What is the P90X equipment needed?
Recently a good friend of mine purchased the P90X workout program. After spending approximately $150, he realized that he did not have all the equipment that was required to complete the program.
So he asked me to write this article and break down exactly what are the best choices for equipment and not have to spend a great deal of money.
Here’s a List of the P90X Equipment Needed:
1. Adjustable dumbbells, dumbbells or resistance bands
2. A pull up bar (however if you decide to purchase resistance bands you can forgo the pull up bar.)
3. A yoga mat or exercise mat (optional)
4. Push-up stands (optional, but it will help you avoid wrist strain)
5. Yoga blocks (optional)
6. A sturdy chair
There has been some debate online regarding the resistance bands vs. dumbbells for the P90X DVD exercise program. So let me give you a few pointers that’ll help you in making that decision as well.
First, you have to determine how much room you can set aside for the dumbbells. In the beginning, you may only need two or three sets of dumbbells at different weight levels. For example, when doing the “heavy pants” exercise for your back; you will be able to use more weight than when you’re performing a bicep curl.
One solution for this would be to purchase an adjustable dumbbell set. Unfortunately, they are a little on the expensive side. Fixed weight dumbbells cost an average of one dollar per pound. Consequently, if you purchase two 50 pound dumbbells it should cost you around $100. Sometimes, you can purchase a used set on eBay or craigslist. However, you should not pay more than $.50 per pound.
Getting back to adjustable dumbbells, they do fluctuate in price, but typically you will pay somewhere between $3-$5 per pound. As you can see, they are more expensive however, having a set of adjustable dumbbells like the Bowflex SelectTech will save you some space.
If you don’t have a great deal of room to work out in and don’t have a couple hundred bucks to blow, then you may want to consider purchasing a quality set of resistance bands. One of the advantages of resistance bands is when it comes to doing the pull down or pull up exercise. In the beginning, very few individuals can perform more than one or two pull-ups. If that’s the case, you can do pull downs with resistance bands. This will build up your strength and develop your back muscles the same way as chin-ups or pull-ups do. That will save you approximately 50 bucks because you will not need a pull up bar right away.
Typically, a good quality set of resistance bands will run you anywhere from $50 to $100. So, they are much less expensive than fixed weight dumbbells or even adjustable dumbbells.
Hopefully this article will help you when you decide to purchase the P90X equipment needed to perform your first cycle.