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Originally Posted by DropIt
What kind of time does one have to commit to this program? Every day? I have heard great things about the program, but I can typically be gone to work for anywhere from 2-10 days at a time, so there are a number of things I can't commit to on an every day basis.
However I am going back to school in September and should have the time available then. Should I wait until I can completely commit my time to this program?
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Realistically, I wouldn't start unless you can have 90 days of (pretty much) focused attention. I made it to about day 25 the first time around, but found that juggling the schedule and/or having to miss workouts really took the point out of it.
I did the full 90 a few months later, having found a relatively calm period of life, and got WAY more out of it than I would have if I'd have continued chaotically. Seriously, the workouts take 60-90 minutes (especially once you know them) and give you exactly what you put into them. I didn't follow the meal plan perfectly, but my "90% right" took about 30-45 minutes per day. Cooking a quality dinner and preparing the following days snacks/meals take a little extra time but is certainly WELL worth it.
For those that are considering this program, a little story.....I had absolutely no business whatsoever trying this program. I was as lazy, fat and incredibly out of shape as one could possibly be. Even after failing (no joke) the fitness test I pressed on. After "Bringing It" for 3 months, I actually got into livable shape. I'd say I went from a 2/10 to a 6.5/10 on the fitness scale. Dropped from a 42 waist to a 36 (now 34) and roughly 25lbs. Melted enough fat that I can actually see muscles when I'm moving around, and my head went from a circle to an oval. I didn't shred out like the dudes on TV, but given my starting point, I never expected to. It's not overdoing it to suggest that P90x basically went mad-scientist on me and reanimated my dead body!
I suspect that this iteration (starting in June, 18 months after the first completion) will see the shredding type results. There's only one significant layer of pudge left to burn through, and I'm starting in WAY better shape than the last time. (Starting at 12 diamond pushups, not zero!)
For those considering the program, here's some random thoughts:
1. Starting fitness plays a role, but your mindset (honestly!) is the biggest factor in getting results.
2. If you're an angry, hypertensive couch potato type....you'll work through your anger each day.
3. If your diet currently sucks....you're in for a pleasant surprise. Little changes WILL make a HUGE difference.
4. Get ready to sleep. I went from laying in bed for 6 hours a night to sleeping for 8 hours a night. And when your head hits the pillow....out!
5. Get a good massage after each phase (at least). After the first three weeks, I started getting a 45-minute session every week. Made an INCREDIBLE difference.
Final thought.....set realistic but fun goals. My goal was to do a monkey stand, then press into a full handstand. Nothing about weight or inches.....instead, it was about something physically challenging and fun. The combination of raw and balanced strength needed to do that isn't trivial and I damn near sh*t myself when I did it.