The result of two years of R&D conducted by a team of the most qualified experts in fitness, P90X2 includes training so cutting edge, so outrageously effective, you'll be blown away by your visible results and your performance. While P90X is based on Muscle ConfusionTM-to break normal 30-day training plateaus so you get results fast-P90X2 ups the ante with a training technique developed by professional sports trainers for world class results: P.A.P., or Post-Activation Potentiation. With P90X2, you get 12 groundbreaking workouts focused on chiseling your body while building your balance, agility, core strength, and athleticism. It includes new customization with an all-new, highly flexible nutrition plan to help you excel. THIS is training. Better training than most pro athletes get. And with an emphasis on your abs/core, powerful athletic function, and lightning-bolt agility, it'll help you blast through your plateaus. In addition to the 12 new workouts, P90X2 comes with a comprehensive three-phase nutrition plan, with vegan and grain-free options; specially designed supplement options; a detailed fitness guide packed with valuable information about how to get the most from your program; a How to Bring It Again video that provides a quick overview of the system; a workout calendar to track your progress; online peer support; and much more. What's in the Box? 12 workouts, nutrition plan, fitness guide, How to Bring It Again video, and a calendar to track your progress.

• Amazon Sales Rank: #5415 in Sports & Outdoors
• Brand: Beachbody
• Released on: 2011-12-15

Features

• P90X2? continues your progress after P90X® with cutting-edge training based on powerful new sports science
• 12 new breakthrough workouts that include more emphasis on your core, athletic function, balance, and agility
• Includes a comprehensive, customizable nutrition plan with vegan and grain-free options
• From the makers of P90X?the #1 extreme fitness program in the world
• Personal trainer Tony Horton delivers the workouts with his unique blend of motivation and humor

Amazon.com
he result of two years of research & development conducted by a team of the most qualified experts in fitness, P90X2 includes training so cutting edge, so effective, you'll be amazed at the visible results and enhanced performance. While P90X is based on Muscle Confusion--to break normal 30-day training plateaus so you get results fast--P90X2 ups the ante with a training technique developed by professional sports trainers for world class results: P.A.P., or Post-Activation Potentiation. With P90X2, you get 12 groundbreaking workouts focused on chiseling your body while building your balance, agility, core strength, and athleticism. It includes new customization with an all-new, highly flexible nutrition plan to help you excel. And with an emphasis on your abs/core, powerful athletic function, and lightning-bolt agility, it'll help you blast through your plateaus.

In addition to the 12 new workouts, P90X2 comes with a comprehensive three-phase nutrition plan, with vegan and grain-free options; specially designed supplement options; a detailed fitness guide packed with valuable information about how to get the most from your program; a How to Bring It Again video that provides a quick overview of the system; a workout calendar to track your progress; online peer support; and much more.

The Workouts:

X2 Core
The core is your body's foundation: the point where all movement begins. By working your core using instability, you force your body to fire both its prime mover and stabilizer muscles in harmony. As you master this routine, all of your movement patterns will improve.

Plyocide
Combines traditional explosive movements with mind and coordination drills to increase not only your speed and endurance, but your entire mind/body connection, as well. Don't do this one more than once per week.

X2 Recovery + Mobility
You learned with P90X that your body only grows stronger while at rest after it has been challenged. The P90X2 Recovery + Mobility workout takes this a step further by not only enhancing recovery, but also forcing your body to realign to promote better overall functionality. The key is a myofascial release technique called foam rolling. Expect to get a whole new understanding of the phrase, "hurts so good." This workout also provides you with a complete stretching routine for those days you prefer to work without the foam roller.

X2 Total Body
Combines resistance and instability to ensure that your body uses the correct muscles in the given movement. Old school isolation movements that can lead to muscular imbalance not welcome here. In this workout you'll earn every repetition, and form is king.

X2 Yoga
Yoga's traditional benefits of relaxing the body and restoring the mind are present but will take a back seat to increasing isometric power, improving your range of motion, and building vital stabilizer muscle strength. This is yoga, X2 style. Yoga is a fountain of youth and to us, staying young means staying strong and supple.

Balance + Power
The moves in this workout force core rigidity under duress by incorporating strength and explosive movements. As you improve your body's connection between balance and power, your body alignment will improve, nagging aches and pains will lessen, and you'll be able to push far beyond the limits you once thought you had.

Chest + Back + Balance
The same mega pump that was P90X Chest & Back now gets an added bonus, an array of unstable platforms designed to make your body earn its muscle. As you improve at this workout, your strength gains will be superior to those made with any traditional weight-training workout.

X2 Shoulders + Arms
Shoulder instability leads to an assortment of injuries experienced by many of us as we age. By keeping our shoulders and arms strong and in balance, we can avoid breakdowns. And that, along with looking good in short sleeved shirts, is the philosophy behind the creation of X2 Shoulders + Arms.

Base + Back
Working the body's two largest groups of muscles in one workout may seem sadistic but most people seem to find this pull-up and plyo extravaganza very entertaining. It's the sweatiest "weight training" workout you'll ever endure, uh . . . experience.

P.A.P. Lower
P.A.P. stands for Post-Activation Potentiation, but all you really need to know is that it is the cutting-edge technique that translates into performance. Two four-round complexes of seemingly straightforward movements don't look like much on paper but these workouts have destroyed the fittest athletes on the planet. The same ones who swear by them just as soon as they finish swearing at them. Just wait 'til you see what they can do for you.

P.A.P. Upper
The same complex training format as P.A.P. Lower but this time focused on your upper body. Remember when you were a kid and bounced around jumping fences and climbing trees? Post-Activation Potentiation training will bring back your youth. Over time you'll feel loose, springy, and young.

X2 Ab Ripper
"I hate it. But I love it." Squared. Tony takes you through a series of core movements that'll upgrade your concept of what an ab workout is supposed to be.

P90X2 Power Your Performance Fitness Guide
This is your road map and your plan of attack for using P90X2. The guide provides guidelines for getting started and essential tips for how to make the most of the program. It also includes in-depth information about the science behind P90X2, a complete overview of the three training phases, a fit test, and an overview of the recommended supplements and equipment.

P90X2 Fuel Your Performance Nutrition Guide
Following the P90X2 nutrition guide is just as vital to your overall success as any of the extreme workouts in this program. Specifically designed to work in tandem with the P90X2 workout routines, the guide includes three eating plans, with vegan and grain-free options, which allow you to customize based on your personal needs, plus over 50 recipes. P90X2 is not about quick fixes or miracle diets. It's about selecting the healthy foods that you want to eat and determining the portion amounts that will provide your body with the right amount of fuel to excel during exercise. Since everyone's body is different, the three plans allow you to pick the balance of foods that work for you. Plan 1, Fat Shredder 2.0, is a high-protein-based diet designed to help you strengthen your muscles while simultaneously and rapidly shedding fat from your body. Plan 2, Energy Booster 2.0, emphasizes a balanced mix of carbohydrates and proteins with a lower amount of fat to achieve additional energy for performance. And Plan 3, Endurance Maximizer 2.0, is an athletic diet of complex carbohydrates, lean proteins, and lower fat, with the emphasis on more carbohydrates. You'll need this combination of foods as fuel to get the most out of your final few weeks and truly be in the best shape of your life.

Tools to Keep You Motivated
P90X2 90-day workout calendar to set your workout goals, track your progress, and stay motivated. Free Online Support Tools for access to fitness experts, peer support, and motivation.

What's in the Box?
12 workouts, nutrition plan, fitness guide, How to Bring It Again video, and a calendar to track your progress.

Most helpful customer reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful.
Delivers on all fronts. . .but not for everyone
By Garvinstomp
SHORT REVIEW: It's absolutely incredible (or at least feels like it will be, as I've only had it for a week). It'll challenge the heck out of you. You should only do this if you're already in excellent shape or if you've completed P90X (which means you're in excellent shape). Beginners should stick with the first system. The new series, while not as accessible to the masses as the original due to the exotic moves and the plethora of extra gear required to maximize the effectiveness, is truly the most elite home fitness series I've ever tried (and still way cheaper than gym memberships and Bowflex machines). Yes, it's everything it was hyped to be (and probably more). You'll pretty much be able to don a cape and fight crime when this is all over.

LONG REVIEW: If you've read my review of P90X, you know that while I love the system, I've never been a "fanboy". I'm not a coach or involved with Beachbody in any way. I've never purchased any supplements or shakes. And the only piece of equipment I've ever purchased from them are the Power Stand push-up bars (because they really are the best out there). I've used P90X and Tony's 1-on-1's because they really have worked for me and allowed me to get great results a) at home b) on a budget c) during a time crunch and d) while I'm traveling.

I struggled when trying to give a star rating to P90X2, though. The reason there was a bit of hesitation on my part stems from the fact that this series, while absolutely delivering the goods on the workout front, moves away from P90X in terms of the complexity. With the original series, the big draw was that you could work hard with very little gear and get in crazy good shape. Part of the allure was the "just some dumbbells and a pull-up bar" mantra that permeated the set. And with P90X, that was largely true. With just those two pieces of gear you could get over 90% effectiveness in all of the exercises. But with P90X2, that's just not the case.

Sure, in the new series there are plenty of options for those people with minimal equipment, but the difference between doing standard push-ups versus doing them balanced on four medicine balls is night and day. If you want to get the most out of P90X2 here's what additional gear (on top of what you had for P90X) you'll want to pick-up: Stability Ball, Power Stand push-up bars (no, the regular little ones will not cut the mustard here due to the amount of movement), foam roller, plyo platform, 4-8 medicine balls, some floor tape, and a stick for stretching and core (a broomstick or bat works just fine). Fortunately, I already had a good amount of the equipment needed, but it's still an investment as plyo platforms aren't cheap (they say you can use a sturdy chair, but that better be one REALLY STURDY chair).

So yes, at first I struggled looking at my workout space now populated by a bunch of new gear. Gone was the Spartan simplicity of "The X". But all of that thought was just academic until the workouts began. And that is where the 5-star rating comes in. These workouts truly are the next level, delivering on their promise of being an evolution, as opposed to a sequel.

Before I jump into doing P90X2 (as I've only had the system for a little more than a week), I decided that I would do each workout individually so as to get a feel for what I was dealing with and make any adjustments to my space or equipment needs beforehand (and be able to review the set, of course). I very quickly came to realize that all this extra gear wasn't just some sort of gimmick, it really was challenging me, pushing me to go to places I've not been in a workout. While the options without the equipment will certainly push a person and increase their fitness, I'd have to estimate that you're only 60-70% effective, at best. It's important to note that Beachbody didn't promise that this would be as simple or as streamlined as the first series. They didn't promise that there wouldn't be more equipment involved. That was just an assumption on my part. What they promised was that the new system would evolve the old system, using new science and technology to take super fit people and put them into and elite type of shape. And it certainly seems to live up to that promise.

First, let's discuss the structure of the program. For those familiar with the original, there are a few changes. In the original series you worked out 6 days per week, doing the same routine for 3 weeks. After that there would be a recovery week where the 6 workouts were lower impact and focused on stretching, core, and recovery. In P90X2, the 3 week period is now a bit more fluid, letting the individual do anywhere from 3-6 weeks of the same workouts before heading into a recovery week. And instead of the 6 workouts per week with an optional stretch on the 7th, there are 5 workouts per week with an optional 2 recovery days (days 3 and 7 of the week). The original was also structured so that in the third section you'd end up doing the same workouts from the first and second sections. Not so, anymore. Now, instead of just some muscle confusion where exercise routines are rotated in and out, each one of the three sections has its own set of workouts. Sure, you'll see the Yoga and the Plyocide, but there are different resistance workouts in each section, each with its own set of goals. The first section sets up your body for all the work it's going to do, called the Foundation section. The second is the Strength section. And the third is the Performance, taking your body from just looking good to being super functional as well.

What's interesting about the new series is that there really isn't a dedicated cardio. Because so many of the moves this time around aren't isolation movies, they're compound moves working many muscle groups at the same time, there's a cardio element built into many of the resistance workouts that the first series didn't have. Plyocide, of course, still brings the plyo pain like the the first one did. And you'll still find yourself sucking air trying to get through it. And the third section, the Performance section, utilizes the one of the newer fitness concepts called Post Activation Potentiation. That means that you do a heavy load on a muscle, immediately followed by a light, explosive movement. It supposedly helps to stimulate growth and increase a muscle's performance. Since I've only gotten to tinker with the workouts, I can't give my assessment on the long-term results (I'll post a follow-up in several months once I've been through the fire with this incarnation). The bottom line is that anyone worried they won't get a good workout for the heart and lungs needn't concern themselves. You'll certainly get the wind moving.

Just an additional note on all the extra gear. No matter how much I wish it was different, there is always a limit to how much progress can be made by doing bodyweight only exercises. Bruce Lee, one of the strongest pound-for-pound humans to walk the planet, had a body that was lean, incredibly functional, and was built using some pretty large weights. I knew people that could do pull-ups until the cows came home, but their overall fitness wasn't that spectacular. It's kind of like having a regular old sedan. You can change out the tires and rims and engine, put a spoiler on it, tint the windows, and redo the entire inside, but it's still a sedan. It's not going to be a Ferrari. If you want a Ferrari, you've got to get a Ferrari. And that's what I'm finding with P90X2. The extra gear allows me to push myself further than I would have with just the original gear I had from the first series. I bought a great roller from a company called Triggerpoint and it is a life changer. The recovery that Tony takes you through with the roller is like a massage for your whole body and it is amazing. I feel so good when I finish up that workout that I almost want to do it every single day (you'll do it every other day in the recovery weeks, alternating with Yoga). There are also two additional workouts that come in the fancier packages offered by Beachbody (V-Sculpt and Chest/Shoulder/Tris) that are really good and can substitute in during the second, Strength section. They're excellent, but not critical.

Another thing to note is that the diet guide is more comprehensive than the original series. Aside from just having the standard healthy eating options, they've included a lot of variations, such as a vegetarian option (although Tony is no longer a veggie). But the diet certainly covers a lot of ground, giving people a lot different ways to achieve their diet goals, from people that can cook (and have the time) to people that are on the go.

This is truly a series that accomplishes what so many others don't. It builds functional strength with flexibility. It gets the heart and lungs working in incredibly effective ways, and helps the body protect itself, becoming more stable and resistant to injuries. What I liked about this series is that there doesn't seem to be a weak link. In the original, Kenpo and Cardio always failed to push me, while Legs & Back always felt like and afterthought. There were times in the new series where I felt like they were going out of their way to use the most exotic movements and exercises they could concoct just for the sake of being different, but in the end they all challenged me and I look forward to perfecting them. It really is a more complete and balanced series. And with the option to spend 3-6 weeks in each phase, there's more flexibility to make sure your body really is where it needs to be to move on. It's also great that each phase has it's own set of resistance routines. I feel like this will really keep away any feelings of the mundane or repetitive.

The bottom line is that P90X2 truly is built on some of the best, up-to-date exercise science out there. It's not just something that's a gimmick to cash-in on the popularity of the first one. My guess is that had they wanted to do that they wouldn't have designed something with all the extra gear to purchase. This is cutting-edge working out that can be done in the privacy of one's own home. And while there is a decent amount of gear to buy, it still pales in comparison to what gym memberships cost (not to mention the time to go to the gym, change, wait for machines, make sure the kids are taken care of, etc. . .). It's hundreds, if not thousands, cheaper than buying an at-home piece of gear like a Bowflex or Nautilus. So at the end of the day I have to give it 5 stars because it truly is what they promised, the next and best evolution of working out at home. I've done P90X for years and this thing whooped my tail straight out of the box. But this isn't for everybody.

Although you could modify the movements and go half-speed to get through the workouts, I would strongly recommend that someone starting out go with the original series. The movements are simpler (no beginner should be doing one-arm curls in a push-up position with the other arm balancing on a medicine ball), the workouts favor beginners more than P90X2's do, and there's less gear required to get the full experience. Plus, there are a bunch of used copies out there that can be picked up for a fraction of the retail price (oh heck, at this point somebody you know has to have it, just borrow it). X2 should be for those already in excellent shape and those that have made it through P90X and are looking for their next challenge. The new presentation is great. The graphics and music are vastly improved. And, best of all, Yoga is just 60 minutes! If you're in good shape and want to get into ridiculous, superhero/ninja shape in the privacy of your own home-this is the one for you!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful.
From a P90X Grad...
By Dan
Doing P90X ranks easily as one of the best decisions I have ever made. I had great results losing 23 lbs with tremendous gains in strength, balance and flexibility. (From 199lbs to a very lean and muscular 176lbs)
And there is no better feeling than KNOWING that you're on a path to a better life. I have repeated P90X several times since 2008 and have also done Insanity, kettle-bell, Boot camp and a variety of fitness challenges.
Wanting more, I have been eagerly waiting for the arrival of P90X2 since it became available for preorder. If you're a P90X grad you're probably wondering whether it's better, harder, etc. Here are my experiences and observations after doing the program a week. (I intend to post an update after completing the program.)
Blu-ray edition:
I am happy that I spent the extra money on the Blu-ray edition. The entire program requires fewer discs (several workouts are contained on each disc) consequently requiring less storage space in my media center.
Production:
The workout studio/set is reminiscent of P90X but is more colorful - perhaps this is the advantage of Blu-ray, the updated production or both. In any case, the visual results are great.
Program Guide:
I LOVE the science and the research that create the foundation for P90X2. The guide provides an overview of the reasoning behind the program as well as detailed references to the science that supports the program. The information is highly motivating because KNOWING what and why can only enhance my commitment to keep pushing play. I LOVE knowing that there is a new challenge ahead and the program is designed to prepare you for each successive phase. The program is truly ground breaking - Post-Activation Potentiation isn't just a fancy pickup line.
The Workouts:
(Based on the first week) The workouts are definitely challenging but not overwhelming. If you have completed P90X then you are ready for P90X2. The first phase places emphasis on the core - and utilizes the stability ball and foam roller. These tools are great additions to the P90, X, X+, X2 series and the stability ball can be used in some very clever ways to challenge our balance and strength - my obliques have been pleasantly sore all week. As with P90X we are given plenty of variety to challenge us and develop our form, flexibility, strength and performance.
Is it fun?
Yes, I found myself laughing out loud during the work outs - Tony does an "Arnold" impression that left me crying. Beyond the humor is the sense of accomplishment that is truly priceless. I look forward to pushing play.
Week 1 Snapshot Review:
Challenge: 9.5/10
Effectiveness: 10/10
Production: 10/10
Value: 10/10
Recommend it? Yes, for those who are ready for a challenge and for results - this is for you.

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful.
Excellent program and packaging
By Sarosh Arunkumar
I used the original P90x system to lose 17 lbs in 60 days (didn't finish the last 30). From doing the workouts thus far, I can say the following:

1. The system used is safer: They seem to want to spend a month building balance and stability, and start the week on balance and stability, starting with the core. This is much like the NASM personal trainer OPT model which starts with balance and stability, moves to strength, and finally power (or as they call it here, performance).

2. Foam Roller: Heavy advocating of the foam roller for tight knots of muscle that need release. This is something I wish I had known about earlier, and is having a positive effect all over my body (I bought the Ultimate kit, enjoying the rumble roller).

3. Sound options: Turn off the music, or leave it on with tony not speaking except when cuing for the next exercise, or make it completely silent including all the jokes except for when cuing for the next exercise, pretty cool technology there.

4. Heavy focus on functional training: Functional training is taking off, and I think beachbody made the right direction moving here as well. Most populations are not professional bodybuilders on steroids that workout 6 days a week twice a week that need to plump up their muscles for a stage competition. Most populations are deconditioned folks or people who are fit but like me are in a cube or need training to keep all parts well taken care of.

A bit expensive, but well worth the cost.