Insanity - when are you ready?

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deanadimples
deanadimples Posts: 419 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
What type of "shape" do you have to be in to do Insanity? At what point are you ready??

I'm still fairly new here (5 weeks or so). I'm just finishing 30DS and have been doing walk/run intervals on the treadmill (sometimes outside). On treadmill I'm now running 3, 10 mins sections with 1 min intervals of walking. I'm running at 4.6 which for me is a pretty good clip and it's not "killing me". HR is always about 85% during runs.

I'm only down about 11-13 lbs (no weigh in this wk yet) and I have about 50-60 lbs to go.

Now that I'm done with 30DS I'm looking for the next "workout" for strength/toning. I've looked at Insanity but feel like I'd be dogging (hard to tell from their 5 min clip). Is it ok for someone like me? Should I do that and just do what I can or find a DVD I can do at a higher intensity and then move up to insanity. It's not a $10 video to try like 30DS.

The one thing against Insanity (besides the hardness of it!)...is time. At 45 minutes it's going to be harder for me to fit in 30 mins of cardio. Not that I would need it after Insanity, but I'd like to work on running too. But I guess I could split the two up over my week.

Any suggestions?

Replies

  • wriglucy
    wriglucy Posts: 1,064 Member
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    I think you can do Insanity at any point. The whole purpose of that one is to push yourself to your limits. It's a great workout! Good luck!
  • seobstar
    seobstar Posts: 169
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    If I were you, I'd wait for Insanity....try Jillian's "Ripped in 30".....it's short JUST like Shred, but much harder....it's her next step up from 30Day Shred, I loved it...
  • seobstar
    seobstar Posts: 169
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    oh, and Jillian's "6wk 6pk Abs" is very, very good too. It's NOT just an abs dvd, it's lots of cardio too...I lost weight and inches doing that...and lost weight and inches doing her Ripped in 30. I am doing another round of 30 Day Shred, then Ripped in 30 right now, and THEN I'm going to attempt Insanity...we'll see how it goes! If you love the shortness of 30 Day Shred but are ready for a step up, you'll love Ripped in 30. I got it on Amazon for like $13....much cheaper than Insanity and very good workout!
  • Angie80281
    Angie80281 Posts: 444 Member
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    I started Insanity with very little "regular" workout experience and did just fine. Don't get me wwong, it's TOUGH, but it's supposed to be. I like to think of Insanity the same way I think of having kids... you're never really "ready" for it. :laugh: I think the people that need to worry about prepping for it are smokers, people with injuries or breathing difficulties, etc. I'd say go for it, you'll be glad you did!
  • Buckeyt
    Buckeyt Posts: 473 Member
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    The true Insanity program is 6 days a week. Extra running would be just brutal on your legs and calves in my opinion, but if you;ve been doing a lot of running your legs could be in decent shape.


    My personal opinion is Insanity is really for those people that can go at the pace of the people in the video, It's hard for a reason. If you have to take too many breaks, or go at half the pace of Shaun T then why do it. You aren't ready. It is supposed to be hard for those people that can push to that level. Now We all have to take breaks doing those workouts. But there is a big difference between a 10 second break and a three minute break.

    Another good measuring stick is the warmup. Can you finish with just a short 10 second break or two and have your heart rate not through the roof, then you might be ready.


    Again, I'm not against anyone trying Insanity, but if you have to modify and go half speed or take too many breaks to make it easier then pick an easier program, at least for now.

    Just my two cents.
  • timlord
    timlord Posts: 158
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    check out lordsfitness@aol.com somehting much better, in your home, and average change of 3-4 body fast percentage in 8 weeks
  • wdwghettogirl
    wdwghettogirl Posts: 559 Member
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    I think you can do Insanity at any point. The whole purpose of that one is to push yourself to your limits. It's a great workout! Good luck!

    Totally agree. I'm half way thru Insanity and I think I can honestly say you're never "ready" for it. You make yourself ready by doing it. Every single person on those dvds looks like they're either a personal trainer and/or competitive athlete and THEY have a hard time with it. They take breaks and are sweating like crazy just like me! I absolutely love Insanity, and I love that I'm getting faster, stronger, and can sometimes... SOMEtimes (lol) keep up with those super fit people. But you do have to know your limits and take breaks when you need to. You'll build up to doing more, just like with everything else. :)
  • eericson51
    eericson51 Posts: 57 Member
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    I don't think anyone's ever "Ready" for Insanity. I'm on week two of month two, and the words "are you kidding me!?" still come out of my mouth daily! But it is awesome and I absolutely love it! I say go for it!
  • jngo
    jngo Posts: 1
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    like the previous poster stated, you really can do insanity at any point; the only catch with that is that you'll have to pace yourself, but in doing so, you may not get the full effect of the workout because it's interval training.

    also, it's purely cardio. if you're looking for strength/toning, insanity isn't the best option. if time weren't a factor for you, i'd highly recommend p90x over insanity.

    keep at it...
  • Hollycat
    Hollycat Posts: 372
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    Don't know anything about Insanity, P90X or any of the other popular ones out there right now. I do know about JoyceVedral.com She's great. Check it out. She has great deals in bundles of DVD's and I think shipping is free over a certain $ amount. It's doable.

    Hollycat
    :flowerforyou:
  • MJKing2
    MJKing2 Posts: 177
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    I am on week 2 on Insanity and have only been decently active since April. Prior to Insanity I did a couple of Biggest Loser DVD's and I still do Zumba and try to run/jog at least a couple of times a week when I can. My husband is doing it with me and, since his gym is closed for maintenance, went from doing not much of anything for a month to jumping right into it. I agree with the poster above who said that you're never really "ready for it". If you want to try it I say give it a shot. You don't know how much strength or endurence you really have until you push yourself to find out.

    Every day of Insanity we push ourselves a little harder and that's what it's all about. Yes, we occasionally have to stop for breaks and I won't lie that sometimes my arms give out and I fall flat on my face, but I pick myself up and push myself harder because I know I can and I want to see results.

    You will NOT be able to jump in and do it exactly like the individuals on the videos...regardless of how in shape you are. Some of them have been doing this for years and they still struggle because they push themselves harder.

    Ultimately the decision is yours but don't not do it because you're afraid you will fail...as long as you try and keep trying you are not failing. And if you need a friend for support feel free to send me a request. I've never felt better about what I am doing for my body and it is great!
  • Angie80281
    Angie80281 Posts: 444 Member
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    The true Insanity program is 6 days a week. Extra running would be just brutal on your legs and calves in my opinion, but if you;ve been doing a lot of running your legs could be in decent shape.


    My personal opinion is Insanity is really for those people that can go at the pace of the people in the video, It's hard for a reason. If you have to take too many breaks, or go at half the pace of Shaun T then why do it. You aren't ready. It is supposed to be hard for those people that can push to that level. Now We all have to take breaks doing those workouts. But there is a big difference between a 10 second break and a three minute break.

    Another good measuring stick is the warmup. Can you finish with just a short 10 second break or two and have your heart rate not through the roof, then you might be ready.


    Again, I'm not against anyone trying Insanity, but if you have to modify and go half speed or take too many breaks to make it easier then pick an easier program, at least for now.

    Just my two cents.

    With all due respect, I totally disagree. I couldn't get through the warm-up without having to take a couple breaks when I first started Insanity, but by the end I could make it through the entire video without taking any extra breaks. As long as you push yourself to do your best, you'll see great improvements, and THAT'S why you do it. It doesn't matter whether you take 30 seconds or 3 minutes, the point is that you're giving it your personal best. If keeping up with the video crew was a pre-requisite, most people would never do it.
  • velcrosykes
    velcrosykes Posts: 29
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    The true Insanity program is 6 days a week. Extra running would be just brutal on your legs and calves in my opinion, but if you;ve been doing a lot of running your legs could be in decent shape.


    My personal opinion is Insanity is really for those people that can go at the pace of the people in the video, It's hard for a reason. If you have to take too many breaks, or go at half the pace of Shaun T then why do it. You aren't ready. It is supposed to be hard for those people that can push to that level. Now We all have to take breaks doing those workouts. But there is a big difference between a 10 second break and a three minute break.

    Another good measuring stick is the warmup. Can you finish with just a short 10 second break or two and have your heart rate not through the roof, then you might be ready.


    Again, I'm not against anyone trying Insanity, but if you have to modify and go half speed or take too many breaks to make it easier then pick an easier program, at least for now.

    Just my two cents.

    With all due respect, I totally disagree. I couldn't get through the warm-up without having to take a couple breaks when I first started Insanity, but by the end I could make it through the entire video without taking any extra breaks. As long as you push yourself to do your best, you'll see great improvements, and THAT'S why you do it. It doesn't matter whether you take 30 seconds or 3 minutes, the point is that you're giving it your personal best. If keeping up with the video crew was a pre-requisite, most people would never do it.

    i'm almost done with weeks two of month 1 and still have to take a break or two during the warm-up. Insanity is for people who have the drive to get in the best shape of their lifes not for people who say they can't do it. What doesn't kills you make you stronger and it has not killed me yet only made me feel like I was going to up-chuck. :)... and that was after the fit test.
  • desirea2006
    desirea2006 Posts: 58 Member
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    I'm doing Insanity (only on Day 2 this time) for the second time. The first time I did I was in horrible shape and I'm a smoker but I did what I could do and by the 4th week I was rocking that program. My only advice is listen to your body during the first few weeks... I pushed as hard as I possiibly could on the first week last time and it got to the point where i couldn't stand up off the toilet and my calves hurt so bad I couldn't walk at all... THIS TIME... I push hard but I'm not killing myself (Yes I'm in horrible shape again and still a smoker but did NOTHING for the last year and gained back all the weight) So I say if you sit avoid insanity because your afraid than maybe its not for you but if you jump in and do as much as you can you will see the results come and you will feel amazing... (after the sore goes away) I never ran a lap on the track last time and took my fitness test and passed with my best score ever and had my best run time ever. All that just from Insanity!!! Disclaimer: If being in shape was easy we would all be skinny!!!

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