If you want to get results from P90X®, then you need to know the correct order of the P90X workouts! If you don’t follow the P90X workout/recovery time line, you could seriously compromise your results.
While the P90X infomercials are a ton of fun and they do a great job of getting people (justifiably) excited about an incredible workout and weight loss program, many people who buy P90X fail to read the directions!
The program comes with a very informative and helpful guide that not only tells you everything you could possibly want to know about P90X, but it also includes a time line that you are supposed to follow.
P90X is not just a bunch of great exercises thrown together in a haphazard order so you can pop in whatever DVD you want and go for it. The program is structured to allow for maximum intensity and maximum recuperation from workouts by doing them in a very specific order. If you go outside of that order, not only might you compromise your results, but you could get hurt in the process.
P90X is just what it claims to be – an Extreme Home Fitness Program. If you BRING IT during each one of your workouts, you need to both eat right in between those workouts, and also allow yourself plenty of recovery time so that your muscles, tendons, and ligaments can rest and/or grow as needed.
Here is the PROPER order of the P90X workouts. I have included both the “classic” version, which is what most people do, and also the “lean” version which some people opt for. Both versions are great, but in either case, follow the proper order to get the results that you want!
CLASSIC P90X Workout
PHASE 1 – 1st month
Week 1, Week 2, Week 3
- Day 1 – Chest and Back, Ab Ripper X
- Day 2 – Plyometrics
- Day 3 – Shoulders and Arms, Ab Ripper X
- Day 4 – Yoga X
- Day 5 – Legs and Back, Ab Ripper X
- Day 6 – Kenpo X
- Day 7 – Rest or X Stretch
Week 4
- Day 1 – Yoga X
- Day 2 – Core Synergistics
- Day 3 – Kenpo X
- Day 4 – X Stretch
- Day 5 – Core Synergistics
- Day 6 – Yoga X
- Day 7 – Rest or X Stretch
Phase 2 – 2nd month
Week 5, Week 6, Week 7
- Day 1 – Chest, Shoulders, and Triceps, Ab Ripper X
- Day 2 – Plyometrics
- Day 3 – Back and Biceps, Ab Ripper X
- Day 4 – Yoga X
- Day 5 – Legs and Back, Ab Ripper X
- Day 6 – Kenpo X
- Day 7 – Rest or X Stretch
Week 8
- Day 1 – Yoga X
- Day 2 – Core Synergistics
- Day 3 – Kenpo X
- Day 4 – X Stretch
- Day 5 – Core Synergistics
- Day 6 – Yoga X
- Day 7 – Rest or X Stretch
Phase 3 – 3rd month
Week 9 and Week 11
- Day 1 – Chest and Back, Ab Ripper X
- Day 2 – Plyometrics
- Day 3 – Shoulders and Arms, Ab Ripper X
- Day 4 – Yoga X
- Day 5 – Legs and Back, Ab Ripper X
- Day 6 – Kenpo X
- Day 7 – Rest or X Stretch
Week 10 and Week 12
- Day 1 – Chest, Shoulders, and Triceps, Ab Ripper X
- Day 2 – Plyometrics
- Day 3 – Back and Biceps, Ab Ripper X
- Day 4 – Yoga X
- Day 5 – Legs and Back, Ab Ripper X
- Day 6 – Kenpo X
- Day 7 – Rest or X Stretch
Week 13
- Day 1 – Yoga X
- Day 2 – Core Synergistics
- Day 3 – Kenpo X
- Day 4 – X Stretch
- Day 5 – Core Synergistics
- Day 6 – Yoga X
- Day 7 – Rest or X Stretch
Lean P90X Workout
PHASE 1 – 1st month
Week 1, Week 2, Week 3
- Day 1 – Core Synergistics
- Day 2 – Cardio X
- Day 3 – Shoulders and Arms, Ab Ripper X
- Day 4 – Yoga X
- Day 5 – Legs and Back, Ab Ripper X
- Day 6 – Kenpo X
- Day 7 – Rest or X Stretch
Week 4
- Day 1 – Yoga X
- Day 2 – Core Synergistics
- Day 3 – Kenpo X
- Day 4 – X Stretch
- Day 5 – Cardio X
- Day 6 – Yoga X
- Day 7 – Rest or X Stretch
Phase 2 – 2nd month
Week 5, Week 6, Week 7
- Day 1 – Core Synergistics
- Day 2 – Cardio X
- Day 3 – Chest, Shoulders, and Triceps, Ab Ripper X
- Day 4 – Yoga X
- Day 5 – Legs and Back, Ab Ripper X
- Day 6 – Kenpo X
- Day 7 – Rest or X Stretch
Week 8
- Day 1 – Yoga X
- Day 2 – Core Synergistics
- Day 3 – Kenpo X
- Day 4 – X Stretch
- Day 5 – Cardio X
- Day 6 – Yoga X
- Day 7 – Rest or X Stretch
Phase 3 – 3rd month
Week 9 and Week 11
- Day 1 – Chest, Shoulders, and Triceps, Ab Ripper X
- Day 2 – Cardio X
- Day 3 – Shoulders and Arms, Ab Ripper X
- Day 4 – Yoga X
- Day 5 – Core Synergistics
- Day 6 – Kenpo X
- Day 7 – Rest or X Stretch
Week 10 and Week 12
- Day 1 – Chest, Shoulders, and Triceps, Ab Ripper X
- Day 2 – Cardio X
- Day 3 – Back and Biceps, Ab Ripper X
- Day 4 – Yoga X
- Day 5 – Core Synergistics
- Day 6 – Kenpo X
- Day 7 – Rest or X Stretch
Week 13
- Day 1 – Yoga X
- Day 2 – Core Synergistics
- Day 3 – Kenpo X
- Day 4 – X Stretch
- Day 5 – Cardio X
- Day 6 – Yoga X
- Day 7 – Rest or X Stretch
Think all of this looks like a lot of work? IT IS! But it is OH SO worth it! P90X is not for whiners who aren’t ready to BRING IT – and get results.
Ready to see what you’re made of?
See other related P90X Review posts:
- P90X Review Day 1 – Chest, Back, and Ab Ripper X
- P90X Review Day 2 – Plyometrics
- P90X Review Day 3 – Shoulders and Arms
- P90X Review Day 4 – Yoga X
- P90X Review Day 5 – Legs and Back
- P90X Review Day 6 – Kenpo X
- P90X Review Day 7 – X Stretch
- P90X Review Day 8 – Core Synergistics
- P90X Review Day 9 – Cardio X
















Hey! I was looking for this from last few weeks, thanks for it.
No problem, Daniel! I came up with the idea to put this list together and scoured the ‘net, but couldn’t find a similar list, so I knew it would have value.
[...] P90X has 12 workout routines, and not only should you do them all, but you should do them all in the proper order as [...]
Hello Aaron,
I had a friend GIVE me the P90X dvds!!!!! I really appreciate you posting which order the dvds should be worked though!
I’m going to do my best and listen to my body (not the part that says “no, not today!” LOL!!!)
Thanks for your review of the workouts – it helps!! So you should be beginning phase 3, hmm? How’s it going?
Take care and thanks again! Very helpful!
Savannah,
That’s awesome! I am SO glad you are going to be starting P90X! You will hear phrases like “do your best” many times throughout the series. Tony and the gang want you to work hard, but “working hard” is different for each person. As long as you TRULY do your best every single workout, you will see amazing results in 90 days!
Please do be sure to stick to the proper order of the workouts. Trust me – you’ll get more out of it that way.
Yes, we just started Phase III, and it feels great! I will have the official 60-day review up later on this week, and in the meantime, I have already implemented a few changes for Phase III, and my energy level and ability to apply myself have already shown a measurable increase. Awesome stuff – be on the lookout for the 60-day review post in the P90X category soon!
I am glad someone has finally come up with a solution which is sensible and WORKS> This is a lot of work but if you really want the results then get in to it and stop procratinating and you WILL have body to be proud of using this system
Hi, thanks so much for this, my sister bough this a wile back but never realy used it, after she moved out I found the dvds but none of the paperwork
your list comes real handy thnak you so much, just one thing is there a difference between the classic and lean ? I’m not rying to lose waight if anything to put some weight
any who I’m guessing the classic way is the way for me, still I would love to know the difference maybe I cna get the wife to join me
.
Thank you!
Harley,
The Classic and Lean versions are very similar. In “Classic” you do a higher intense cardio workout on Day 2 (Plyo) and on Day 1 you do challenging resistance training instead of the Core Synergistics workout that you you do in the “Lean” version.
I recommend Classic for most people because muscle burns fat, so if you want muscle, it is the version to do, and if you want to lose body fat, it is still the version to do because muscle burns fat.
Hey thank you very much today is day 1 of my workout and i wanted to do it right so thanks and i will rewrite on April 28 2011 and let u know the resluts, thanks again
Ali – awesome! Can’t wait to see your results!
Are you working with a free Beachbody Coach to help you get the best results from the program? If not, you can sign up for free at http://www.fitnessdestinations.com/beachbodycommunity.php. We would love to help you ROCK the program, Ali!
Thank you for the info. the dvds were passed to me from a friend. I should have check this first since I started my first class yesterday with Core Synergistics and today I did yoga. Should I do cardio tomorrow? My muscles are a little sore.
I also wanted to know do I have to do p90 and then p90x? i started with p90x
Claudia,
If at any point you get off track, don’t sweat it. Just get back on track the following week doing the workouts in the correct order.
No, there isn’t any reason why you can’t start with P90X – that’s what I did. Power90 (P90) is a GREAT program, but it is not a necessary prerequisite to doing P90X.
Intensity and Consistency are the 2 biggest factors when it comes to getting success with these programs. Follow the schedule and the nutritional guidelines, and train HARD. You’ll be glad you did!
Today I got a set of px90 never really worked out but I’m tired of being ashamed of my body so I’m going to try it any tips?
Hi, Charles.
You made a great choice! P90X is one of the best programs ever created, and if you follow the directions, you’ll get AWESOME results!
Head on over to http://www.fitnessdestinations.com/beachbodycommunity.php to get signed up with me as your Beachbody Coach (doesn’t cost you anything), and then me or my wife, Shanna, who is also a Beachbody Coach, will shoot you out a message with some getting started tips.
Looking forward to being a part of your success, Charles!
- Aaron