INSANITY

People always ask me what I did as my workouts to lose my weight. I tell them I did INSANITY. As soon as it comes out of my mouth, it seems their faces get filled with fright or maybe amazement that I could complete a workout like that. Let me start off by saying YES, IT’S HARD! Even by saying that, it doesn’t mean you can’t do it!! Anyone can complete it if they put their mind to it!!  My only advice is if you try it, give it your all, but take rests when you need to. Don’t try and keep up with the people in the video. Just go at your own pace.  You will see them struggling to get through the workout as well. They are not invincible.

The program was developed by Shaun Thompson (Shaun T).  He has a BS in Sports Science with a minor in Theater and Dance from Rowan University.  He was also a track star there. Basically, this program is not dance based. Its very sports oriented. Other extreme programs like the popular P90X, focuses on building muscle and burning fat through weight training. They utilize weights to help fire up your metabolism. INSANITY uses only the power and resistance of your own body to increase your cardio, lower your body fat percentage, and sculpt your muscles. You won’t need any gear other than water, a towel, and your own strength of purpose. Most of the info regarding the program, I pulled from the Beachbody website: http://www.beachbody.com/

What You Can Expect

Month 1 -Introduces you to INSANITY with 5 total-body cardio conditioning workouts. You’ll workout 6 days a week, about 30 to 40 minutes a day. Do what you can, and be smart. In the beginning, even the warm-up will feel like an intense workout until you get used to it.

You will have one week as a recovery week, but don’t be fooled by the title. It doesn’t feel like a recovery. And then it’s like starting over in…

Month 2 – Starts with 4 new workouts, ranging from 50-60 minutes a day. MAX intervals and MAX intensity for MAX results. This is the month where you’ll discover true fitness, when the body conquers the limits imposed by the mind. During month 2 is where I noticed the increase in my stamina, toning of my body and increased loss in inches off my body.

Shaun T’s Method behind the Madness

The secret to these mind-blowing results: MAX Interval Training. Shaun T took traditional interval training and flipped it on its head—you perform long bursts of maximum-intensity exercises with short periods of rest, normally about 30 second rests. Each workout keeps you constantly challenged as you alternate between aerobic and anaerobic intervals performed at your MAX. The result: burn up to 1,000 calories in an hour and get the most insane body in 60 days.

During month 1, I burned 400-500+ calories per workout.  Recovery week was a little lower. Month 2, I burned 700-900+.  Looking back through my workouts, the highest I burned was 949 calories while doing INSANITY, Max Interval Circuit!  Now that was an intense workout!!

Descriptions of the Workouts:

DIG DEEPER & FIT TEST : To start, Shaun T will test you to find out what you are made of.

(30 min.)

PLYOMETRIC CARDIO CIRCUIT: Burn calories and shed fat with a combination of rigorous cardio and lower-body plyometrics. (40 min.)

CARDIO POWER & RESISTANCE: Build lean muscle and upper-body definition with strength-training and power moves. (40 min.)

CARDIO RECOVERY & MAX RECOVERY: Once a week Shaun T goes easy on you so you can recharge your batteries for the next round. (30-45 min.)

PURE CARDIO: Skip the intervals-Forty minutes of non-stop, serious cardio. (40 min.)

CARDIO ABS: Get rock-hard abs working your core between cardio intervals. (20 min.)

CORE CARDIO & BALANCE: Take a breather after your first 30 days and gear up the second 30 days. (40 min.)

MAX INTERVAL CIRCUIT:  Turn up the intensity with the MAX Interval Circuit (60 min.)

MAX INTERVAL PLYO: This MAX lower-body workout packed plyometrics will have your legs burning.(55 min.) 

MAX CARDIO CONDITIONING: Shaun T pushes you to the limit with this extreme cardio workout. (50 min.)

Below is what the workout schedule or calendar looks like. You don't have to follow it exactly. I tweaked my rest days around what I had going on in my personal life. I just made sure I didn’t miss a workout  The package also comes with a nutritional guide. I personally did not follow it, but from what I have read, your results are even better if you can afford to follow it.

In the end, you work through the soreness and end up building, toning and using muscles that you have never thought you would use before in your life. My INSANE results are posted at the bottom of my page. Some of you ask: "What do you do now that you have completed the 60-day program?" Currently I do a kickboxing class 3 times a week. I fill in other days with INSANITY workouts and recently have dabbled with the INSANITY Asylum program. That is for the graduates of INSANITY. I am trying to muster up the power to do this crazy 30 day-program. I am a little scared to try it though.

The main question I get is “Is INSANITY worth the money?” Absolutely, yes, it is!! I would not be the way that I am without it!! So, good luck if you try it out!