The Insanity Workout

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I play basketball every morning at the YMCA but I also wanted to try something a little more to boost my stamina and drop a few more pounds.

Originally I wanted to try out P90X because I know someone who's doing it and his results have been fantastic, but unfortunately with P90X you also need to buy some extra equipment. I went on the internet and did some research and found out about Beach Body Insanity, which is like P90X, but you don't need any extra equipment for it and it's also more cardio based than the more weight training based P90X. The drawback though, is it's much harder but I figured me being in above average shape already from basketball, that wouldn't be an issue.

I was able to torrent the workout videos and let me tell you, if you want to drop fat fast, IT WORKS. It is hard, yes, (I still can't really do the pushup based workouts) but I have done the first month's workouts and I have lost 7 pounds in that month. Just now starting the second month's workouts which are amped up a bit.

My stamina has more than doubled and I'm in the best shape of my life (and still improving). The workouts are challenging but fun, and you really feel motivated to push yourself.

No, I'm not an Insanity sponsor. I just wanted to share with everyone else looking to drop some fat and get in awesome shape that this workout has worked wonders for me. Nothing has ever come close to giving me results this quickly. Previously I did some jump roping in my garage for 25 minutes but that doesn't even hold a candle to this.

I want to add though that these video workouts that they sell like P90x and Insanity and RushFit and that Tapout one are not magical workouts that make you all they advertise it to. They are precisely that: workouts. They keep your body moving by giving you a set program, because the problem with people these days is that they want to improve their physical fitness, they just have not idea how to. Exercise videos give you an exact plan to follow every day. There is nothing special about them. If you exercised hard for the same amount of time that they make you in these exercise videos (60-90 minutes) regularly for 90 days then you would probably get the same results no matter what you did. It will not have a very significant carryover in one's sports performance, otherwise all the top athletes in the world would be doing it for their training. The problem is specificity is one of the basic principles of actual training. ("Training" is working towards something. "Working out" is performing a strenuous activity for its own sake.)

I'm not saying don't do it. I think it's a convenient way to get in better shape (it's definitely better than mindless exercising / doing nothing), but if you're actually training for something, there are more expedient ways to utilize your time.

I tore my meniscus a few years back. That's the bit of cartilage in the ball joint of my right leg. They removed nearly half of it. I'm afraid if I did Insanity Workout, I'd risk tearing what's left of it or damaging my leg further.

Is this a valid fear, or is it okay to try?

That would be completely dependent upon your situation. You should probably ask your doctor what you can and cannot do. If it's fully healed and functional I don't see why not.

If am honest this is why I'm saving up to buy P90x(Sure I can pirate it but am a pay for it kinda guy), I've been doing weight lifting for the last few months and made steady improvement, but it's my Diet letting me down. I don't have the slightest Idea how to start clean eatting sounds silly I know.

My plan is to get p90x, and follow it to a T for the 90 days, Cutting out drinking and "Bad" foods all together, I know I could do that anytime. . But I -need- a plan to follow and if am honest paying the price will make me follow it outta spite.


But yea, if Insanity is genuine I feel better about saving up for P90x.

Cook your food from scratch. Just don't eat anything out of a box, a can (well some canned stuff, canned fish and beans are OK), or frozen TV dinner kinda things. Just cook everything you eat yourself and pretty much no matter what you do, you'll come out "cleaner" than 99% of prepackaged things in the store. Doesn't have to be like, super weird meals or anything, just eat normal meals and cook them yourself. I cooked 3 eggs for breakfast this morning with 1.5 potatoes diced and boiled, then reheated again in the pan before the eggs. Not rocket science really. You can alter ratios of carbs/fats/protein per your purposes, but yeah.

Personally I'd use the money for a gym membership and follow "Starting Strength" or a 5/3/1 training plan.