What if P90X had it right?
Well, at least some parts.
P90X gave people fitness and took away three issues they were facing:
- Time. You didn’t have to find a gym who’s schedule worked for you.
- Convenience. You didn’t have to drive, or pack a bag or even put on clothes. (half of us still don’t want to do this).
- Planning. You didn’t have to guess at what to do. You just put in the DVD (those were these shiny circles that you COULD NEVER SCRATCH, kids)
As with all pluses, there are negatives.
P90X took away (never gave) accountability. No one feels bad for ghosting a DVD or fears answering to Tony Horton’s jawline on their T.V. for this week’s food sins.
There was no clarity or call to action with follow up from Tony.
No finding your powerful emotional reason for the change. No finding the behaviors missing from your life that would make that change happen, and finally, what’s preventing you from doing those behaviors.
I did plenty of P90X in my day.
I even remember teaching a P90X class (we called it Power 90) at the gym I worked at in 2009. *Yes, some gyms questionable practices will do that.
It was hugely popular. Not because we copied it the videos, but because it was the video. It was the real thing. I came around and showed you how to do it right. I called you out for doing great. I stayed after class and talked with you and shared things I was doing that were working. I built a relationship with you.
Was P90X Right? Partly. Here’s what I can tell you about video class programs.
- Successful coaches provide coaching, not choreography.
- Programs like P90X actually work, but not for long.
- P90X gets really boring after a few days.
