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30 Day Shred or P90X? Jillian Michaels or Tony Horton? Part 2

P90X (Amazon.com link)


In Part One, I talked about my experience with workout DVDs by Tony Horton and Jillian Michaels, provided some background information about Jillian and Tony and how their experience influenced their workout styles, and then listed many of the DVDs they created. In this post, I want to compare how Jillian and Tony put together their videos, because their styles are very different in some ways.

30 Day Shred (Amazon.com link)

Buzzwords

Jillian: 3-2-1, Metabolic Training In 30 Day Shred and other videos, Jillian talks about working small muscle groups together with larger ones in the same exercise, and alternating upper and lower body movements (for the previously mentioned “peripheral heart action”). 30 Day Shred also introduces her “3-2-1” system for alternating strength training, cardio, and abdominal exercises. In Body Revolution, she is promoting what she calls Metabolic Training, which combines “plyometrics, optimized muscle splits, super setting, hybrid lifts, peripheral heart action, HIIT [high intensity interval training] and functional bodyweight training” to achieve weight loss and her signature “shredded” look. It’s similar to 30 Day Shred, with the addition of yoga and balance exercises (see P90X2, below).
Tony: Sectional Training, Muscle Confusion, and Functional Fitness There has been a progression in Tony’s approach over  the years, too. In Power 90, “Sectional Progression” targeted muscle groups, and he alternated “sculpting” (using a resistance band and body weight) with cardio workouts. For P90X, the term “Muscle Confusion” was used to describe what users would experience as we made our way through 13 workouts in three phases over 90 days. In contrast to Jillian’s approach, most of these workouts are specific to a few muscle groups (Shoulders and Arms, Chest and Back, Plyometrics for the legs, etc.). Also, P90X introduced the use of heavy dumbbells and pull ups, which Jillian does not do in any of her workouts. Yoga, Kenpo, and (some weeks) Core Synergistics provide a full-body workout at least twice a week.

P90X2 is intended to be an addition to P90X, rather than a replacement. It focuses on “Functional Fitness,” inspired at least in part by the Peak Performance Project (P3). There are a lot of one-legged balance exercises (hmm, like Jillian’s Body Revolution), with weights, push ups on unstable surfaces such as medicine balls, and the extensive use of a large stability ball. In Phase 3 of the 90 day cycle, the concept of Post-Activation Potentiation (P.A.P.) is introduced, which in a nutshell involves lifting a heavy weight to “activate” more muscles for a subsequent exercise, such as jumping.

Lighting and Set Design

Jillian: Bright and Simple Prefers bright colors, in a fitness class setting. Light hand weights and exercise mats are usually the only accessories (see Equipment Required, below). Body Revolution includes a new resistance band, and more people in a larger room.

Tony: Dark and Powerful Power 90 is low-budget compared to Jillian’s videos, but the setup is very similar. In keeping with Tony’s bodybuilding background, the P90X and P90X2 sets look like a gym. Many times, Tony and “the kids” start the workout by pretending to meet there. There are lockers on the wall, and P90X in particular looks intentionally grungy. In my opinion, sometimes the darker colors in P90X make it difficult to see floor exercises and other movement. P90X and P90X2 require more equipment, so each person has a set of weights or resistance bands, an exercise mat, a pull up bar, push up stands, etc.

Equipment Required

Jillian: Very Little She’s a fan of body-weight exercises (squats, push ups, plank poses, etc.). Light to medium hand weights (dumbbells) are used to involve the upper body and lower body in the same exercise, such as a forward lunge with bicep curls. Body Revolution adds a resistance band, which is included with the package, and the use of three sets of hand weights (light/medium/heavy, according to your preference). The difficulty I have with Jillian’s workouts is that from one exercise to the next, I need to quickly decide which weights to use (if any), and use them safely when body parts are flying around.

Tony: More and More Power 90 uses the basics: An exercise mat, not included, and a resistance band (“sculpting band”) supplied with the product. P90X involves body-weight exercises and the use of dumbbells or resistance bands. For pull ups, a bar of appropriate height is required. Alternately, a resistance band can be attached to a door for pull down exercises. Push up stands are optional, to increase the difficulty and range of motion. P90X2 expands the optional equipment list to include medicine balls, a stability ball, and a foam roller (for massage). One of the workout participants demonstrates the exercises without use of the optional equipment (while traveling, for example). Beachbody sells kits (called “Base,” “Deluxe” or “Ultimate”) which bundle the workouts with all, some, or none of the equipment. Buying an upgraded kit can be a money-saving option compared to purchasing the items separately, especially when there are bonus workout DVDs included.

Workout Log Sheets

Jillian: Not Recommended Many of her workouts use a single set of weights, and the exercises are coordinated so that everyone does the same number of repetitions. There are often easier and harder versions of an exercise, and Level 1-3 workouts, but there’s no mention of keeping track of anything on a worksheet. In Body Revolution, Jillian introduces the use of three sets of weights: light, medium, and heavy, whatever that means for you. If your hand weight requirements change, it’s up to you to record or remember what to use when.
Tony: Highly Recommended In P90X and P90X2, during the workouts where weights are used, he talks about using your worksheet after most exercises. These are available at the Team Beachbody website (user registration is required but free). From week to week, it’s much easier to track your progress and recall which weight was used for a particular exercise. The same workouts usually include push ups and/or pull ups, so there’s space to record repetitions for those, too.

Intensity

Jillian: Fast-Paced As noted in Workout Philosophy from Part 1, intensity in a short time period is the name of the game in Jillian’s workouts. I would compare this to a sprinting race. She combines quick movements, multiple body parts, and alternating upper body exercise with lower body exercise, to increase the difficulty level and calorie burn. There is always someone on the screen demonstrating an easier version of the exercise, and someone else doing the more difficult version.

Tony: Pace Yourself In Power 90, workouts are 45 minutes or less. For P90X and P90X2, intensity builds during the 60 minute workouts. I would compare this to a marathon race, with water breaks. Tony often reminds us, “Pace yourself” or “Modify [the exercise] to finish.” Many of the bodybuilding workouts are less aerobic, and specific to certain muscle groups, which makes sense for building muscle. The P90X aerobic workouts, such as Plyometrics or Kenpo X, involve bursts of intense activity, but they rely primarily on the legs (Plyometrics) or upper body (Kenpo). Core Synergistics is similar to Jillian’s workouts, except for the 60 minute duration, of course. P90X2 changes the focus to the “core” and “functional fitness.” The challenge is to use the weights, or do the number of exercise repetitions, that will be enough to achieve your fitness goals. There are several people in each workout demonstrating easier and harder difficulty levels.Warm Up and Cool Down

Jillian: Short and Sweet Short (2-3 minute) exercises and dynamic or static stretches, just enough to warm up before the workout and recover afterwards.

Tony: Take Your Time Long (10 minute or more) warm up and stretching sessions in P90X. P90X2 introduces the foam roller, which is used to massage the arms, legs and back prior to a workout. Tony and “the kids” demonstrate how to use the foam roller, but hit the pause button and take your time, Tony says. Cool down is shorter in P90X, with dynamic and static stretching (about 5 minutes). In P90X2, the use of a stability ball or neuro-integrated stretching makes the cool down 10-15 minutes long for most workouts. To top it off, there are entire recovery days in the workout schedule, using the P90X X Stretch or P90X2 Recovery and Mobility DVDs.Instructions

Jillian: Learn as You Go She says “Grab your weights” (or “Head to the mat”), introduces each exercise by name, and she explains while she and/or the group are doing the repetitions. Sometimes this can be a little hard to follow, at least for the first few days. It does save time, which is one of Jillian’s primary goals.

Tony: Learn, Then Go He describes each exercise, might demonstrate it himself or have someone else do it, then everyone does the recommended number of repetitions. After the first time through a workout, the explanations can be a little too long, but you might need a break anyway. It’s OK to skip ahead if you can handle it.

DVD Cast Members and Dialogue

Jillian: No Small Talk Introduces her workout partners by first name. There is occasional banter during the exercises, but never a pause to chat. She likes to walk around during the exercises and either compliment proper form, or give someone a hard time if they are slacking off (ahem, Natalie in 30 Day Shred). In Body Revolution there are more people in general, and men in particular to chat with and show off for the camera.

Tony: Name and Intro I don’t know about Power 90, but in P90X and P90X2, everyone is introduced, many with first and last name, and Tony chats with them briefly about their background. Some of “the kids” (as Tony calls them) have become very popular among users of these workouts. Tony also talks with them during water breaks, and comments about their progress during the exercises. (Note: For more information, check out my Cast Profiles.)

Variety

Jillian: Some Variety For her single DVD workouts, the variety comes as you progress from simple to difficult forms of the same exercise, or from the Level 1 workout to Level 2 and so on. For days or weeks at a time, it’s the same workout every day. In Body Revolution, a 15-disk set with a higher price tag, there are three different workouts each week, repeated for just two weeks. Of course, you’re repeating those workouts twice a week, but it’s an improvement, if you like variety.

Tony: Lots of Variety Power 90 includes Level 1-4 workouts for “sculpting” and cardio, and Ab Ripper “100 and 200” (like a college course level, I guess). P90X and P90X2 provide 12 workouts, which are spread out across the phases of the 90-day program, plus bonus workouts which are available with the upgraded packages (see Equipment Required, above). Since you do each weekly cycle of workouts several times, you do become familiar with the workouts, but it’s never the same from one day to the next.

DVD Features

Jillian: Quick Start, Minimal Features Her DVDs load quickly, for the most part. Unfortunately, there is no option to turn off the background music, which I would really like to do. There are no exercise prompts at the bottom of the screen, and no countdown for workout time or repetitions. The chapter breaks seem to correspond with the exercises, but I don’t usually need to skip around too much.
Tony: Slow Start, Lots of Features I can’t say this about Power 90 for certain, but P90X and P90X2 include a lengthy safety warning, invitation to the Team Beachbody website, etc. at the beginning of every DVD. You can’t skip the safety warning, so put in the DVD before you gather your equipment, to save time. P90X and P90X2 include some nice features. There are separate audio tracks for instructions + music, instructions only, music only, and no audio. Most of the time, I leave out the music, but that’s my preference. The name of the current exercise is on the screen, along with a countdown timer for minutes/seconds remaining. P90X2 adds a counter for repetitions as well. Tony often suggests using the Pause button if you need time to recover before moving to the next exercise. Sometimes I need to skip back to the beginning of an exercise, and usually the chapter markers are in the right places.

Overall advantages/disadvantages

Body Revolution (Amazon.com link)

Jillian: Lower Price, Shorter Workouts, High Intensity, Limited Exercise Variations She will push you for the maximum amount of effort (from a cardiovascular standpoint, at least) during that 30 minute (or slightly longer) workout. There are no breaks, and very little equipment is required. Also, you can’t beat the price for most of her DVDs. On the other hand, you do not spend much time on any particular type of exercise (such as plyometrics, strength training, etc.) because variety within the workout is a major point of Metabolic Training. I haven’t tried Yoga Meltdown yet, but of course that one seems to be more specialized. Warm up and cool down are short, but that’s probably sufficient for the length of the workout.

Tony: Higher Price, Longer Workouts, Slower Pace, More Exercises As far as price goes, Tony’s workout packages and the equipment requirements are more expensive than Jillian’s (even Body Revolution). Tony’s advantages are in the complete workout “experience,” and variety. Power 90 is more specialized than Jillian’s single-DVD approach, with its “sculpting”, cardio, and abdominal workouts. P90X and P90X2 specialize even more, with a focus on certain muscle groups each day. Yoga, Plyometrics, Kenpo, and other exercises have their own hour-long workouts. You can become an expert when it comes to push ups, pull ups, Tony’s style of yoga, and so on, if that’s what you want. There’s a lot more depth in terms of exercise variety, but it requires a lot more time (P90X and P90X2). It can be difficult to do certain weightlifting exercises at an aerobic heart rate level, so often that’s not the point of the workout. P90X2 attempts to balance this somewhat, with mixed results. For instance, the plyometrics workout called Plyocide definitely lives up to its name, because it is a challenge to the cardiovascular system. Warm up and cool down are longer, more detailed, and in some cases take more time than Jillian’s entire workout. This can be very helpful for exercise preparation and recovery, or very time-consuming, depending on your perspective.

Conclusion

Over the past few years, I’ve been using Jillian Michaels workouts, then Tony Horton’s, and lately alternating between them. Jillian got me out of the rut of walking and running on the treadmill all the time, which was the majority of my exercise before I discovered DVD workouts. Tony taught me about a wide range of exercises, and introduced me to yoga (like it or not).

Some people might want to choose one workout approach, DVD, or set of DVDs, over another. Jillian has criticized P90X recently, and I’m sure Tony might have some opinions too. (“Some workouts are done by now. Not ours!”) Whenever I see an exercise in Tony’s workouts that reminds me of Jillian, and vice versa, I just smile, and then hope I can make it to the end of the DVD one more time.

If this review has helped your decision, I would appreciate your support by purchasing with the affiliate links on this page, at no extra cost to you. Thanks!

Related Posts

P90X2 Cast Profile: Wayne P.A.P. Upper

Full Name: Wayne Wyatt

P90X2 Introduction: He’s an orthodontist who credits Tony Horton and P90X for his current level of fitness. “Bald is sexy,” says his wife. Accused by Tony of “Holding up America, Wayne!” when he delayed a set of the Step Up Hammer Press. I’m sure he didn’t mean to do it.

Current: A Team Beachbody coach and father of five, who lives in Tulsa, Oklahoma. A quick look at his TeamRIPPED Facebook page shows he’s a really nice guy, too.

My Comments:


In my first attempt at the P.A.P. Upper workout, I commented that Wayne looked like the kind of orthodontist who could pick up the dental chair and walk away with it, if necessary. I’m not saying that’s a bad thing.

Wayne’s TeamRIPPED website (below) includes a nifty Free Downloads page, with lots of documents, some of which are customized workouts and worksheets for various Beachbody programs. This is in addition to his motivational fitness story (body fat went down from 23% to 8% in round 1 of P90X!), Getting Started Right (for beginners or those who  need a plan!), and much more.


Official/Personal Websites:

TeamRIPPED website
Facebook Team Ripped/Wayne Wyatt
Team Beachbody coach profile
YouTube (nolandubya)
@TeamRIPPED on Twitter

Related Posts


All Cast Profiles
P90X2 Cast Profiles
My P.A.P. Upper Workouts

Jillian Michaels Body Revolution Phase 1 Workouts

Kick-outs on one foot

Someone at my house decided to purchase Jillian Michaels Body Revolution, which is Jillian’s latest workout program, as well as her first 90-day program for daily exercise and weight loss. Disclaimer:  I am not the target market for this program! As Jillian told a caller on a recent episode of her podcast, if you’re already at or close to your goal weight, and you’re in pretty good physical shape, she might suggest a different workout for you. That being said, I have spent the past couple of weeks doing the Body Revolution Phase 1 workouts, out of sheer curiosity for Jillian’s latest product.

Overview

There are three Phases (levels of difficulty) for the workouts, and I will get through them all eventually. As my blog tagline states, I’ve been through some intense programs, including 30 Day Shred, P90X (several times), P90X2, etc. I started with Phase 1 because I wanted to see what the “beginner” level looks like, and how it can be modified if you’ve got the ability to work a little harder from the start. I didn’t expect to spend the scheduled two weeks on Workouts 1 and 2, and Cardio 1, followed by another two weeks with Workouts 3 and 4, with more Cardio 1.

First, the workout setting: A bright, colorful exercise room, with a hardwood floor, mats, light dumbbells, and the resistance bands included with the program. There are about a dozen people this time, men as well as women, in contrast to Jillian’s earlier workouts. When I pointed out to my wife that the men were there to appeal to guys like me, she suggested that maybe they are just eye candy for the women. OK, whatever. I’m still working out with Jillian and her friends! By the way, I recognized Natalie and Anita from 30 Day Shred in the crowd. There might be others from previous DVDs, too.

The workout schedule is six days per week: “front of the body” (chest, shoulders, arms, quads, core), “back of the body” (back, biceps, glutes, hamstrings, and core), and cardio. Three workout DVDs are used each week, and you do each one twice. For example, Week 1 would include Workout 1, 2, Cardio 1, then repeat. The last day of the week is a rest day. For “extra credit,” you can do an extra Cardio session at a different time of the day.


The Workouts

When I started Workout 1, it definitely felt like 30 Day Shred, with an exercise class vibe. Some people were using heavier weights for certain exercises, and Jillian was walking around the room to show off her friends’ proper form, or in other cases, to give them a hard time. Because of the different difficulty levels, it is possible for anyone to have a challenging workout. My wife and daughter, who are relatively new to Jillian’s workouts, were complaining about sore arms and legs as the week went on.

Jillian’s encouragement is a combination of yelling, motivational quotes (“If you remember WHY, you can endure any HOW”), and pointing to one of the sculpted bodies around her. Especially in Workouts 1 and 2, she is clearly speaking to people who haven’t worked out like this before, and aren’t so sure if they can do it.

For some reason, I found Workout 2 to be more difficult than Workout 1. Maybe it’s because of the Bicep Curls, where it’s possible to use a heavier weight. By the way, Jillian says “Bring It!” at some point in this workout, which I personally thought was funny. I know that Tony Horton doesn’t own the phrase, and he didn’t invent it.

What’s new for Jillian is the addition of yoga poses (Warrior 1, Crescent) and the resistance band. The yoga poses seem a little out of place for now, but maybe they will fit in better with the later workouts.

The Cardio 1 workout is non-stop, and once again, can be challenging to people at any fitness level, if they push hard enough. As we get closer to the end, Jillian encourages some of her friends to demonstrate some more enthusiastic variations of the exercises. The woman who gives it her all during the booty shake at the end of Cardio 1 looks a little crazy, but Natalie has got some nice moves.

Nitpicking, and Next Step

Here is my only criticism for Jillian’s use of weights in this type of workout: It’s hard to predict which weight I will need to for the next exercise, if I am switching between light/medium/heavy dumbbells. Sometimes Jillian tells us to use a light or heavy weight, and other times, it’s just a “weight.” Because of the fast pace, if you choose incorrectly, you risk improper form for that exercise, or not working hard enough.

I don’t see a lot of abdominal work in Phase 1. I haven’t checked to see how this compares to the “3-2-1” formula of 30 Day Shred, but there are only a few exercises on the mat that target the abs specifically.

I’m moving on to Phase 2 workouts from here. I am reaching my maximum cardio level with these workouts, but I know I can move on to more difficult exercise and see what else Body Revolution has to offer.

How do you like Body Revolution? Have you used other Jillian Michaels products?

Related Posts

30 Day Shred or P90X?

30 Day Shred or P90X? Tony Horton or Jillian Michaels? A Comparison

In the search statistics for this blog, I have noticed some people are looking for comparisons of 30 Day Shred (by Jillian Michaels) and P90X (by Tony Horton and Beachbody). As stated in the tag line for my blog, I have completed both programs, as well as other workouts by Jillian and Tony, so I feel confident about comparing them, if someone wants to know.

When I started writing about this topic, I was hoping to fit it into a single blog post. As it turns out, there’s too much information for one post, or two, so I will cover the similarities and differences between Jilllian and Tony’s products in various categories, over the course of several weekly posts.

There is a Summary of today’s post at the bottom.

Jillian, Tony and Me

First, as a point of reference, here’s a list of the Jillian Michaels DVDs I own:

I used 30 Day Shred for a couple of months straight, I think, and probably about the same for No More Trouble Zones. I wasn’t as crazy about Banish Fat Boost Metabolism, which had too much of a kickboxing influence for my personal preference. Body Revolution is still relatively new, so I haven’t worked my way through Phases 2 and 3 yet.

Noteable Jillian DVDs I haven’t tried yet:

Tony Horton/Beachbody DVDs I own (and one book):
  • P90X, P90X2, two workouts from P90X One on One (aka Tony Horton One on One)
  • Bring It! (the book)
I haven’t done Power 90 or 10-Minute Trainer.

Cost

  • Jillian: Low Cost Many of her DVDs are less than $10, and are intended for daily workouts up to a month. The ones I have tried include several levels of difficulty, so potentially in a month’s time you could do three different workouts (in the case of 30 Day Shred, for example). Body Revolution is $120 for a 15 DVD, 90 day program, which sounds very similar to P90X in its pricing.
  • Tony: Higher Cost As far as I can tell, the only low-cost DVDs Tony offers are “Tony & the Kids” and “Tony & the Folks,” which are less than $10 at beachbody.com. From there, P90X One on One is $20 per DVD (one workout), 10-Minute Trainer is $80 for the Deluxe version, P90X is $120, and there are multiple cost options for P90X2, starting at $120. I suppose the upside is that a program like P90X will take three months to complete, includes a lot of variety, and has a well-established support community at teambeachbody.com.

Note: As a low-cost alternative which includes a lot of Tony’s information about exercise, nutrition, and motivation, I highly recommend his book, Bring It! as well as the follow-up e-book, Crush It! It’s more difficult at first to follow a workout printed in a book, but it’s similar in concept to P90X.

Intended Audience

  • Jillian: Girls Club? In the videos I have, which were produced in 2008-2009, Jillian’s workout buddies are women. As a man, I felt a little like I was sneaking in to the ladies’ gym and getting a killer workout. Based on this, I would suspect her earlier videos were targeted primarily towards women who want to start exercising at a basic level, all the way up to those who want to lose the last 10 pounds and get that “ripped” physique. Note that Body Revolution (2012) includes both male and female participants.
  • Tony: 98 Pound Weaklings? He has called Power 90 “The On Switch to Fitness,” an introductory program. He has also created workout DVDs called “Tony and the Kids” (for children), and “Tony and the Folks” (for seniors). With P90X, he entered the realm of “extreme fitness,” but it is possible to start slowly with P90X and achieve impressive results. P90X2 builds on the success and concepts of P90X, with the new emphasis on “functional fitness.” Tony has a certain reputation thanks to P90X, but his products cover all fitness levels. In contrast to Jillian, all of his videos feature both male and female participants.

Workout Philosophy

  • Jillian: A “short and intense” workout strategy, covering as many body parts as possible. In Body Revolution she says, “I would die if I had to work out for an hour!” meaning that she prefers 30 minute workouts for the sake of her schedule. Some of her workouts are 30 minutes total, while others stretch that definition by having a 30 minute exercise segment, with additional warm up and cool down (about 35-40 minutes total time). If you want to get into the workout with minimal equipment, and be done in about 30 minutes, Jillian’s your buddy.
  • Tony: Start Slow, Build Intensity Power 90 and 10-Minute Trainer provide shorter workouts for beginners, or people who want an intense workout in a relatively short time. These are multiple DVD sets, with cardio, upper body/lower body, or similar themes.

P90X and P90X2 workouts are usually 60 minutes long. They are named after the body parts they cover: Shoulders and Arms, Chest and Back, etc. Others are specific to an exercise type: yoga, Kenpo karate, or core muscles (P90X Core Synergistics, or X2 Core). One one hand, Tony has said in a P90X workout,  “Some workouts are done by now. We’re just getting started!” On the other hand, he often notes that in an hour, it’s possible to do much more than the people who take rest breaks between weightlifting sets at the gym. In my experience, the 60 minutes turns into about 75 minutes, with pauses and equipment changes, but it’s worth the time. In P90X2, there was a shift to a shorter, more intense workout period surrounded by warm up, foam rolling/stretching, and cool down/stretching. A notable exception to the 60-minute rule is the Ab Ripper workout, 15 minutes long, which can be done immediately following a long workout, or done separately.

Influences

Tony and Jillian share some common health and fitness influences, which are reflected in their workout products:
  • Martial Arts: According to her website, “Jillian’s passion for fitness training originates from 17 years of martial arts practice in Muay Thai and Akarui-Do, in which she holds a black belt.” Tony’s credentials are not as easy to find, but his bio page says “His expertise includes […] boxing and kickboxing […]”
  • Yoga: Jillian came late to the yoga scene, with Yoga Meltdown (2010), but she has definitely incorporated the exercises into her personal life, and her workout DVDs. On the other hand, Tony has been a yoga advocate since he created P90X in 2003.
  • Nutrition: Jillian and Tony both place a strong emphasis on proper nutrition in addition to a rigorous exercise schedule. Their nutrition plans look different in some ways, but both advocate natural, minimally processed foods.
  • Personal training: Both Jillian and Tony started out as personal trainers, then eventually became celebrity trainers (that is, trainers of Hollywood celebrities). They developed the skills needed to help all kinds of people to get fit.

Jillian mentioned in one of her workout DVDs that she used to borrow her mom’s exercise tapes during the 80s. The music, exercises, and pacing of Jillian’s workouts reflect those early influences… in a good way, honest! High intensity, synchronized movement, set to thumping electronic music… I’m just sayin’.

Tony moved to California to become an actor, and while he was waiting for that to happen (or not), he took improv and comedy classes, developed a personal training business, and got involved in the Venice Beach bodybuilding scene. (Details and references) His environment, personal contacts, clients and experiences led to the development of Power 90, P90X, and more, which combined bodybuilding techniques with Tony’s unique presentation style. So that’s why there are a lot of push ups, pull ups, and pumping iron in those videos.

If my review has helped you, please consider visiting one of the sponsors on this page. Thanks!

Summary
  • Jillian’s workouts are 30 minutes long, fast-paced, and include a variety of upper and lower body exercises. For the most part, they are inexpensive (less than 10 dollars). They usually include several workouts for difficulty level 1, 2, 3.
  • Tony’s Power 90 workouts are 30-45 minutes long. 10-Minute Trainer is self-explanatory. P90X and P90X2 workouts are generally 60 minutes long. These are multi-DVD workout systems, which take several months to complete. They are challenging, include many different exercises, but they are more expensive than Jillian’s single DVD approach. For P90X-style workouts at a lower price, buy Tony’s book Bring It!
  • Jillian claims to hate working out. To ease the pain, her videos look like a group exercise class, which is meant to be fun and intense at the same time.
  • Tony loves the gym, so his P90X and P90X2 workouts celebrate weightlifting, push ups, sit ups, plyometrics, yoga, and other forms of exercise, in longer workouts. He makes it fun with his upbeat and often comical presentation style.

Part 2: Everything You Ever Wanted to Know about the DVDs

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P90X2 Cast profile: Barbie Decker X2 Core

Barbie is smiling through Roller Boat

Full Name: Barbie Decker, PhD

P90X2 Introduction: Tony tells us that Barbie is a Beachbody coach with a PhD in French Literature. He seems doubtful that it will help her to do X2 Core. She was great, though, despite some shoulder issues.

Current: The About page on her “Get Fit With Barbie” website tells the story of her transformation from a 33-year-old divorced woman and college professor, who was ready to give up on getting healthy, to five years later, when she had become a Beachbody coach with a team of over 6000 members. She has a blog on the home page, and her website also provides information about “eating clean” (which generally refers to eating only healthy, minimally processed foods).

It was interesting to me that Barbie is the first P90X or P90X2 cast member I’ve read about so far whose first Beachbody purchase was the Slim in 6 program. You can see the influence of Slim in 6 on her “Eating Clean” page. She also created a video about her Slim in 6 and P90X Transformation.

In addition to her website, be sure to check out her extensive YouTube channel, which lists almost 200 videos to date. For example, if you’re interested in the Beachbody Ultimate Reset, she posted daily updates about her own experience. Maybe someday she will add “YouTube celebrity” to her resume?

My Comments:


On the X2 Core DVD, Barbie looks very perky, up, or chipper, or however you would like to describe it. At first, I was a little put off by this, as you will see if you read my blog entries for P90X2 Day 8 and Day 15. On further reflection, I have no idea if I would ever get selected for a fitness video, let alone how I would look to the people watching it, so I am willing to cut her some slack. Now that I’ve read her background, I’d be thrilled to make my way onto a Beachbody video too, smiling all the way. That’s why I enjoy doing these cast profiles, to learn more about these folks! Besides, Barbie is a native New Yorker (my adopted state, where I’ve lived for a long time), and she studied French (my other native language), so she was going to win me over one way or the other.

Official/Personal Websites:

Barbie’s Team Beachbody coaching page
Facebook (personal)
Facebook (Barbie Decker Fitness)
Twitter @barbiedecker
Her EXTENSIVE coachbarbie YouTube channel

Other Sites Featuring Barbie:

Clip from X2 Core
P90X2 Meet the Cast Barbie D
Corp 101 “A Week in the Life”

Related Posts


All Cast Profiles
P90X2 Cast Profiles
My X2 Core Workouts