Beachbody’s P90X vs Insanity vs Body Beast: Which is Better?

Beachbody On Demand is home to dozens of streamable training programs for just about every fitness goal, experience level, and time commitment imaginable.

But none of its 40+ programs create a decade-long buzz quite like these three:

• Tony Horton’s P90X
• Shaun T’s Insanity
• Sagi Kalev’s Body Beast

Each of these best-selling Beachbody programs sculpts a more aesthetic physique through near-daily high-intensity training. Yet, between these three options, which is better?

Let’s find out!

Before We Get Started, Let Me Say This…

Hey, it’s Kyle. I’m the founder of Noob Gains.

Thanks so much for stopping by! 🙂

I just wanted to jump in here to let you know that the programs covered in this review might be total bangers… or not.

(I’m not going to spoil it just yet.)

And while they might do a decent job of getting you the fitness results you want…

There’s one program that I continue to recommend to noobs over and over again because of how effective it is at helping beginners build muscle and lose body fat with minimal effort.

Listen, if you want to build a lean and muscular physique that draws attention…

Without working out more than 3 days per week…

Without forcing down 5-6 bland, bodybuilder-style meals per day…

And without gouging your wallet…

You should consider Superhero X12 by Fit Mole.

Build a Superhero Body Without Training Like One

Getting in shape isn't easy. But this program gives you a real-life approach to building a leaner, more muscular body without obsessing over fitness 24/7.

Learn More

Read Our Review

“Kyle, I’ve never heard of whatever Superhero X12 is. Why should I trust you?”

First of all, you shouldn’t trust me. You shouldn’t trust anyone.

We’re all just strangers on the internet.

That being said, I’m going to do my best to show you why SX12 is a pretty good program for beginners that want to look muscular.

First of all, most workout programs are designed to leech your money and only help you accomplish one very specific goal.

“You want to lose body fat? Sounds good… here’s the program.”

“Oh, you want to build muscle too? Well, you need to buy another program.”

“Wait, you’re not a beginner anymore? OK, you’re gonna need to buy the intermediate program now.”

And on and on and on…

Wouldn’t you rather have everything you need to tackle multiple fitness goals in one place?

Superhero X12 is different because it covers ALL fitness goals.

It’s not just for losing body fat or building muscle. This program teaches you everything you need to…

• Gain muscle
• Build strength
• Improve muscle density
• Build definition
• Get completely shredded
• Take a more AGGRESSIVE shredding approach
• Or maintain the abs you already have

And it has workouts for both beginners and intermediates so you won’t outgrow the program!

Feature	Superhero X12	Other Programs
Fitness Levels	Multiple	1 per program
Fitness Goals	Multiple	1 per program
Workouts	3x /week	5x or more /week
Flexible Dieting
Calorie Calculator
Mindset Guide
2-Day Workout Option
	Learn More	See Reviews

You don’t have to waste money buying multiple programs because SX12 has specific workouts, diets, and strategies to help you do it all.

Second, a lot of programs completely kill your free time and force you to workout 5-7 days per week.

Often, brands use this as a big “selling point” for their program.

“Are you EXTREME enough to train EVERY SINGLE DAY?!”

Uh, maybe. But a better question is “why do this?”

Nowadays, we’re all busy as hell and we try our best to not let the few precious minutes of free time that we have slip through our fingers like grains of sand.

Personally, I’d rather train fewer days per week, and get back to watching Netflix.

On the other, Superhero X12 shows you how to transform your body in 3 very efficient workouts per week.

There are no unnecessary exercises and no time wasted.

If you can commit to 3 hours of training each week, you can create a great-looking physique…

And maintain it year round!

Finally, the diet portions of many programs are restrictive (and make you hate your life).

Bodybuilders have said for decades that you need to “eat multiple small meals throughout the day to build muscle”.

But guess what? Science doesn’t back this up.

For instance, evidence suggests it doesn’t really matter if you have protein coming in every 2-3 hours, and muscle maintenance is also unaffected by meal frequency.

Do you want to spend your free time portioning brown rice and packing tupperware containers? I didn’t think so!

Superhero X12 let’s you eat your favorite foods every day, have as many meals as you want, and still build muscle.

Do you know why young guys just like you are getting noticeable results on SX12?

It’s because the nutrition plan is easy to follow over the long term and doesn’t turn your meals into a chore.

You don’t have to force down bland, tasteless meals 6 times a day.

You can eat your favorite foods when YOU want to eat them.

But these are the reasons I keep recommending Superhero X12 to beginners:

• You can save money with a program that’s designed for multiple goals and experience levels
• You can spend less time in the gym by working out only 3 times per week
• And you can enjoy the process by eating foods you love at your own pace

But like I said, you shouldn’t take my word for it.

I’m just a random internet person.

Check out Superhero X12 for yourself and see what’s up.

Build a Superhero Body Without Training Like One

Getting in shape isn't easy. But this program gives you a real-life approach to building a leaner, more muscular body without obsessing over fitness 24/7.

Learn More

Read Our Review

The Background on P90X

P90X is Tony Horton’s 2005 Beachbody program, which later inspired his more athletic programs P90X2 and P90X3 (a condensed, standalone fusion of P90X & P90X2).

This record-setting full-body program offers a unique yet science-backed approach to getting in shape in 90 days. Revealed in our full review, most users end P90X with a slimmer, leaner, and more athletic build.

P90X workouts tend to be lengthy (45–60 minutes) and require plenty of equipment. However, this advanced routine never loses its excitement, offering 12 unique workouts, like:

• Yoga & Stretching
• Split Workouts (Chest & Back, Shoulders & Arms, Legs & Back, etc.)
• Cardio Training
• Kenpo & Plyometrics
• Ab Ripper X

Check out the details of P90X below!

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5 Benefits of P90X

1. The included materials leave no stone unturned. P90X has some of the most detailed program materials on the entire Beachbody program. The 126-page Nutritional Plan and 109-page Fitness Guide explain how to follow the program to maximize results.
2. P90X offers three program options. The program offers three “plans of attack,” depending on your goals: Classic (the original plan), Doubles (to maximize weight loss and endurance), and Lean (the more cardio-focused path).
3. The success stories speak for themselves. P90X workouts can burn 378–631 calories each and drive your heart rate into the ideal fat-burning zone (60–80%). Between the calories burned and the P90X diet, many lose 20+ pounds in 90 days.
4. Each workout brings excitement to the gym. Tony Horton worked overtime to include as much variety as possible in this 90-day program. There’s no shortage in variety between classic resistance training splits, yoga, Kenpo, cardio, and plyometric workouts.
5. Recording your progress is easy. Horton includes worksheets to log your progress during the next 90 days. By the end of the program, you’ll see visible results as well as improvements to your strength (weight increases) and endurance (rep boosts).

3 Reasons Against P90X

1. It’s not compatible with a busy schedule or low budget. Most workouts last a full hour (Yoga X is even longer at 92 minutes). But in addition to a huge time commitment, P90X also requires more equipment than Body Beast and Insanity combined.
2. It’s far from beginner-friendly. Most challenging P90X exercises come with a modifier. But if you can’t pass the official P90X Fit Test (i.e., three pull-ups, one-minute squat hold), then this program is much too advanced for your current fitness level.
3. The program itself is a tad outdated. P90X hasn’t changed a bit since it first launched in 2005. Unfortunately, it would never win an Emmy, and the old-school studio and headset microphones make P90X feel more like your parents’ old workout DVDs.

The First Contender: Insanity

Insanity is Shaun T’s hit 2009 Beachbody program designed for advanced athletes ready to shed 20+ pounds and achieve a year’s worth of results in just two months.

This 60-day equipment-free cardio program can shred nearly 1,000 calories per hour by spiking your heart rate to 80% of your max — which falls into the maximum fat-burning zone.

Shaun T’s calisthenic workouts drag on for nearly 40 straight minutes. But while the schedule includes six workouts per week (including a shortened recovery workout), there is variety:

• Conditioning
• Intervals
• Circuits
• Cardio
• Plyometrics
• Abs
• Balance

Here’s a closer look at the Insanity program!

5 Benefits of Insanity

1. It doesn’t require any equipment whatsoever. Insanity is a true equipment-free workout; all you need is the resistance of your own bodyweight. However, an exercise mat may add a touch of comfort to floor exercises, like push-ups and planks.
2. Interval training can be phenomenal for aesthetics. Shaun T’s program is the opposite of traditional interval training — long intervals and short rest periods. Targeting that 80% max heart rate goal can maximize fat-burning for a more aesthetic build.
3. Many participants shed 20 pounds in two months. The program’s success stories are truly impressive. While most drop 10–20 pounds in two months, repeating Insanity has helped others build ripped physiques and drop 50, 70, even 100+ pounds.
4. The 40/40/20 meal plan is ideal for gains. Insanity’s 40/40/20, the five-meal-a-day nutritional plan is rich in protein, helps satisfy cravings, and keeps your metabolism high. This alone can maximize lean mass while shredding body fat to uncover definition.
5. Insanity can produce full-body results. With a combination of cardio, jump training, and calisthenics, it’s not weight loss or muscle mass. Insanity jumps on the body recomposition bandwagon and achieves both goals at once.

3 Reasons Against Insanity

1. It’s among Beachbody’s least noob-friendly plans. Insanity is one of the worst Beachbody programs for beginners, as it alternates between three minutes of training and 30 seconds of rest. If you can’t pass the Fit Test, you’re not ready for this program.
2. Insanity requires a considerable time commitment. Most of this program’s workouts last between 40 and 60 minutes, a bit longer than the other two programs. So Insanity isn’t ideal if you have a busy schedule or smaller chunks of spare time.
3. It can be downright dangerous if you have pre-existing conditions. Insanity is so intense on the heart, lungs, and body that it could be dangerous to the unfit or unhealthy. Check with your doctor before trying Insanity, and wear a heart rate monitor!

Breaking Down Body Beast

Body Beast is a Sagi Kalev program launched by Beachbody in 2012. This 90-day program is a weightlifting-centric routine, a bro split designed with hypertrophy principles in mind.

This program flows through three phases: Build (strength), Bulk (mass), and Beast (fat loss). This gradual progression allows users to build mass, lose weight, and carve out definition.

The only required Body Beast equipment includes dumbbells and a weight bench. And with just that, Kalev will guide you through six weekly resistance training workouts to sculpt a leaner, more ripped you. Body Beast workouts include:

• Shoulders
• Chest/Tris
• Back/Bis
• Cardio & Abs
• Total Body & Abs
• Legs

If you want to go deeper, check out our full detailed review of Body Beast.

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5 Benefits of Body Beast

1. It aligns with science-backed hypertrophy research. Body Beast follows nearly every guideline for mass-building, including 8–12 reps per set and 3–4 sets per exercise. Its <60 seconds of rest between sets can also maximize the release of growth hormone.
2. Choose a plan that matches your physique goals. Sagi Kalev created two unique Body Beast calendars, each lasting 12 weeks: Huge Beast (to build more lean mass) and Lean Beast (to shred more fat and get “ripped”).
3. Workout lengths are more reasonable. The Beast Up and Build: Back/Bis workouts are a bit longer than the others, at 50+ minutes. However, most Body Beast workouts guarantee a satisfying pump in just 35–40 minutes.
4. Body Beast is Beachbody’s version of a “bro split.” Most Beachbody programs are cardio-heavy or limit the use of weightlifting gear. Yet, this Sagi Kalev program is a classic 4–5-day split with an occasional full-body, ab, or cardio workout tossed in.
5. It’s somewhat beginner-friendly. Body Beast features plenty of compound movements and emphasizes progressive overload. So if you have some training experience, Body Beast can switch the focus to aesthetics with unilateral and isolated exercises.

3 Reasons Against Body Beast

1. Sagi Kalev’s stage presence is tiring. The biggest complaint about Body Beast is that Sagi Kalev is no Tony Horton or Shaun T. Most users wind up muting their computers or tuning out Kalev’s non-stop chatter with the included Spotify playlist instead.
2. The hype behind “Dynamic Set Training” is just that — hype. The various set types (i.e., giant sets, force sets, circuit) keep the workouts from feeling repetitive. But aside from saving time and adding excitement, this approach doesn’t influence gains much.
3. The program materials can feel a little confusing. With so many materials uploaded to the platform, Body Beast isn’t exactly self-explanatory. You’ll need to read the lengthy Fitness Guide and Eating Plan to understand how to use the other included documents.

P90X vs Insanity vs Body Beast Conclusion

Insanity is better than P90X and Body Beast if you’re an advanced athlete, want to build an aesthetic physique (shred fat & build muscle), and maximize your results in 60 days.

However, the right program for you depends on quite a few factors. For example, your experience level, how much free time you have, what equipment you have access to, etc.

Here are our recommendations.

Choose Tony Horton’s P90X if you …

• Appreciate workout variety (i.e., yoga, cardio, weightlifting).
• Want to lose weight, build muscle, and become a better all-around athlete in 90 days.
• Hope to completely revitalize your training and diet.

Shaun T’s Insanity is a better option if you …

• Consider yourself an advanced trainee with a leaner physique in mind.
• Want to lose weight efficiently, at a rate of about 20 pounds in 60 days.
• Have about an hour of free time a day to train hard.

Or, select Sagi Kalev’s Body Beast if you …

• Value a more muscular physique over any other fitness goals.
• Are short on time and have access to basic training equipment.
• Have some resistance training experience and feel ready for a bro split.

Are you planning to try all three of these programs at some point?

The best order to follow is Body Beast (to build foundational strength and size), P90X (to continue enhancing mass while losing fat), and Insanity (to guarantee a completely ripped look).