The secret to mastering P90X2 X2 Core—good balance.

Remember this is what the P90X2 program looks like (X2 Core is just one of the routines in the program):

I hardly break a sweat doing X2 Core but there’s a guy in the back literally drenched.  It’s weird.  My husband sweats during yoga like he ran a marathon and I don’t at all.  Maybe it’s just guys?

I’m pretty generous with my rating system for workout videos.

I give X2 Core a solid B+.

Let me tell you why this one didn’t make it in the hall of fame for me…

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Instructor-Tony Horton

Category-Strength

Equipment

mat

stability ball

medicine ball (they use a 6 lb in the video but I use my 8 lb. medicine ball)

foam roller (you do NOT need this but they use it in the video)

Length-55 minutes

HRM-260 Calories

Choreography-Simple

My rating– B+

*The size of your stability ball matters.  It needs to be the right size.  I have 3 stability balls for some reason.  I use the medium size ball for this workout.

TIP-I recommend a 55 cm stability ball for most women and 65 cm for men.

Important Stuff about X2 Core

There are some phenomenal core moves in this video.  You just have to be patient until you get to the main workout.

Read to the end for links to a few places you can compare prices for this video 🙂  And a few tips about how to conquer each exercise.

Warm-Up

The warm-up consists of 5 moves with your stability ball.  Then for what seems like a half an hour Tony Horton attempts to sell you a foam roller.  You’ll feel like you fell into an infomercial.  I don’t get it.  It’s a little annoying.  And you don’t need a foam roller to stretch out any of the muscles he’s stretching using that device.

*Please don’t email me about how amazing the foam roller is.  I know it can be a great tool for stretching.

Now when you think the workout has finally started Tony does 2 more things with the foam roller, the Roller Angel and the Roller Sphinx.  I almost never fast-forward through a warm-up/stretch but (sometimes) I skip this entire segment using the foam roller which turns out to be nearly 10 minutes.

The Roller Sphinx is just a low plank.  You can do it on the floor.

I love the World’s Greatest Stretch.  You’ll recognize it from the P90X original series.

Tony says there are 18 moves in the main workout but it feels like the main program starts here (with Inchworm) which gives you 20 moves before the cool down.

Main Workout (The Exercises in X2 Core)

The workout finally starts here with about 40 minutes left.  You’ll recognize a lot of the moves if you own P90X but there are some new ones, too.

Inch Worm

Lock out the legs and arms.

Scorpion

If these hurt your back then you’re twisting and dropping your leg too far.

Groiners

There are 20.  I like these.

Break/Introduction to the Crew (Can we just get to the workout?  Seems like he could introduce everyone during the program)

Sphinx Plank Crunch

These are so good for the obliques.  I love this move.

Warrior 3 Cross Crunch

10 per side

These are fun and effective but require balance.  I have to go really slow to keep from falling.  I usually spend a lot of time hopping all over the room.  Try to feel your obliques contract.

Single Leg Walk-Out to Sphinx

This is another balance move.  There are 5 per side.  They look so easy but they aren’t.

Half Angel

I can barely do 9 on each side (Tony tells you to do 10).

I find it hard to pin down the sweet spot to balance on the blade of my foot on this exercise.  Barbie does these so well.

Tony suggests that you wedge your foot against a wall.  That’s a good idea but I never remember to do it and he says it at the end of the set so it’s too late.

Roller Boat

Your hip flexors will feel this.  There are 12.  They get out the mat for this exercise.  I do it on carpet.

Break for One Minute

Three Speed Medicine Ball Push-Up

I can usually do about 15 of these.  I do the version Tony is doing only a lot slower.  Tony Horton says he does 35.  But remember he’s been walking around the whole video…and he’s a guy.  Barbie demonstrates the modified move without the medicine ball.

One-Leg Lateral Leap Squat

They do this exercise way too slow for me.  It’s a balance move but I don’t understand why it needs to be done quite so slow.  I think I could maintain better balance at a slightly faster tempo.

Core Circles with the Stability Ball

The circles can be really small.  Spread your legs and lock your quads.  Listen for the direction change around 20 seconds.  I never hear it.  This is a great exercise.

Tip-If your ball isn’t aired up well you’ll have a hard time with this one.  In case you missed it the tip is to make sure your ball is aired up well.

Holmsen Screamer Lunges

There are 15 per side.  You’ll feel this in your legs.  Make the move big.

Med Ball Dreya Roll

I usually do 12 of these with my 8 lb ball.  Barbie is using a 6 lb ball and she does more.  I’d use the lighter ball if I had one.  Make sure you go back slow.  You must have padding (as in a mat or carpet) to do the back roll part.  Make sure you roll back with control or your head will slam into the floor.  That’s not good.

Plank Burpee on Stability Ball

I’m terrible at these.  It’s very frustrating.  I need to try them on my larger ball but I haven’t yet.  I just can’t balance well on my stability ball.  I usually only get in a few reps because it takes so much effort to get stable.  I usually end up putting down both feet.  Don’t feel bad if you have to do that, too.

Banana Ball Switch Crunch

I think my stability ball is too big for this because I can’t get it to stay between my legs.  It ends up rolling up my legs.  I’ve done it with my 8 lb medicine ball but that’s too heavy and hurts my back.

Tip-The sweaty guy shows you how to do this move with a towel which is really all you need.

Three Point Squat Press with Medicine Ball

You do 15 reps as a group.  An 8 lb med ball is fine for these.

Slo-mo Balance Climbers

These are done with the stability ball.  There are 20 reps.

Keep your legs wide and quads locked.  I can do these so I’m sure you can, too.  Remember they won’t work if you don’t have your ball really aired up.  This is a great exercise.

X2 Divers

I do X2 Divers on the floor like Barbie.  I do about 8.  Keep your core tight and your butt low.

Ryan Sphinx Twist Crunch

There are 10 per side.

Make sure you have a good cushion under your support arm for these.  This is a really creative exercise.  Sometimes the shoulder on my support arm gets unhappy when I do this move but I still like it.

One-Leg Medicine Ball Burpee

I can do 6 per side on a good day.  These are so hard for me to balance.  It’s like I’m suddenly drunk.  It’s so maddening (did I just turn English?).  Sometimes I just do push-ups if I get too frustrated so I don’t run the clock trying to get my balance.

Cool Down/Stretch

Tony does the whole stretch segment on the stability ball but you don’t have to (use the ball for the stretches if you have one.  It feels amazing).

I always throw in a few extra trap/neck stretches, too.  You really use those muscles to do the moves on the stability/medicine ball and in plank position.

Tony actually brings up the foam roller again at this point.  Let it go, Tony.

Now What?

P90X2 Core is a creative workout but I’m sticking with my B+ rating.  I’ve never quite mastered the balance moves so it’s not one of my favorites (and there’s way too much extraneous stuff at the beginning of the routine) but definitely give it a try and see what you think.

You can find X2 Core by Beachbody in the P90X2 Series.

And in the library of workouts with a Beachbody on Demand membership.

Read more about Beachbody on Demand.  This is a great option.

Try Beachbody on Demand for the FREE TRIAL and test drive all of the best Beachbody programs before you buy them.

Thanks for reading!

Have an amazing workout!