For SEY83 - Insanity

OMG so month 2....three days in and I am stiff and in pain :-( It's a whole different level to month 1. The moves become more complex, Shaun T combines a lot of the old moves and then makes them harder if that is even possible!! So here's the low-down on the three I have done so far: Max Interval Circuit - first of all my one big piece of advice is DO NOT try to do the fit test and then this workout straight after each other. If you can do the fit test in the morning and then do the workout in the evening. Or possibly, do the fit test on your day off. I think I'm so exhausted now because that day just took so much out of me. As for the actual workout, firstly it's one hour long. The warm-up is tougher than month 1, it involves switch kicks and something called s-s hops where you basically get down with you palms on the floor and then kick your legs up from the right side to the left side - and thaat's the warm-up!! The good thing about the warm up is that round 3 is only 15 seconds an exercise but you go full power. The actual workout is then 3 rounds (as oppose to two) or 3 sets each. The exercises are difficult! Max Interval Plyo is also very hard, it's 55 minutes - I think I counted 7 types of pushups?!?!! Side push-ups, balance push-ups, one legged v-pushups, level 3 drills (16 pushups then 16 runs), and the list goes on. There are also a lot of jumps involved. Many of the exercises are new. It's 2 rounds and then about 6 or 7 minutes at the end of one-off exercises. After doing this, and the fit test and MIC the day before I was on the verge of collapsing :( Max Cardio isn't that bad, I think it was 48 minutes. The main workout is around 30 minutes of one minute per exercise. The good thing is that you rest a few seconds between exercises in order for Shaun T to explain how the next move is done. I much preferred this to Max Plyo and MIC, but my body feels like it has been abused! Today I have Max Recovery - I will let you know how that goes...I doubt it will be a walk in the park :( Net net I'm in pain...give me back month 1! This is a whole new level of exercise...

I couldn't just not do it. Here are my fit test results, going to do Max Interval Circuit in a couple of hours: Switch kicks: 90 > 110 > 109 Power jacks: 50 > 47 > 51 Power knees: 62 > 78 > 80 Power jumps: 23 > 26 > 31 Globe jumps: 4 > 7.5 > 9.5 Suicide jumps: 11 > 12 > 12 Push-up jacks: 8 > 12 > 18 Low plank obliques: 20 > 30 > 38 All in all not bad. I'm not surprised that some didn't improve or only improved slightly - my muscles still feel tired! I'm happy that my upper arms have gotten stronger with the push up type exercises though :-)

I just made the huge mistake of going on YouTube and watching a video of a supposed Beachbody Coach completing Max Interval Circuit and he looked like he was about to pass out (him and his 67 abs!). So the video is an hour, and lets just say the warm up alone makes month one look like a walk in the park... I'm getting serious advice from my brothers to not bother with the fit test and if i insist to do it then certainly to do the two trainings straight after each other. They said it will completely detract form the actual workout. I miht try and do one early afternoon and then the second in the evening. I'm confused now! I downloaded the nutrition booklet and made the same calculation (although I have now forgotten my result!). It's very helpful and seems accurate. I would just love an accurate calorie count for the actual workout itself!

Well I'm not a working mom, but I do work over 60 hours a week so I understand not having the extra time. P90x does require equipment, but you can start out with as little as 1 resistance band to do all the workouts. As time went on I started buying more things to keep challenging myself. Since my last post I have done a few of the Insanity workouts, the short length is great, definitely wins points for that. But I think p90x is more my style. I like the weight training, and Tony Horton can get annoying but Sean T yells too much. I think I might try the p90x2, definitely need a change to my routine. Getting bored, and haven't seen much progress lately. Does anyone know if you can hire a personal trainer for a few sessions if I'm not a gym member? Fab news Talia8089 - you won't regret it.... well maybe you will during the workouts but afterwards you'll feel fantastic! I did consider going with P90X but I think what ultimately put me off was the equipment you needed and the length of the workouts - as a working mum (and I think SEY83 is the same) my free time is very limited - but Insanity fits in very well. Good luck and please do keep us posted on how you are going. SEY83 - I'll be thinking of you tomorrow... sending you an extra spade so you can DIG DEEPER - you WILL survive and get through it - stay strong As for me I've just got two more sessions on Month 1 and then I start the so called "Recovery week" on Sunday. I meant to say before that I do think the Syntha 6 that Bleebers recommended is helping. Best of luck ladies - catch up soon

Hahahahaha @ the spade!!! I'm so scared about tomorrow :-( It's fit test and workout!!!! I will definitely keep you posted! I have felt a lot stronger doing recovery week. It's odd but somehow you do recover, my muscles arent tired any more. You're right Snow White, I'm also a working mom so Insanity work well :-) I haven't done any recovery shakes at all...I'm thinking I should now in month 2 at least. Do you wear an HRM?? I was thinking of getting one as I'd like an idea of how many calories are being burned per session.

Thanks for your inspiration! You've actually gotten me excited about it. I've been doing p90x for the last year, and I'm so bored with it! I have read some people saying that P90x is harder than Insanity, but I have done a few of the Insanity workouts (atleast the 20 minutes I could survive) & I completely disagree. Insanity is brutal, but I think I'm up for it! Starting Saturday!

Yay Talia! There's one more of us out there!! Not even 45 minutes sometimes - the workouts in the first month range from 33 minutes to 42 minutes. Don't worry though, after 33 minutes you want to die! It's a VERY intense 33 minutes! If you have done P90X then I think you are already half way there. Let us know how you get on...I go into month 2 on Thursday and I am terrified!!!

Ok, Ok, you've convinced me! I've always been a P90x lover, wanted to try Insanity but have been really scared of it. But I like the idea of the 45-60 minute workouts rather than the 60-90 minutes a day with P90x. I'll start Saturday! "Do your best & forget the rest!" -Tony Horton

Loool at least you can now start recovery week knowing what to expect! Lets just say that Level 1 drills are included during the workout...3 more days until month 2 for me eeeeekkkk! No more weight loss :-( I too have lost inches, although I don't feel like I have lost anymore than I did the first two or three weeks. I also now have a sore knee but I am training through! I have been told that the real results come in during month 2 so I am hoping for that! I think you are now feeling how I was, by the start of week 4 I too was physically exhausted which is why recovery week was a welcome break and I was so disappointed when I saw it was a proper workout. Having said that I do feel now that I am doing better at recovery week, I'm not as tired at the end of the session as I was on Thursday so I feel my body is recovering from the last 4 weeks. I also managed to get all the way through the shoulder burners without putting my arms down though (although I still couldn't fully hold the plie for 3 minutes!) - you will see what I mean! So what research did you do that made you decide to do Insanity? Let me know if you go for P90X, I like that we are encouraging each other to get through this! It's like my own virtual Insanity buddy!

Snow White we have been fooled...well I have at least!!! I'm failing to find the "recovery" part in recovery week!!! I was thinking this week would be something along the lines of Cardio Recovery, some intense stretches, some yoga type moves, etc...IT'S NOT!!!! I sent a message to my brother, and his response was "well did you really think any of the Insanity workouts were going to be easy?"....sigh... Actually, it isn't that bad, it's a good session, I really enjoy it and there are lots of new moves. But, it's pretty intense. You don't get the physical exhaustion at the end, but you work your muscles like crazy. There are two moves towards the end...hip flexor burners and shoulder flexor burners (or something like that)...OMG! I was pretty sure Shaun T was trying to dislocate my shoulders! Your muslces burn! I coudn't get through them all the way without putting my arms down. So I thought I would warn you...recovery week is not a walk in the park :-( I did my third session last night and I could pretty much do it all without breaking (except the hip/shoulder burners) but I was sweating like crazy by the end of it. Well done on getting all the way through Cardio Recovery! Even in the last week I still struggled with the lunges/squats and couldn't hold them all the way through so I had to relax for a couple of seconds and then go again. I have heard Insanity Asylum is crazy! What I like about Insanity is that you don't need any equipment, I think for Asylum and PX90 you do which is why I'm reluctant to try them. I don't think I'm up for Asylum at all lol but maybe PX90 if the required equipment isn't too much.

Way to go ladies!! Train insane, or stay the same! X LOL Beebers! I like that...hahaha are you sure you're not one of the ladies that train with Shaun T in the videos??

Way to go ladies!! Train insane, or stay the same! X

I'm so glad to hear you say that you can't get through the Level 2 Drills! Haha not because I'm glad you can't get through them, but because I have just finished month 1 and still can't get through them. I found slowing down just makes them harder. I can't get thru the combination of level 2 drills, ski abs and then ins and outs either on the Plyo CD which is what I had last night. I do figure that as we are working to complete exhaustion then we must be getting the maximum benefit right? Since starting this program my upper arms and thighs feel like rocks when I flex them - they were all flab 28 days ago!!! I'm so glad that today is my rest day and then next week is recovery week. I am exhausted, my body is so physically tired! Yeah I went down 1.5kgs but this morning was up 0.5kg...lol I'm blaming it on my period! I did, however, take all of my measurements two days ago so like you that will be my main focus. Plus remember you have already gone down a dress size! I commented on your other post about doing this again once you finish. That's exactly how I feel. I stil have my love/hate relationship, but I can't imagine not pushing myself every night like I have done the last 28 days! I definitely think a second round will be in order after a well-deserved break!

I made it through! Shockingly my energey levels were actually really good, except that I got bad stitch a couple of times...something that I haven't experienced yet...but I pushed through! It was probably my best round of Pure Cardio and Cardio Abs yet, even though it was the least motivated that I have been so far. So happy I didn't cave... I take my leads from my brothers that have both done it as well, but you're right its really nice to have somebody to compare notes with. It makes it all that bit easier. My latest piece of information from my brother when asaked how much haarder month 2 is? His reply: "It's a bit of a shock to they system, kind of like when you start month 1"...seriously?!?!?! I'm worried now!!! <em>edited by SEY83 on 29/01/2013</em>

Snow White that's fantastic! Your results are great, especially the push-up type exercises. It's like they say: "no pain no gain"...we have suffered a lot but are definitely seeing the results which makes it worth it! Also the fact that you have lost a dress size is amazing! It will take a lot for me to lose a dress size. I have gained around 15 kgs since I got married, but I have only gone up one dress size...my body adds weight everywhere, some people say I'm lucky, but honestly I would love to see things like dress sizes and scale number decrease! Having said that, last night I tried again a couple of dresses that I bought three weeks ago and there is a HUGE difference in the fit :) I didn't take a before photo...hahaha I never want to remember what I look liked before! I do regret not taking all of my measurements though, because I would like to know how many inches I have lost. I keep saying I will do it tonight and it just never happens. Tonight I have Pure Cardio and Cardio Abs...considering I slept for 3 hours last night, I have been at work all day and I have an hour and a half of school meetings later...I can't think of anything worse!! Two more workouts until recovery week! I am dreading month 2 though, I have heard it intensifies big time!

Good luck with the fitness test!!! I'm sure that you're going to see improvement. Lol you will be exhausted though by the end of it, as you will be pushing yourself so hard to get improved results over last time. Definitely post your results tomorrow! I have three more days until Recovery Week..I can't wait!!!! My left knee is beginning to hurt at times, but not always. I'm reluctant to take a break so I'm hoping that recovery week will fix it. I have Cardio Recovery tonight as well. How are you finding your body changing?

Lol I loosely can state that I have lost 1kg...lol I seem to go up and down my 1kg all the time! But, I buckled up the belt around my waist by one extra notch yesterday and it was still relatively loose...so I'm sure I am losing inches and I can feel bigger muscles. My friend told me that my arms look way more toned so I'm happy! That is tough about mixing up your schedule! I would say don't push beyond your limits though and see how it goes. Today is my 3rd rest day, I'm so proud of myself that I have done 3 weeks of this. Here is an outline of my progress so far as I have moved into a new phase physically. So the first few days were sheer agony as my muscles were aching everyday - they just weren't used to the intensity and frequency of the sessions. So then I got over the inital muscle aching and last week was great, I wasn't feeling nauseaus after working out anymore and I was recovering quickly. It was good. Now I would say after the last two or three work outs, and in particular last night's plyo session, my muscles are reaching exhaustion. Yesterday I was so tired doing plyo...especially the last set where you do level 1 drills, ski abs and then ins and outs. I probably stopped more than I have stopped in previous plyo sessions, but my muscles weren't allowing me to push any further! Having said that, I am now sweating way more than i did in the first week. i have always said that I'm not a big sweater but I now have drops of sweat dripping off me (excuse the image!!). I now understand why the recovery week is so important as today I feel stifff :( . Before I was wondering what the point was, in that my body was stronger and didn't think I would need it....I so need it! One more week to go and I am done with month 1. Definitely still loving it...still hating it! What have you got tonight? What day are you on?

You're doing so well yourself! I'm proud of us :D LOL @ not wanting to puke anymore...I know exactly what you mean by that! Oh and I had to add my .5 to the globe jumps...I don't want my two jumps to go completely unaccounted for! I still have to stop many times through Pure Cardio in particular, but I don't stress about it all because I feel that I push myself much harder now when I do each exercise, so I am actually probably more exhausted than two weeks ago. It's so nice to not have my muscles ache the next day now. I know what you mean about missing working out during the rest day...that's how I felt. Then when I had the fit test I actually voluntarily did cardio abs as well because I wanted to push myself harder! I think it is important to get the rest day in though else we will exhaust our bodies which cant be good in the long term. I know I have lost inches, and I know in theory that is more important...I just wish the scales would drop a little bit!