Insanity starter

joining you guys, did the fit test, now ready for day 1.

Starting out is always like that...you'll improve, if you stick with it.

I'm only a week in. I'm sore in weird places and it wears me out. But my quads and hamstrings are tightening up and my waist has already shrunk, so it's totally worth it. I found the fit test hard too but the workouts are manageable. I like the countdown timer at the bottom of the screen, it helps me squeeze out the last few moves that I might otherwise give up on if I didn't know I was almost done.

I am in month 2. Keep going it is worth it, and pay attention to form. Defintely eat high protein after. My recovery drink: chocolate milk with whey - high protein and close to the recommended proein/carb percentages recommended for faster absorption of the protein. I would recommend not doing it first thing in the morning with no food - where are you going to get the energy for such an intense workout? What works for me is eating a banana when I first get up, then walk the dog, then Insanity. Banana gives quick ready to burn energy and is easy on the stomach.

I am struggling in month 2 and am going at a pace of 2 -3 workouts a week interspersed with yoga because I am getting lower back pain day after each workout, but I will get trough this and probably start right up again for a second time through, hopefully without the lower back pain in month 2 next time around. The month 2 workouts are so intense it is awesome.

Definitely listen when Shaun T says go at your own pace and pay attention to form. I have heard many stories of injuries doing Insanity, especially ankles and knees so really try and LAND SOFT and wear good supportive training shoes.

I did fit test last night and started workout today. I like Insanity because Shaun T never says, "Do 50 reps"...he just encourages us to push ourselves. We can do it!!

On Day 27 and has been said, the advice is:

1. Press play. You wont want to (I never ever do), but press play and ignore the "I can't do this" voice in your head and just get through that first warm up cycle. Second time through the warm up I'm usually "in it".

2. Make sure you have water and you drink it.

3. Get a cheap *kitten* HRM for the early days. I was getting chest pain in the early days and that turned out to be because my HR was at 100%. Now, if I hear the beeps I slack off a bit and equally if I don't I put on the pressure a bit. He says "check your heart rate for a reason".

4. Eat. Before, during (I have fruit like grapes and satsumas by my water ready) and after (but not within an hour of it or you will feel a bit sick).

5. Take a hot bath once a week (salts is a good idea).

6. Make sure you do the warm up and stretches as properly as possible. I am VERY inflexible and I do my best and "so far" I've not hurt myself.

7. Have a towel in reach... the sweat is dripping into my eyes by the end of the warm up.

8. Keep the correct form and go at your own pace. I'm older than the people in that video and have a sedentary job. No way could I keep up with them in the early days. My goal was to keep going as much as I could and do it properly. Now I "own" quite a few of them.

9. Get to know the names of your fellow sufferers and when you see them wimp out, call them on it. "Akil!! You taking ANOTHER break???", "Chris right with you... I'm dying too!", "Rachel that's slow!" (no matter how fast she is doing something! ", "Shanita, why the hell are you there?" all help me get through.

10. Take a protein bar (get them in the supermarkets) afterwards. Much cheaper than his shake and more edible (for me) than those powdered protein shakes.

11. Open the windows... I feel like I am dying part way through (I AM!) and that little breeze at just the right moment is a god send.

12. Take "before" pictures, weight and measurements. You WILL change a lot... I didn't know what an oblique was before this, now I have two very well defined ones.

13. Look in the mirror after a couple of weeks... it will make the hard work worth it... trust me. 27 days in and I have abs, obliques, muscles in my shoulders and arms I've never seen before.... my whole body is toned. Also if you go for a run or anything, you will find you're able to do it now as this is a full body workout.

14. That said, do NOT be tempted to do any other exercise alongside this. Your body will be taking a pounding with Insanity and I know that even going for a couple of mile walk makes the workouts that little bit harder.

15. Don't drink alcohol. I would hate to think what it would be like doing this stuff with a hangover.

16. I think good supportive shoes is a must.. however, I'm doing it bare foot myself as I am finding it more comfortable (and its less weight!!!)

17. Wear as little as possible.. you WILL sweat! I need to wash my shorts after every workout as they are soaked.

18. Just press play...

I am SO excited...I start the boot camp for Insanity tomorrow night at my gym....it's a love/hate thing for me! PUMPED!

Just finished pygmetric cardio circuit, I forgot how hard it was! I felt like a slow dying turtle compared to people in the video, but I wanted to keep my form, because I don't want to risk getting hurt.

Love the advice I'm getting from this thread btw.

i got to think if you just approach it with the attitude that you'll just do what you can (and even stop early if necessary ) it wont be long before your doing the whole workout and then motivated to go hard.

i injured myself once and rehabed by just doing the warm up for a few weeks.

Thanks so much for all the advice people!!

Can I ask about calories people, I want to lose weight with this and according to insanity I should be eating 1900 calories a day. Am I going to lose enough weight, I want to have enough energy to do the workouts and be able to live! I always thought to lose weight I needed to be at 1200 calories and only occasionally eat back my workout calories.

Thanks

With Insanity you need to eat back your calories... its not like a normal workout... I would not worry about putting on weight if you are doing it and eating sensibly. I burn between 400 and 600 calories doing Insanity according to my HRM.