11 Laws of Exercise by Tony Horton

December 20, 2010

Tony’s 11 Laws of exercise are fundamental to build a strong foundation. I cannot pretend to say it better than the man himself, so I have copied his words below. If you print this out and follow his rules, you will see your quality of life improve…guaranteed!

Enjoy

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1st Law of Exercise: Variety

By Tony Horton

Variety is the spice of life and fitness. A lifetime of health and fitness is achievable when you can think outside the box. You have to mix it up all the time. Stay curious and creative, and stick with the kinds of workouts that you enjoy. A variety of exercises, workouts, and sports will allow you to avoid injuries, plateaus, and boredom.

One of the reasons Power 90^®, Power Half Hour^®, Power 90 Master Series, and P90X work so well for so many people—people who have tried and failed with other programs—is because they are NOT one discipline. These programs incorporate a variety of things: sectional progression, plyometrics, ab and core routines, boxing and kickboxing, yoga, stretching, and cardiovascular exercises. From Tony & the Kids! to P90X, I have always tried to make the routines fun and filled with a variety of movements—these workouts are uncomplicated, easy to follow, and time-tested, and have combinations that work. I’m not a fan of boredom. Doing the same routines and movements over and over again doesn’t appeal to me. That’s why many of my programs don’t repeat the same move twice.

Curiosity is a key reason I’ve been able to sustain a high level of fitness for over 20 years. If I see something that looks fun and challenging, I’ll try it. If it doesn’t ring my chimes, I’ll move on to something else. Curiosity was one of the reasons you decided to order Power 90, Power Half Hour, Power 90 Master Series, or P90X. You weren’t happy with the status quo. You were probably unhappy and unhealthy. You were in a rut and you wanted a change. When I’m in a rut, I look for ways to mix it up. Just because something works for me right now doesn’t mean it will work or hold my interest later. Too many people hold on too tightly to things that don’t work anymore. You know it’s time to change things when you hear yourself saying “I feel burned out,” “This isn’t fun anymore,” or “I’m no longer seeing improvement with this routine.”

You could be suffering from a temporary bout of mind babble, or maybe it’s your heart telling you that it’s time to move on. Only you know the difference. Don’t do something just because everyone else is doing it. Figure out what keeps you in the game, even if it’s very different from what others think you need. If you’re beating yourself up when it comes to inspiration and motivation regarding perspiration, then you need an alteration to your transformation.

Variety in your fitness world will keep boredom, injuries, and plateaus at bay. That’s the reason Power 90 has two levels. P90X and Power 90 Master Series were created so you’ll have myriad ways to mix it up and continue to see improvements over time. If you really want to improve your fitness and physique and make this a lifestyle thing, then eventually the other box you’ll need to get outside of . . . is your house. This might be hard for people with a hectic schedule, but why not skip that Sunday barbecue for a hike or run or skate or swim or volleyball game? After you’ve seen my goofy mug too many times, you might want to open the door and explore.

P90X or Power 90 can be the on switch to a lifetime of health and fitness. After your 90 days are up, a nice variety of activities, workouts, and athletic endeavors will turn on even more lights. I like to call the program after Power 90 Power 10,950. That’s 30 years. You can reinvent yourself and take control of your life if you stay curious and try new things. Finishing an exercise program lets you begin to explore all the possibilities. Variety in fitness and life is essential for keeping the lights on.

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2nd Law of Exercise: Consistency

By Tony Horton

Improvement and change occur when you do things often. Stopping and starting all the time will kill any momentum you need to succeed. You must find ways to stay in the game. Done consistently, moderate forms of exercise provide far better results than the occasional full-body pummeling. A lifestyle that includes doing multiple forms of exercise 5 to 6 days a week guarantees results.

There are certain things that rise to the surface when it comes to staying consistent. One of them is staying motivated. How does anyone sustain anything without motivation? You bought one of my programs because you’re committed to making huge changes in your life. Being consistent is critical. But being consistent and staying motivated can be difficult at times. It’s easy to create reasons not to do P90X or Power 90, especially when you’re feeling weak and puny, and my jokes aren’t funny anymore. We travel, get sick, get tired, and often get discouraged. We work too hard, we under-sleep, and we get stressed out. So what do we do about it? It can be overwhelming. What about the people who don’t quit? Who are they? Are they super android robots from a galaxy far, far away? What the hell makes them so special? Why are these robot people consistent and others aren’t? The answer is that successful, consistent, and motivated folk have tricks . . . Aha! They have found a way to do it anyway.

Here’s my list of tricks that will help you stay motivated and consistent.

1. Stop beating yourself up if you can’t sustain and/or maintain your “perfect” plan. It’s okay to miss a workout once in a while. It doesn’t mean that your process has gone to hell in a handcart. It doesn’t mean you have to start over. Life happens. Priorities shift. So what? Big deal. Just start up where you left off. If you’re doing Power 90 or P90X®, just add the missed days to the end of the program. I decree the burden lifted! Of course, you must recognize the difference between a missed workout or two and a missed week or two. If you miss 2 weeks of exercise, it will take at least that long to get back to where you left off. If you miss one workout once in a while, you lose nothing. The extra day off can even do the body good.
2. Don’t freak out if you don’t see results in the first 45 days. “What?! No results in the first month and a half?!” See, I knew you’d freak out. The reality is that we all have different starting points. The 90 in Power 90 and P90X stands for 90 days, not 90 minutes. Some folks will see results the first week—bastards! Others will have to wait a little longer, based on age, body weight, how out of shape they are when they start the program, flexibility, balance, athletic background, etc.—this is normal. The variety of workouts in P90X and Power 90 purposely plays into your strengths and weaknesses. Both programs were created to have a 30- to 50-day “adaptive phase.” This phase is shorter for some and longer for others. Be patient. Your body will adapt, and you will be amazed at how you look and feel.

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3rd Law of Exercise: Intensity

By Tony Horton

You’re tougher than you think. The fear of pain or injury from working out is a mindset steeped in failure. You must learn to “find the line.” Do the extra rep or two, increase your range of motion, and up the resistance as you get stronger. Intensity goes hand in hand with variety and consistency. And all three factors work as a triad that creates a platform for success. Programs like P90X and 10-Minute Trainer® provide variety. Your plan will keep you consistent.

Intensity is the final ingredient that gives you results. For a physiological change to occur, there first needs to be a stimulus. This stimulus comes in the form of an overload. This principle is known as GPO—gradual progressive overload. As you train over time, the overload should be slowly increased. Too much overload too quickly can result in injury. Lack of increased overload over time will result in plateaus. People who plateau often get discouraged and quit. Here are the 3 rules of intensity to help you succeed.

The 3 rules of intensity

1. Find the line. The “line” is that special place you need to get to if you want any program to work. It’s the desire to do the extra reps on push-up day or increase the depth and range of motion of your lunges and squats, and not being afraid to add more weight and resistance as you get stronger. It’s discovering your pain/discomfort threshold so you can get the job done without jeopardizing good form and without injuring yourself. If you undertrain or just plain old “give up” because you “can’t” do something the first few times, then you’ll never know what it’s like to be fit and lean. Find the line, do the best you can, and maintain good form.
2. The over/under. You need to understand the difference between undertraining and overtraining. Undertraining is what happens when you keep doing the same thing, with the same weights, at the same intensity, and nothing much is happening. You know you’re overtraining when you can’t get through workouts without hurling (see “Give yourself a break” in #3 below), and you’re so sore for the next 3 days that you can’t walk, sit down, or feed yourself. You’re training properly when you have some soreness in your muscles—not pain in your joints.
3. Put on the “breaks.” I’m a big believer in listening to my brain’s interpretation of what’s going on with my body while I’m exercising. When looking for the “line,” you sometimes discover you’ve already gone over it. When this happens, it’s time for a break. Here’s a list of when to take breaks:
   • Midset minibreaks. Say you’re working your biceps and you’ve mistakenly chosen a weight that’s a bit too heavy. You’ve set a goal of 10 reps, but on rep six, you know you’re not going to make it unless you start crossing the line. Stop and hold the weights down by your side for a breath or two (chill!), and when you’re ready, continue to rep 10. You can also put the weights down and grab lighter ones. This technique will work with almost any exercise. This is why I tell you to keep your remote nearby. Think of it as a minivacation.
   • Give yourself a break. Far too often I see people trying to be superheroes the first couple of weeks of a program. This aggressive attitude can often cause a phenomenon known as vomiting. To prevent this from happening to you, I recommend NOT trying to “push through it.” Superman wasn’t built in 2 weeks. He was born on an icy planet and . . . That’s another story. Do yourself a favor and kick it down to 80 percent when you’re starting out.
   • Illness or injury breaks. If you’re getting sick or you’re injured, then do the right thing: back off, back down, or modify. Hard exercise when you’re injured or ill can be disastrous. You have to think long-term. More often than not, taking a break is the smartest approach for your long-term success.

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4th Law of Exercise: Purpose

By Tony HortonExercising and eating right help you feel better. When you feel better, you do more. When you do more, you meet other people. A healthy lifestyle gives us the energy to be better than before. We want to participate, share, communicate, and build a community. If you’d never found Beachbody^®, you might be right back where you were—isolated and with nothing to share, because you weren’t doing anything with anyone.

We come together because we all have one thing in common—the desire to improve our lives. Anyone willing to explore the Message Boards is given the opportunity to participate in something truly unique. The intent to help yourself turns into a chance to save someone else’s life. We’re planting seeds that affect much more than our own weight loss and improved fitness. The moment we decide to share our stories, we create an energy shift so powerful that it has the potential to change the world.

When we’re in a state of fear and anxiety, the people around us aren’t too thrilled either. If we have the energy to be kind, wise, and loving, we lift up everyone around us. The difference between these two states is CHOICE. Before P90X or Power 90^®, many of you were overwhelmed, sick, and tired. Shortly after you started the program (even before you saw any real physical change), something remarkable started to happen. You felt better.

When you feel good, you act quite differently than when you feel overwhelmed and tired. The people around you don’t need be told what kind of mood you’re in. They know. Your behavior (good and bad) has tons of energy and power that affect everyone in your world. You are what you eat and what you do! If you eat junk and do nothing, friends and family will sink with you or abandon ship—not a terribly inspiring or productive outcome. If you choose to devote your time and energy to health and fitness with wisdom and courage, you become a beacon of energy so powerful, you could change the lives of thousands of people.

A healthy, fit body directly affects the mind and soul. The brain and body are one. The reason so many people reach for cigarettes, drugs, alcohol, and fast food is because it makes them feel good . . . for now. These short-term pleasures deliver myriad physiological and psychological disorders and diseases down the road. Short-term bouts of exercise, on the other hand, will guarantee the opposite result—a lifetime of good health, energy, self-reliance, and hope.

“If you look after the body, the fragrance of the mind and spirit will come of itself.” —B.K.S. Iyengar

Having purpose takes the onus off you and puts the focus on the people who need your help. The gift of giving is the greatest gift to receive. The people I know who practice this on a daily basis are well-rounded, content, empathetic, wise, and happy. They say that about 3 percent of the people on Earth live in bliss. What the hell are the other 97 percent doing? Maybe we’re spending too much time on ME, ME, ME! I believe that our journey on this earth is to be serviceable. Discover what you love, learn how to do it well, and share it with others. It’s also important to recognize when friends and family are not ready for change. The worst kind of advice is the kind that was never asked for.

Purpose is the driving force that moves you from here to there. Your purpose for taking care of yourself is based on intention and resolution. If your intentions aren’t clear, strong, and true, the best food and supplements and perfect workouts won’t help you discover your purpose. What are your intentions? Do you want to find resolution? What is your $64,000 question? If it’s about looking hot for the weekend fitness camp, how will that hold up come Monday? Short-term goals are nice. It’s one way to stay in the game. But if you want to make a worldwide impact, then put your energy into the long-term goals.

The key to success for Power 90 and P90X comes to people who figure out that when you share your experiences, your wisdom, your love, and your truth, you begin to know what it is to live like that 3 percent. The Message Boards, chat rooms, and WOWY^® SuperGym can be precious commodities—we are given an opportunity to share everything about our journey with people going through the same thing.

Discovery + Learning + Sharing = Bliss!

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5th Law of Exercise: Reality

By Tony Horton

Why do we want life to be different than it is? Why do we think about who we were and who we’re going to be more than who we are? We certainly talk a good game about who we are now. Why do we try to predict the future with the hope that wishful thinking is enough to change it? Life is NOT the way it was. It’s the way it is. Life is not our fantasy predictions of the future or our glory days of the past. Life is that thing that is happening to you as you read this. We fall into the trap of living in the past and future because right here is not good enough. Back then and up there are keeping you from right now.

This crazy cycle of mind hockey stems from our inability to stop caring about what other people think of us. The truth is that other people aren’t thinking about you as much as you think they are. We lament for days, weeks, or years over some comment made in passing, by someone who forgot what they said 2 minutes after saying it. Other people’s opinions of us are none of our business. Their opinions are their unfinished business.

“The man in the mirror should not cast stones from his glass house.” —T. S. Hortonhead

If you want positive long-term change in life, accept the truth of your situation and ignore the people who don’t support it. Let go of your ego and find ways to love who you are right now. Living in the past, in the future, and for others destroys your ability to stay in the moment. Life has peaks and valleys, ups and downs, lessons, and celebrations. This is how we grow and learn. If you’re struggling with your finances, get financial advice. If you’re unhappy with your health and fitness, do Power 90 or P90X. You could do nothing and hope that it all gets better on its own, or you could open a new door and find some answers.

“You can’t solve a problem with the same brain that created it.” —Albert Einstein

To know reality is to take risks. Risk requires perseverance, courage, and wisdom.

Take the Risk*

1. Risk saying no. The first step toward having your own life begins with daring to refuse the demands of others. Saying yes because you’re afraid to say no is a recipe for resentment. Risk walking away from the fear of saying NO.
2. Risk NOT defending yourself. It’s only when you risk laying down your armor, shield, and sword (quips, retorts, and criticisms) that you discover who you really are. You can’t be hurt by letting others win.
3. Risk appearing stupid. Pretending to understand something you don’t, for fear of appearing stupid, only ensures that you’ll remain a fearful pretender. That is stupid. If you truly want to understand something, risk asking all the questions you need to. That’s smart.
4. Risk bearing your negative outlook. The weight of your problems is determined by how much you fear them. But the only weight any fear can have is determined by how much you try to push it away. Risk not “burdening others” with your negativity. The less you burden other people with your problems, the less of a burden they’ll be for you.
5. Risk being rejected. No is just a word, but fear of it is a prophecy self-fulfilled. Be bold! Risk asking for what you really want. Reject the fear of being rejected by daring to say no to the fear of NO.
6. Risk catching yourself in the act. Your life can’t be both a show and be real. Whenever you catch yourself in the middle of some self-created drama or lie, just stop it. Risk being “The Real Thing” and not “All Show and No Go.” Life is real only when you are.
7. Risk taking the lead. You can never know the true pleasure and personal satisfaction of having your own life until you take the risk of finding it for yourself, all by yourself. Followers fear the road less traveled. Risk going out front by traveling the road called “My Own Way.”

The way to live in this world is to live in the real world. Lift the burden of having to “keep up with the Joneses” all the time. Stop lying to yourself and everyone else about what you’re doing, what you’ve done, and what you’re going to do. Stop telling others about your hard workouts and clean diet, and all the while pretending that what you’re saying is true. If it is true . . . guess what? We’ll know. Reality is about discovering the truth about the here and now. Reality is the ability to accept your present situation and love who you are through the process.

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6th Law of Exercise: Sports

By Tony Horton

Take the attention off of weight, inches, and body fat percentages and put the focus on MOVING—from dancing, rock climbing, and mountain biking to table tennis. I love that Ping-Pong! Think in terms of “can do” instead of “look like.” Sports are fun and help develop balance and coordination—which in turn accelerates your results. Jump, kick, run, spin, throw, skate, shoot, hit, score, compete . . . PLAY!

Every Sunday, I head down to the original Muscle Beach in Santa Monica and meet a group of friends for a 2-1/2-hour fitness extravaganza. We do a crazy combination of pull-ups, handstands, swinging plyometric dips, 15- and 25-foot rope climbing (hands only and sometimes upside down), and tons of wacky push-ups—we even throw in a backflip or two. We finish with a rendition of Ab Ripper X. Anyone who has attended one of the Santa Monica Fitness Camps has seen it firsthand. It’s extreme, with a capital X. I love it, because it hurts me so good. This is NOT a routine I would do alone. I show up every Sunday morning to hang with the crew. As hard as the workout is, we’re there for the camaraderie, laughter, and encouragement.

We look at Sundays as opportunities to incorporate sports into our weekly fitness routines. What started out as push-ups, pull-ups, and dips has turned into gymnastics for old guys (thanks to Chuck Gaylord). Doing sports is the main reason I stay fit. On the occasional Wednesday night, I meet up with a group to go rock climbing. Every fall, I get together with ski buddies and come up with ways to get our legs ready for the hill. Where do you think the Plyometrics workout in P90X came from? I also use the Plyo Legs routine in Power 90^® Master Series to prepare for ski season.

To me, there is nothing better than the great outdoors. My sports involve cool, crisp air, gorgeous views, and climbing up or ripping down mountains. When I’m skiing or rock climbing, I’m one with my surroundings. I’m happy as a clam and at peace with the universe. I also try to mix in other sports, like inline skating, Ping-Pong (trust me, it’s a sport), basketball, and mountain biking. These are sports I love that help me stay in shape. I encourage you to get involved in SOMETHING athletic—anything that would be fun and enjoyable for you. Try to care a little less about weight loss and more about accomplishment. There are so many different kinds of sports to choose from. Set a goal, take a class, or sign up for a race, anything that gives you a reason to focus on “can do” and not so much “look like.” If you shift to an athletic mind-set, you won’t obsess as much about calories, inches, and your weight. “Can-do” numbers like reps, range of motion, and resistance become more important. Athletes care about improving their games, not how they look in their climbing gear.

If you can find one thing/sport that you really enjoy, then your day-to-day workouts will be less of a chore and more of a means to an end. Sports will also give you the opportunity to connect better and share with a partner. Whether you’re single or partnered with someone, it will give you a chance to meet like-minded folks. The people I know who have a regular sport pursuit are consistently fit over time, are rarely depressed or anxious, and meet tons of amazing people in the process.

For some of you, the excuse of time or money or the fear of looking uncoordinated in front of other people can keep you from trying something athletic. There were tens of thousands of Power 90 and P90X customers who had those same fears. They stepped through the door anyway and found a brand-new and exciting reason to stay fit and healthy.

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7th Law of Exercise: The Plan

By Tony Horton

SCHEDULE ALL WORKOUTS IN ADVANCE. This creates accountability. Plan an entire month ahead of time. Try to schedule as many workouts as possible with friends who have similar goals. WOWY SuperGym^® was developed so we could all have an easy and effective way to stay accountable and work out together. Now we’ve got people in Trumbull, CT (my hometown), doing Power 90 at the same time with people in Hollywood. That’s cool!

I believe that a workout calendar is your most important tool. Power 90 and P90X have everything you need to stay consistent. But for those of you who are having trouble with motivation and consistency, you need to place that calendar where you’ll see it every day—on the bathroom mirror, on the refrigerator, next to the TV, or right on your front door if you have to. I have a desk calendar that stares back at me every day. After 25 years of training, I still write down the type of workout I’ve done and circle the day I did it. At the end of the month, I add the workouts up. My goal (for the last 21 years) has been a minimum of 20 workouts a month—that’s 240 a year with 125 days off.

I’ve always said that you can focus on intensity and variety, but if you don’t know what you’re doing and when, you’re toast. It amazes me how so many people wake up in the morning and don’t know the exact time they’re working out that day. We’re pretty good at scheduling when to go to bed, when to eat, and when to watch our favorite show on the tube. But we find ourselves trying to squeeze workouts in. The “fit it in whenever” approach might work for a little while, but it never survives in the long run. You can’t have a fitness lifestyle if you don’t have a long-term plan.

Beachbody^® provides the variety—and even the motivation through the Message Boards. Your job is to plan ahead. If you don’t lock down a time for your workouts, they won’t happen. If you make it a point to schedule your workouts in advance, your chances of success will skyrocket. My calendar has been a simple and powerful tool for me for over 20 years. Without it . . . I’m lost. With it I’m organized, committed, and successful.

WOWY SuperGym is another tool to help you lock in your workout schedule because it creates accountability. Accountability: the obligation or willingness to accept responsibility or to account for one’s actions. I schedule six workouts every week. I am accountable to the people I schedule them with. I take Monday off. Tuesday I meet four guys at 5:00 PM for a weight workout. Wednesday I meet one to three people for cardio at 5:30 PM. Every other Wednesday, I meet friends at 7:30 PM to rock climb. Thursday I do weights at 5:00 PM with the boys. Friday is cardio or leg/plyometrics day at 4:30 or 5:00 PM with one to three friends. Saturday is yoga at 4:00 PM. I meet two to four friends at the yoga studio. Sunday is a gymnastic workout with my crew. It’s locked in!

Stop winging it and schedule when to Push Play in advance. Move your workouts to the top of your priority list. Don’t think about doing them whenever. Schedule them as if they were very important meetings or appointments. BECAUSE THEY ARE! You can love what you’re doing and eat like a star, but if you don’t plan those workouts (a month in advance), you won’t go far.

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8th Law of Exercise: Sleep (and Stress)

By Tony Horton

Stressed out, sleep-deprived people don’t eat right and don’t exercise regularly. Stress depletes your energy, strength, and desire, while poor sleep habits affect your moods and immune function, along with your cognitive and motor performance. Burning the candle at both ends makes it impossible to be fit and healthy.

Stress

Do you realize that if you took the fear and anxiety out of every “stressful” situation in life, the end result of that situation would greatly improve? You can panic and freak out all you want, but time will still pass and life will happen, whether you stress out about it or not. So why not choose patience or curiosity? Patience is a virtue, and who wouldn’t want to be virtuous in a stressful situation? To be curious means asking the right questions to help find solutions. When does fear, worry, or anxiety ever help a situation? Stress occurs when we are incapable of moving through a situation logically, peacefully, positively, productively, and gracefully. It take a lot of energy to be stressed out. Allowing stress to overtake you means you’re having a tough time dealing with reality. Don’t let stress get your goat. Stand up, take a deep breath, and see if you can deal with reality under pressure. I like the parable about the 10 people standing in line at a bank. Three robbers come storming in—screaming, yelling, and waving guns around. They terrorize the place and steal everyone’s jewelry and money. What’s the moral of the story? Ten people experiencing the same event will have very different reactions to it. Some will never recover, while others will have a crazy story to tell at cocktail parties. How do you respond to the events in your life?

I like Byron Katie’s 3 Kinds of Business Theory:

1. God’s Business. The things that happen in this world that are out of my control.
2. Their Business. The choices other people make based on their life experiences so far.
3. My Business. The choices I make that shape my life.

Don’t waste your time on gossip, ridicule, envy, self-pity, anger, guilt, arrogance, impatience, regret, manipulation, jealousy, fear, worry, and anxiety. It’s too stressful, and it destroys the energy you need to stay healthy and fit. If you choose understanding, truth, clarity, patience, devotion, gratitude, acceptance, wisdom, and forgiveness, you will have peace of mind and all the energy in the world to do whatever you want.

Sleep

Sleep does more than make you feel rested. Two recent studies with healthy volunteers demonstrated suppression of immunological function in participants after one night of modest sleep deprivation. The activity of certain white blood cells and the production of chemicals essential for immune system performance significantly decreased. After a good night’s sleep, most immune functions went back to baseline levels. About 40 percent of adults experience sleepiness that interferes with daily activities. Most U.S. adults get less than 7 hours of sleep per night during the workweek, while research has determined that certain parameters of immune function are enhanced by more than 7 hours of sleep.

Another study showed that the leading cause of traffic accidents in this country is NOT alcohol but sleep deprivation. If you don’t have enough energy to stay awake to drive your car, how will you have enough energy for a 6-day-a-week workout plan? We’re not sleeping enough hours, and the limited time we spend trying to sleep is filled with so much mind chatter that we never get the rest we need.

My Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate^® Dictionary defines sleep as follows: the natural periodic suspension of consciousness during which the powers of the body are restored. In the Taoist philosophy, there’s a belief in yin and yang energies. These are opposing energies that create balance. Exercise is yang energy. Sleep and rest are yin energy. There must be proper balance between vim and vigor (yang) and inward calm (yin). If you don’t get enough sound sleep, your body will NOT receive the proper restoration it needs to complete or succeed with any fitness program. So TiVo^® American Idol and go to bed!

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9th Law of Exercise: Loving It

By Tony Horton

Exercise involves commitment, determination, planning, consistency, and intensity. If you don’t like what you’re doing, there’s no way on earth you’ll succeed. Enthusiasm is a very big piece of the puzzle. Get creative and stay curious. If you enjoy doing Power 90^® exclusively and it works for you, then keep doing it until it doesn’t work for you. If you get partway through P90X and it’s not your cup of tea, then stop and do something else. Something’s got to bring you back day after day, week after week. Love it or leave it.

I don’t know about you, but if I don’t like or love something, then I don’t do it. Period. On the other hand, I’m extremely motivated when it comes to doing the things I love. Folks always ask me what I consider to be the best ways to get in shape: “Is Power 90 really the best program for me?” “What do you think about spinning?” “I hear that kayaking is the fastest growing sport in America. Will that get me in shape?” “If I run more, will that help me burn off extra fat?” The truth is they’re all great ways for losing weight, getting in shape, and living a healthy lifestyle. If any of these workouts feels like work to you, then it won’t work for you, especially over the long haul. People fail to finish fitness programs because they don’t enjoy what they’re doing.

It boggles my mind why anyone would continue to do anything they don’t enjoy. Call me crazy, but I believe that loving what you do is the key to joy and happiness in every category of life. If you’re dealing with a lot of emotional drama, slaving away at work, and eating junk food, then how in the hell will you stick with a workout program that you dread before starting it? It helps to be enthusiastic about what you’re doing. It’s a thrill for me to see the thousands of folks start and complete my workout programs. It means that “fun and variety” are key components to people’s success. Power 90 and P90X work because Beachbody supported me in my quest to incorporate the things I love.

The formula for figuring out what you love (this applies to everything in life) is simply being creative and curious (see “1st Law of Exercise: Variety” in the Related Articles section below). Curiosity and creativity involve finding ways to modify, integrate, and alter your workouts so that you can incorporate the things you love into your daily routines. I’m at the point in my fitness journey where I’m not exactly sure what my workout is going to look like 10 minutes before I start it. I often develop my workouts on the fly. This approach allows me to be creative as I make my way through it. I do this when I ski and rock climb, so why not with my workouts? I’ve been noticing lately that some people in the Beachbody community have been combining different programs to create personalized workouts. This is genius! They’re mixin’ it up and finding ways to enjoy it. Loving it helps you stick with it. Sticking with it will happen when you find ways to make it interesting. I recommend this strategy only after you’ve completed a full round of Power 90 or P90X.

If you’re anything like me, you’ll discover that the same thing over and over doesn’t work over time. FIND WHAT YOU LOVE (no matter what anyone else says) and do that. If you stay curious, try new things, and abandon the exercises you dislike and continue doing the ones you love, then you’ll discover a fitness philosophy that you’ll stick with for a lifetime.

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10th Law of Exercise: Flexibility

By Tony Horton

Flexibility is the fountain of youth. Flexible people are much less prone to injury. Yoga and stretching allow you to bring more intensity to your workouts. Flexibility is the key component to becoming less vulnerable and more durable. Aging has a funny way of making everything we do harder. Staying limber and flexible is the way to prevent that from happening.

When I was a young lad, there was really no such thing as stretching. When I heard the word yoga, I thought people were mispronouncing yogurt. Come to think of it, I didn’t know what yogurt was either . . . some kind of healthy sour milk. Nasty! (I love it now!)

Back in the ’60s (yes, I’m that old), there were benchmarks that determined how fit you were: push-ups, pull-ups, dips, sit-ups (not crunches), the 100-yard dash, and touching your toes. The first five items on the list involved strength and speed. Some kids had it, while others did not. I was in the “did not” category. (That changed later.) Touching your toes was a breeze for all of us. Even out-of-shape kids like me could touch their toes.

When you’re young (no matter what kind of shape you’re in), you’re naturally flexible and prone to recover quickly. Kids get scrapes, bruises, even broken bones, but it’s pretty rare for a young child to pull a muscle, and if they do, they recover in the blink of an eye. Back in the good old days, the focus was on running faster and jumping higher. The only kids in my neighborhood who stretched were gymnasts or ballerinas. Try to imagine a stretch class for children in the ’60s. Yeah, right!

Back in the day, proper stretching didn’t happen. For most adults it still doesn’t. Studies show that pulled muscles (due to lack of flexibility) cause as many people to quit their fitness programs as joint injuries. Back and hamstring muscle strains/injuries can take as long to heal as broken bones . . . or longer.

People hate to stretch because they think it’s too boring. They believe stiff, tight people can’t become flexible. They say stretching and yoga are too uncomfortable, and they don’t see results fast enough. People don’t like it because it cuts into their workout time. I’m here to tell you it’s time to rethink the importance of flexibility.

Stretching, yoga, and Pilates improve overall body awareness, enhance all aspects of physical fitness, reduce muscular soreness, and increase skill levels during training and athletic performance. Flexibility increases mental relaxation, greatly reduces the risks of various injuries (like back problems, muscle strains, and joint sprains), and slows the aging process in muscles and joints. Who wouldn’t want all that?

The only reason people don’t become more flexible is because they’re not willing to put in the time. The axiom for other aspects of fitness also applies to flexibility: you get better at the things you do often. Stretching and yoga are just as important as strength conditioning and cardiovascular fitness. Stretching and yoga can replenish the natural flexibility and durability we have when we’re younger. If you decide and commit to becoming less vulnerable through flexibility, you will also discover a calmness (much like meditation) that comes with stretching and yoga.

Flexibility is the Fountain of Youth. Give yourself that amazing gift. Here’s to touching your toes.

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11th Law of Exercise: Food and Supplements

By Tony Horton

You are what you eat! Food and supplements are your fuel. The right fuel gives you proper energy, aids recovery, and helps balance brain chemistry.

Even though my job title is Trainer and Coach, I put a lot of time and energy into diet and supplementation. We need energy and enthusiasm to exercise. That energy and enthusiasm is determined by the quality of fuel we choose. The Double Es (as I call them) can make or break your day. When they’re strong, we’re strong. When they waver, we falter. Your fuel intake is a key component to your success with Power 90^® and P90X^® (and everything else in life). Healthy, nutritious food provides the energy you need to get through a hectic day. Poor food choices (aka “FOOD PORN”) causes napping. Your choice. When you do the right thing, you’re sharp, ready, enthusiastic, and willing to take on the day. When you fill your gullet with processed foods and grease, trying to organize a sock drawer feels like climbing Mt. Everest.

Everything you put in your mouth—all the food, snacks, liquids, supplements, and even drugs (prescription or otherwise)—affects your quality of life. Excess quantities of low-quality food and drink can and will lead to weight gain, excess fat stores, heart disease, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, and even things like arthritis, osteoporosis, and Parkinson’s disease. Recent research shows that this is only a partial list. A poor diet will affect mood, energy, and strength, and destroy healthy sleep patterns (see Law # 8: Sleep [and Stress]). Recent studies have also shown that a poor diet leading to extra pounds increases your risk of cancer of the breast, prostate, colon, esophagus, ovaries, uterus, kidneys, and possibly more.

Eating high-quality foods, combined with proper supplementation, greatly reduces the risk and the possibility of developing and/or dying from such health problems. High-quality foods and supplements assist in lowering fat stores, losing weight, increasing energy, recovering from workouts, and maintaining healthy bones, muscles, and joints. Supplementation and eating well also reduce bouts of depression, sadness, and anxiety while promoting psychological well-being. The Power 90 and P90X diet plans show you what kinds of foods to eat and when to eat them. In the test groups I witnessed firsthand the difference between folks who ate well and took their supplements and those who didn’t.

I take my supplements every day. My belief is that going without them is like going without water. They supply us with the nutrients required for living a healthy lifestyle. The vitamins and minerals in supplements work together with food to supply us with the energy we need to do a six-day-a-week program like Power 90 and P90X. Supplements are NOT drugs. A prescribed drug is taken when your body and/or mind is no longer capable of functioning normally. Supplements are taken to subtly assist the mind and body to reach beyond everyday activities.

When it comes to food, I have never been a calorie counter. I have enough things to think about, and keeping track of calories is not one of them. I’m equally uninterested in percentages, formulas, and “weird” combinations of different foods to trick the body into losing weight for a short period of time. This battle of overeating, eating garbage pretending to be food, and choosing dangerous ways to lose weight is a nightmare. If you really care about your health, you must clean up your diet. If you consume high-quality fuel, your mind and body run smoothly. Low-fat chocolate cake is NOT a healthy choice. Fat-free potato chips aren’t healthy either. Bacon, for example, is not the best way to start your day. This stuff is FOOD PORN.

Don’t get caught up in all the fad diets and weight loss pills. Long-term success doesn’t happen with Atkins, Slim-Fast, or the Coconut Diet. It happens when you consistently eat lots of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean protein, and healthy fats. Showing up for six workouts a week requires great discipline. It’s also important to show restraint and discipline in your choices regarding food and supplementation. Our bodies don’t run on exercise, they run on the fuel we put in our mouth. You cannot substitute good exercise for a bad diet. Good diet and exercise have to happen at the same time. If you bring the same level of consistency and discipline to your daily fuel intake as you do to your workouts, you’ll greatly reduce a lifetime of health risks, improve your overall quality of life, and see much greater physical change in a shorter period of time.