Saturday, May 14, 2011

INSANITY update

Ugh. That pretty much sums up the insane workouts that makes INSANITY what it is--insane! By no means is this workout program for the wimpy, the beginner, or the excuse maker.

The program is 60 days long and and will supposedly give you a "total body transformation." So far I've completed almost 6 weeks of it and all I've got say is OUCH! It's just about 100% cardio with some cardio/resistance exercises thrown in and a little stretching here and there.

Day 2 was probably the most difficult day yet (Day 1 was the fit test). While I consider myself to be in good shape and to have a pretty good cardio base, I wasn't expecting the punch in the face I got on Day 1. The warmup alone is enough to be any normal persons workout. The trainer, Shaun T, has you go through three rounds of seven exercises at 30 seconds each with the first being slow, the second a little faster, and the third all out blazing fast with zero break in between. My heart rate is in the 150's during the last round of moves. It was unbelievable and pretty uncomfortable.

Then you stretch.

Then you get busy. The first 4 weeks has 4 different workouts scrambled around each week with Day 7 always being a rest day. Each workout is about 35 minutes long (including the crusher of a warmup!) and has you absolutely dripping by the last minute. And out of breath. And in a little bit of pain (but in a good way). Week 5 is a recovery week which is actually pretty easy (thank goodness!) and has you rested and ready for Week 6 (the week I am currently in). Now, I didn't think that the workouts could get any harder than they did in the first 4 weeks. Wrong! Week 6 changes it up big time by bringing in new moves, new (i.e. longer) workouts and a whole new approach to cardio conditioning.

All I have to say is that my fellow tri-athletes had better watch out this summer. Things might just get a little INSANE!