Talk to me about Insanity...

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So quick bio, I am a runner, I ran my first marathon this year and I struggled to say the least. I want to get stronger, I still have a lot to lose (60lbs) but am looking for something to do from home in the mornings during this already below freezing fall and winter. I usually run at night or go to the gym, but thing is I get bored from the gym easily...I keep up with it, but man alive would I rather just be outside running, but I want to cross train more in the off season of training for a marathon so I am looking for altnernatives and I like the idea of it being in the comfor of my own home.

I've heard a lot of people talk about the insanity workout and i've read on their website about it, but I would like to hear from people who have really used it?

what it's like?
are the meal plans easy to follow? or an i just track like i normally do?
do you need any additional equipment?
How many days a week is it?

Any information would be grateful.

Thank you!

Replies

  • danfiveoh
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    To answer your questions:

    1) It worked for me, I didn't lose a lot of weight but I lost many inches, I'm easily in the best shape I've ever been and I'm debating go into a round 2 to see where I end up (I've been doing a mixture of other workouts including p90x/Insanity/T25) since completing round 1.

    2) I didn't follow the meal plans, I just watched my calories, kept to a deficit and increased protein intake. I enjoy my food so I didn't want to go too nuts on that one.

    3) No additional equipment, just plenty of a room. You will sweat a lot, watch out for slippery floors.

    4) 6 days a week, though don't feel you desperately need to stick to it, if your body is crying out for another day off, or if life gets in the way, then take it and get right back into it the next day. I had a four day break between month 1 and the rest week, as I had a short holiday.

    All in all, it worked out well for me and though your experience may vary wildly, its worth sticking to. Good luck.
  • jstrun
    jstrun Posts: 70 Member
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    Thank you!!
  • KylaDenay
    KylaDenay Posts: 1,585 Member
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    jstrun wrote: »
    So quick bio, I am a runner, I ran my first marathon this year and I struggled to say the least. I want to get stronger, I still have a lot to lose (60lbs) but am looking for something to do from home in the mornings during this already below freezing fall and winter. I usually run at night or go to the gym, but thing is I get bored from the gym easily...I keep up with it, but man alive would I rather just be outside running, but I want to cross train more in the off season of training for a marathon so I am looking for altnernatives and I like the idea of it being in the comfor of my own home.

    I've heard a lot of people talk about the insanity workout and i've read on their website about it, but I would like to hear from people who have really used it?

    what it's like?
    are the meal plans easy to follow? or an i just track like i normally do?
    do you need any additional equipment?
    How many days a week is it?

    Any information would be grateful.

    Thank you!
    what it's like?
    Its insane!

    are the meal plans easy to follow? or an i just track like i normally do?
    The meals are not bad, but I did not follow the meal plan. It is based off of 40/40/20 macros I believe.

    do you need any additional equipment?
    No just good sneakers

    How many days a week is it?
    6 days a week

    It is a hard workout. Make sure you are drinking plenty of water. Do not be afraid to eat. Proper sneaks and good form are necessary for the jumps. It can be tough on the knees.

    Sean T is great.
  • corinne1977
    corinne1977 Posts: 144 Member
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    Hello jstrun, great job on your first marathon. I am running my first HM Saturday and plan starting Insanity for the winter season. I thought about alternating the DVD with a couple of days/week on the treadmill. So I'm also curious to see what others have experienced.
  • PAtinCO
    PAtinCO Posts: 129 Member
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    I'm halfway through my third round right now, although I'm modifying the schedule some and doing T25 Gamma one day Insanity the next and only five days a week. The sixth day I do a "fun" activity like hike or go skiing now that winter is here. The seventh I rest.

    I find that's a lot easier on my knees. That's the only issue I had with Insanity, six days a week of that is tough on your knees. There's so much jumping that soreness starts to set in.

    Otherwise I lost 25 lbs in two rounds of it (none on my third but I'm pretty much at my goal weight now so I'm not trying to) and went from a 36 to 32 inch waist. I didn't follow the meal plan, just ate sensibly. My endurance is way up now too. When I first started, I had to take extra breaks in almost every set, now I may take one the entire workout and not till near the end. Insanity schedules breaks about every two minutes and he encourages you to take extra if you need them, the people in the videos take extra breaks too. I can also hike 20 miles a day with a lot of altitude gain now where 10 was tough before (hiking is my main hobby). Considering all that, I think I got good results.