Traditional weight lifting can be a real snooze.

Yeah, it’s effective but some days it’s about as exciting as broccoli.

P90X3 CVX is the perfect routine to add a little fun (and cardio) to your resistance training.

CVX is from the family of P90X3 workouts.  Here’s a reminder of what the program is all about:

You’ll need a few tools, some balance, and about 30 minutes to crush P90X3 CVX.

Let me explain…

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Instructor-Tony Horton

Category-Cardio+

Equipment

One light dumbbell (5 or 8 lbs.) OR a medicine ball (6 or 8 lbs.)

a towel or band (something to jump over)

Length-33 minutes

HRM-265 calories

Choreography-Simple

My rating- A

Attention Ladies, if you’re looking to add to your weight collection then check out my favorite colored dumbbells.  And if you need more help read, A Woman’s Guide to Buying Dumbbells.

The Important Stuff about P90X3 CVX

P90X3 CVX is cardio exercise plus weight training with very short rest periods between sets.  This is what people call metabolic resistance training.  You’ll burn off more calories doing this kind of workout (than you do just lifting weights).

P90X3 CVX has 4 rounds of exercises.  In each round you’ll do the exercise grouping 2 times before moving to the next round.  On the second set you’re challenged to go faster/bigger with the moves.  You get a short break after the second set in each round.  You do each exercise for 1 minute.  That will feel like an hour for some of these moves.

You can use a light dumbbell (I use 8 lbs.) or a light medicine ball for the exercises with weights.  (And I’d keep an even lighter weight close by, just in case.)

You must keep your core tight/engaged when you’re doing cardio work with a weight.  Go lighter in weight if your form starts heading south.  You’ll hurt your back if you don’t.

P90X3 CVX is fun.  The pace is fast.  This isn’t traditional lifting.  If you have shoes that are cross-trainers I’d wear them for this workout because there are a lot of lateral movements.

Read to the end for helpful tips on how to conquer every exercise in this routine as well as links to a few places you can compare prices for this video 🙂

Warm-Up

There’s no warm-up.  Tony just dives right into the workout.  You’ll be a little disoriented at first but it’s ok, I promise.

Main Workout (The Exercises in P90X3 CVX)

ROUND ONE

You’ll need one light weight (5-8 lbs.) for this round.

Keep your core solid when you’re doing these exercises.  You’ll tweak your back if you don’t.

Remember you do everything for 1 minute.

Press Jacks

Atlas Twists

You’ll recognize these from other P90X workouts where it’s usually part of the warm-up and you’re usually holding a giant exercise ball.

March & Reach

Your arms and legs stay as straight as you can.  This is harder than it looks, especially for 60 seconds.

Repeat all 3 exercises with more intensity/faster.

Water Break

ROUND TWO

Keep your light weight for this round, too.

Traveling Tire Twist

These are a high-knee jog up and back with the dumbbell (or med ball) held at your core.  You’ll be tempted to stay in one place for this but it’s harder when you add movement so try to do it the way the team does.

Frog Squat Reach

Go high on the toes at the top of the move.  We all want nice calves, right?

Try to go deeper in the squat on the second set.

Arc Press Lunges

Watch Tracy (she’s wearing the blue sports bra) for the perfect form.  Copy her.

Repeat all the 3 exercises.  Try to go faster and/or make the moves bigger on the second set.

Water Break

ROUND THREE

Get out your towel or band* (or whatever you pulled out to use as a marker to jump over) for this part.  Keep your light weight around, too.

Hopovers

Try to go at a good speed to keep your heart rate up.

*This is the only exercise that uses the band (or towel) in CVX.  After your second set you have permission to throw it across the room.

Balance Pull

You’ve seen this move before.  Don’t bang your knee with the weight.  You’ll do it for 30 seconds on each leg.  Feel your abs contract with each rep.

You’ll be challenged to balance on one leg for the second set.  I suck at the balance version.

Twist and Pivot

Keep your elbows high.  This is another exercise where Tracy has perfect form.  Copy Tracy.  (I know, you’re starting to hate her but you can’t argue with those abs.  She knows what she’s doing.)

You know what to do now.  Repeat everything faster.  Keep your core tight.

Water Break (about 6 ½ minutes left)

ROUND FOUR

You’ll use your light-weight DB for this last round, too.

Side Reach Jumps*

*Careful with these.  I usually donk (is that a word?) my leg with my DB a few times during this exercise. It’s annoying but it happens.  It’s even worse when I go faster on the second set.

Crescent Chair

Pick which version works for you.  I do the version where I lift my hands during the crescent and then lower them for the chair pose.

Globe Squatters

You’ll be in a plié stance and move your arms in a big circle with the weight and then do a tiny jump.  You make a circle in the other direction every other rep.

The second set of these 3 exercises is your BURNOUT set.  Go hard this is your finale.

Cool Down/Stretch

The cool down in P90X3 CVX is about 3 minutes long.  This is one of the best stretch segments in all of the P90X3 workouts.   Don’t skip it.

Now What?

Who doesn’t love a workout that gets the job done in a unique way?  As much as I value good ‘ol fashion weight work (traditional lifting), it gets boring.

P90X3 CVX is a great way to get in your resistance training in a more interesting fashion.  And you get to work your muscles in a slightly different way than you do with traditional weight work so it’s a win-win.

You can find CVX in the family of Beachbody P90X3 workouts and in a membership to Beachbody on Demand.

Learn more about the Beachbody on Demand membership.

Thanks for reading!