My Fitness: Insanity Workout Review

Insanity: Wow! That’s the only way to describe Shaun T’s INSANE workouts.  I love them, I hate them, and I am sore when I finish, but the results are AMAZING!  This was my fifth Beachbody workout to try. If you order from their website, you’ll receive ten DVDs, a nutrition plan, fitness guide, workout calendar, on-line support, and other informational brochures. The DVD currently retails for $119.85 + tax on the Beachbody website. 

This is all floor exercises using your body weight with lots of plyometric and isometric exercises, cardio and core exercise that will work you -- hard. The exercises come fast and furious with a good mix of cardio and strength building (e.g. squat type exercises and push-up type exercises).

 

It's broken into two four week segments with a "recovery" (I use that term loosely...) week in-between. The warm-up itself is a workout. The first four weeks are two rounds of three sets of a series of exercises. In the second four weeks you'll find some of the same warm-up exercises from the first four weeks, and the program itself moves to three rounds of three different sets of exercises.

There are 10 DVDs total:

1. Dig Deeper & Fit Test (30 minutes): This fit test is a workout in itself.
2. Plyometric Cardio Circuit (42 minutes): This DVD is intervals of intense lower-body plyo and cardio.  Be prepared to sweat!
3. Cardio Power & Resistance (40 minutes): This DVD combines strength-training and power moves.
4. Cardio Recovery (33 minutes): This is the “easy” DVD you’ll do once a week, but it’s still intense.
5. Pure Cardio & Cardio Abs (55 minutes): This is a nonstop cardio workout
6. Core Cardio & Balance (37 minutes): This is one of the “recovery” DVDs.  It’s a definite break from the first five but still tough.
7. Max Interval Circuit & Fit Test (86 minutes): This is an interval circuit that's more intense than anything you've ever done before.
8. Max Interval Plyo (55 minutes): Push your legs 'til they beg for mercy with power and plyo
9. Max Cardio Conditioning & Cardio Abs (65 minutes): This is an extreme cardio workout.
10. Max Recovery (47 minutes): This is another “recovery” DVD but is filled with intense moves and stretches.

Things I liked about Shaun T: His workouts are intense and motivational. He’s tough but encouraging and I find myself pushing harder at his instruction.  I love that the workouts come with a nutritional guide/meal plan, and that Beachbody offers on-line support and a coach.  These workouts are definitely not for the faint at heart and are great for men or women.  It’s definitely pricey, but the workouts are some of the most intense in the market.  I think they are worth the price.  The things that weren't for me: This DVD set is pretty much impossible for people with joint issues - especially knees.  Avoid it if you fall into that category.  Otherwise – plan on sweating a LOT and seeing major results with Insanity!