Insanity workout

[VitoCorleone]

Is anyone doing this/done it?

Done my fit test yesterday and done pretty shite

Done the first circuit today, fooking hell, couldnt even manage half of it! I thought id finished the circuit, was feeling pretty chuffed, then i realised that was just the warm up! Jeez

Given me some core strengthening stuff and I'm back next week

oh tell us about your core strengthening stuff?

Dunno why but my abs hurt today and think it's cardio abs again tomorrow? I feel not 100% ready for month two, if it is too difficult I suppose I could repeat a week or two of the first cycle? Is anyone else a bit trepidatious?

on the other hand I am so so so happy about joining a new gym that has all sorts of exciting and new (to me) stuff like TRX suspension training and battling ropes and other whole body stuff that I don't think I'd feel quite as interested in if it hadn't been for Insanity

Just very basic stuff. He called it stripping it back to basics so my core supports my back
Basic hip bridge, and the other one is all on fours with a hollow back, then tighten my core without losing the hollow. Ten reps four times a day

mitch so you're joining the other gym then?

yeah, haha, so much for saving money

in my defence though I didn't know it would have all NEW STUFF that could have been made for ME - I also really liked the owner and within a few minutes was obvious that he is very very good at helping people define their own individual goals rather than the usual one size fits all stuff you get from gyms, do you know what I mean? So it felt like somewhere that would help me achieve various of my ambitions - like be the strongest and fastest person in the whole world ever. He must have a great sales patter it means in theory can do spin every day although in real life classes are hardly ever at helpful times

anyway insaniacs, how has this week been? Pure cardio has NOT got easier for me so am reserving the right to repeat month one if month two is too hard. And am NOT doing cardio abs it fucking hurts, added 20 mins of vira flow to my morning yoga instead :) which is not even slightly the same thing

On my 8th day, just did cardio & resistance (something like that) & actually enjoyed it.

Weirdly, my push ups are improving, never thought I'd say that but guess most routines have them in somewhere so doing that bit every day has helped.

Also lost 4lbs.

I'm amazed its working already!

REALLY enjoyed the day off yesterday

I've got 3 dcs, 5, 3 and 9mths, and am a single parent. Boys pretty much always with me, was getting fed up of not being able to go for a regular run & being flabby.

Feel so much better already.

:) it's great isn't it? I feel bad for my friend spending so much and not even doing the fit test - but she is happy with her £50 and I am thrilled (so far) but wondering how crazy/expensive it would be to have a personal trainer go through the max circuits with me, a few times, or even the first cycle just to make sure am working correctly and consistently? Some days I'm buzzing all day from it, other days I struggle to complete the workout and feel tired and hungry for the rest of the day

was thinking a trainer could also help with recipes and adaptations to the nutrition plan? I like eating that way but it's a lot of time preparing meals and you have to be really organised and it's too tempting to skip them

is this a stupid idea?

No it's not a stupid idea at all. But just an idea, could you film yourself & watch it back to check your own form?

Also, food wise, I'm the laziest cook ever but find this diet fairly easy. Could you bulk cook some wholegrain rice to last a few days, same with chicken/turkey and just throw the meals together as & when?

I stocked up on mixed salad, veg, rice, whole grain wraps etc. I spice it up with nandos peri peri sauce. I go for small whole grain carb portions, as much salad & veg as I like, lots of lean protein. I don't follow his meal plan exactly, just follow general idea behind it.

Worst thing about it is it's boring! But all the protein must be filling as I'm losing my, usually quite big, appetite.

And yeah it's great so far!

I like the breakfast of 1/2 whole grain bagel, toasted, with full fat Philadelphia (thinly spread), some ham, and tomatoes.

Often just have a massive pile of salad with pieces of chicken & nandos sauce too, 1/2 whole grain wrap. Again, boring, but edible!

that does not sound as boring as my day of yogurt and berries x 3 plus a can of tuna and a breakfast taco good idea about filming although aaaarrrrgggggh if it somehow ended up on FB aaaaarrrgggghhh I could watch and delete immediately! Good idea to plan ahead and prepare in bulk, thanks, I actually hadn't thought of that - is usually something simple that makes a big difference isn't it?

is not as if I can afford a personal trainer anyway really, although must be saving loads by not smoking? and had a session today and he offered me a freebie if I lend him my insanity discs :) I just need to keep core recovery or whatever it is called for every day next week

where and how are our other insaniacs, especially op, vito?

Here I am, checking in at the end of week 4. I found this week quite hard going, but that might just be general tiredness from work and stuff. My workout this morning was loads better after an early night last night.
Mitchy I would LOVE a personal trainer, if I ever get rich I am totally getting one. I do have 2 virtual workout buddies that I chat with using WhatsApp, we video ourselves sometimes and see if we are doing the moves correctly. Stuff like squats and planks mainly. None of us actually know anything about fitness though, but it is good for motivation! I am loving your ambition to be the strongest and fastest person in the world ever. My own ambition is just to have a body like Jessica Ennis, maybe I should aim a bit higher?
Bakeryqueen you are doing well with the food plan - I have eaten a total load of crap this week including 7, yes 7, Krispy Kreme donuts. I will get my food planning book out of the box and try much harder this week! I'm not sure I will be able to do 5 small meals a day but I'm sure I could tweak it and have 3 meals & 2 snacks and no donuts
Anyway, I've rambled on long enough - I'm going to watch the Core Cardio & Balance DVD in prep for Monday x

morning officelady! Well done! Jessica Ennis probably has posters everywhere of YOU for inspiration :)

Can you believe the first thirty days are over (for you, I'm just about to do my beloved plyo circuit for final time :() sorry this week has been tougher but then SO SO GLAD it is not just me! I sort of globally ache. Also have a cold.

wonder how rich you have to be to benefit from a personal trainer, think 'mine' is only about £30 an hour but maybe just checking in every other week would help me be more consistent or even once a month? Do people do that?

ok. Wow, we made it halfway. Am only just getting halfway good at the plyometric one too but getting excited about month 2

anyone else thinking about starting the asylum next?

Wow, can't believe people are already up to month two! I did plyometric workout for first time today . Is it normal to only manage about 2/3 of it max?! That was sweat making and the abs in outs I could barely do any of.

you could try holding the plank instead? I skipped or substituted loads of things for the abs ones because I hurt myself, v low abs, just before starting insanity - I do slow push ups, elephant press, v press or have an extra water break! Today I did it all though - MEDAL

personally I think 2/3 of one workout is better than no workout! And it is SIX times a week. My absolute best is probably only 80% of what they do on the screen but as Shaun says first you get stronger then you can get faster!

Good advice Mitchy. I'll try the plank next time. I did about 3 (all I could manage) and then collapsed in a heap on the floor trying to regain my breath for the rest of the time on those . I found the push ups way too fast for me too so might do 2 slower ones rather than 4 quick. I've got cardio power and resistance tomorrow - anyone tell me what to expect from that one? How does it differ to plyometrics (so I know what to prepare myself for)?

have done cardio power and resistance at least four times, maybe five? and can't even remember what happens in it- I know it's one I like (as opposed to pure cardio) but think I was WTF the first time! I dunno, go at your own pace? Good luck!

Oh my goodness Recovery Week, am so excited about the next phase! Am using this week to really get on top of my eating, planning and preparing ahead. Ordered the asylum for after that, and then I think there are calendars combining the two longer term. Am hoping the nutrition plan will be helpful too.

Happy Sunday Insaniacs :)

What do the recovery week workouts involve mitchy ? Are they still really hard? Well, did power and resistance today, I've noticed the exercises I already have been doing as part of my previous workouts I find quite easily managable, it's the new stuff I find impossible, so hopefully by the end it will be easier . Found it hard but OK, but I couldn't do those funny tricep dips and when they stuck one leg in the air to do them I laughed as there was no way I can manage that! I just did tricep dips using a chair. Did it first thing as I knew weather would hot up and I'd get too hot later for it.

oh well done, yeah they definitely do get easier (although I must fluctuate a lot because some days I really struggle and others I'm more 'look at me GO! I'm amazing!' haha)

it's the same workout every day for recovery week, looks a bit more energetic than the cardio recovery of weeks 1-4 but still loads of balancing and stretching - have you had cardio recovery yet?

Ah .... sweet, sweet Sunday - rest day for me!
reastie I struggled with the tricep dips to start with but finally managed to get through them all (including leg-in-the-air torture) by the end of week 4. I have to say I am getting some lovely definition in my arm muscles and shoulders which I've never had before. Looking forward to a week of "recovery" then it's onto the next level - yikes!

Meant to ask - are any of you on MFP? If so, how do you input insanity? I've just been putting 40 minutes of circuits but would be interested to know what you did.

office wow to you managing the leg in the air torture, it's nice inspiration to help me on my way that you've managed it.

mitchy it's my cardio recovery tomorrow.

I always log Insanity as "aerobics, high impact". However I also use MapMyRun to log workouts and it has all the insanity workouts in the menu. The calories don't quite match up (MFP logs them lower). But I do like MFP for my daily food diary, stops me going overboard with snack and treats !

I got someone to help me guesstimate my burn using his garmin thing and just made new exercises for each DVD then assumed it would be the same each time - which is stupid because sometimes I work Really Hard and other times quite feebly. It's (for me) really a bit pointless trying to establish whether I've burned 270 or 343 cals or 400 or only 192 in 40 minutes because it's so imprecise BUT I want a log of my activity so I do use MFP sometimes (add me if you like, am MitchyInge). It makes me want to eat properly at least!

Mitchy are you also on your recovery week now? I just did my first attempt at Core Cardio & Balance and it is lovely and quite gentle all the way through, a big focus on moving slow but with good form, until right near the end when I thought it was going to be some gentle stretching and stuff but oh no, no siree, there is a section called Hip Flexor Burner and Shoulder Burner which is utterly diabolical! I felt like my leg was actually going to fall off at one point. And in fact I did have to stop half way through for a rest because I literally could not pick my foot up off the floor, even though it was still attached to my leg. So good luck with that!