Insanity Workout Reviews
The Insanity workout from Shaun T, created by Beachbody, is by far, the hardest workout I have ever endured.
I have yet to find myself working out that hard or sweating that much during one workout program but I have to tell you that I loved every single minute of it. Insanity is a PERFECT name for this program because it truly is insane!
BREAKING NEWS: INSANITY: THE ASYLUM IS NOW AVAILABLE!
Insanity is NOT, I repeat NOT for beginners looking
to just get started on a
fitness program. After I had purchased
the Insanity workout, I had just finished my 2nd round of P90X.
While I thought I was in the best shape of my life, Shaun T
proved me wrong. Dead wrong. The first day was Cardio Circuit
and I had a difficult time getting through the warm-up (which at
the time thought was the actual workout).
Check out other readers personal reviews on their experience with Insanity.
Shaun T, creator of Hip Hop Abs, incorporates non-traditional interval techniques called MAX interval training into the Insanity workouts. So, instead of short bouts of exercise with longer periods of rest, MAX intervals involves longer periods of cardio exercise followed by shorter duration rest breaks. Beachbody indicates that this produces faster results as you can burn up to 1,000 calories in a single Insanity workout.
When you purchase the Insanity
workout program, you get 10
workout DVD's, a fitness guide, an Insanity wall calendar, as well as an Elite nutrition guide to help you maximize your results. During the first month you will complete the following workouts in addition to the FIT TEST DVD.
The first month's workouts include:
- Plyometric Cardio Circuit (also Cardio Circuit-misprint on the calendar)
- Cardio Power & Resistance
- Pure Cardio
- Cardio Abs
- Cardio Recovery (recovery, ha!)
- Core Cardio & Balance
The second month's workouts include:
- Max Interval Plyo
- Max Interval Circuit
- Cardio Abs
- Max Recovery
- Max Cardio (holy moly)
Insanity Workout Tips
Each day that I put in the DVD's scheduled on the workout calendar, I feared for my life but knew that I just had to keeping plugging away. Here are a few tips to help you get through the Insanity workout program.
-
GET A FREE Beachbody/Insanity Account. If you do
not have an account, sign up for one here. An account will
give you access to the Insanity schedule but also access to
additional workout sheets and nutrition journal pages you
can use to track your progress. This is very helpful
especially for those of you who have an illegal copy (that
doesn't include fitness/nutrition guides), you have lost
your originals, or borrowed from a friend and aren't sure
where to start.
-
Make sure you complete the FIT TEST before you get started.
This is important to complete because if you don't know
where you started how are you supposed to know if you are
improving?
-
Get a GOOD quality pair of shoes. I highly recommend getting
cross-training shoes because you will be doing a lot of
lateral movements that running shoes just can't (at least
for me) support you well enough.
-
Take breaks if you need to take them. (Even the people in
the workouts take them) so be sure to stop when you need to,
rest, and get back in there. I haven't met anyone who has
been able to complete the entire workout all the way through
when first getting started. Do not be ashamed or feel like a
failure if you can't get through the entire workout.
-
Move on to the next workout scheduled on the calendar.
Continue with your 60-day program each day regardless if you
were able to complete that day's workout completely. You
will be able to eventually, just continue.
-
Get yourself some
Results & Recovery Formula from Beachbody. Your body
endures a lot during the Insanity workout. You will be
really sore and this product does work wonders. Your body
will thank me for recommending it.
My Insanity Workout Experience
During month one, I really enjoyed the shorter, much intense 35-40 minute workouts compared to the 60-90 minute P90X sessions. They are very difficult but they fly by really quickly. I started seeing results the very first week mostly in my cardio endurance. My favorite workout during this month was Pure Cardio which is strange because it was actually my least favorite when I first got started.
After completing month one my most noticeable changes were improved muscle definition in my legs, arms, and abdominals. I lost about 5 pounds and 2 inches of my waist. My biggest accomplishment was the ability to do 30% more repetitions during my 4th fit test than the first one.
Month two, was hard as HELL! I thought I had conquered this program but after getting started on the second half of Insanity it was like starting all over again. The workouts are between 55-60 minutes long and MUCH more intense but Shaun T makes them so much fun that I don't' mind the longer sessions. My favorite workout during month two was Max Interval Plyo I believe because of the variety of exercises.
After the final month, I had lost a total of 10lbs, 4 inches off my body and an incredible improvement in my Fit Test results from day one. I could almost double my repetitions.
P90X vs Insanity
If you have completed or are completing P90X by Tony Horton you might be interested in learning some of the similarities and differences between
the two programs. If you are contemplating about which
program to purchase I hope you find this information helpful.
P90X and Insanity workouts are both very high intense fitness workouts programs. P90X, is a 90-day fitness program that incorporates muscle confusion with a balance of cardio, strength and flexibility, as well as weight training. Insanity is a 60 day very cardio-intense
workout program that uses your own body weight to lose fat and build lean muscle mass.
Both programs vary greatly by the time it takes to complete each daily
workout program. P90X workouts range from 60-90 minutes throughout the entire program. Insanity workouts start with 35-40 minute workouts and during the second month each workout are between 55-60 minutes. P90X, at least the classic and lean versions of the program is much less cardio intense when compared to Insanity.
The nutrition plans from Insanity and P90X differ quite a bit. I really prefer the Elite Nutrition plan (Insanity) primarily because it is much higher in carbohydrates and I love my carbs! Insanity really does a great job of outlining easy and tasty meals that you can pick from during each of your 5 meals of the day. Things like peanut butter & jelly sandwiches and other simple meals.
Obviously you are allowed a high carb content with Insanity because your body needs the extra energy to complete these intense workouts and keep our metabolism running. As mentioned above, it is not uncommon to burn up to 1,000 calories per Insanity workout so be sure to take in enough calories. This is definitely not the time to limit calories but it is very important to make the right choices for those calories.
Other Insanity Workout Links:
Questions About Insanity?
Have questions about the program? I'd be happy to help. Complete the form below and I will be sure to get in touch with you soon.
Or, sign up for a FREE Insanity/Beachbody Account.
Ready to give Insanity a try? Click on the red button below to purchase your personal extreme home fitness workout from a Team Beachbody Coach. You will receive support and motivation from me for FREE!
