Should I do the Insanity Workout? What to Expect
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Are you interested in trying Insanity, the workout program developed by celebrity trainer Shaun T? Good luck. This program, a cardio beast, uses max interval training as a means to slim the waste line and chisel your body. The thinking, at least according to Shaun T., goes something like this. Work at your max for 3-5 minute bursts and then take a short recovery break (30 seconds) and then go like a banshee all over again. Shaun T, takes you through a variety of exercises that burn the muscles and pushes your heart rate through the roof. After sixty days, voila, a transformed body that is ready for the beach.
Honestly, when I signed up for this hellish adventure, my goals were somewhat more practical. I just wanted to fit into my pants. Friends of mine, who were already doing the program, told me to ignore the shooting pain that would engulf every fiber of my body during the first week of the program. I ignored them. In college I was decent soccer player and I figured that I could handle this athletic test. My wife, ever the realist, informed me that I was now thirty pounds heavier and that college was twenty years in the rear view mirror. I ignored her too.
My First Insanity Experience
On the first day of the program, Shaun T. (who by the way always refers to himself in the 3rd person) informed me that I was about to undergo a fitness test. After a warm-up of nine minutes, which felt like a full bore workout in itself, Shaun T. introduced me to eight separate exercises which would last for a minute a piece. After each exercise I was to get a short break to record my results. Supposedly, this test, to be repeated every two weeks, was Insanity's way way of tracking improvement.
Those exercises don’t look all that bad, I thought to myself. If that Tonya girl standing beside Shaun T. can do them, then I definitely should be able to blow this test away. What a fool I was. By the fourth exercise I was ready to puke. Shaun T. requires that you go as hard as can in each exercise and believe me I did. Despite tremendous effort, I was going slower than thick molasses running down a flat pancake and Tonya, the woman beside Shaun T, was roaring through the exercises like her butt was on fire. Since then, I have come to the conclusion that Tonya is really a robot that Shaun T. built to induce a midlife crises in all middle aged men. After the cool down I was blitzed. Later that day I took a trip to the restroom. I couldn’t make it down to the pot. It was then that I new that this was going to be a tough week.
That first week hurt. Every stinking muscle in my body felt like it was on life support. The workouts, about forty minutes each, were hard core. One workout in particular, pure cardio, had me perform a multitude of exercises, full bore, for eighteen minutes straight. That was a killer. Thankfully, after the first week, my fortunes began to improve. My body didn’t hurt quite as badly and my endurance actually started get better.
The program consists of different workouts that are rotated on a weekly schedule, so I figured I would enjoy some more than others. Not so, they were all painful. Each program starts with a warm up and then continues with stretching, a high intensity work (max interval training) and a cool down stretch. The pace is crazy fast and you will sweat like a pig. Be ready to jump, run on the spot, shuffle, get up and down, work out of the push up position...forever, do jumping jacks and many other assorted exercises that are designed to put maximum hurt on your system. It’s intense. During the second half of the sixty days, the programs ratchets up again and the workouts lengthen.
Final Thoughts on My Insanity Experience
Would I recommend this program? Yes.
Would I do it again? No
Does that make sense? It does if you do the program.
In the end the system does what it says it will do. I have lost weight, I am more flexible and my muscles are stronger. And yes, I do now fit into my pants.
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Practice and habit of such exercise will make one healthy and sound in mind.
I've done Insanity so I truly understand your final thoughts. Definitely would recommend and would not like to do it again. Although I allowed myself to slip back into old habits so I may need to pull it back out.
Funny
This is a great workout series. The workouts are very hard and not for a beginner. These are for advanced trainees only. If you want a beginner program, try on of the other beach body products.
I'm in 9th grade and I did this for school. We did one workout every morning for 13 or 14 mornings, working from 8 minutes all the way to 40. I'm not athletic or flexible at all. I had no endurance. It was really easy for me to get into and then complete, though. Beginners can do it, just not the full 40 minutes until maybe the 10th day.
I have a friend that is doing this and I had never heard of it before. It sounds very intense...not sure if I could handle it. I wish I could though! Sounds like it works!
Not gonna lie, the first few weeks of intensity were complete suckage but I did it just long enough to fit into my size 8 jeans again. I should have kept it up longer, but I'm horrible at dedication. However, if you have the tenacity for it, definitely go for it.
I started the workout plan 6 weeks ago and it has changed my life. I have more engergy and my body is in great shape. I was already slim but needed to tone up for the summer. I must agree with the above post, this is not for a beginner, this is advance.
My bf and I just finished month one and will begin the recovery week tomorrow. I have seen awesome results, am down 14 pounds, and feel stronger every day! It took us about 2 1/2 weeks to be able to complete the workouts without stopping and after doing a sneak peek of month 2, we're very nervous! I would recommend this workout to anyone who is ready to sweat more than they every have in their lives. I LOVE INSANITY!
well i cant agree with its not for beginners..I was a beginner and i shot through the programs.in the first two weeks alone i lost 8lbs.. its all about will and dedication..i love the program and now i tell everyone about what it has done for me..
i have been doing insanity for one week now and wow does this suck.. I know it works though because if you feel like you have done all you can you know you are getting the workout of your lives.. I intend to keep doing it through the year and seeing how well the pounds drop off. I love it. Its hard but life is hard so why not make yourself love your body, the results and life a whole lot better
The thing about all of these programs is they are results oriented...meaning, you get to the end and then what? You go on to the next thing. I guess I need to decide what I will do to maintain. I don't want to get any crazier. I will be starting my final four weeks of TurboFire (having completed 16 weeks) and I don't NEED to get any bulkier or any fitter...what on EARTH would I need to be that fit for? :-) I know that probably sounds like sacrilege to some. LOL! I know that it is discouraging to *lose* fitness no matter how fit a person is, so I would rather not take it to a level that requires me to be obsessed in order to maintain. I am going to be 50 years old this year and life is too short. I have been thinking of doing Insanity following my last week of TurboFire...but now I am not so sure. It doesn't sound like something I would want to continue after 60 days. ;-) (Assuming I even made it through 60!) LOL! Thanks for a great review.
Glad to hear you fit into your pants now haha,
I'm a 13 year old boy and im looking into buying this would you recommend it, or should i get the p90x?
I played tennis approximately once per week for two years (sometimes less, sometimes more depending on weather and how lazy I was feeling). My ex girlfriend was doing Insanity and so I decided to take it up. Before I started Insanity, I weighed 200 lbs, 6"2 and a belly that wasn't flattering to anyone but my mother. So I decided to take the Insanity challenge. I puked on the first and third day. I was simply out of shape and could not keep up with the instructor for the first week. I was taking frequent breaks and consuming less water during the workout to avoid throwing up.
Now I have completed 2 weeks of Insanity and my endurance is much better than it has ever been before. I am sweating like a pig and actually enjoying it!! I was absolutely a BEGINNER when I started Insanity and now I am constantly pushing myself and I am able to keep up. Anyone, anywhere, your mind is your limit. This workout works. I have lost 5 pounds and 1.5 inches off of my waist in two weeks.
Diet: I cut out all drinks with sugar, only drinking green tea and water and an occasional diet soda. I eat wheat bread, turkey breast, low fat peanut butter, egg, and other healthier food for lunch. I still eat regularly during dinner, but really think about what I eat. No fast food, EVER. Listen, if I can do it, so can YOU.
One final thing, I track my calories on a website (there are tons of them out there) which really helps me track my progress and it keeps me motivated. I watch videos everyday showing the wonderful results of other insane people. lol
Good luck to you guys. Stick to it and you WILL see results. The workout is about doing your best. Your body will adjust and be able to keep up.
One final thing, it is very important that you eat an hour or so before doing the workout. It can be a small meal. This helps give you energy and push yourself harder during the workout. I find that eating a banana 1 hour or so before I workout really helps. I also drink 1-2 protein shakes per day. As I am not following the diet plan, I find that I consume more carbohydrates than protein measured in percent of my daily intake of fat, carbs and protein. This really helps balance it out.
Dailyburn is a good website for tracking your calorie intake. It will also measure your carb, fat and protein intake per day!!
Ive done insanity and lost 30 pounds the program works.
im in my recovery week
and i must say that this workout kicked my butt for the first 2 weeks... but now i feel stronger than ever i feel my muscles pumping i feel abs like ive never felt before
and have never felt better
and even though i still tire out and sweat a lot its good
it just requires a lot of commitment and dedication and ull have that rip body soon
:)
I am 13 and I was wondering if this would be a good idea seeing as I am unhappy with my body. Please leave a comment amswering this one. Only answer if u have taken this challenge
i am on week three of insanity its the best workout u could get for losing weight it doesnt focus on muscle gain though.ohh and i am 16 it works i have lost 10lbs. and have lean muscle(and i am a beginner never did a push up in my life till insanity) so if i an do it you can do it to.
I am on week 1 and it is truly a hard workout and I am scared to start on month 2. I've peaked at then DVDs in month 2 and WOW do they look intense. I may do a P90x and insanity hybrid when I am done though so I don't have to do yoga X anymore.
im very overweight, for my age, 14. For summer conditioning we did either 2 of these workouts or 1 and then a 20 minute ab exercise. Being that im also a dancer (ballet ) i figured it shouldnt be hard. The first day of this workout had me dizzy , sore, and my heart was gonna pop out of my chest. My calves were very tight after the first day, but im not sure if its because i was too tired to do the cool down correctly. I stretched my muscles and after 2 days rest, i decided to try again. The 2nd day was 100 times better than the 1st. i paced myself because i knew what to expect. My goal when working out is to do all the exercises correctly and then worry about putting all my energy into it. This definitely does what its meant to do.
Loved the review. I had always wondered if this thing was effective, and your story was as honest as I've ever seen. My good friend told me that he is on week 6 of Insanity right now and he is definitely a believer. I'm not needing to lose weight, but I sure would like to get back in good shape and regain my stamina. Maybe I'll give it a try.
in my reccovery week now but after 6 weeks not 4..and boy o boy its trully insane! week 1 i was disgusted and nearly quit but my son kept pushing me...he is 8!!! and wanted his young mom back!if this is how i look and i havent even been that keen on my food then by day 60 i should look insane! i dont even weigh myself but just the way clothes are fitting me now tells alot +vely.i now plan to incorporate proper eating in mth 2...its a great work out esp if you were on a plateau...
I just ordered insanity, me & my 15yr old daughter are going to do this together. I hope to finish the program to the end. I was unsure about it after I ordered it, hoping it wouldn't be a mistake & waste of money, or impossible to do, but with all these success stories, IM pumped, can't wait to get started. ;-)
Insanity turns your body into a calorie burning furnace! Great but make sure your diet is good. Don't go eating crap and break even. If your gonna do 70 days of this get your diet ready!
I'm in week 3 of insanity. I'm 48 and in reasonably good aerobic shape. I did a marathon a couple of months ago. On the first day I noticed that I couldn't change directions as fast as they did. My exercise for the last 10 years had been running and cycling. No lateral movement. I couldn't believe how slowly I reacted. I had also recently noticed that I was losing flexibility. Turning my head 90 degrees was hard. This program has worked wonders. I can now move as quickly as the folks in the program and my flexibility has improved dramatically. I can't wait to see the results from the next 3 weeks.
It is amazing! I have continuously seen results since I've started the program. I am stronger and more confident. I recommend this to everyone I know! You CAN Do it! Just stick to it and watch how far you'll go! :)
anyone willing to share there insanity dvd would greatly appreciate it. I am not working at this time and the weight keeps adding up please help.
I will be starting insanity this monday! I feel nervous about the intensity but I'm ready!
I started today! woooooooow seemed that my heart was going to explode! but i'm not gonna give up! it's all on ours minds.
I have been doing the insanity workout for about 2 weeks and I havn't lost a pound...what am I doing wrong?...
I'm 51 and have been working out for 2 yrs. I feel strong but yet still need to lose 35 pounds. I would love to try Insanity but I'm nervous because of back issues. Wondering though if strengthening my core might help. Dont know. Any feedback would be appreciated
I just started this workout this morning and all I can say is WOW. I really want to complete it, but will need some serious commitment help!!!
I am in month 2 and it is an intense workout. I needed to lose that last 5-7.lbs of baby weight. My kid is almost 4 so it took me a while! I did Jillian Micheals workouts prior. Really liked 6 week 6 pack for the intensity and somehwat short workout. Then I got bored. This was the perfect next step for me. By the end of the 1st month I felt like I mastered it, skipped recovery week and went straight to month 2 ...ouch! The max workouts are intense!! I never feel sore because I take msm powder with vitamin c crystals which I highly recommend. But Shaun T makes me sweat! :)' I would love to know if there are any moms who got their flat tummy back from this. I am basically the same size pre gregnancy but still not as tone and my belly is still flabby :/. Are there any moms out there who have successfully gotten their flat stomachs back? I gained almost 50 lbs and I'm not sure if the skin will ever bounce back. Tell me there's hope besides a tummy tuck!
Congrats on fitting back into your pants! Insanity is just that, great for burning calories. You will be sore after the first few workouts, just don't give up. Insanity is just another great workout created by the TeamBeachBody crew.
First week is really hard but your body can cope with pain and difficulties better and better week after week.
It depends a lot on your motivation and how deep you want to get into it - sometimes it is better to take a short break, miss few repeats, drink water and keep going later on rather than pull your muscles and stop doing it for longer time or even take 2 days off rather than 1 - people have different commitments and different abilities. Be sensible but take a challenge, push your boundaries, know your limitations and strengths.
The good point is that you can feel some positive effect after 3-4 days and you feel satisfaction when you finish daily workout. All in all, an active life and exercises contribute to healthy and slim body. First of all enjoy your time :)
Just did my first day yesterday and just the fittness kicked my butt. I was debating on even bothering day two but I will now that ive read comments from real people that im sure are not from beach body lol. Its hard work but I liked to be pushed.
I love your review! Really funny. I'm on my second week, and even though I want to scream while working out, I keep pushing foward each day. I totally love insanity and can't wait to see the results I get when done. I just have one question , I'm not much of an eater so I find it difficult to eat so many times a day but I do force myself. If I eat fewer calories will I lose more weight? And what are so good snacks to eat?
I'm on my second day. I peeked at the workout and thought about not even trying but your posts have helped motivate me and I'm looking forward to working hard and seeing some results.
dont want to bulk up, just want to burn fat, is this the right work out for me?
Just done day 1. Oww! Amazing workout-Sean T goes crazy on you, but he motivates you really well! Im am not in great shape at all-but I just did what I could, and Im determined to complete it! 59 days to go. Good luck to everyone!
Anyone out there who doesn't believe this works...you are crazy
To be honest I've Only done one day of it (that was the dig deeper/fit test) and I seriously thought i was gonna die but I realized that if my shirt is completely soaked of sweat in the first 15 mins this has GOT to work
Hello, hello, 2 years ago
Thank you for an interesting hub.