“What equipment do I need for P90X?  The commercial says a resistance band or dumbbells, a pull-up bar and one hour a day.  Is that it?”  This is a question I get asked all the time and the answer depends on a few factors.  How committed will you be to the program?  How much money can you afford to spend?  How important is convenience when shopping.  Please note, that all costs below do not include tax and shipping.

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P90X Workout Program Absolute Minimum

Well that’s easy, all you need is the P90X workout video and I believe they’re now offering either a free or discounted resistance band to start with.  Cost is about $120.

 

P90X  Discounted

The only way to get a discount on the P90X Workout or any of the equipment options listed below ordered through Beachbody is to become either a Beachbody Club Member or a Beachbody Coach.  Club membership is only $2.99 a week, billed quarterly at around $39 and you get discounted shipping and 10% off all Beachbody orders.  There are a lot of other benefits you get which you can find by clicking here.  If you become a Beachbody Coach you’ll get discounted shipping plus 25% off all Beachbody orders.  Also as a coach you can get paid if others purchase Beachbody products from you.  To become a coach there’s a one-time start up fee of $40, plus $15 billed monthly.  Learn more about making money as a Beachbody coach here.

 

Should I Use Dumbbells or Resistance Bands?

This comes down to money, space, and effort.  If neither space nor money are a concern, then go with individual dumbbells. This is also a popular option for some women.  My wife has pairs in 5lbs, 10lbs, and 15lbs and loves them.  They don’t take up much room and I think we paid about $60 for them.

 If space is an issue and money is somewhat of a concern then I highly recommend adjustable dumbbells.  I use Powerblocks and highly recommend them.  Since the P90X workouts are faced paced these work great because you can move from one weight setting to another in seconds.  When I started P90X I bought a new set of Powerblocks for $300.  The set I bought went from 5lbs – 50lbs (in 5 lb increments).  Another option is to search on Craigslist for a used pair.  I later sold my Powerblocks and got a set that goes up to 90lbs and used the site www.searchtempest.com for my search.  I got them for almost half of what new ones cost.

 If both space and money are an issue, then I suggest you get a set of resistance bands. Beachbody sells a set of three with different resistance levels for about $40.  The sets Beachbody sells come in weight ranges for men and women.

 

Do I Need To Get A Pull-Up Bar?

Whether or not you need a pull-up bar comes down to strength, space and money.  If you have decent strength (or are committed to conquering the pull-up), have space and money that get a free standing pull-up station. If space is a concern and money not as much then get a portable pull-up bar like the P90X pull-up bar.  It mounts on a standard door frame and costs $60.  If you think you’re not strong enough Tony Horton shows you how to do assisted pull-ups using a chair.  If pull-ups are not for you, then you could anchor a resistance band from a door.  Remember if you get the P90X pull-up bar and are either a Club Member or Coach you can save an additional 10% – 25%.

 

Thanks For The Options But It’s Still To Much Money

Well here is my recommendation to get the most value, but it’ll take some time and effort.  It also happens to be what I did.  The only thing I’d recommend you get through Beachbody is the P90X workout.  If you want dumbbells then search Craigslist for used dumbbells. If you going with resistance bands then go to Amazon and get a set of either Body Elastics or Go Fit.  If you want a pull-up bar then get the Iron Gym Extreme (don’t get the regular Iron Gym).  By getting the bands and pull-up bar from Amazon you’ll probably qualify for free shipping. Now if that’s still too much, I know Dicks Sporting Goods sells the Iron Gym and sets of resistance bands, and if you’re good with Google you can find printable coupons for either $10 off $25 in purchases, or $10 off $50 in purchases.

 

Isn’t There Yoga With P90X?

There’s one last thing which I didn’t mention yet and that’s a yoga mat.  I’m not going to go into much detail but the same options apply as to the other equipment.  Beachbody sells a heavy duty P90X yoga mat which can also be used for Plyometrics.  I got a similar version from www.yogaaccessories.com.  There’s also the Amazon and local store option like a Target or Dicks Sporting Goods. 

There you have it. I hope you find this valuable and can use this information to save you money.