For years, there has been a plethora of fitness commercials ranging from equipment to weight loss programs. They all have their own philosophy that they believe will give people the figure they want. The surprising thing is that many of their philosophies have little scientific research or backing that validates what they’re trying to sell. Now I am not trying to pick on anyone, but P90x is one of the fitness trends I am talking about.

Now, I truly have no major problems with the p90x program. The problem I have is what they say to sell the program. Aside from their fitness regimen and their nutritional advice, what is their number one selling point? Well, if you have not heard it a million times, it’s muscle confusion. Muscle confusion this!… muscle confusion that! Everything about their product is contoured to the selling of muscle confusion. Now anyone that knows more than a teardrop about fitness knows that muscle confusion is just boloney! Allow me to give you a run down on how a muscle contracts. This will give you a better understanding that I know what I am talking about.

When a person is ready to make a movement, there is a signal (neuron actions potential) sent from your brain down your spinal cord to the motor neuron. This signal causes the release of acetylcholine which binds to the receptors allowing the sodium ions to rush into the muscle fiber. As a side note this is why sodium is important during physical activity. The muscle action potential runs across the t-tubules causing the release of calcium. Calcium binds to troponin which causes the myosin binding sites to become exposed. The myosin pulls on the actin filaments shorting the muscle fiber which shortens the muscle group resulting in a muscle contraction,bla,bla,bla the end.

There were a number of steps I skipped but I believe that I would have put you to sleep, tucked you in, and posted this blog as “the lullaby”. The reason why I went through that process was to show you that no exercise program is going to alter that physiological reaction! The whole muscle confusion idea is based on multiple exercises will confuse your muscles. This confusion will prevent plateaus from occurring in your fitness progression. Look, if I go to the gym five days a week for a year and use the same bicep curl machine and never get bored, my biceps will probably be huge.

If I want “the situation’s” abs, and I run every day for 20 miles, and do 1000 sit-ups, my abs will probably look better than “the situation’s”. What I am relaying is as long as you don’t become bored or tired of an exercise, you will see results. There is no special formula that requires a variation of exercises to prevent fitness plateaus. If you do become bored, then switch it up! Plateaus usually occur when you dread doing an exercise. I have had plenty in my day and all I do is take a short break from that exercise. Variation is fine; just don’t believe that you have to do multiple exercises to get that body you want. It’s all about movement people! That is why P90x is so successful! Once you start moving, calories begin to burn, muscles start to gain strength, and weight begins to melt away. If it wasn’t for the whole “muscle confusion,” I would back P90x.

The program is no different than a Richard Simmons’s workout video with the exception that Richard Simmons never used gimmicks. Well I believe that I have said enough, but remember this: Variation is fine, but it’s not needed to obtain your goal. P90x and their muscle confusion philosophy is something they made to confuse people, don’t allow it to confuse you!

-Phil