What does ‘Extreme’ mean, anyway? Is calling the Insanity Workout ‘the hardest workout ever put on DVD’ meant as a warning, a challenge, or it is just hype? Why is the Insanity Workout considered such a challenge, and why are so many people warned away from trying it out? Is it meant only for the elite athlete, or can the Average Joe who used to be into sports during school but has since packed on 35 lbs try it on for size?

The Insanity Workout is billed as the most extreme workout put on DVD for a simple reason. While it’s only a two month workout, it’s done six days/week, with each workout lasting just shy of any hour. It consists of a brutal combination of cardio, plyometrics (jumping), calisthenics (using your own body weight as resistance), sports drills and core work. That, and the intensity level at which Insanity is does is through the roof. Shaun T calls it ‘Max Interval Training’, where instead of working out at max intensity for a brief period of time, and then resting for a long stretch, you do the opposite. The result is a heart pounding 45 minutes of extremely intense exercises.

The workout is designed for competent athletes for a reason. It’s not a question of willpower, not a question of determination, or even mental fortitude, though you’ll need all of those. It’s a question of how conditioned your joints and muscles are. Whether they’re ready to be pounded six days/week, for two months straight. The most common complaint I hear is from people two weeks in who have started to develop knee and ankle injuries. These can be ameliorated by taking three basic precautions: 1) Get the best cross trainers you can buy, 2) Work out on a yoga mat, and 3) Take a joint support supplement composed of collagen type II and glucosamine. Even so, your body will taking a rude pounding, and may not be up to the task.

Is it worth it? Is it worth pounding your body so hard for two months? Yes. What you end up doing is not High Intensity Interval Training, but Threshold Training, where you operate at just below your all out max so that you can last all 45 minutes. This results in a staggering number of bodily adaptions, from developing your anaerobic engine to improving your explosive power (think your ability to jump or explode into a sprint). It consumes a vast number of calories (up to 1,000 in some workouts) and so if you follow the nutrition plan correctly, can result in a staggering weight loss. Your muscles and core will become jacked, and all the calisthenics (thin a wide variety of pushups, tricep/shoulder work) will keep your upper body toned and in excellent shape.

So what’s the take-away. Can you do Insanity if you’re not a super-fit athlete? Yes, if you remain aware of your joints, take it slow in the beginning, and give your body time to adapt. Will it give you stunning results if you follow the nutrition plan and do your best? Absolutely. Will fit and healthy athletes get something out of this program? No question about it. I’ve heard of entire SWAT and police forces using this program to get in shape, highschool basketball coaches using it over the summer to condition their teams, and have heard innumerable success stories from a wide variety of people that tell me one thing: Insanity is for real. If you’re smart about how you approach it, if you take care of yourself, follow the nutrition plan and have a will of iron, you’ll get it done, and you won’t recognize yourself when you’re finished.

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Category: Wellness, Fitness and Diet
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