Is Insanity a "shortcut"?
half_moon
Posts: 807 Member
I was talking to my friend about this. She is a runner and weight trainer, and she recommends that nobody do Insanity, or similar high-intensity workouts. She views them as a "shortcut". I have no opinion, because that's not my style, but I was curious and asked her why she thought this was so, since it looks very difficult and these people put in a LOT of effort and pain to get there.
She said that a shortcut is a shortcut. In her opinion, nobody recommends losing weight that quickly and, she stressed especially, these workouts are awful for your joint tissue. She said it's just one more example of people doing something that can hurt them or give them pain further down the road, just so they can get somewhere quick. She noted that obviously Insanity isn't the type of thing you can sustain, and most people use it as a "quick fix" and go back to eating what they want because they feel they deserved it after all of their hard work.
Mind you, she isn't talking about the MFPers (she doesn't use the forum) or people that become obsessed with muscle. She's talking about the majority of Insanity "users" that use it to lose weight quickly and don't frequent the gym afterwards. She says it ruins their joints and they will not sustain it.
I was wondering if you guys had an opinion on this?
I haven't heard anything negative about Insanity from the forumers, yet, and was curious what you guys thought. I've heard some negative things about the magical cross fit, which intrigued me, but that's a whole other topic.
She said that a shortcut is a shortcut. In her opinion, nobody recommends losing weight that quickly and, she stressed especially, these workouts are awful for your joint tissue. She said it's just one more example of people doing something that can hurt them or give them pain further down the road, just so they can get somewhere quick. She noted that obviously Insanity isn't the type of thing you can sustain, and most people use it as a "quick fix" and go back to eating what they want because they feel they deserved it after all of their hard work.
Mind you, she isn't talking about the MFPers (she doesn't use the forum) or people that become obsessed with muscle. She's talking about the majority of Insanity "users" that use it to lose weight quickly and don't frequent the gym afterwards. She says it ruins their joints and they will not sustain it.
I was wondering if you guys had an opinion on this?
I haven't heard anything negative about Insanity from the forumers, yet, and was curious what you guys thought. I've heard some negative things about the magical cross fit, which intrigued me, but that's a whole other topic.
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Bumping, as this is relevant to my interests... thinking about starting Insanity or P90x0
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I think with any diet or exercise program you could have that problem, Regardless! You can't look at it as a quick fix. It has to be a lifestyle change no matter what you do.
The stress on your joints might be another issue all together. I don't know enough about it to comment on that. Though it does appear that you need to be in decent shape to start doing Insanity. That's not me. Yet..0 -
Decent shape? I dunno. I've heard of military trainers who did Insanity and their knees and joints hurt, and they said it was HARD. Nobody seems to worry about the joints, though.
I feel that any workout that does or can down the line cause injury (by doing it correctly, not just by doing it with wrong form) should not be recommended. There are ways to get a killer body, it just takes time.
Again, this is purely talk for me, because I have NO interest in Insanity. I like what I'm doing and the pace in which I am doing it. I feel good, even if I know it will take a while. Also, I want it to be a PART of my life. Not my entire life.0 -
Grr. I mean, you can try it. Didn't mean to freak you out.
You're already in shape so I suppose it wouldn't be that harmful?
P90X wouldn't be so bad. Was thinking about that one, actually.0 -
Insanity is hard on your knees.
I do not think it is a "quick fix" You aren't going to do Insanity and all of a sudden have a great body or lose a lot of weight. You have to be eating right at the same time and then continue to exercise.
I dont think there are any shortcuts, and I dont really think your friend knows what she is talking about.
I did insanity. It was a bit hard on my knees, so I wont be doing it agian although I may add some of the workouts in with my P90x cardio days.0 -
For me, I like insanity because it does remind me of my time in boot camp and in the navy overall. My workouts were like what I've experienced then with insanity. That being said, I also discussed the routine with my mental health doctor (I have bi polar, ptsd, and mstd), my nutritionalist, and my women's health doctor at the VA as we were concerned over what it could mean for my military injured leg but we've found it fine.
With any exercise routine and diet you mean to do for short term or lifestyle I feel it's vastly important to consult your doctor with it. For me, it meant talking to three doctors and they were all on board with me doing it, at my current health level. I'll be restarting it up again after I've fully settled into the routine of things. (the kids I nanny for start after school activities next week.) Once I've got the timing of when I need to be there I'll fully cement my plans. Right now I'm thinking Insanity will be best to do in the morning when I've the house to myself.
This is just my experience though. My doctors, two women and one male, all thought it would be a great fit for me. My doctors see me every other week, regardless of if I have an appointment with them or one of the others, so I'm sure that they'll let me know if they think I need to stop. Though I'm pretty in tune with my body so I may well notice if I need to stop before them. So far... I like what I do.0 -
I completed Insanity. It wasn't a shortcut to anywhere...maybe I missed the turn labeled short cut?
I completed it because it was challenging, because it mimics (in my opinion) similar training that I did for athletic training. Is it hard on your joints? Sure it can be for some. Running can be for some. Squats could be for some. Each of our bodies respond differently.
But a short cut? No. I definitely wouldn't call it a short cut.0 -
I did something similar to Insanity for a while and messed up my joints. Yes, it worked, but there are now about 10 sports I can no longer do.0
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She said that a shortcut is a shortcut. In her opinion, nobody recommends losing weight that quickly and, she stressed especially, these workouts are awful for your joint tissue. She said it's just one more example of people doing something that can hurt them or give them pain further down the road, just so they can get somewhere quick. She noted that obviously Insanity isn't the type of thing you can sustain, and most people use it as a "quick fix" and go back to eating what they want because they feel they deserved it after all of their hard work.
What she's saying makes absolutely no sense to me. I didn't lose weight any faster doing Insanity than I would have by running. In fact, I think I might have lost more weight if I had just spent the two months running every day. I actually burn more calories running than doing Insanity, believe it or not. I also disagree that it isn't the type of thing you can sustain. Plenty of people do multiple rounds of it, and I certainly plan on incorporating the workouts into my workout schedule when I finish. I didn't have any issue with my knees, but I was extremely careful.
Obviously like any other fitness regime, there are people who might do it and then fall off the wagon, but I don't see how that's any different than someone getting into running or weight training and then falling off the wagon or doing 30 DS and falling off the wagon, or anything else.
I also wouldn't view something that you have to do 6 days a week for 40-60 minutes which leaves you soaking wet with sweat as a "quick fix," but your miles may vary.0 -
I haven't done Insanity but I don't think it is a short cut. Like with everything else, if you don't work to maintain what you accomplished, you are going to lose it.
I did P90X and lost close to 30 pounds in 3 months. I did it again this year and lost another 10. It has been over 2 years since I did it for the first time. People also thought it was a short cut. Now when they see me, they don't think that anymore.0 -
I agree, there is no "short cut" to reach fitness goals. Insanity is working for me and I am not feeling any joint or knee problems.I actually took a "fti test" yesterday and saw a lot of improvement!
As for health related risk while exercising, one can get hurt by doing anything. I for one know I have rolled my ankle just walking, it happens. The human body is an amazing thing with the ability to recover along with modern medicine. Since playing sports in high school, py patella is always in some level of pain. It has gotten better and when it really hurts I ice it.
That being said, I highly support insanity along with calorie tracking on MFP. It is working for me, its my plan and road map to my fitness goals.0 -
It's a lot of high impact stuff. For a smaller person I wouldn't think it would be so bad, but for my fat *kitten* and with my bum ankle, I had to quit after day 2.0
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Sounds like she's just jealous of people who can do those workouts.0
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It's a lot of high impact crap. For a smaller person I wouldn't think it would be so bad, but for my fat *kitten* and with my bum ankle, I had to quit after day 2.
a girl on my friends list who has lost over 100lbs (and is now in the 160s) started doing insanity 3 months ago, and after a month she hurt her knee and fluid built up. she had to take a break from it for like 3-4 weeks before she could continue.
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How quickly you lose weight is a function of how much you eat in relation to how much energy your body uses. If you do Insanity and also eat less then yes you're probably going to lose weight very quickly. But I'm currently doing Insanity and eating maintenance (as directed by my Bodymedia Fit armband i.e. 2000-2500 calories per day depending on daily activity) and I'm maintaining my 120 goal that I hit over a month ago. Just b/c you do Insanity doesn't mean you're going to drop weight like crazy. It depends on how you're eating too. I am getting more fit but maintaining my weight. My husband on the other hand is still trying to lose weight so he's eating less than his BMF shows for maintenance each day. It's all in how you balance your food consumption with your activity.
And holy moly no it is not a shortcut, shortcuts are EASY. Insanity will kick your *kitten*. (if you're not already in really really really good shape)
Personally I am excited that my cardiovascular endurance is improving - I've never tried running outdoors before, but after seeing my improvements so far with the program I am going to try next week (once my kids start preschool) - I've never had the confidence to even try before b/c I was pretty sure I wouldn't even make it to the end of the street.
And they do have a very clear warning at the beginning of the workouts that you should be checking with a physician to make sure you're able to do the workouts since they are very high impact. It's not right for everyone. No workout is.0 -
Insanity is definitely hard on the knees, so I definitely recommend a good amount of recovery time after and not just doing it back to back to back. Do a round of 63 days, and then give your body at least two weeks of good light exercise like biking or walking so that those knees can heal up properly if you experience any amount of discomfort like I know I did.
It isn't a shortcut though. The whole idea is to burn calories and increase strength and Insanity definitely meets both of those objectives. I think somebody who works at a gym would be resistant to people doing at-home workouts merely for the fact that it means they don't have to pay a membership to meet their fitness objectives.0 -
Im an Insanity graduate, and am about to complete Insanity Asylum. My mentor and coach is in the Insanity infomercials, and in the upcoming Insanity Asylum 2 program. It works. Period. It provides faster results due to the science behind it. There isn't anything unhealthy behind it. You follow a balanced diet so nothing wrong there. You are working with your own body strength, so not possible to be cheating in anyway. Your friend might want to do more research into it. Ive previously trained for figure competitions before my last child, and I have never had results that were as great as the Insanity program. Granted i drink the shakeology as well. Because of the HIIT, where there is more high intensity than recovery, it causes you to get the results faster. Id suggest to try the program, and see for yourself! I'm also a beachbody coach and will be starting an online facebook group that will be beginning Sept 10th, for anybody that would like to join. It provides accountability, support, nutrition, and motivation throughout the 60 days. Message me if you are interested in joining!0
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Running is hard on your joints too... I would think it just depends on what you like doing. Unless Insanity literally sucks fat from your body and implants something that appears as muscle, it's not really a shortcut.
Personally, I focus on strength training, because a) I like it and b) I'd like to keep muscle and lose fat. Insanity sounds like it sucks, but that's my opinion, based on my likes/dislikes. Know thyself, right? So if it sounds fun, give it a shot.0 -
It's a lot of high impact crap. For a smaller person I wouldn't think it would be so bad, but for my fat *kitten* and with my bum ankle, I had to quit after day 2.
that's a load of crap. a girl on my friends list who has lost over 100lbs (and is now in the 160s) started doing insanity 3 months ago, and after a month she hurt her knee and fluid built up. she had to take a break from it for like 3-4 weeks before she could continue.
Ummm, you're telling me an injury I had is a load of crap? Also, that's great that a 260 pound person can do it. I'm around 350. About a 90 pound difference. Thanks for trying to make an argument out of this though.0 -
Any exercise pose a risk to injury. I don't think it's a short cut, but it does improve a lot with not just your weight and shape, but your conditioning, endurance, stamina etc. I like Insanity. The beginning is always hard, but the next day it gets easier.0
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She said that a shortcut is a shortcut. In her opinion, nobody recommends losing weight that quickly and, she stressed especially, these workouts are awful for your joint tissue. She said it's just one more example of people doing something that can hurt them or give them pain further down the road, just so they can get somewhere quick. She noted that obviously Insanity isn't the type of thing you can sustain, and most people use it as a "quick fix" and go back to eating what they want because they feel they deserved it after all of their hard work.
People don't "lose weight quickly" on Insanity in most cases. I am on my last week of it and haven't lost a single pound. How about that?
Insanity isn't a workout that is meant to be sustained. It's a way for people to improve on their cardiovascular fitness efficiently.
And that whole "eating what they want because they feel they deserved it.." is just crap. Why does that only apply to Insanity? Wouldn't that apply to any workout DVD, or any workout program for that matter, that people work hard at? Why is she specifically generalizing Insanity as a workout that will cause people to eat sh*tty foods when they've completed it? Makes no sense...
Sounds like your friend is making up excuses to not have to do the hard work herself.0 -
Bumping, as this is relevant to my interests... thinking about starting Insanity or P90x
Same. Although I'm leaning more towards insanity than p90x.
I tend to have weak knees and ankles. My knee usually hurts after 6/7 miles running.0 -
It's a lot of high impact crap. For a smaller person I wouldn't think it would be so bad, but for my fat *kitten* and with my bum ankle, I had to quit after day 2.
that's a load of crap. a girl on my friends list who has lost over 100lbs (and is now in the 160s) started doing insanity 3 months ago, and after a month she hurt her knee and fluid built up. she had to take a break from it for like 3-4 weeks before she could continue.
Ummm, you're telling me an injury I had is a load of crap? Also, that's great that a 260 pound person can do it. I'm around 350. About a 90 pound difference. Thanks for trying to make an argument out of this though.
Not everyone has the ability to complete insanity. It is a difficult program. I don't think it was very nice to say it was a load of crap to someone couldn't do it. At least he made an effort.0 -
I did Insanity and it was a great cardio workout. I did not lose a ton of weight (I think around 4-5 pounds total and a few inches as well) but it definitely helped with my endurance and ability to do push ups! I would put a disclaimer though that if you have bad knees I wouldn't recommend it as there is a lot of jumping involved. I never thought of it as a "shortcut" I just did it to switch up my cardio and try something different so maybe my expectations are different?0
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It's a lot of high impact crap. For a smaller person I wouldn't think it would be so bad, but for my fat *kitten* and with my bum ankle, I had to quit after day 2.
The heavier a person is, the more stress on the joints. Lots of people think heavy folks shouldn't even attempt eg running until they're within the 'normal' bmi range.
Yes, anyone could injure him/herself walking, crossing the street, what have you, but it's less likely.0 -
Personally, I think for anyone who can actually get through the entire program, whether it be Insanity, P90X or Turbo Fire or whatever, IF they actually do the entire program and put in the maximum effort - they will have already started a fitness routine and won't simply go back to their old ways when it's over. It's hard to come so far and then just sink back down into old habits after so long. But yeah, I'm sure a lot of people do that. If they do though, I doubt they tried very hard and/or didn't complete the program.
That said, I also think it has to be a mindset in people. It has to be a change you're willing to make for life, not just a quick fix. If people look at it as a quick fix, yeah, that's all it will be - and it definitely won't be sustainable. I look at it as an opportunity to jump start a drastic lifestyle change in a fun, easy, effective way that is guided so someone who isn't necessarily fitness oriented or familiar can start their journey in a way that doesn't make them feel like... well, an idiot? lol...
Also, I think it's kinda ironic that a runner is talking about joint damage and physical problems down the road from high impact exercise. But she does have a point I guess, some people are not 100% committed, but those people are everywhere. There's plenty of them who don't do these programs and plenty that do.0 -
I haven't done Insanity but I don't think it is a short cut. Like with everything else, if you don't work to maintain what you accomplished, you are going to lose it.
Agreed. Your friend appears to be the classic example of the "my way is the right way and everything else is wrong" attitude. Insanity is no more of a short cut than running (I am a runner, by the way). And running isn't exactly known to be the best exercise out there for preserving your joints.
The key is to find something that YOU enjoy, that will give you the results you want. Be careful to do your research though, because not every activity is suitable for all people. Anything done with too much intensity can cause injury.0 -
Does a shortcut mean "the harder you work the better results you get" ? Then I guess anything could be a shortcut. It's hardly "Cheating". Not like it's an easy way out. I find it a good alternative to mix into my workouts.0
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I completed Insanity. It wasn't a shortcut to anywhere...maybe I missed the turn labeled short cut?
I completed it because it was challenging, because it mimics (in my opinion) similar training that I did for athletic training. Is it hard on your joints? Sure it can be for some. Running can be for some. Squats could be for some. Each of our bodies respond differently.
But a short cut? No. I definitely wouldn't call it a short cut.
^^This. I completed Insanity and did it for the challenge. It was by no means a shortcut for me as I didn't lose any weight. I did however gain some much needed self-esteem and motivation to venture more into heavy lifting and strength training. I think, like any program, you get what you put into it.0 -
I completed Insanity. It wasn't a shortcut to anywhere...maybe I missed the turn labeled short cut?
I completed it because it was challenging, because it mimics (in my opinion) similar training that I did for athletic training. Is it hard on your joints? Sure it can be for some. Running can be for some. Squats could be for some. Each of our bodies respond differently.
But a short cut? No. I definitely wouldn't call it a short cut.
^This. I've done Insanity, and it didn't make me lose weight or get the body I want any faster than anything else I've done. I did it because it was a fun, challenging workout, and I could make modifications and go at my own pace.0
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