With the weather beginning to turn cold, I started to think about the ten pounds that I gain almost annually during the winter. It happens to most of us, and usually I just resign myself to having to deal with it. The thought of weight gain led me to thinking about my spring workout program and how successful that was for me, and I asked myself: “Why not make it a winter workout?” I’m sharing this with you because I figure that anyone would want to know about a successful workout program, especially if it can be done in your dorm or your apartment.

The workout program is called P90X, and it was developed by Tony Horton. The workout consists of a 90-day exercise program that is meant to maximize results and to build lasting and firm muscles. There are three different programs, P90X Standard, P90X Lean, and P90X Doubles. I prefer the lean workout because, if done correctly, I can see results almost weekly. It is hard to do, though, because of how time consuming it is. A regular P90X workout is roughly an hour long, while both lean and doubles can take up to two and a half hours. Tony has said that all three of the workouts will cause you to become leaner.

Tony himself leads the routines, and he does so with enthusiasm and encouragement. That’s always a big fear of mine when starting a new workout program with an instructor. I don’t want them too in my face, yelling, or doing something like that. I just don’t respond to it, and I feel like I’m doing the work just to get them to shut up. I do respond to Tony’s motto, “Do your best and forget the rest,” which pushes me to work out for no one but myself. Also, during workouts that are really tough the first few times, like Yoga X for instance, he’ll say, “If you can’t do this right now, don’t worry. It will come with hard work and time.”

If you’re looking for a workout for this winter, I suggest you go to beachbody.com and look at P90X. It is a great workout. Also, certain workouts like Chest and Back require a pull-up bar and dumbbells. If you write down the workout from the video, you can utilize the Rec if you don’t have these readily available. P90X is a little expensive, but it is absolutely worth every penny.

Contact Patrick St. Pierre at pstpier.edu.