Insanity Workout

Hi FatDad,

It is a really difficult workout but you just have to do what you can in the beginning and take extra breaks and you'll find that after a couple of weeks you'll be able to do more and more. I found the first time I felt a bit dizzy sometimes and so took more breaks and was OK. Also, if I was finding it really tough, I'd skip the last set. Give it a try - it's manageable because it's only 35-40 minutes long so easy to fit in. Good luck

Hi sam&fatdad,

Just done the fit test today and i found it harder than expected which in it's own way is good. Fatdad dont be under any illusions, i keep reasonably fit, running etc but this will be hard work. Any dvd on the market has the choice for you to make in the front room of how hard you push yourself, i think you will see good results and improvement with this program.  I am also following the dietery advice/menu very closely as well, this brings it's own challenges, cost, time and effort.

Sam, i'm going to see how this week goes before deciding whether i can run in addition to this program, i am however still cycling to work and back.

Mr A

Thanks for the encouragement and advice. Discs arrived this morning just need to work up the courage to open the box and get started....

Nice one fat dad, i 've just finished day 2. Just bite the bullet mate and go for it! If your anything like me there will always be excuses to be found to put it off but you just have to get you rmind right and then you will be okay, I find the mental motivation  harder than the exercise a lot of the time, the sofa looks so appealing when i get in from work but i just make a point of not sitting down before putting the DVD on. Good luck and keep us posted

This is an interesting thread. I have read each and every post and find myself posting!

Not sure if the insanity workout is for me, hoping someone in a similar position to me maybe able to answer that.

Last year I ran 12 marathons (including a couple of 30 mile ultras). Each one had its  own challenge, such as the weather or undulation. However I completed the set with December being my fastest time (3:35). So believe I am somewhere in the middle of the pecking order when I comes to running. The training schedule has me running up to 50 miles per week.

I currently also go to the gym for strength and core work, focusing on back, chest and shoulder muscles. I deviate from heavy weights, low reps to low weights, high reps on alternative weeks. However generally I usually work out not with a schedule and attend 2-3 times a week in during the week in the evenings.

For the gym I use personal trainer that helps break up my gym sessions into more intense sessions once a week which is catered towards improving technique and speed for running. Lunges, squats, press-ups etc. I am usually a sweaty, shaking mess afterwards.

Would there be anyone in a similar boat who could say insanity has worked for them? This year I am looking for speed in my marathons. I want to head towards a sub-3hour (I know I am dreaming, but maybe with 1 year of training) and looking to build speed through cross-training?

Should have done the last workout of the first week today but had a crap job interview for a promotion at work and have decided that the best course of action would be some junk food and a couple of beers instead! Hopefully get back on track tomorrow

Sajstars, sounds like you are extremely fit, it's only my opinion but i think the level that you are at needs very precise training techniques which you seem to be doing, i would be suprised if you could get the results you are looking for from these workouts but i'm not an expert.

Day 3 done, aching like mad from yesterday but i feel it working, i get the shakes after the workout so hopefully i'm working hard enough, i'm quite enjoying the nutritional side as well.

Hi, just an update for anyone who is interested. I've completed week 1, rest day tomorrow. I ached quite badly for the first 3 days but i put that down to not having done any form of circuit training in 18 months, only running. I now only have mild aches, to be expected.   Today was the first day that i have had to repeat one of the sessions, not having had a rest all week i expected to struggle but i suprised myself by performing better than day 2. I still worked to failure and was unable to keep up towards the end with shaun T and his friends but i dont expect to at this early stage. I have stuck to the nutrional advice rigorously but i'm holding off checking my weight and measurements until further into the program. I certainly feel fitter already  I hope the rest of you are doing okay!

mr A

Hi - hoping aboard if you dont mind   Just starting Insanity for the first time.  Thought it would give my legs a rest after completing my second marathon just over a week ago. - How wrong I was LOL   Im on my second day and my initial thoughts are OMG ! and OUCH ! but Ive not done any circuit training for years so I guess its bound to be difficult.

  Thanks for your postings everyone as its interesting seeing how others are getting on.  

I need to drop a few porky pounds so Im following the recommended calorie intake (but not the meals theyve set out ). 

 Like Mr A I will pop on my progress at the end of my first week.

Have fun

Yep, i hear you MM should get better from here until month 2 starts!

Week one completed - happy its a rest day today. That Plyometric Cardio session kills me !

Well done MM, i agree! Can anyone help please. I have an offical version of insanity, currently in week 2 and the workout calendar says cardio circuit but i have no disc saying cardio circuit. I decided to do plyometric cardio circuit as to do something with cardio in the title as i did pure cardio yesterday, does anyone else have this issue?

Mine version is the same Mr A - I will be doing the same as you as there is no 'cardio' DVD.

Mine is the same too Mr A - I do the plyometrics as well. I'venearly finished week 2. Today I managed to do Pure Cardio followed by a 5km run. I'm doing a slightly adapted version of the programme - only 5 days a week because I've got a half marathon coming up and I need to do a long run one day. Doing Insanity and a long run I think might kill me!

Not sure if I've lost any weight - holding off on weighing myself until I've finished week 2. I haven't been doing the diet plan - hope I'll still lose some weight though.

Thanks for the feedback guys, glad to know i'm not the only one. Sam, i take my hat off to you, i'm not doing any running whilst doing insanity, i dont think my legs could take it

That answers my next questin Sam - 
Im running Reading Half in March so need to build in some long runs.  was planning to do them on my rest day but thinking about it again thats probably not a good idea.

Hi guys, 2nd week done, fitness test tomorrow. I enjoyed the first pure cardio+cardio abs circuit the other day, it really targets the abs well.  I'm no longer aching, i'm glad there is only 2 weeks of these dvd's left, i can see it would get boring if you had to carry on these for longer than a month, might not be saying that once month 2 starts though. I'm going to check my measurements tomorrow so will give an update on the changes, if any.

Mr A

I now have deep insanity fear!

Did the Fit Test this morning; didn't go well.  Tale of the tape:

Height 5'7" \ Weight : 169.5 lbs \ Body Fat 24%

Fit Test Results

Switch Kicks - 59 (2 kicks is a rep right?)

Power Jacks - 47

Power Knees - 65

Power Jumps - 17

Globe Jumps - 6

Suicide Jumps - 14

Vomit Break

Push-Up Jacks - 18

Low Plank Oblique - 40

Pretty much had to lie in the recovery position for 10 minutes afterwards lol.

Well done JLB3.  I 've just finished fitness test 2, you will see an improvement when you do it!

Switch Kicks - 66 (2 kicks = 1 rep, not sure if shaun t's gang count it like this though?) 

Power Jacks - 55

Power Knees - 98

Power Jumps - 53

Globe Jumps - 10

Suicide Jumps - 19

Push-Up Jacks - 33

Low Plank Oblique - 51

I saw an improvement in all exercises except power jacks.  Stats are:

weight 180lbs = 4lb lossed

Chest 39" = no change

Waist 36" = 1.5" lossed

Bicep 14" = 1/4" gain

Thighs 23" = 1/2" lossed

Not bad for 2 weeks just hope it carries on, i'm sticking to the nutritional requirements of the recommended diet.

Mr A

Well done on your results so far Mr A, fantastic.

Did Plyometric Cardio this morning, I had a glass of smoothie 10 mins or so before I got into it and felt much better than during Fit Test.  Still, extreemly hard work, and I don't mind admitting that I stole some extra recovery time, and had to drop my intensity\take a break during some of the workouts.  Are all the workouts similar interval style?  I think I'll wear my heart monitor from now on; do you know what %HR you should recover to during the rests, 70%?

I'm not really sticking to the nutrition plan myself, glass of milk is my recovery drink of choice.