Insanity

Train insane or remain the same!

I mentioned Insanity in my previous post but didn’t really say what it entails so for those of you who are curious, this is for you. I have done it on and off and this what i have to say about it so far.

Insanity is an interval training program. This means you workout for a given length of time and then take a break. Well, thats what most programs are like. With insanity however, its max interval training in that you workout intensely for 3 minutes straight (you really push yourself to the max) then take a 30 sec water break. Of course if you can’t keep up for the entire 3 minutes, its okay to take a short break then start back up. I personally do that.

The 60 day program comes with a calendar/schedule so you know what workout to do on which day. This way, you won’t get bored doing the same thing day in day out. You workout for 6 days and take the 7th off to recover. For me that day is today and i really need it.

Each session begins with a warm up, followed by stretching, then the actual workout and then the final stretching/cool down. The warm up itself is about 10 minutes long (non-stop). You start out slow then increase your speed as you proceed. Its intense! The first day i tried it, i was ready to quit 1 minute into it. I managed to go for an extra 30 seconds before deciding i’d had enough workout for the day. Now i can do the entire warm up without stopping so i have something to be proud of :)

Once your muscles are nice and warm, stretching ensues and this is important so as to prevent injury. You really don’t want to work out a cold muscle. This step involves a few yoga poses which have helped me attain some sort of balance, flexibility and strength.

The actual workout is a total body workout. It just doesn’t focus on one part of the body. Its a mix of cardio (fat burning) and resistance training (builds strength and sculpts the body). Now am not going for the bulky look. Am a girl who loves her curves…i just want to lose the bulges & flabby arms i have going on. I don’t even want to lose weight. I just want to become lean/toned. Fun fact: Muscle burns fat, so the more muscle you build/strengthen, the more fat you burn. Here’s the kicker, cardio burns fat and the resistance training builds muscle (which in turn burns more fat). I.Love.This.Workout. And you don’t need any weights or equipment. Only your body. You use your body weight.

Am not going to lie, the workout is hard. And it doesn’t get easy. I can do more now than when i started but its still hard. There is a lot of Plyometrics/Plyo…jumping up and down/side to side, which works the legs and glutes (for a great derrière). There are also push ups, Burpees, Jogging (on the spot), Star jumps/jumping jacks, lunges, squats, yoga poses,…so much. I think they call it ‘muscle confusion’ or something…your body is always ready for something else. It doesn’t get used to just one or a few moves.

The final stretching feels soooo good. I find that i stretch better at this point. After that, you will most likely find me lying on the floor, all sweaty, thanking God that the workout is finally over :D

Its important to note that if you have any medical issues (or even if you don’t), you might want to check with your doctor first because this workout is really intense. You don’t want to end up in worse condition than when you started.

If all the jumping, grunting, straining and what feels like self-punishment isn’t for you, there are other low-impact workouts you can try that are just as effective. Yoga and Pilates are great alternatives. I used to think they were easy, boy was i wrong. Try them and see. You’ll feel the burn in places you never thought possible :)

I just like to ‘punish’ myself so i choose to stick with Insanity. Besides, i love Shaun T so…anything to see him 6 days a week for 40 minutes at a time ;) Jokes aside, he’s a really good motivator and i like the way he takes one through the workout. I have his other workout (T25) but i haven’t done it yet. In December another program – Insanity Max:30 will be out and i can’t wait to do it next year (God willing). I just need to build endurance first. Yea, am turning into a fitness junkie :D

Did i mention that i want to take up running?

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