Is Insanity considered just cardio?

micheleb15

What is your resting heart rate? Because 165 is pretty accurate it sounds like. But it just doesn't add up when you say 250 calories burned.

When I first put on my HRM it's around 62, but that's after I just got dressed. I haven't actually put it on and laid on the couch to see what my actual resting heart rate is.

I am 5'2 and 155.

patrickblo13

something is seriously wrong with that burn.

I don't think there is anything wrong with the cals burn...everyone is different. I have been doing Insanity for over a year now, multiple rounds and I consistently burn 250-450 depending on the workout...

yo_andi

Yes. It's cardio.

squatsandlipgloss

What is your resting heart rate? Because 165 is pretty accurate it sounds like. But it just doesn't add up when you say 250 calories burned.

When I first put on my HRM it's around 62, but that's after I just got dressed. I haven't actually put it on and laid on the couch to see what my actual resting heart rate is.

I am 5'2 and 155.

Assuming your avg heart rate is 162 for 40 minutes, your calories burned should add up to about 600...
http://www.calories-calculator.net/Calories_Burned_By_Heart_Rate.html

This website seems to be pretty accurate, entered my info and its roughly correct... I use a Polar FT4 HRM by the way

micheleb15

What is your resting heart rate? Because 165 is pretty accurate it sounds like. But it just doesn't add up when you say 250 calories burned.

When I first put on my HRM it's around 62, but that's after I just got dressed. I haven't actually put it on and laid on the couch to see what my actual resting heart rate is.

I am 5'2 and 155.

Assuming your avg heart rate is 162 for 40 minutes, your calories burned should add up to about 600...
http://www.calories-calculator.net/Calories_Burned_By_Heart_Rate.html

This website seems to be pretty accurate, entered my info and its roughly correct... I use a Polar FT4 HRM by the way

Hmm, I have no idea what to think now. I use a Polar FT7.

squatsandlipgloss

What is your resting heart rate? Because 165 is pretty accurate it sounds like. But it just doesn't add up when you say 250 calories burned.

When I first put on my HRM it's around 62, but that's after I just got dressed. I haven't actually put it on and laid on the couch to see what my actual resting heart rate is.

I am 5'2 and 155.

Assuming your avg heart rate is 162 for 40 minutes, your calories burned should add up to about 600...
http://www.calories-calculator.net/Calories_Burned_By_Heart_Rate.html

This website seems to be pretty accurate, entered my info and its roughly correct... I use a Polar FT4 HRM by the way

Hmm, I have no idea what to think now. I use a Polar FT7.

Very strange. I think 165 is great, but there's no way you only burn 250 when your heart rate is at 80% throughout most of the workout. Especially when your resting heart rate is so phenomenal.

micheleb15

[Very strange. I think 165 is great, but there's no way you only burn 250 when your heart rate is at 80% throughout most of the workout. Especially when your resting heart rate is so phenomenal.

Thanks for the input. Maybe I can talk my husband into buying one for him so I can try it out.

squatsandlipgloss

According to this calculation

http://www.livestrong.com/article/78365-estimate-calories-burned-heart-rate/

You should also be burning around 600 Good luck, maybe try new batteries in that thingy that plugs onto your chest strap?

EllaIsNotEnchanted

for a dumb down answer:
High reps for a long duration= cardio and endurance. Which is how I think of Insanity anything. Love it anyway.
You will develop lean muscle and you're working compound muscles when you're doing those push-ups (if you are doing correct form)


Lifting HEAVY (some previous user said squats and benching) is what is building strength.
This would require low reps per set. You can find more information on bodybuilding sites and check journals for correct information.

I do a combination of strength training with a barbell and Insanity.

contingencyplan

A few things:

1. Insanity is not a full body workout. Nothing that uses absolutely no equipment can be a true full body workout, because a large portion of the muscles in the back and arms can only be worked by resisted pulling movements. When you are working with no equipment, you can only create resisted pushing movements (pushing your bodyweight off of the floor against gravity). In order to be able to make it into a true full body workout while sticking with exclusively bodyweight, you would need to supplement it with pullup-type exercises.

2. While it is possible to use bodyweight to build strength and muscle mass, the format of Insanity does not really lend itself to this except in the case of people who have atrophied muscles (in which case you will be seeing what is commonly referred to as "noob gains"). In that respect, yes, it is mostly all cardio. You can supplement Insanity with weight training, but you would have to completely redo the schedule in order to allow for proper rest after weight training days, so you would really only be doing 1-2 Insanity workouts a week in addition to your weight training. Rest days are a crucial part of a weight training regimen.

ninerbuff

It's cardio. Strength training involves "progressively" using higher resistance.

A.C.E. Certified Personal/Group FitnessTrainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

So if I get fatter and the pushups have more resistance I can count it at strength?

Absolutely. When some think that they are getting stronger (IE able to do more pushups) part of that "strength" can be attributed to losing weight up top and now being able to do more reps because of less body weight.

A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness industry for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition