Question about Insanity....

meeper123
meeper123 Posts: 3,347 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Ok so I took the fit test and wow that was freaking hard! My question is if I can not do the whole workout from start to finish is it ok to pause and catch my breath? Your thoughts?
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Replies

  • MsP90X
    MsP90X Posts: 1,053 Member
    Yeah you can pause, catch your breath, take a sip of water and continue... don't cool down too much just let your HR come back down ;)
  • Hezzietiger1
    Hezzietiger1 Posts: 1,256 Member
    Yes. In fact it is recommended. Just keep doing it and you will improve greatly.
  • EmilyOfTheSun
    EmilyOfTheSun Posts: 1,548 Member
    Don't try to keep up with the people in the videos. Go at your own pace. If you try to keep up with them, you'll definitely need to pause it. Go at a pace that is challenging for you but that you can still maintain throughout the workout.
  • Fat2Fit145
    Fat2Fit145 Posts: 385 Member
    Yep... Shawn T actually tell u to do so.... but keep going!
  • freedomischaos
    freedomischaos Posts: 25 Member
    The act of trying is more than most people will ever accomplish, if one must stop to breath, then why not? Just pause a moment and then catch up.

    As you progress try to limit these breaks more and more. You might start off with a minute break, next week go for 50, then 40, so on and so forth until eventually, you won't even lose a beat.
  • meeper123
    meeper123 Posts: 3,347 Member
    HUH ok! tu tu ta da goes to try :oD
  • sjflowers
    sjflowers Posts: 148
    Totally fine. I have to pause. Just take it slow. At your own pace. Heck, half the time, the people in the DVD can't finish. :) Good Luck
  • dalehall64
    dalehall64 Posts: 290 Member
    Ok, I'm going to go against the majority on this one.. I would say not to push pause. Do what you can, take breaks when you need to, but keep it playing. It will motivate you to "get back in the game" quicker. And, as time goes by, you'll feel the need less and less to take breaks. Insanity NEVER gets easier, but you do get better. If you keep pausing the video (in my opinion) you won't feel yourself getting better.
  • jennylee813
    jennylee813 Posts: 9 Member
    I'm in week two now, and I just take breaks when I need to. I already find that I'm stopping less than I did last week.

    I did month one a couple of years ago too, but got sick and stopped. Now I'm trying it again, as a part of a fitness challenge. I'd forgotten how insane it really is!
  • bsix3
    bsix3 Posts: 291
    oh trust...you'll have to pause it until you get used to it. It's a rough journey but you can do it with the mindset of not quitting!

    Good luck!
  • Feed_the_Bears
    Feed_the_Bears Posts: 275 Member
    Push yourself, challenge yourself, but know your limits. Do the best you can do every day and one day you'll breeze through that thing. What am I supposed to say? You're out of breath and need a break? You'd better give up now! Of course not. You're getting better every day. As long as you're giving up too easily, give yourself some room to grow :) Good luck!
  • thoshowski
    thoshowski Posts: 135 Member
    I usually try to get to the water breaks, and then do the water breaks twice. But I do try to push myself as hard as I can and what my body will allow me to do.
  • Rosedelloye
    Rosedelloye Posts: 1
    Yes of course you can pause the longer you do the program the easier it is to make it through....I did it awhile back and at first it just about killed me...hang in there it doesn't get easier just more do able...
  • 1ConcreteGirl
    1ConcreteGirl Posts: 3,677 Member
    Yes, you can take breaks, but don't hit pause on the workout, just keep it playing and come back to it as fast as possible.

    Just take as short a break as you need to take a couple solid breaths. Keep yourself in that zone where you're working as hard as YOU can, which will probably be more than you thought you could do at the beginning. Good luck :)
  • DavPul
    DavPul Posts: 61,406 Member
    the people in the video are professionals and they have to pause to catch their breath, so of course you're allowed.

    when i did it, not only did i have to pause, i had to stop. It was somewhere in week 2 when i could finally finish the whole routine. each day i just tried to go a little bit further than the last time.

    no matter what the workout is, all anybody ever asks is for you to give it all *you* have got. it doesn't matter if others can do more. just give everything you can.
  • meeper123
    meeper123 Posts: 3,347 Member
    My hubby didn't think I would be able to do this at all kinda pissed me off and made me second guess myself. But hell what does he know about what I can and can't do
  • EmiVReyes
    EmiVReyes Posts: 118 Member
    Ok, I'm going to go against the majority on this one.. I would say not to push pause. Do what you can, take breaks when you need to, but keep it playing. It will motivate you to "get back in the game" quicker. And, as time goes by, you'll feel the need less and less to take breaks. Insanity NEVER gets easier, but you do get better. If you keep pausing the video (in my opinion) you won't feel yourself getting better.

    This is what I do. Hearing Shaun T's words of encouragement to "go go go" or "Dig deeper!" yelled atm me usually make me want to jump back right back in... I usually don't break for longer than 30 seconds. Just enough to walk in a circle, have a couple sips of water, and breathe...then i hop right back into it.
  • Cindym82
    Cindym82 Posts: 1,245 Member
    Ok, I'm going to go against the majority on this one.. I would say not to push pause. Do what you can, take breaks when you need to, but keep it playing. It will motivate you to "get back in the game" quicker. And, as time goes by, you'll feel the need less and less to take breaks. Insanity NEVER gets easier, but you do get better. If you keep pausing the video (in my opinion) you won't feel yourself getting better.

    THIS, i'm on week 4.....it doesn't get easier...you just get better at it. But don't pause it just take a quick break. It's what i do and keep on keeping on. Good luck girl!
  • iAMaPhoenix
    iAMaPhoenix Posts: 1,038 Member
    Heck...What do you think Shaun T is doing when he stops and goes and talk to the other guys? He is catching his breath. I did not stop it, but I did go as much as possible and took breaks as needed. I was motivated by hearing the Dig Deeper and that kept me going, but do not, I repeat, DO NOT feel that you will be able to keep pace with the video and complete each exercise. Just dig deeper, and keep moving.
  • M_lifts
    M_lifts Posts: 2,218 Member
    yes, its ok to take breaks. I do. In time you will need less breaks! dont pause the workout!
  • Quietprofessional83
    Quietprofessional83 Posts: 53
    Heck no! If it was designed for you to pause or take a break, the guy doing it would say; "stop video now and take a break". Don't cheat yourself, but again, its your money. Good luck.
  • M_lifts
    M_lifts Posts: 2,218 Member
    Ok, I'm going to go against the majority on this one.. I would say not to push pause. Do what you can, take breaks when you need to, but keep it playing. It will motivate you to "get back in the game" quicker. And, as time goes by, you'll feel the need less and less to take breaks. Insanity NEVER gets easier, but you do get better. If you keep pausing the video (in my opinion) you won't feel yourself getting better.

    I agree ! i do the same,
  • gottaTuscany
    gottaTuscany Posts: 40 Member
    Agreed!
  • gottaTuscany
    gottaTuscany Posts: 40 Member
    Guy doing video doesn't want the people he is trying to help to have a heart attack either.
  • superpapa16
    superpapa16 Posts: 244 Member
    Don't pause the video. Catch your breath, get a quick sip of water, and then jump back in. You'll get better at the routine after a couple of weeks...
  • jwiley78
    jwiley78 Posts: 48 Member
    I just started week 4 yesterday. As you go through the videos you will get a little better about keeping up. My suggestion is the same as others have stated. Stop for a second to catch your breath. Try to make it a short pause and keep going. There is no use in stopping the video.

    You can't compare yourself to Shaun T. He is a professional who does this for a living and has for a few years now.

    Some parts of the videos even he has to take breaks.
  • fallonrhea
    fallonrhea Posts: 388 Member
    Oh my gosh! It would be impossible not to take breaks during insanity!! Especially in the beginning. Don't get discouraged. You'll find that next week you'll be able to keep up more and take fewer breaks. Just do what you can - if you're sweating and breathing hard, you're getting a good workout :) I'm a P90X grad, entering phase 3 of a P90X/Insanity hybrid who's in great shape...but I still can't keep up with the people in the video. I just do what I can and try to get the best workout I can get!

    Edit:
    I agree with the above posters as well. I usually don't pause the video unless I feel like I'm going to throw up (which did happen in the beginning a couple times - definitely don't eat for awhile before you do the workout!) - I just get the sip of water I need and jump right back in. I don't let my heart rate come down too much!
  • RickiD530
    RickiD530 Posts: 15
    The first time I did Insanity, I had to sit down after the warm up so I didn't pass out. trust me, by the end of the 60 days you will be able to do sooo much more. If you watch the videos, even the people in the video take breaks. Shaun T even tells them to go sit down. As Tony Horton says"do your best and forget the rest"
  • meeper123
    meeper123 Posts: 3,347 Member
    I didn't pause but I did struggle.. a lot!! My heartrate was almost 200 at one point.. not sure what it is suppose to be but that almost made me barf. After that I tried to keep it around 170 that helped a lot. Thanks for your help :)
  • AnnetteMY
    AnnetteMY Posts: 6 Member
    Ok, I'm going to go against the majority on this one.. I would say not to push pause. Do what you can, take breaks when you need to, but keep it playing. It will motivate you to "get back in the game" quicker. And, as time goes by, you'll feel the need less and less to take breaks. Insanity NEVER gets easier, but you do get better. If you keep pausing the video (in my opinion) you won't feel yourself getting better.

    I totally agree. Go at your own pace and take as many breaks as you need to get the right form but don't pause the video. If you do Insanity correctly, it should never get easier because you're pushing yourself harder as you progress. I'm on my 3rd round of Insanity and it's still kicking my butt. It's the Fitness Test that will really show you how much you have improved.

    BTW, don't listen to your husband and don't get discouraged. Before I started Insanity, I could barely do 5 girly push-ups, let alone a regular push-up. Now, I can do a Level 3 drill with 32 pushups total. So just keep at it.

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