Is Insanity considered just cardio?
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micheleb15
Posts: 1,418 Member
I am currently doing Insanity 5-6 days a week. I feel like my legs get a great workout and it's great for cardio, but my upperbody is lacking with these workouts. I only burn about 315 calories and this morning only burned 274. Should I be adding weights into this even though it's supposedly a full body workout? I will have to find time or do them in the evening. I don't think I could finish Insanity after weights and I am sure not doing weights after. I bust my butt, but I feel like I should do more to burn more and see better benefits.
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Do you really push yourself? I easily burn 500 calories in a workout. What is true is that it really lacks any strength training. Lots of leg muscle, arms, shoulders and back - not so much...0
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I would consider it to be cardio. If you are wanting to add strength training, then my suggestion would be to alternate it in. Do Insanity 3 days a week and lift 3 days a week (alternating days).
During month 1, I was burning between 300-400 cals doing Insanity. I'm now on month two and my burn is usually closer to 500-600.0 -
Lots of people to a hybrid with insanity and p90x or Chalean Extreme.0
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Once you get into month 2 the upper body exercises get a lot harder.0
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Are you using just the MFP calorie burn? If so, you're not getting the right read. They can't really tell but give an estimate. Insanity is.......cardio but it's HITT cardio. Crazy intense and I'm not even remotely sure how you would add weights or want to. Get an HRM to get the right read.0
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Insanity is calisthenics. There are a lot of body weight exercises, too many to simply call it just cardio.0
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Insanity is 100% a cardio workout. Insanity Asylum incorporates stregnth training into the workouts. I typically only burn between 250-450 depending on the workout. Everyone is different, I have heard of people burning 600-800 which is crazy. I would suggest trying Asylum after Insanity. I feel it is a better all around program. I do the Insanity/Asylum hybrid...0
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Are you using just the MFP calorie burn? If so, you're not getting the right read. They can't really tell but give an estimate. Insanity is.......cardio but it's HITT cardio. Crazy intense and I'm not even remotely sure how you would add weights or want to. Get an HRM to get the right read.
No I have my HRM.0 -
Do you really push yourself? I easily burn 500 calories in a workout. What is true is that it really lacks any strength training. Lots of leg muscle, arms, shoulders and back - not so much...
I am definitely pushing myself. Today I only burned 274 which is as low as it's ever been and it didn't seem as hard. Today was Cardio Power and Resistance. I am only on week two, so I still take breaks, but not many.0 -
Crazy intense and I'm not even remotely sure how you would add weights or want to. Get an HRM to get the right read.
Asylum has a workout dedicated to Insanity workouts incorporating weights. Another suggestion would be try and get a copy of the Insanity deluxe version, they have an upper body workout which is great. It incorporate insanity moves and lifting...0 -
Really? And you're not getting a good burn from Insanity. I know for myself i burn like 500-600. I'm pretty in shape too (Lift, martial arts, run etc.)
Perhaps just add more intensity to it? Maybe pause it and some more reps? I used to do that with P90x when it got too easy for me. Are you doing the first month or second month videos?0 -
Yes0
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Really? And you're not getting a good burn from Insanity. I know for myself i burn like 500-600. I'm pretty in shape too (Lift, martial arts, run etc.)
Perhaps just add more intensity to it? Maybe pause it and some more reps? I used to do that with P90x when it got too easy for me. Are you doing the first month or second month videos?
I feel like I am, but my heart rate never goes above 165. I am between 158-165 most of the workout. I am only on my second week. Maybe my calories burned will go up the farther along I go. Who knows. The most I have ever burned was 325.0 -
Yes
Dynamite drop in.0 -
It's cardio. Strength training involves "progressively" using higher resistance.
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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?
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Do you really push yourself? I easily burn 500 calories in a workout. What is true is that it really lacks any strength training. Lots of leg muscle, arms, shoulders and back - not so much...
I am definitely pushing myself. Today I only burned 274 which is as low as it's ever been and it didn't seem as hard. Today was Cardio Power and Resistance. I am only on week two, so I still take breaks, but not many.
Smaller and shorter people generally burn less. Also, as you get more fit (cardiovascularly) and lose weight you'll burn less even at similar levels of intensity, so it's pretty normal to see the number on the hrm go down over time. And yeah, it's pretty much cardio, but there are bodyweight exercises (plyo, pushups, etc.), so it's not too bad in terms of retaining LBM.0 -
ii's really an interval workout but that isn't listed here, yet.0
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When I did Insanity I was burning 500-600 calories in my workouts and I was pushing HARD and my HR was in the same range as yours with the highest probably being 172.
Perhaps your HRM isn't set up properly?
In all honesty if you're pushing yourself hard with the Insanity you're not going to want to do any weight training. I was exhausted every time I finished the workout. Even if I went to the gym and lifted in the morning and then did Insanity in the afternoon/evening I'm fairly certain I'd get burned out and feel like I was exercising all day long.
ETA: I am also small: 5'2" @118 lbs. When I do a normal cardio workout I burn 300-360 calories if I do an arc trainer for 30 minutes. If I run for an hour I can burn 700 calories. Again, check the settings on you HRM.0 -
When I did Insanity I was burning 500-600 calories in my workouts and I was pushing HARD and my HR was in the same range as yours with the highest probably being 172.
Perhaps your HRM isn't set up properly?
In all honesty if you're pushing yourself hard with the Insanity you're not going to want to do any weight training. I was exhausted every time I finished the workout. Even if I went to the gym and lifted in the morning and then did Insanity in the afternoon/evening I'm fairly certain I'd get burned out and feel like I was exercising all day long.
I have checked everything on my HRM. Age, height, weight, max heart rate at 195 which is 226-29. is there anything else I should check?0
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