P90X Classic Or LeanPosted by Coach Todd on Jun 15, 2012 in Workouts | 52 comments

Hey thanks for visting! I gave P90X a shot more than onceand failed every single time. 7 times in fact...But then itclicked and I found the tools to get ripped! I want to share

that with YOU - consider joining my team! Joining RIPPEDCLUB hasbeen a game changer for hundreds of people. Lets get you startedtoday!

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This is a debate started long ago when P90X first came out. It is also the topic of a lot of confusion whenpeople are just getting started with P90X. Its great that Beachbody has given us some options when itcomes to your approach with P90X, but I feel that there is one tried and true way to get results for bothmale, female, skinny, fat, ripped, or flabby…But the band plays on and the debate continues with onequestion at the core…P90X Classic or Lean?

Which one is right for me?Should women do the Lean schedule?Which schedule will get me the best results?Will classic make me bulky?Which one gets the fastest results?Should I add in Doubles for better results?Etc, etc, etc…

The Only Two Questions You Need To Ask – P90XClassic Or LeanI have heard all the questions/arguments and I want to lay out for you what I feel is the best schedule foryou to choose when starting out with P90X. Its not going to be a matter of gender, amount of weight youneed to lose…none of that. Only two things come into play when choosing P90X Classic or Lean:

1. Which plan will you enjoy enough to stick with it?2. Are you willing to step outside your comfort zone at some point?

What The Heck Coach Todd? – P90X Classic Or LeanYou probably dont like those answers huh. You were expecting some “do this, this, and this. And thatsthe formula for choosing P90X Classic or Lean schedule”. But really what it comes down to is what worksbest for YOU. Its not about what works best for me – although I will get into what I feel is the best choiceno matter what your preference is…its about you and your journey and how you can reach your goal in away that suits your taste!

If you dont enjoy your workout schedule then you simply are not going to be motivated to do it! Justpushing play is half the battle. Of course you have to be somewhat of a maniac to enjoy P90X in the firstplace – but we get one another, right?

Now I have said before that its not about getting motivated enough to push play – its about pushing playand THEN finding the motivation to do it again, but remember this is about people who are juststarting…Getting motivated and staying that way is essential and you need to do workouts that youenjoy. If you are discouraged by not being able to do a single push up or pull up and you choose to dothe Lean schedule for that reason alone; then I say awesome! Go with the P90X Lean schedule and keeppressing play. That simple act of pressing play is what is most important. You can get more extremewhen the time is right for you!

BUT!!! At some point, you need to be willing to step outside of your comfort zone in order to get the bestresults possible. Its as simple as that. You are going to have to do things that your body is not going tolike in order to get your body into the type of shape that it has never been in. If you dont like resistancetraining, then that is exactly what you need! If you dont like yoga-x, then its exactly what you need. (what Tony has to say about Yoga-x for those of you crying about it). Get it?

So What Does Coach Todd Recommend? – P90X ClassicOr LeanIn my ever so humble opinion I would HIGHLY RECOMMEND that EVERYONE . . . Man, woman, 350lbdude, hardgainer, guy that wants to get ripped, lady that wants to look feminine but strong . . . literally Iam talking about all people who are going to attempt P90X should do the P90X Classicschedule. (oh yes – I bolded the heck out of that!)

Why?

The reason is very simple. The P90X Classic schedule is going to include resistance training (weights,bands – resistance). Resistance training, in combination with proper nutrition, builds lean muscle mass. Ihave already lost the ladies with that word “mass”, but stick with me here. When you build lean muscle,you burn more calories.

Here is what the doctors have to say on webmd.com: http://www.webmd.com/diet/features/8-ways-to-burn-calories-and-fight-fat

When you exercise, you use muscle. This helps build muscle mass, and muscle tissueburns more calories — even when you’re at rest — than body fat. According to Wharton, 10pounds of muscle would burn 50 calories in a day spent at rest, while 10 pounds of fatwould burn 20 calories.

“The most effective way to increase metabolism and burn more calories is by aerobicexercise and strength training. Both are important,” School of Nutrition and ExerciseScience at Bastyr University, says in an email interview.

Strength training becomes especially important as we get older, when our metabolismstend to slow down. One way to stop this is to add some strength training to your workoutat least a couple of times a week. The largest muscles (and therefore the largest calorieburners) are in the thighs, abdomen, chest, and arms.

If you want to lose the most fat possible in the shortest amount of time, for the best achievable results –then you need to incorporate resistance training into your workouts. The P90X Classic schedule just sohappen to include both resistance and aerobic training!

Objections & Comments To The P90X Classic Schedulevs. LeanI dont want get all bulky!

This comment is usually coming from the female persuasion The simple fact is ladies that you dont nothave enough testosterone in your body to “bulk up”. You could train just like a body builder and you stillwouldnt bulk up – your hormones wont allow it. Now you can get very lean and very toned with P90Xclassic schedule. But even if you didnt want to be super toned and wanted the smooth feminine look,then classic is still your cup of tea for those results! Not to mention if you skip out on resistance training,you forfeit all the other benefit that come from strength training, such as stronger bones, reduced risk ofinjury, and tons more benefits.

This one might scare some people. Muscle mass naturally diminishes with age.

“If you don’t do anything to replace the lean muscle you lose, you’ll increase thepercentage of fat in your body,” says Edward Laskowski, M.D., a physical medicine andrehabilitation specialist at Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn., and co-director of the Mayo ClinicSports Medicine Center. “But strength training can help you preserve and enhance yourmuscle mass — at any age.”

I dont like lifting weights!

And I hate yoga!!! But I do it anyway because I know its good for me! Stop the whining and do it!

I am going to do Doubles to get results faster!

I dont care what P90X schedule you run with. Lean, Classic . . . You can get results with both. But the onething that is consistent that I have seen is that when someone decides to add those 3 extra workouts perweek into their schedule for doubles – They always burn out after 1-2 weeks. I got my results with just 1hour a day. Dont over complicate things and dont wear yourself out! If you do decide to run with adoubles schedule, just be sure you take in at least 200-400 extra calories that day for increased energyor YOU WILL CRASH! And listen to your body please! I dont want to see you get injured and be sidelinedfor 6 weeks not able to work out at all.

There is no way I could do all those push-ups and pull-ups!

You’re right! You cant. But you can if you modify! I could only do 10-15 push-ups when I started. I couldonly do 1 pull-up when I started. Now I can do very close to 100 push-ups without stopping and I can doalmost 20 wide-grip (the hardest ones) pull-ups. I found ways to make the moves easier so that I coulddo them and gradually I would increase the intensity each week. You will get better if you modify! Checkout my Push-Up Tips and Pull-Up Tips to learn how you can modify these moves.

What Schedule Do You Use? – P90X Classic Or Lean?How is it working out for you?Have you been seeing results?Are you pleased with your results?Have you stepped out of your comfort zone yet?Are you having fun?Have you done both Classic and Lean?Which do you prefer?

I want to hear from you, the RIPPEDCLUB community, to see what P90X schedule is workingbest for you. Post your comments below as well as any questions you might have for me.

Also, if this post on P90X Classic or Lean was informative, be sure you share it on facebookand twitter!

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Jun 25,2014

Newest | Oldest | Top Comments

tpkirksey

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Thanks for the information here, it was very helpful at the right time. I’ve hadp90X and I struggled with deciding on which plan to follow, lean or classic, but Ichoose the classic. I am 34 yrs old, 5’11, weigh 240 and I’m in between a 14 &12. It’s hard because I often get the “you look fine”, “you don’t look like youweigh that much” , “how much are you trying to lose, that’s too much”comments because of how I carry my weight; I’m top heavy with an athleticbuild. It’s annoying to me because I carry the bulk of my excess weight in mystomach and back, the worst places! My goals is to lean out losing thebelly/back fat and tone up. I’m 6 weeks into the classic and really aren’t seeingserious/any results, and the scale says I gained 3lbs. I’m following theschedule 100%. I thought I was eating decent, but maybe I need to clean it upmore. I use myfitnesspal to track , my food, exercise and weight. Also have afuel band too. I eat 1700-1900 cals a day, drink a gallon of water, and eatevery 3hrs (roughly 5-6 times a day). I’m starting to feel defeated and thoughtmaybe I should have done the lean program. I don’t know if I’m just beingunrealistic and too hard on myself. I would appreciate any input you mayhave. Thanks.

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Jun 25,coachtodd

51 comments

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Apr 24,2014

jennkreider

2014@tpkirksey have you seen any of my posts on how to set up andtrack your macros using myfitnesspal? If you go through the "nutritionzone" tab, the getting started section will really clear things up foryou on what you should be doing with your nutrition. Let me know ifyou have any questions while goin through that info too!

1 Like

Jun 30,2014

tpkirksey@coachtodd @tpkirksey That was VERY helpful, and I dobelieve where the issue was. I calculated all my numbersand updated myfitnesspal! I'm super excited to see my realresults now! Thank you!!

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I found your article after already starting the lean version earlier this week, Ichose that one due to the fact that I didn't have a pull up bar yet and youdidn't need it in the first few exercises. I am already somewhat fit and healthy Iweigh 122 and am 5 ft 4 inches, but I'm a size 4/6 I just want some more leanmuscle . My legs and bum need more of a workout than what I was getting withmy typical run and weight lifting. Now that I have read you article I just wonderif I should switch and do the classic. Will I still get muscle definition with thelean?

1 Like

Apr 28,2014

coachtodd@jennkreider you can totally get muscle definition with Lean Jenn!Was there a certain size that you wanted to get down to?

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Apr 29,2014

jennkreider@coachtodd @jennkreider Mostly I just wanted to burn thextra stuff off. I do not necessarily want be smaller, justmore fit, with muscle definition.

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Apr 29,2014

Apr 30,2014

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May 14,2014

coachtodd

jennkreider

coachtodd

jennkreider

coachtodd

@jennkreider I hear ya. How is your nutritionlooking so far?

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@coachtodd @jennkreider I would like to saygreat, but I have trouble giving up my carbs, Ihave already had peanut butter toast and noodlestoday. I do not eat a lot of junk food, but breadnoodles and rice are my downfall.

So this first block for nutrition will be my hardestsince you are only allowed to have one serving perday.

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@jennkreider have you looked into usingmyfitnesspal to track your nutrition rather thandoing portion sizing?

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@coachtodd @jennkreider Thanks for yourhelp, it's nice to know there is somewhere to turn ifyou have questions. By the way p90x is reallyworking for my after only 3 weeks I'm starting tosee muscles in my arms!!!

1 Like

@jennkreider @coachtodd thats awesome!!!

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Jan 24,2014

Dec 24,2013

veronicaab09

Biggest Loser

Wow im happy i read this article.. I actually did the p90x lean a few years ago..about 3 to be exact, and i also was afraid of getting "bulky". so i actually lost38lbs and went from a size 13 to a size 7 and fitting some 5 (stretch of course)but i didnt see much toning. My problem was and still is i never followed thediet. that is my biggest challenge.. although back then i did stop eating bread,pastas, candies, soda and rice. It helped a lot, but that was truly very hard..those are my favorites. Any way i can sadly say i stopped the program due tonot seeing any toning and also because my butt shed most of the weight. i not happy at all. yes my clothes fit with out any problems but it seems like myarms were still fat. my lower section was smaller than my upper body. So igained back the weight, but now im over weight again. i weight 163 lbs, im 5.4 female. Im currently going to the gym, I do approx.. 1 1/2 hrs. I'm try to do as iremember on p90x as far as working different body parts on different days.i douse weights. i do see a lot of toning but im not loosing weight. i need to docardio.. but honestly i hate any type of running., i want to dominate the foodpart. or learn should i say.. sadly i lost my nutrition book that came with p90x. Is this something you sell alone.. i want to start the classic program thistime ..I think im ready for it!

Sorry this is so long.. :)

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Hi Coach,

Actually, I came to your website after googling P90X vs P90X3 as I haveordered the later one. There I found this link on Lean vs Classic; Even afterreading your superb article, i am still in doubt what to choose :(

I am 26 years, 5'2", 154 lbs, Female, want to shed about 33 or more pounds. Iwant to see the scales changing, BUT would like not to see me still "Fatty".Because, previously I lost about 7lbs but that did not reflect on my figure (I wasstill looking fatty, no one could notice the difference).

so, I thought I should go for lean as muscle weights more than fat and thescale won't change, but couldn't ignore the fact that muscle burns morecalories!!! That's the reason, I am confused and confused meaning hard one. ;(

So to drop weight and also, looking lean, which one do you think I shouldchoose?

Oct 22,2013

a030147636paul

Thanks and keep it up :)

1 Like

Dec 24,2013

coachtodd@Biggest Loser Classic for sure in my opinion. What gets you theREAL results is consistency over time bud. Thats what a lot of peopledont like to hear, but it the truth. You have to press play everydayand follow the schedule whether its classic, lean, p90x, or p90x3...Andthen there is your nutrition...Thats where 80% of your results comefrom. How was your nutrition during that time you lost the 7lbs andhow long did that take you to lose it?

1 Like

Dec 25,2013

Biggest Loser@coachtodd@Biggest Loser

Thanks a lot for your reply, Coach.

It was back in 2011 and took almost 3-6 months. I waseating right (not following any Diet), just made sure to eat inright portion, avoided junks etc. And normally I don''t likesweets & usually I drinks a LOT of water. That was it. I wasgraduate student then. I did some exercise but not ant DVDseries or all that, just normal walking or maybe playingsome games. Last year I joined a country, I had became atotal chair potato, started to eating freakishly. Now, really Iwant to make change. And I think P90X3 is something I willlove to do. Specially I will LOVE to do a Les MillsCombat/P90X3 hybrid. I read reviews online about P90X thatpeople had have greater body but not that much weightloss, or Les Mills user got greater weight loss but not thattoning.

So, that;s why I became so confused.

Again thanks for your response (and that too prompt one ),coach :)

1 Like

i m a 26 old man weight 200lbs and 6.1 high, and i want to be slim and strong

Oct 16,2013

Sep 20,2013

nadi_nadss

Daniel10

, just wondering could p90x make me slim strong and "cut"' or classic does?? idont want to bulk up like adventures

currently on third week of lean schedule, and check up to phrase 3 , i m afraidof i can not get cut from doing lean since it focus on cardio and yoga

1 Like

Oct 24,2013

coachtodd@a030147636paul you can still get cut using lean. 80% of yourresults come from nutrition though...how is your nutrition looking?

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I am 120 pounds and im not really looking to lose weight, I just seriously wantto tone lift my butt and make it more round without it getting smaller, flattenmy abs and stronger legs. I was stuck between P90x and T25 which one do yourecommend, for toning? and whats the difference with lean and classic

1 Like

Oct 16,2013

coachtodd@nadi_nadss Hey there! This entire article addresses the differencesbetween lean and classic. But I think T25 would do much more for youglutes and legs than P90X would. I actually have an online challengegroup starting on Nov. 4th. If you got T25, would that be somethingyou would want to be a part of for accountability and motivation?

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Hey Todd I'm around 6'1-6'3 at 215 lbs and doing the classic p90x. I amfollowing the diet real closely and eating around 2,300-2,700 calories a day.Would you recommend adding some cardio to loose some fat? I'm barely onefirst week.

1 Like

Sep 24,2013

coachtodd@Daniel10 2300-2700 is a big range...you gotta be more precisethan that. Be sure to check out the "nutrition zone" tab on my site

Aug 1,2013

Jul 19,2013

This comment has been deleted

w9982

green23

and go through the "step-by-step" links!

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Sep 15,2013

coachtodd@sethgale8 I always subscribe to classic...more muscle = morecalories burned...Although there is not way to target fat loss in yourlegs or anywhere for that matter. It comes down to nutrition...you hityour macros daily then your body will lean out. My legs hold fat easilyand its one of the last places I lose fat, buy you have to focus onnutriton and get lean enough so that your body has no choice bud toburn the fat that is left in your legs. that make sense?

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Sep 24,2013

coachtodd@sethgale8 @coachtodd whey wont make yourlegs bigger...lifting heavy weight builds your legs.

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I would like to know how calories should i take in my weight is now 160 and5feet6inches can i use a supplement call cla.Thank u

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Aug 1,2013

coachtodd@w9982 be sure you check out the "nutrition zone" tab on my site! Ithas a ton of info on how to calculate your calorie intake!

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My diet mainly consist of fruits veges and lots of protein and water

Jul 19,2013

green23

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Hey coach. Im 6 feet 1 inches and weight 220 most of the weight is in my butt,thighs and stomach. Would Classic be the best choice to loose plenry of weightin thise areas?

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Jul 19,2013

coachtodd@green23 Hey bud! I wish you could, but its impossible to "target"fat loss. You just have to clean up your nutrition and burn morecalories than you are taking in and your body will lose fat in the areasthat it wants based on your genetics...the spare tire around my waisteand the fat on my rear wear the last to go...Are you tracking yournutrition?

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Jul 19,2013

green23Yes.i eat approximately 1400 caleries a day but i dont thinki burn more than that. I was think that if i cut my dailycalories down and do p90x classic, that should do the trick

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Jul 19,2013

Jul 19,2013

coachtodd

green23

@green23 you should be taking in more than1400 per day @ 220lbs. I weighed 228 and ate1900/day. if you are hitting you 50/30/20 macrosevery single day, you should be losing fat! Are youtracking your nutrition?

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@coachtodd no im not really tracking it. but if ieat 1900 calories a day, how am i going to be ableto burn it off. thats alot

Jul 3,2013

May 22,2013

May 22,2013

kaneezfatima344

w9982

w9982

Jul 19,2013

Jul 21,2013

green23

coachtodd

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and what is a 50/30/20 macro?

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@green23 Here is what I want you to do bud. Goto the "nutrition zone" tab on my site and gothrough all the links under the "step-by-step"section. That is going to clear up a lot of confusionfor you :)

1 Like

Brilliant article coach..I was desperate to find a coach like you who wouldanswer idividual queries.I'm 5 feet 3" and i weigh 106 pounds..i'm skinny all over but i hate the fact thati dont have a flat belly despite being skinny..i would also love to be toned..Do uthink i should be doing the lean version?Also, if i dont follow a particular diet plan, but just exercise..do u think it'll doany good? (i mean working out and eating is better than not working out andeating?) PLEASE reply

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Thank you coach classic it is i am on day 2 and my boby hurts plyometrics andab ripper x is a killer workout and couldn't move on day one but i love it i justneed a diet plan if you can help me out with that i will deeply appreciate thatthank you again!!!!!!!

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Thanks for the reply but can anyone help me with a deit plan please what can ieat on a morning, midday,and evenings that will help in my weight lost goal...

May 21,2013

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Jun 15,2012

Bumblebeetuna12

w9982

Christine

Marcos

Demetric

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I would have to say I enjoy resistance training the most.I prefer free weightsover bands, but I interchange both. I tried Turbo Fire before P90x andabsolutely hated it! Cardio is not my thing. I still do it, but Turbo Fire made mefeel like a flailing idiot. This program absolutely hurts but I love the pain,because I see results.

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Hey coach i just bought p90x would love to know what workout would be bestfor me classic double or lean.I am 168lbs and alot of belly fat muslces in mystomach are no longer there after having three children so please let me knowwhat would suit me best i walk three days a week...thank you

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Great article Coach! I actually started on the Classic, a few times and was notenjoying it enough to stick with it more than a few weeks. I recently switchedto the Lean and love it!! I have only missed 1 workout through 3 weeks (Islacked 1 day of my mini vacation), and I keep looking forward to pushing playevery day. I also just finished reading Tony's book Bring It! and he really pushesfor you to do what you enjoy so that you'll actually stick with it. I took that toheart when I made the decision to do the Lean. Once I'm done with the Lean Iplan on kicking some butt on classic!

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Very informative, Coach, especially on the "I don't want to get bulky!!" section.I have my wife and some lady friends who say the same thing. I will directthem to this page for sure.

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Great post Todd! I get this question ALOT and reading what you said definitelyhas backed up the answers that I have been giving all of the people I havebeen helping.

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Jun 15,2012

Jun 15,2012

Karen MacKinnon

Tracy

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Started with Lean (one week) and switched to Classic. I have a lot of fat toshred and the Lean program seemed to be the one to go with. AND like CoachTodd said...I was afraid of getting bulky by doing the Classic. Why did I switch?Honestly….Lean kicked my butt! Yes yes...that's what's supposed to happen. know! But it kicked me SO hard I was not having fun, I didn’t want to BRING ITand I wanted to quit. I hate to admit it but I barely made it through the warmup on Cardio X. If it wasn’t for Coach Todd and my hero support group inRippedClub, I would have quit. They helped to dispel my fear about doingClassic and “bulking up”. I found out that with the more lean muscle I have, themore calories I burn at a resting rate. And if there was anything I did well, it wasresting!!! Hey… don’t get me wrong. Classic is no piece of cake. I die doingthat too! But I feel GOOD after doing it. I don’t know why, but my mind finds iteasier to come back and press play. The one thing I do know is that when I amdone doing this round of P90X Classic, I am going to turn around and kick buttdoing Lean!

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Very well put! Classic all the way!

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