Editor’s note: This review has been updated to reflect BODi’s current subscription-based access — P90X3 is no longer sold as a standalone DVD set. Worth knowing: BODi relaunched the whole P90X line in February 2026 as “P90X Generation Next,” led by a new trainer (Waz Ashayer), not Tony Horton. The original P90X3 reviewed here is still fully available in the app as part of the same 145-workout P90X catalog — it’s just no longer the newest thing BODi is promoting.
P90x3 is for everyone no matter what stage of your life you are in, without the grueling 90 minute original workouts of P90x! It’s for busy people who want to get in a super focused strength and fat burning workout in 30 minutes.
Most of you landing here have probably seen an infomercial or ad for P90x3, or had a friend tell you about it, and you’re wondering if it’s b.s. — does it work, and can you actually do it? I have personally done P90x, P90x2 and now P90x3, so I’m going to explain the differences as I give this review below.
Quick Facts
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What I Liked
- Real weight training in 30 minutes — the thing Focus T25 doesn’t give you
- 16 distinct workouts across resistance, cardio, and flexibility — genuinely doesn’t repeat itself day to day
- Noticeably easier to recover from than the original P90X — I could still walk normally the next day
- Real core-strengthening carryover for an old lower-back injury, not just a marketing claim
What I Didn’t Like
- You need real equipment — dumbbells or bands, not just bodyweight like T25 or PiYo
- Only the Classic plan’s day-by-day calendar was ever fully published — Lean and Mass exist but you won’t find a public schedule for them
- Running shoes with pronation support work against you on the lateral drills — worth switching to a flatter, neutral shoe
How It Rates
Based on my own experience with P90X, P90X2, and P90X3, not a lab test.
What Is P90X3 Exactly?
It is a 30 minute strength training workout program designed by Tony Horton to get you ripped, burn fat and build lean muscle. Tony took everything he learned from years of doing P90X, listened to busy people, and crammed it all into 30 minutes. I would not blink an eye at recommending this to anyone at any fitness level based on the program that I have just gone through.
Yes, you work, and it requires you to have some dumbbells around, but you can literally start this out of shape and have great success with this at-home workout program. Honestly, I did this after the Focus T25 program. It was a nice change because I really did miss the weight training that P90X3 has that Focus T25 does not — you get to do yoga, pilates, legs, back, biceps, triceps, and of course abs throughout the whole week. It was just great to hit everything and not have to do cardio every single day.
P90x3 Is Way Different Than P90x
P90X, the home workout system that revolutionized the fitness industry in the mid-2000s, was developed by Beachbody and fitness expert Tony Horton — it made high-intensity exercise something even middle-aged soccer moms do on a regular basis. Over 4 million people bought the original P90X system, including myself, and several other versions followed: P90X Plus, P90X One on One, and P90X2. One common complaint about the follow-ups was that the workouts were too long — about an hour in most cases.
I’ve personally done P90X several times over the years. I know how hard it is and what it feels like the first month trying to keep up. So when I bought P90X3, I had my reservations about it. Once I finished the first workout I was just pumped — I could even walk afterward, which if you’ve done P90X Plyo you’d relate to, because that one was brutal.
I even had a buddy who played college football do the original P90X, and he thought it was tough as hell. The good news is that P90X3 is way easier and shorter than P90X, but still delivers fat-burning and ripped results — which makes it doable for anyone, not just athletes or people already in shape.
My Story
My name is Eric Ellis, I’m a long-time athlete and fitness fanatic. I have to stay in shape otherwise my back issues show up, and I just love to work out, end of story. After using P90X and Insanity in the off-season to train for triathlons, here’s what I’d say about why you’d want to do P90X3.
That is why I picked up P90X3 without any doubts in my mind. After I bought the original P90X years ago, I became a Beach Body workout fan. The thing works, and gave me the results I was looking for, unlike so many other exercise programs I had bought in the past.
I literally go home (5 minutes of travel time), work out for 30 minutes, shower in 5, and I’m back to work — this is what I call the lunch break workout. I like to have my workout either early morning before work or during lunch so I can guarantee it will get done. All too often if I push it to after work, something comes up with the kids or errands, and before you know it the workout window is gone. Do what’s best for you, but my whole point is: this rocks, it’s effective, and it’s 30 minutes.
Why Would You Want To Do P90X3?
A few things got my attention right away that you’ll want to know up front too:
- Only 30 minutes a day. Like I said, I have a demanding job, probably like you do. Knowing that just 30 minutes a day, if I pushed myself, would get me the results I was looking for — I knew I could do that.
- The producers are honest — they tell you that you have to put in the work. I don’t believe in the “magic button” garbage some fitness products try to sell you. You actually have to put in effort, and I’m always willing to do that.
- My lower back got strong as an ox after this. I struggled with back issues for years because of a sports injury — when I get out of shape, the chiropractor appointments start. This program hit the right lower-back muscles to strengthen my inner core (the Transversus and Multifidus muscles, both genuinely central to preventing low-back pain, not just something I made up), the same exercises doctors had me doing over the years to avoid back surgery.
- I got to use free weights again. I didn’t want to do all cardio — I get bored with it. This was a great mix.
The 16 Core Workouts
There are 16 core workouts that are mixed and matched to create the different workout plans:
6 Muscle-Building Resistance Workouts
Total Synergistics, The Challenge, Incinerator, The Warrior, Eccentric Upper, Eccentric Lower
3 Cross-Training Power Workouts
Agility X, Triometrics, Decelerator
3 Fat-Burning Cardio Workouts
CVX, MMX (mixed martial arts-inspired), Accelerator
4 Core, Flexibility, and Balance Workouts
X3 Yoga, Pilates X, Isometrix, Dynamix
The base workouts are only 30 minutes long, but each DVD includes optional extended warm-ups (called “Cold Start” sessions) and cool-downs, which can add another 12 to 18 minutes to the total time. Most people will benefit by not skipping these sections, especially the warm-ups, since it increases the benefits of the main workouts and decreases the risk of injury.
This workout system requires very little equipment — the only pieces of gear that are absolutely necessary are dumbbells, a yoga mat, and a simple door frame pull-up bar. It’s relatively simple and easy to follow, and the pace is fast and short: Tony Horton maximizes all 30 minutes of each workout but keeps the intensity levels manageable, using multi-joint compound exercises to increase efficiency rather than isolation movements.
The included nutrition guide is in-depth and adds real value — delicious recipes and detailed eating plans, including special versions for gluten free, vegetarian, and vegan diets.
Types of P90X3 Schedules
There are four types of schedules you can follow:
- Classic — for people who want a balanced routine, focusing on both cardio and strength training using a traditional workout week. You gain muscle, lose fat, and strengthen the inner connection muscles for posture and balance.
- Lean — for people who want that more toned look without putting on muscle. Focused on mobility, flexibility, toning, and cardio.
- Mass — for bulking up and packing on muscle. You’ll need to follow the nutrition guide closely and focus on your reps and sets.
- Doubles — only for a few people, honestly. You need to finish P90X3 at least once, then start it again — you’ll seriously be working your butt off twice a day.
(Personal warning from me to you! If you are not careful you could easily over-train if you just start out with the Doubles schedule.)
P90X3 Classic Calendar
The Classic plan runs 13 weeks across 3 blocks — the only one of the three plans with a day-by-day schedule that was ever fully published. Lean and Mass follow the same 16-workout pool but don’t have a public breakdown; check your own in-app calendar if you pick one of those instead.
| Week | Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat | Sun |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Block 1 | |||||||
| 1 | Total Synergistics | Agility X | X3 Yoga | The Challenge | CVX | The Warrior | Dynamix |
| 2 | Total Synergistics | Agility X | X3 Yoga | The Challenge | CVX | The Warrior | Dynamix |
| 3 | Total Synergistics | Agility X | X3 Yoga | The Challenge | CVX | The Warrior | Dynamix |
| 4 | Isometrix | Dynamix | Accelerator | Pilates X | CVX | X3 Yoga | Dynamix |
| Block 2 | |||||||
| 5 | Eccentric Upper | Triometrics | X3 Yoga | Eccentric Lower | Incinerator | MMX | Dynamix |
| 6 | Eccentric Upper | Triometrics | X3 Yoga | Eccentric Lower | Incinerator | MMX | Dynamix |
| 7 | Eccentric Upper | Triometrics | X3 Yoga | Eccentric Lower | Incinerator | MMX | Dynamix |
| 8 | Isometrix | Dynamix | Accelerator | Pilates X | CVX | X3 Yoga | Dynamix |
| Block 3 | |||||||
| 9 | Decelerator | Agility X | The Challenge | X3 Yoga | Triometrics | Total Synergistics | Dynamix |
| 10 | MMX | Eccentric Upper | Triometrics | Pilates X | Eccentric Lower | X3 Yoga | Dynamix |
| 11 | Decelerator | Agility X | The Challenge | X3 Yoga | Triometrics | Total Synergistics | Dynamix |
| 12 | MMX | Eccentric Upper | Triometrics | Pilates X | Eccentric Lower | X3 Yoga | Dynamix |
| 13 | Isometrix | Accelerator | Pilates X | X3 Yoga | Dynamix | Rest | Fit Test |
Equipment Needed
You will definitely need a set of resistance bands or dumbbells. If you have an adjustable dumbbell you’ll be set — I personally have the old-school iron dumbbells, so I ended up using 5 lbs through 45 lbs, depending on how strong you are. For women, I could see needing a 3lb and 5lb weight for some of the triceps and shoulder exercises — I personally had to use 10lb dumbbells on some of the shoulder exercises.
The other advice I’d give: use neutral shoes. Most running shoes help with pronation or over-pronation by building up the shoe on the inside or outside, which makes it hard to land side to side in some of the drills because the sole isn’t meant for that — it’s meant to help correct your running. Switching to a neutral shoe or a flat cross-fit-style shoe made one heck of a difference for me once I switched out of my running shoes.
What Do People Love Most About P90X3?
The most common answer you get when people talk about what they love about P90X3 is how short it is. It’s 30 minutes packed full of pure awesomeness. You can fit this into a busy schedule, before work at lunch or even after work before dinner. No excuses here, it’s effective and fast. So, just do it. 🙂
The other comment is that the outstanding results the program is putting out for only doing 30 minute workouts. That alone tells you that you do not have to be in the gym for 90 minutes every day to get toned, lose weight and get stronger.
How Much Does It Cost?
P90X3 is no longer sold as a standalone DVD kit — it’s included with a BODi subscription, which also unlocks the rest of the 145-workout P90X catalog (P90X, P90X2, and the new P90X Generation Next), plus 225+ other programs and meal plans. BODi has monthly and yearly plans, with a 7-day free trial. Pricing and promos change — check the current offer on their site before you commit.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is P90X3 still available now that P90X Generation Next launched?
Yes. Generation Next is a new, separate program with a new trainer — it doesn’t replace the original P90X3, which is still in the app as part of the full P90X catalog. If you specifically want Tony Horton’s version, that’s still what you’re getting when you pick P90X3.
I’m not seeing results. What am I doing wrong?
Ask yourself honestly: are you giving everything you’ve got during the workouts? Are you following the nutrition guide, not just the exercise calendar — it takes about 21 days of consistent eating to see it show up. And are you allowing your body to recover? Amazing things happen when you sleep — your body repairs your muscles, so don’t try to run on 4-5 hours of sleep, get in a good 7-8 hours if you can. A rough macro target that’s worked for me is 30% protein / 40% carbs / 30% fat — I like using the MyFitnessPal app to track it.
P90X3 or Focus T25 — which should I do?
My honest take: if you’re deciding between just these two, go with P90X3 — the real strength training gives you something T25 doesn’t have at all, and you can always add pure cardio days on top of it later. T25 only makes sense on its own if weights are completely off the table for you. See our Focus T25 review for the full breakdown of that one.
The Bottom Line
You have a 90-day money-back guarantee, more than enough time to see if this works for you. P90X3 does what the original couldn’t: real strength and cardio results in a time that fits an actual schedule. If you’ve bounced off the original P90X because of the time commitment, this is the same philosophy without the burnout.
