definitely want your own music to play to keep you buoyant. The workouts themselves are not as extreme as those on the P90X, as not only are they short in duration, but the actual exercises will fit within the higher comfort levels of most people.

This is bad? No. Of course, having a beautiful stage with all the props and effects the P90X boasts is more impressive, but that has nothing to do with the quality of the workout. The only effect such a cheesy setup has is that it makes it difficult to take workouts so seriously. However, anyone who is Being serious about getting physical results should be able to look beyond this first version of a Beachbody product made when the company was still young and focus on the exercise itself.

It is important to note that the P90X and Power 90 are intended for different audiences. P90X is literally an extreme program, and should only be attempted by those who are already in good physical condition. This is not intended to be a provocative statement designed to goad your pride into “being a man”, but rather the plain truth. P90X is very, very difficult, and just as someone who sets out to learn to run should not adopt an Olympic marathon routine, beginners and those who have not exercised in some time should not try P90X.

Instead, Power 90 is the perfect program for them. This is where Power 90’s moderate intensity level comes in handy. While anyone can boost their workouts while performing this routine to their personal maximum for better results, Power 90 is a more flexible routine that lends itself to a wider variety of athletes and individuals.

Bottom line: the principles behind the Power 90 are sound. If you follow the workouts and nutrition guide for three months, you should achieve impressive results. The degree of results will depend on your dedication and effort; Power 90 will tell you how to get them, but you will have to do the exercises and eat correctly. Has it been replaced by P90X? No. It is the logical forerunner of the P90X, and should be seen as a challenging routine for anyone interested in moving from entry to mid-level to more advanced position. What is required of you is to let go of ego and pride and ask yourself where you are and what is the best way to achieve the results you want. Some athletes can jump right into the P90X, while the rest of us have to gain that necessary level of fitness. Which is exactly where Power 90 fits the picture.