Yes, this is the famous workout program that’s blanketed Internet banners and television infomercials for the past year. Regardless of how it’s marketed, P90X is legit. This series of DVDs is led by Tony Horton, a high energy trainer who keeps you motivated throughout the grueling sets. Some of Tony’s jokes can be a little cheese-tastic but he more than makes up for it by expertly anticipating common mistakes and reminding you to check your form.

P90X is ideal for those looking for a routine that strikes an even balance between strength/resistance training and cardio workouts. You’ll find that P90X truly is a full body workout and challenges every muscle group each week. To jump into this particular program, you should be in reasonably decent shape. Specifically, be able to run a mile, easily do 30 jumping jacks and have the strength for 18-20 push ups.

We really can’t say enough about P90X though. It’s designed so you can easily do it in your living room with just a few small equipment purchases. If you go the entire 90 days, you will see results and you’ll probably be in some of the best shape of your life. Each day’s routine is anywhere from 55 minutes to 90 minutes, but if you want the fitness, you gotta give the time.

This is—by far—our highest recommended workout routine.

A classic program from the makers of P90X, Beachbody Fitness. This is a good place to start if you’re getting into exercise after a long break or even for the first time.

The combination of cardio, muscle toning and ab routines will get you good and ready for more intense workout routine. You might want to bypass Power 90 and move on to either P90X or Insanity, and that’s fine. If you’re motivated enough, go for it. But remember that the goal of fitness is real results, and you can only achieve those by properly performing the exercises with solid form. If you’re sloppy or struggling too much, you might as well not workout. So, don’t be afraid to ramp up gradually. Power 90 is perfect for that.

Such a fitting title. Insanity is the newest program produced by Beachbody Fitness, and it’s a beast. Instructor, Shaun T, runs you through a series of hardcore cardio sessions that incinerate calories and fat. The entire program is 60 days and each workout is less than an hour. There’s a big emphasis on core strengthening but you’re sure to see gains in overall fitness and endurance like never before.

Before starting Insanity, you should be “good” shape. Jogging a few miles is within your realm of possibilities; sit-up and push-up numbers are in the 40-50 range; and you’ve been engaged in some kind of exercise for at least a month or so prior.

Even the warm ups on the Insanity workouts are tough. If you push yourself to keep up with Shaun T day after day, you’ll be unstoppable after two months.

For free weight training at home, the SelectTechs cannot be beat. Offering a range from 5 to 52.5 pounds, these dumbbells take up little space, are easy to adjust, and grip comfortably. They’re very durable and built to last, too. If you’re doing P90X for strength or muscle gains, the Bowflex SelectTechs are an absolute must. They’re a great investment for your fitness.

Pull-ups are a big part of any resistance workout. Another key piece of equipment for P90X, as the back is the focus of two days each week. A door-mounted pull up bar like the Iron Gym Pro will keep you from having to buy a pull down apparatus. It also fits securely on most common doorframes; make sure to check measurements for yours specifically. The other great thing about the Pro version is the amount of variety you get with the grips. There are 5 different grip positions that will help you target specific areas on your back and develop all of the muscle groups equally.

You’ll find that just using your natural body weight is plenty of resistance, especially if you’re in P90X. Each back routine will have you doing about 100 or more pull-ups so you’ll probably be using a chair at the beginning to keep getting your reps anyway. So, this bar is all you need for a while.

They’re comfortable, very sturdy, and you get the added benefit of rotation. This engages more muscles in your chest and shoulders while reducing the risk of wrist injury that’s all too common with the standard pushup.

If you’re doing pushups regularly, you need bars. They’re safer because they reduce a lot of unnecessary stress on wrist ligaments. Also, pushup bars give you a better range of motion, which will intensify your workouts and involve more muscles.

For training shoes, we really want two things: lightweight and stability. The Lunar Kayoss shoes from Nike have both. A flat, flexible soul gives your feet the stable platform you need for lifting. The featherweight foam cushioning courtesy of Nike’s Lunarlite technology chops ounces from the total weight of the shoe, which will give your plyometrics and other cardio routines a boost in performance.

These shorts aren’t a necessity but definitely a nice-to-have for your cardio and leg workouts. Nike’s DriFIT material is excellent for keeping the sweat off your skin and providing excellent ventilation. These shorts also allow for smoother motion and they’ll reduce the probability of rubbing your skin raw.

Anyone who has been in a routine that involves heavy weight training and other gripping exercises like pull-ups has probably dealt with cracked or damaged hands. A good quality glove will protect your mitts from the rigors of weight training and provide a safer grip. These gloves from Harbinger are durable but comfortable as well.

Not only can you wash and dry these gloves with the rest of your clothes, they’re also anti-microbial. So, they’ll resist bacterial growth much better from those sweat pouring workouts you’ll be doing.

You gotta track your progress. A workout log will remind you what weight to use and the number of reps you’re up to. It’ll help keep you from injury and motivate you as you see the numbers increase over time.
So, if you’re doing either P90X or Insanity, we’ve got a great log for Google Docs that’s easy to use and adaptable in case you need to make little side notes. Download it here.