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Hey it’s Chris. Some of the links on this page may be sponsored - it helps keep the blog going. Cool?
Oh one more thing, if you're a guy looking to get ripped 6-pack abs or a woman looking to get a lean toned stomach, I just put together a killer workout called the "Dirty Dozen" ab workout. Click here to get your free PDF copy..
Onto the article...When you are looking to develop lean muscle mass, you might be wondering which program is right for you.
Two of the most popular programs on the market are Athlean X and P90X. These programs are similar but have a few significant differences. Here is all you need to know about Athlean X vs. P90X.
Recommended: If you’re looking for a new killer muscle-building program, I highly recommend Rusty Moore’s Visual Impact Muscle Building (you can see my Visual Impact Muscle Building review here).
What is Athlean X?
Athlean X is a suite of workout programs that are geared toward getting you ripped and bulking you up. It comes with a meal plan as well as detailed video instruction. You can see my in-depth review of the Athlean X programs here.
Athlean X is primarily marketed to men, with a couple of programs developed exclusively for women.
Athlean X programs (with the exception of XERO) require a basic home gym set up to be effective. You can see the entire home gym set up for Athlean X here.
What is P90X?
P90X is a 90-day workout program that you can stream through the Beachbody On Demand Membership.
The workouts are 45 to 60 minutes long and are INTENSE.
Like Athlean X there are different levels of workouts in P90X that you can do. These include P90X, P90X Plus, and P90X Pro Team.
You also need some equipment to do a P90X workout, but not as much as Athlean X.
How are Athlean X and P90X Different?
There are several differences between Athlean X and P90X. The biggest one is the focus on defined muscle building in Athlean X.
You WILL build defined muscles in P90X, but Athlean X is geared more toward definition with bulk.
Many women won’t like how much the Athlean X programs that are not geared toward women bulk them up. While P90X is great for both genders.
You also need quite a bit more equipment with Athlean X than P90X. See the equipment section below.
Finally, the delivery of these programs is quite different. P90X is part of the Beachbody on-demand subscription service (it works similar to Netflix), while you buy the Athlean X as individual programs.
How are Athlean X and P90X Similar?
Both of these programs are solid workout options. They both have a lot of variety and keep your body moving forward to new and higher levels of fitness.
Another similarity is that these programs are both home workouts with meal plans so that you can focus on both the workout and your food to support your workout.
Both programs offer instant delivery of the content that you can stream on almost any device.
Finally, both programs also have a line of supplements that is exclusive to them.
Equipment Needed with Athlean X
For Athlean X you will need the following equipment:
- Dumbbells (I like Bowflex Adjustable Dumbells)
- Weight Bench (I like Olympic Weight Bench)
- Pull Up Bar (I like Sagler’s Pull Up Bar)
- Resistance Bands (I like Fit Simplify Resistance Loop Exercise Bands)
- Exercise Ball (I like URBNFit Exercise Ball)
- Jump Rope – (I like WOD Nation Speed Jump Rope)
- Barbell with Plates (I like the Yaheetech barbell set)
- Squat Rack (I like the Cap Barbell Power Rack)
Note: if you’re looking for more options I wrote an entire post about the best home gym equipment for Athlean X here.
Equipment Needed with P90X
For P90X you will need the following equipment:
- Pull Up Bar (I like Sagler’s Pull Up Bar)
- Dumbbells (I like Bowflex Adjustable Dumbbells)
- Resistance Bands (I like Fit Simplify Resistance Loop Exercise Bands)
- Exercise Mat (I like Balance from Go Yoga)
Who Should Get Athlean X?
If you have the equipment to do the program properly and are looking to achieve muscle mass as well as definition, the Athlean X programs are an excellent choice.
Who Should Get P90X?
If you don’t want to outfit an entire home gym and are looking at building a lean and defined body P90X is an excellent choice.
Athlean X Video Review
This video review is of a real user who completely transformed his body using Athlean X.
P90X Video Review
I love this video review! It shows real results of real people who are working out with P90X and gives you updates along the way.
The Bottom Line on Athlean X vs. P90X
| Athlean X | P90X | |
| Strength | Yes | Yes |
| Bulk | Yes | No |
| Definition | Yes | Yes |
| Equipment | Lots | Some |
| Subscription | No | Yes |
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes |
| Supplements | Yes | Yes |
Both of these programs are excellent ways to get in shape at home. They are both intense programs and require a moderate level of fitness to begin.
What you get depends on your goals.
If you want definition without bulk, then P90X is your best bet. If you want bulk AND definition Althean X is better. My favorite program is Visual Impact Muscle Building by Rusty Moore, which combines the best of both worlds.
