Insanity Review and Benefits

Are you wondering if Insanity is for you?   Have you taken a look at the workouts and asked yourself – “why would anyone want to do a workout that hard?”

Yes, Insanity is that tough, so is it for you?   If you like a challenge, then you might like Insanity but the real reason to do Insanity is to know your limits.

As I started Insanity, each day felt like a victory.   Each workout was tough and when I got through it I was elated.   Yes – I got it done!

Each workout I felt like – it was tough but not that tough.

For me, completing Insanity was a personal victory.   If you want to feel that high – and you are physically up to the challenge – then go for it.

I do not regret the effort I put into it.

Here’s my overall take on the workout:

• The first four weeks are tough but each workout is 45 minutes or less.   Eventually you add in an ab workout which pushes one of your workouts to the full hour.

• You then get a one week break of less difficult workouts.   You do the same workout the entire week.   Trust me, by this week you really need the break.
• The last four weeks are longer workouts.   Some of the workouts felt easier than the first set of workouts but since you were going longer, the overall workout felt harder.

Every two weeks you take a Fit Test.   I did the first two tests but I didn’t do the others because I personally didn’t care if I could do more “globe jumps” at week 6 than I could at week 1.

For me there were fitness benefits that would more impressive.   There were two main benefits that I got from Insanity:

1. I shaved more than 3 minutes off of my time to run a mile.   I went from 12 minute miles to under 8 minute miles.   I went running with my husband and son and I was in the lead the entire time.   I was setting the pace.   When we were done running my husband asked me if I was “pushing” as hard as I could because I was going so much faster than I ever had before.   The truth was, I was just running at a comfortable pace.

I wasn’t training to run faster.   I didn’t even realize I had increased my pace because I wasn’t in the habit of running regularly.   I just felt like running one day and off I went.   Imagine my surprise to see how much faster I was going.

In the Insanity video, Shaun often said, “This is the drill that will make you faster.”   I pretty much ignored that comment because I didn’t think I what I was doing would have any impact on my running – boy was I wrong.

2. The second major benefit I got from doing Insanity was a boost in my confidence.   Bring on any workout – I can handle it.   All the workouts that I thought were tough in the past seem like a piece of cake now.   I do not fear or dread any workout.   I’ve done one of the toughest workouts around and felt great doing it.   I am now starting Turbo Fire and am not the least bit intimidated.

I will say that by the end of the Insanity routine, I was really physically tired.   I had to take two weeks off with only minor and sporadic workouts.   My body was physically exhausted at the end.

Ok, I need to add a third benefit.

3.   My body looks great!   I did Insanity at the age of 40.   I was not overweight but I wasn’t defined in any way.   By the end of Insanity my arms looked great and I dropped two inches off my waist.

I did actually gain a few pounds but overall I look slimmer than before I started.   Strangely, I my body looked better two weeks after I finished the workout.   It’s was almost like my body needed some recovery time to truly shine.

Anyway, I highly recommend Insanity for anyone who is physically fit and up to the challenge of a really tough workout.   The sense of accomplishment is amazing – go for it.