Insanity
- Posted on February 7, 2013
- in Fitness, Must Haves!, Programs
- by Natalie
This program is exactly how it sounds. It is INSANE!!!! Oh my goodness. I did this program a couple of summers ago, so I thought I would tell you a bit about it. It will absolutely get you in am-ah-zing shape. There are no weights or equipment involved; only your own body weight. It is perfect if you are the type of person who likes to work out at home. I first saw Insanity being advertised on an informercial at about 3 in the morning (I was doing a design project…I definitely do not miss those days). It seemed pretty awesome so I had to try it. It is sold through Beach Body (the makers of P90X: I will -hopefully- be attempting this and writing a future review!)
Anywho, Insanity is a lot of fun. The super sexy instructor, Shaun T, motivates you the whole time. The DVDs were filmed in what looks like a school gymnasium with a group of people who completed the program before filming. It is a 60 day program, which is a bit more realistic than some other programs which take a month or two more. It is a bit pricey ($100), but not terrible if you consider the monthly prices of most gyms.
The first day starts with a Fit Test. The test consists of push ups and other such moves, each timed, to see how many you can do. This not only tells you where your fitness level is to compare to every couple of weeks, but more importantly, it tells you if you should even start the program in the first place. If you can’t complete the fit test without throwing up or passing out, then this program is probably not for you! Let me repeat: this is a fitness program for people who are already in good shape! If you have never done any kind of cardio in your life, then don’t even think about doing Insanity! But, you can always use this program to get your cardio up to a more advanced level, and then restart the program with full effort.
In the first month, there are 5 different workout DVDs plus an abs workout that you add on top of some of the workouts (one will repeat every week to make 6 days of workouts and 1 day off). Every day will take about 45-60 minutes to complete. Each workout begins with a 10 minute warm up with a group of moves (jogging in place, burpees, jumping jacks, and many many more!) which repeat 3 times. To most people beginning this program, you will think that the whole workout is the warmup. But you would be wrong…oh so wrong. The first time I started Insanity, I was on the floor after the warmup (I probably was not ready to start Insanity yet!). Then the REAL workout begins. Between each group of moves, you get a 30 second break. Use it wisely! It might be a good idea to purchase a heart monitor so you know your limits. Feel free to pause the DVD if your heart rate is going close to your max (max heart rate = 220 – minus your age). There is a clock running the entire time so you know when your break is coming and when the circuit is complete.
In the middle of the week, you get a “Recovery Day” which is basically cardio mixed with yoga. It is easier than the other days, but still no piece of Amy’s Vegan Chocolate Cake. The other 5 days consist of about an hour of jumping and other such ridiculousness until you are on the floor hyperventilating. Seriously…it is cray cray. Don’t beat yourself up though. There are no bullshit instructors with perfect hair and makeup who barely break a sweat; all the other people in the video, including instructor Shaun T, end up on the floor by the end too.
The second month gets really tough…tougher than Chuck Norris’s beard kind of tough. It’s like the first month is the warmup to the second month (if you start the program this might just scare you). But keep at it because this is where you really see your body transform.
Depending on the level of your personal fitness, you will probably lose weight, and start to see muscle tone at the end of the first month. By the end of the second month, you will have clear definition and probably see the results you wanted when you first went into this thing. If you don’t see the results, then that probably means you skipped workouts, didn’t put in all the effort during the workouts, or ate too many calories which prevented you to lose weight (even if you gain muscles, you can’t expect to see them if you have a layer of fat to cover them!). Insanity does come with a meal plan to ensure you are not pigging out. I didn’t follow it (it is not plant-based). If you are eating unprocessed, whole foods, (in the right proportions for your body weight), then you should be fine! Just be aware that this is an important aspect to any workout!
Before and After shots of some of the people from the workout!
Insanity is a must have! If you are at a fairly decent level of endurance, or even if you’re not, give Insanity a go. At the very least, it will shoot your stamina through the roof. If Insanity is not enough for you, then you are probably not human. If that is the case, BeachBody has recently come out with ‘Insanity: The Asylum’ which is more sports training oriented. Perhaps i’ll try Insanity again and post photos of my progress! If you decide to try it, I encourage you to do the same!
Tags: 60 days, Beach Body, beachbody, fitness, Insanity, p90x, Shaun T