P90X vs. Insanity

I am looking into both of these but i dont know which one to get since i am wanting to work out at home because i cant afford a gym memberships.

Replies

  • CALake
    CALake Posts: 269 Member
    What are you looking to get out of it? P90X is more strength-based, Insanity more cardio. I liked both, but I got the best results out of P90X. It depends what you're looking for.
  • juliegalland
    juliegalland Posts: 2 Member
    I have both, and honestly I think Insanity is a lot better. First of all, no equipment is required, it's all done with your own body weight. Secondly, although the videos look really intimidating and difficult, once you get started you find that you can do a lot more than you think. I found P90X to be a lot harder, requiring more strength just to do the moves. I'm currently starting week 8 of Insanity and I'm still really happy with it! Good luck with whatever you choose!!
  • I had a roommate that had both but it seemed like P90X need more stuff with it and i am looking for something that will help me lose weight and keep it off and i can keep with the program. That was one of the big problems with my friend she didnt have the money to buy the extra stuff for p90x.
  • Twinzim
    Twinzim Posts: 5 Member
    I have both. I love insanity ( though very challenging) Shawn T is not annoying to listen to. P90x is more weights and upper body strength stuff that is really hard for most women to do. Though I like some of it ...tony Horton is annoying to me. I did not feel motivated by him in any way to push on when I felt like giving up on something. I never did complete the p90x. I am on my second round of insanity. And would definitely recommend it to anyone who is up for the challenge!
  • Thank you i have talked to a lot of people about it and it sounds like p90x isnt right to start out with since i will not be able to do it. So i think once i get the money i am going to buy insanity.
  • rchiecuto
    rchiecuto Posts: 69 Member
    i think you should do turbo fire! the videos are great, they make me want to work out. chalene is so upbeat and they play great music to work out to :)
    i have p90x, but tony horton gets old after awhile lol
  • mmk137
    mmk137 Posts: 833 Member
    I started with turbofire, it's cardio base, with strength as a side extra.

    I then went to insanity. I used it as a cross training tool while training for a half marathon. I also did it as it's body weight, until I could invest in heavier weights.

    I've now finished insanity, and I'm onto week 2 of p90x. P90x is more strength based, and is very different to insanity.

    I'm glad I did insanity 1st however, why? cause I'm so close to my ultimate goal weight, so now it's time for me to get toned.

    I am doing p90x as a hybrid with running & turbofire. I'm also adding kettleworx core into it as well (instead of their abs workout).

    Tony is a goof. I love chalene, I love how she teaches. You can tell that she and Shaun T have taught classes, cause when they say right you go right but she is going left which is our right, make sense (so she uses stage right, stage left), which Tony doesn't do. When he says right side, he is literally using his right side and not a mirror, I prefer the mirror training.
  • vtachycardia
    vtachycardia Posts: 374
    If you are saying,

    "I am not doing any exercise until I can buy a DVD"

    then that is unacceptable.

    There are a hundred million free resources on the internet to inspire you to move more, move faster, move stronger.

    nowloss.com - plenty of routines
    scott herman
    scooby
    functional patterns

    an endless list.

    Going to buy anything, a cheap HRM (Polar FT1), a Gymboss and a set of resistance cables that can be "stacked" - about $90 total and with a greater longevity than any w/o DVD

    make your own Sand Bags, put tins, books whatever into a range of suitcases or bags - these become your weights

    BTW - your body is a pretty good exercise tool - squats, lunges, crunches, press ups, inverted rows, pull ups - (only about 400,000 different possibilities with your body)

    I know 150 different jumping jacks
  • snowmaniac
    snowmaniac Posts: 600 Member
    Insanity is almost exclusively cardio. P90X is more overall fitness with a mix of strength and cardio and the guide that comes with P90X lays out 3 different options for how to use it, one of which is called "lean". While Insanity doesn't require any more equipment than comfortable workout clothes, good shoes, and if you can afford it a heart rate monitor, the only thing you really need besides that for P90X would be some resistance bands that you can get at Target or Walmart at low cost and you can use those in place of the pull-up bar and the hand weights. As long as you get something that gives enough resistance there are band versions of all the weight/pull-up moves in P90X. All that said, if weight loss is your focus your diet has the most influence on that, so you have to get that right regardless of which program you choose. If your diet is crap (pardon my french), it really won't matter either way. Both are challenging. Both have their benefits. If you just want to do intense cardio then Insanity will give you that.

    By the way, if money is tight, you can get a number of DVD's from Jillian Michaels and Bob Harper very cheaply and they are solid workouts as well. Those you can just go buy a new one each time your budget allows.
  • I am not saying that i am saying that i cant afford a gym membership and all i can right now is basically ride my bike and some times some jogging because a gym membership isnt cheap.
    If you are saying,

    "I am not doing any exercise until I can buy a DVD"

    then that is unacceptable.

    There are a hundred million free resources on the internet to inspire you to move more, move faster, move stronger.

    nowloss.com - plenty of routines
    scott herman
    scooby
    functional patterns

    an endless list.

    Going to buy anything, a cheap HRM (Polar FT1), a Gymboss and a set of resistance cables that can be "stacked" - about $90 total and with a greater longevity than any w/o DVD

    make your own Sand Bags, put tins, books whatever into a range of suitcases or bags - these become your weights

    BTW - your body is a pretty good exercise tool - squats, lunges, crunches, press ups, inverted rows, pull ups - (only about 400,000 different possibilities with your body)

    I know 150 different jumping jacks
  • CaliBird
    CaliBird Posts: 10
    I'm doing Insanity right now and let me tell you, it's hard. Even if you take breaks without technically being 'allowed' to I'm still sweating up a storm and sore the next day. I haven't tried P90X mostly because I heard it requires equipment.
  • vtachycardia
    vtachycardia Posts: 374
    Gym membership isn't cheap, neither are fitness w/o dvd's and you do not need either to work out at home.
    I am not saying that i am saying that i cant afford a gym membership and all i can right now is basically ride my bike and some times some jogging because a gym membership isnt cheap.
    If you are saying,

    "I am not doing any exercise until I can buy a DVD"

    then that is unacceptable.

    There are a hundred million free resources on the internet to inspire you to move more, move faster, move stronger.

    nowloss.com - plenty of routines
    scott herman
    scooby
    functional patterns

    an endless list.

    Going to buy anything, a cheap HRM (Polar FT1), a Gymboss and a set of resistance cables that can be "stacked" - about $90 total and with a greater longevity than any w/o DVD

    make your own Sand Bags, put tins, books whatever into a range of suitcases or bags - these become your weights

    BTW - your body is a pretty good exercise tool - squats, lunges, crunches, press ups, inverted rows, pull ups - (only about 400,000 different possibilities with your body)

    I know 150 different jumping jacks
  • I have looked all different workout dvds and they would be cheaper to do than going a doing membership i live in a state that is everything is higher and it sucks so i am basically do the basic stuff for working out which gets old really quickly.
    Gym membership isn't cheap, neither are fitness w/o dvd's and you do not need either to work out at home.
    I am not saying that i am saying that i cant afford a gym membership and all i can right now is basically ride my bike and some times some jogging because a gym membership isnt cheap.
    If you are saying,

    "I am not doing any exercise until I can buy a DVD"

    then that is unacceptable.

    There are a hundred million free resources on the internet to inspire you to move more, move faster, move stronger.

    nowloss.com - plenty of routines
    scott herman
    scooby
    functional patterns

    an endless list.

    Going to buy anything, a cheap HRM (Polar FT1), a Gymboss and a set of resistance cables that can be "stacked" - about $90 total and with a greater longevity than any w/o DVD

    make your own Sand Bags, put tins, books whatever into a range of suitcases or bags - these become your weights

    BTW - your body is a pretty good exercise tool - squats, lunges, crunches, press ups, inverted rows, pull ups - (only about 400,000 different possibilities with your body)

    I know 150 different jumping jacks
  • I've seen the Insanity program on TV and am in total awe of the people actually moving like that - it lives up to the name of "insanity". I guess there are times it's nice to be a senior citizen with all the replacement parts and arthritis - no one would ever expect me to even think of trying it!! God bless you young 'uns for having the strength and stamina to try these programs!
  • Thanks everyone for yalls opinion i did some more research i think i might start out with insanity because i need to work on my carido first then work my way up to p90x to work on my strength. again thank you everyone for ur input.
  • zevduv
    zevduv Posts: 15 Member
    "the best program is one that you'll do" That's great, thanks!
  • I have a friend that decided to start with P90X and I started with Insanity. We are both sore and both are working to our potential. For a bit over a year we have both been doing workouts from lifting, to running, etc. Then when we started DVD workouts, I went to Tae Bo and Bootcamps, she went to Power90...actually think I saw more results if you go by our before and after pics (that we took together, lol). I am loving Insanity and it's a total challenge, but she is challenged by P90X. I guess it's all what you are looking for. By the sounds of it though, you would probably get more from Insanity out of the 2. Feel free to add me if you want... as long as you reciprocate encouragement and don't mind honesty. I will be the first to admit I suck at hand-holding, but am great for a kick in the pants - which is something I sometimes need too :) LOL! Either way, good luck to you and no doubt you will rock either one!!

    As a side note: for either program, plan on throwing out your scale once you do initial start-up numbers. Take measurements and scale reading to start, but on neither program will you see scale drop immediately due to working different muscles. You need to allow both programs the time to work and the scale will only discourage you. Hope that helps!