Weight Training + Insanity? Too much?

Erykah3584
Erykah3584 Posts: 324 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
So I just started the Insanity program on Monday and am considering adding a Jamie Eason strength training program on top of that. I've done Insanity before, so I know how intense it is. The strength training program is only 4 days a week for 12 weeks. While insanity is 6 days a week for 9 weeks. My question is, do you think adding strength training would be too much on my body? Has anybody done this? I am a stay at home mom, so I feel like devoting 1-2 hours a day on exercise is doable for me. Thanks!

Replies

  • nicole7275
    nicole7275 Posts: 8 Member
    I just started Insanity on Monday. I decided to stick with my current weight training program- Chalean Extreme. I just started the third month of it, Lean Phase and didnt want to stop. I will have to see how this will work out. Today I did my insanity workout then followed with weights. I might start doing Insanity in the am for cardio and do my weights in the evening three nights a week. Sometimes its hard to squeeze in two workouts back to back. Good Luck!
  • RainbootsToBikinis
    RainbootsToBikinis Posts: 465 Member
    With that much cardio you'll have a really hard time building any muscle doing the weight lifting, but weight lifting can help preserve the muscle you already have so go for it! Just make sure you are getting plenty of protein.
  • Chief_Rocka
    Chief_Rocka Posts: 4,710 Member
    Yes, probably too much.
  • jimmmer
    jimmmer Posts: 3,515 Member
    That's (pardon the pun) an insane amount of exercise to do. Workout what your goals consist of and then do one programme properly, rather than ruining the potential results of both programmes.....
  • healthyJenn0915
    healthyJenn0915 Posts: 185 Member
    I have tried to do both Insanity and Chalean at the same time one in the morning one at night and it has never worked for me. I just get too tired from doing both. I then started doing every other day with Insanity one day and Chalean the next. That seemed to work for me but I didn't feel I was getting in enough cradio so on Chalean days I would add in a 20 minute walk, run, or bike ride. I never did complete the full 90 days of Chalean, but have been able to do 2 1/2 full rounds of Insanity. Good luck with whatever you decide on!
  • xiamjackie
    xiamjackie Posts: 611 Member
    That much cardio is going to be counterproductive to the weight training, which is supposed to be building muscle. I don't see any point in doing both full programs together. I think the better option would be to do Insanity only on the days you don't lift.
  • NikoM5
    NikoM5 Posts: 488 Member
    Normally I would say yes, too much. But i get the feeling this strength training you're adding is of the "do it at home" variety? In which case I ask, what are you using for resistance?
  • Erykah3584
    Erykah3584 Posts: 324 Member
    Thanks for the advice guys! I decided Im going to go ahead and try doing both programs. Im going to make sure I get in enough calories and protein to try to keep me from getting burned out. Its only for 9 weeks (I keep telling myself that). I want to look hot for NYE, my anniversary, and my 29th birthday. I usually dont exercise this much, but I have some goals to accomplish! Are you saying that its counterproductive because you cant burn fat while gaining muscle?
  • Erykah3584
    Erykah3584 Posts: 324 Member
    Normally I would say yes, too much. But i get the feeling this strength training you're adding is of the "do it at home" variety? In which case I ask, what are you using for resistance?
    Yes, it will be an at home routine. I will be using free-weights, barbell & dumbbells.
  • skazerani
    skazerani Posts: 11 Member
    I actually did both, insanity and strength training, I did get results, but I think I might have built better muscle just doing strenght training and light cardio, I don't think it will hurt you if you want to try it. I dont think it is to much.
  • wolfpack77
    wolfpack77 Posts: 655
    This is a very intense level of training. Few people can sustain this very long without burning out or over training. Recovery is just as important, if not more so - that the training itself. While the amount of recovery required is highly subjective, its better to have too much than not enough. It doesn't work the other way around though. Because training volume doesn't necessarily translate into better results, and overdoing it can actually be detrimental.
  • contingencyplan
    contingencyplan Posts: 3,639 Member
    Combining weight training with that much high intensity cardio every day is a pretty guaranteed way to not see much in the way of muscle gains. You WILL hit overtraining.
  • NikoM5
    NikoM5 Posts: 488 Member
    Normally I would say yes, too much. But i get the feeling this strength training you're adding is of the "do it at home" variety? In which case I ask, what are you using for resistance?
    Yes, it will be an at home routine. I will be using free-weights, barbell & dumbbells.


    There are so many variables at play here that it's next to impossible to give you good advice. I say so go for it!
  • shinkalork
    shinkalork Posts: 815 Member
    Not too much... I did it.

    I don't think it's good to over do it...

    I was adding weights 2-3 times a week on the easiest one.
  • Noflexing
    Noflexing Posts: 60 Member
    there's no such thing as over training. There's only under resting and under eating.
  • jimmmer
    jimmmer Posts: 3,515 Member
    This is a very intense level of training. Few people can sustain this very long without burning out or over training. Recovery is just as important, if not more so - that the training itself. While the amount of recovery required is highly subjective, its better to have too much than not enough. It doesn't work the other way around though. Because training volume doesn't necessarily translate into better results, and overdoing it can actually be detrimental.

    ^This - if you take one message away from this thread, let it be this one.

    People who mash together two different programmes without regard for the objectives they were designed with end up extracting little fo the benefits of both.

    All you need to lose weight is a calorie deficit - this can be achieved by diet alone. All you need to retain muscle whilst in this deficit is a good weightlifting programme. Cardio is good for maintaining the health of your cardio-vascular system - it's not absolutely necessary to lose weight.

    Anyway that's neither here nor there. You could get results doing Insanity (plenty of people have after all) and you could get results Lifting (again plenty of people here have too) but few (read: professional athletes) can maintain the level of training you're talking about and they have support systems in place (good coaching, physio, dieticians, etc) to mitigate most (not all!) of the downsides and arguably they are in a top few % of the population and even they miss whole years of competition due to injury, overtraining, etc...

    I'm sad that you think more is better, but really I'm made more sad by all the people who have encouraged you to try this. They have given you bad advice, don't follow it!
  • AntWrig
    AntWrig Posts: 2,273 Member
    there's no such thing as over training. There's only under resting and under eating.
    Incorrect. While overtraining is overblown it does exist. I do agree with your second statement.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,990 Member
    there's no such thing as over training. There's only under resting and under eating.
    Untrue. If you did 100 sets of biceps curls in one day on a consistent basis, that wouldn't be overtraining?

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • Erykah3584
    Erykah3584 Posts: 324 Member
    So this is the weight program that I am planning on doing. http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/womans_lean_sexy_bible.htm

    I thought that doing 30-45 minutes of cardio 5 days a week (insanity has a recovery day once a week) and weight training 4 days a week would be a pretty balanced routine. Now Im kind of scared. I really dont want to do more harm than good to my body.
  • contingencyplan
    contingencyplan Posts: 3,639 Member
    So this is the weight program that I am planning on doing. http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/womans_lean_sexy_bible.htm

    I thought that doing 30-45 minutes of cardio 5 days a week (insanity has a recovery day once a week) and weight training 4 days a week would be a pretty balanced routine. Now Im kind of scared. I really dont want to do more harm than good to my body.

    While what you say is true, you can't just lump all forms of cardio together. If you're supplementing with weight training, that 45 minutes of cardio should not be anything even remotely as intense as Insanity. Bottom line, Insanity should NOT be used to supplement a weight training regimen. Video workouts like that were made to be standalone, and if you want a program to work around weight training, you're going to have to put your own together that more than likely will not incorporate DVD-based workouts. I use jump rope for my cardio to supplement my resistance training and I only do 15-20 minutes of it a day, in intervals. Anything longer in duration would have to be significantly lower in intensity.
  • nuttyduffy
    nuttyduffy Posts: 255 Member
    I do both BUT lift weights Mon, Wed & Sat & do Insanity on Tues, Thurs & sometimes Sunday!

    I'm doing this lifting programme: http://www.muscleandstrength.com/workouts/frankoman-dumbbell-only-split.html

    <<< these are my results after 5 weeks :happy:
  • ilovedeadlifts
    ilovedeadlifts Posts: 2,923 Member
    I'd do one or the other, or dial back on them so they don't run you into the ground.
  • Erykah3584
    Erykah3584 Posts: 324 Member
    I do both BUT lift weights Mon, Wed & Sat & do Insanity on Tues, Thurs & sometimes Sunday!

    I'm doing this lifting programme: http://www.muscleandstrength.com/workouts/frankoman-dumbbell-only-split.html

    <<< these are my results after 5 weeks :happy:

    Nice!!! Keep up the hard work girl! So maybe I should just split the days like you are.....
  • nuttyduffy
    nuttyduffy Posts: 255 Member

    Nice!!! Keep up the hard work girl! So maybe I should just split the days like you are.....

    It's defo working for me, I think doing both on the same day would probably be too much but maybe see how you feel after a couple of weeks if you really want to do both alongside each other!
  • jnh17
    jnh17 Posts: 838 Member
    I do both BUT lift weights Mon, Wed & Sat & do Insanity on Tues, Thurs & sometimes Sunday!

    I'm doing this lifting programme: http://www.muscleandstrength.com/workouts/frankoman-dumbbell-only-split.html

    <<< these are my results after 5 weeks :happy:

    This is the ONLY way I would do both programs -- either or for a given day, not both.

    I'm in pretty good shape and I could probably pull of strength training/Insanity on the same day for *maybe* two weeks. After that, I don't think I could physically get through one of the programs the way I should be. If you're not getting gassed enough with Insanity, you're not pushing yourself hard enough.
  • emily_bird
    emily_bird Posts: 236
    This is a very intense level of training. Few people can sustain this very long without burning out or over training. Recovery is just as important, if not more so - that the training itself. While the amount of recovery required is highly subjective, its better to have too much than not enough. It doesn't work the other way around though. Because training volume doesn't necessarily translate into better results, and overdoing it can actually be detrimental.

    ^This - if you take one message away from this thread, let it be this one.

    People who mash together two different programmes without regard for the objectives they were designed with end up extracting little fo the benefits of both.

    All you need to lose weight is a calorie deficit - this can be achieved by diet alone. All you need to retain muscle whilst in this deficit is a good weightlifting programme. Cardio is good for maintaining the health of your cardio-vascular system - it's not absolutely necessary to lose weight.

    Anyway that's neither here nor there. You could get results doing Insanity (plenty of people have after all) and you could get results Lifting (again plenty of people here have too) but few (read: professional athletes) can maintain the level of training you're talking about and they have support systems in place (good coaching, physio, dieticians, etc) to mitigate most (not all!) of the downsides and arguably they are in a top few % of the population and even they miss whole years of competition due to injury, overtraining, etc...

    I'm sad that you think more is better, but really I'm made more sad by all the people who have encouraged you to try this. They have given you bad advice, don't follow it!


    Ditto ! Listen to the ripped boys!
  • FluffyDogsRule
    FluffyDogsRule Posts: 366 Member
    why don't you just start insanity and do it for 2 weeks and see if you feel like you need more? it's not only cardio...i promise you'll feel it in every muscle in your body.

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