P90X Schedule
Is your P90X calendar old, worn-out, or covered in X marks from previous rounds, etc.? If you would like to download a fresh new copy of the P90X Schedule, here it is:
But now the $64,000 question (us old folks know what that means LOL) …
Should you do Classic, Lean, or Doubles? I get that question all the time, and I’ve never written a full article about it because the answer is so clear to me …. CLASSIC!
Always do Classic!
Do you want to lose body fat? Do CLASSIC, not lean! You’ll build more muscle, and muscle burns fat.
Do you want to build muscle? Do CLASSIC! It’s designed to build muscle.
Do you want to shed body fat faster? Do CLASSIC, not doubles! Just dial in your nutrition better to lose the body fat faster.
In fact, it is my contention that you will probably do better overall with only one workout per day that you can give your all for, rather than simply adding more exercise and running your body down. Are there exceptions? Sure! Some young folks can do 2 workouts per day and feel great. If that’s you, and you have the time for doubles, go for it! Doubles would take a toll on my joints if I tried to maintain it for very long, so I prefer 1 workout per day and very dialed in nutrition and supplements to maximize my results from that workout.
So my answer is clear, and it’s always the same when I get asked. Do CLASSIC! After a round of Classic P90X, it’s fun to increase the intensity by subbing Insanity cardio for the P90X cardio, but I still recommend waiting to do a hybrid until you’ve got 1 round under your belt.
If you are looking to do a hybrid, you can make your very own or use one of mine, which I’ve done over the past several rounds:
Coach Wayne’s Hybrid Workout Schedules
And what if you are half-way through a round of LEAN because your goal was to lose body fat? I say switch to CLASSIC! The difference is that extra lift day (you only do 2 lift days with LEAN). You’d be surprised that you’ll burn just as many calories with the lifting as you do with the cardio since the lifting is circuit style with very little rest. Make the switch and keep on trucking!
You can never go wrong with P90X Classic! And once you’ve mastered that, you will love adding the variety and intensity of a hybrid with Insanity cardio. Or maybe even some Asylum if you’re really crazy!!! :-)
Related Posts:
31 Responses to “P90X Schedule”
Leave a Reply
NEW – my X2 Results Video!
Wayne’s P90X Results Video
Most Popular Products
Thanks for this article Coach! I have 4 weeks left in Insanity and will tackle P90X for the first time immediately after. I’ve been looking at what type of program to do and this definitely answers it.
My only questions is should i substitue the P90X plyometrics and Kenpo with Insanity. My wife has done P90X and after watching me do Insanity, she says P90X plyometrics and kenpo would be too easy.
Any thoughts?
Hey Trav, Insanity cardio is definitely more intense, so if she wants to use those as substitutes, go for it! That’s how I do my hybrids.
Thanks Coach. I meant for me :) But ya, think i’ll substitute Insanity on the cardio days. Can’t wait to get started in a few weeks!
Trav, let me redo that answer LOL! You are talking about for you, not your wife, aren’t you! Yes, since you are already used to the Insanity cardio, go ahead and keep Insanity in the routine for your cardio days as you do a round of P90X.
Good write up i was about to try doubles for phase 3……i think i,ll stay in classic
Speaking of hybrids, I have decided to come up with my own P90x/Asylum hybrid workout that I will be starting next Friday. Basically I kept all the p90x lift days and subbed the other days with Asylum workouts.
This is a 90 day program, not the p90x/asylum 30 workout that comes with Asylum.
View the p90x/asylum hybrid workout
Hey Jonathan, I’ve been batting around the idea of using Asylum in my future hybrids as well.
As of right now, what I plan on doing is a traditional hybrid like my old Round 2, except that instead of 3 training blocks, there will be 4 (because I just love some of the new 1-on-1′s and want to be able to incorporate them as primary lift days in addition to the P90X lift days), and I’m thinking I’ll keep the Insanity cardio in place, but after training block 2 and training block 4 I will do a 2 week Asylum bootcamp each time. Only problem is that will make Round 5 a 5 month hybrid!! LOL! (4 training blocks of a month each plus a month worth of Asylum mixed into 2 segments).
Coach – I am planning my round 2 hybrid and I am wondering which program you got your “Cardio Abs” from. Can I buy this as a single? I would like to use Killer Abs and Cardio Abs on my ab day but can’t seem to find where to get Cardio Abs. And if you wrote a review on Cardio Abs if you could direct me to that as well. I can’t find one by searching.
Thanks -
Hey Bluedog, Cardio Abs comes with Insanity, and it is not sold separately. Cardio Abs is just a 15 minute ab routine (like the Ab Ripper X of Insanity). There is also a longer Insanity Ab routine, Insane Abs, which comes with the Insanity 3 DVD upgrade (also included in that package are Upper Body Weight Training and Max Sports).
Coach Wayne
Thanks for the article, but here’s a question – I hate yoga.
What do you recommend?
Hey Shigo, read my article called “yoga”. I hate it too! LOL!
Coach Wayne Thank you very much.
You’re the best ..
Coach! I am new to the team, and have some questions, so here we go! (some go together) I have been doing P90X for 150+ days now (just started R2P3) – Goal to get ripped! Started P90X @ 241#, I am DEDICATED…do NOT skip workouts, and do NOT do cheat meals…
1) I am still having success with weight loss and inches, but a little slower than R1 – expected! (now 204#, 6′) I have the classic male gut/love handles, would you recommend doubles, or just maintaining current Classic schedule? (If doubles – schedule? / change nutrition? / concerns about “overtraining”?)
2) Nutrition – I am following the nutrition guide, but have seen comments about eating fewer carbs than it recommends, your opinion? – I know you take Shakeology, do you recommend a meal replacement (even if not Shakeology) for everyone?
3) Supplements – I am taking a recovery drink, have been debating on other supplements, have been recommended creatine, not sure its what I want/need right now. I do want to build my arms better, but how would it affect my inches/getting ripped (abs/chest/waist).
4) Hybrid? – I have been debating a hybrid after this round is over (like I said, still want to get ripped and have a way to go) should I do hybrid, or just stick with P90X?
Sorry this is so long everyone! Just want to make sure I’m doing everyting right to reach my goals!
Coach, if you want pics to see what I’m working with, just let me know!
Thanks for the help!
Hey Kyle! Great job so far on the progress! I never did doubles, and I don’t think it’s necessary for body fat loss. Sure you burn more calories with the extra cardio, but it also has the potential to wear your body out so that you can’t push as hard on the main workout each day. Dialing in the nutrition is the better solution.
I have found that the nutrition guide is great, but that to burn body fat faster, a calorie deficit is required. See my articles “Round 1 Diet” and “The Nutrition Guide” for more.
Shakeology is my favorite supplement, so I definitely recommend it. It is the perfect way to fuel your body and help melt body fat at the same time, in an all-natural way. Read “My Shakeology Review” for more on that.
The most important supplements are whey protein, Shakeology, and a recovery drink. Creatine is nice for promoting muscle building but it’s not as critical as the other supplements. It has no effect on body fat (although it can cause some water retention so you may weigh a couple lbs more on the scale).
I think hybrids are the best of all worlds — P90X (or 1-on-1) lift days with Insanity cardio days will give you the most intensity and most fat loss.
And I’ve written articles that address most of your questions in a lot more detail than I gave just now, so type those words (like “hybrid”, “creatine”, etc.) in the search field and you’ll see all the articles I’ve written about them.
Hope that helps!
hey coach im 14 and im new to p90x i weight 195 and 20% body fat i wandering can you help me. i want to be 9% body fat because im a soccer player. i was wondering if you can help me with the diet plan and if i should classic or doubles
please respound
Hey Eric, I recommend Classic, and look at my fat shredder 1900 calorie diet (in the “nutrition zone”) for details on how to drop body fat!
Hey Coach, Question i just started insanity a week ago should i just stop and do the hybird or keep going with what i got?
Hey Carlos! Keep going until you finish a round of Insanity. Then you can start a hybrid.
Hey Coach,
I am doing P90x Classic right now and i am at phase 1 week 3 level 3 in nutrition. I’ve been adding up more calories on each meal. Since im so skinny, especially on the arms, should i cut plyometrics/kenpo x completely out of my schedule since its cardio and its only for losing fat? If i do cut off the two, how should my schedule be?
Should this be ok?
Sunday – xstretch
Monday – Chest / Back / Abs
Tuesday – Shoulders / Arms
Wednesday – Legs / Abs
Thursday – Chest / Back
Friday – Shoulers / Arms / Abs
Saturday – Yoga
By the way, i am just starting this new schedule today, so should i start over again or just continue?
Hey Bryan, I wouldn’t alter the P90X Classic schedule for mass gaining. I feel that Insanity cardio can make gaining mass more difficult, but not P90X cardio. The Plyo is great for lower body strength, and the other 2 cardio days (yoga and kenpo) are low impact as far as calorie burn so that won’t hurt your mass gaining either. Plus, you need some cardio to keep your body athletic.
Plus, your schedule violates the 48 hour rule (lifting with the same muscle groups on 2 consecutive days) — that will actually hurt your mass gaining because muscle grows at rest.
Alright ill just stick with the classic schedule, i just need to lift more i guess. I’ve already been eating healthy. Well best of luck to me :D
And Bryan, be sure you are getting enough calories to gain about 1 lb per week (see the “building mass” section of “my tips” for more).
Hi Wayne,
Love your blog.
For Round 2 of P90X I want to do doubles again but instead of doing the version of doubles in the P90X guide I want to do the scheduled exercises twice…once in the morning and again at night.
With the exception of Plyo, Yoga, and stretching days…for those days I’ll do the exercise once and then get on the treadmill for an hour as the second exercise.
First round I dropped from 161 to 146, this time around I want to drop from 146 to about 133.
With the version of doubles I want to do would it work or would it be detrimental…I’m 26 years old by the way ;)
Oh and I’m on a 1200-1400 calorie diet as well. And I’m looking to get a little muscular and toned.
Hey Brittany, if you have the energy and time to do the workouts twice each day, that’s totally fine! Go for it! And you should easily be able to drop 15 lbs and tone up during round 2 with your diet at the 1200-1400 level.
I’ve decided to go even lower with the calorie intake…1000-1100 calories in the “fat shredder” phase of course ;).
But one last question for you Coach Wayne, if I notice after a month or so that I’m not dropping the weight should I increase my calories or decrease the calories (by 100 to 200 calories)?
I ask because I’ve read on your blog and a few other coaches’ blogs that there comes a point that if you want to lose weight you actually have to increase your calorie intake!
How will I know I need to do this in my case to lose weight?
Also, when I’m at the weight/body fat percentile I want to be at, then is it a good idea to go into the Phase 2 part of the diet 40-40-20?
Hey Brittany, first of all, give it a try for a month or so at the 1000-1100 calorie level and see what happens. You really don’t want to go any lower than that or you risk slowing down your metabolism. In fact, your metabolism is probably already slower than it should be and our goal is to speed it up with proper nutrition and exercise. Read my article “starvation mode” because it addresses what you are asking about and have read on other blogs. After a month, I suspect you will have seen some good results but we will want to gradually increase your calories while staying on the fat shredder % to help bump your metabolism up.
But yes, once your body fat is where you want it, then you’ll transition to the phase 2 nutrition plan.
Hi again Wayne,
For the last few days I’ve been doing my 2 workouts plus treadmill for an hour in the morning (brisk walk speed)?
Is this a good idea if I’m trying to speed up the fat loss or is it a bad idea since from what I’ve read too much running/walking can burn muscle as well as fat?
Also, even though I haven’t been doing it long I have a really strong feeling that you were right about the 1000-1100 level slowing down my metabolism…so I’m stepping it back up to 1200 calories.
I’ll see how it goes at the 1200 calorie level…just didn’t feel like I had quite enough energy or that I was quite satisfied at the 1000-1100 level.
Thanks Coach Wayne.
I ask about the 2 workouts and the treadmill for an hour because I’m thinking of doing it every day with the exception of the stretch day.
I’m thinking of doing this because I know that if you burn more calories than you take in you lose weight.
I know I burn 400 calories with the treadmill…not sure what I burn for the workouts.
And sometimes I don’t know/feel if I’m pushing myself hard enough to burn the necessary calories…hence the 2 workouts.
What are your thoughts?
Sorry for the 2 posts but I am a raving fan…think it’s time I become an “official” member of Team Ripped.
Already have a coach but I’m going to checkout your post about switching coaches.
Hey Brittany, 3 workouts per day (2 workouts plus an hour of treadmill) is probably going to take a toll on your body if you try to keep that up. I would suggest you drop at least one of them. If you like the treadmill, then drop one of the workouts. Or keep both workouts but drop the treadmill.