Insanity workout DVDs. Has anyone tried them?

Hey Groks!

Just wondering if anyone out there has tried the Insanity DVDs?
If so, what's your verdict?

I'm very tempted to give it a go.

Thanks,

Carlyhas.
:D

Guy I know has been doing them for 2 months or so. He likes the workouts but, from his description, it honestly sounds like chronic cardio. For most folks, I think the insanity program is overtraining.

There are a bunch of people doing that in my unit here in Afghanistan. From what I have heard, it is a lot of cardio, and I can't say that I am seeing anyone participating making great gains...

[QUOTE=Invictus14;878189]There are a bunch of people doing that in my unit here in Afghanistan. From what I have heard, it is a lot of cardio, and I can't say that I am seeing anyone participating making great gains...[/QUOTE]

I downloaded the torrent. You need to have access to all kinds of differen weights soI think it's only really possible in the gym or when you have a lot of weights. But why don't you just download it for free?

[QUOTE=Gadsie;878230]I downloaded the torrent. You need to have access to all kinds of differen weights soI think it's only really possible in the gym or when you have a lot of weights. But why don't you just download it for free?[/QUOTE]

No weights are required for Insanity.

It's a great program for conditioning. It's 60 days and isn't chronic cardio, although if that's all you did everyday, yeah it would probably be considered this. The first months workouts are relatively short, with the second month "max" workout being about 10 minutes longer.

I did a round of Insanity which drastically reduced my mile time.

One thing I will add is, if you are strength training and switch over to Insanity, you will lose some strength. But this comes right back after you resume strength training.

Depends on your goals and how in shape you are to begin with. Personally, I like P90X and will do 1 or 2 cycles per year. I haven't done Insanity but it looks like a lot of cardio.

Goals: here's the problem most people get into (Crossfit, too): they believe they can train for both optimum strength/size and endurance at the same time. That's really only useful for a novice beginning a fitness routine. Trying to train for both strength and endurance at the same time confuses (if I can use that word) you gene expression. You'll never get as strong (or buffed) as you might want and you'll never gain the endurance you might otherwise could. It's fine if you just want to look good naked but there's easier ways to get there.

So what's do you want the fitness for, what are your goals? If you want muscle endurance and a level of aerobic endurance then Insanity can be part of an overall training program. You should have a progressive plan towards block training, periodization, of easier to intense to a recovery period. Insanity can be built into the progression.

If on the other hand you just want to look good naked, I think insanity is not a way to go. It, and P90X, will only take you so far in that both can lead to overtraining if you are just beginning a training program and aren't in tune with your body. Since not everyone recovers at the same rate following a set grueling program, like insanity, may mean that you are training too much to get the results you're after. Personally, I think most people train more than they should. Grok would never have followed a Insanity fitness program.

To gauge my training and prevent overtraining, I'm experimenting with something called BioForce HRV [url=http://www.bioforcehrv.com/]BioForce HRV |[/url] It's based off the Omegawave [url=http://www.omegawave.com/]Omegawave[/url] which costs $35,000. Both are based on Heart Rate Variability [url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heart_rate_variability]Heart rate variability - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia[/url]

I was just put off by the commercials. The whole "If you see someone wearing an Insanity shirt, he's more fit than you" especially put me off. Anyway, BeachBody is a giant pyramid scheme, so I tend to avoid all products they produce or endorse. Not to mention the fact that they tried to sue my gym because we started a small group program called the "Beach Body Challenge."

[QUOTE=Fernaldo;878242]No weights are required for Insanity.

It's a great program for conditioning. It's 60 days and isn't chronic cardio, although if that's all you did everyday, yeah it would probably be considered this. The first months workouts are relatively short, with the second month "max" workout being about 10 minutes longer.

I did a round of Insanity which drastically reduced my mile time.

One thing I will add is, if you are strength training and switch over to Insanity, you will lose some strength. But this comes right back after you resume strength training.[/QUOTE]

Well I some downloaded insanity dvd's and in 1 of those they use weights for bicep curls and shoulder presses. I'm not planning on doing it though, I'm doing starting strength, but I was just curious about the workouts

[QUOTE=Gadsie;878271]Well I some downloaded insanity dvd's and in 1 of those they use weights for bicep curls and shoulder presses. I'm not planning on doing it though, I'm doing starting strength, but I was just curious about the workouts[/QUOTE]

I just saw your sig. SW: 123 and a goal body weight of 140 with a lot more muscle. You need to stick to weight training and if you don't know what you're doing then you need to have a gym trainer set you up with a block lifting program.

[QUOTE=Scott F;878281]I just saw your sig. SW: 123 and a goal body weight of 140 with a lot more muscle. You need to stick to weight training and if you don't know what you're doing then you need to have a gym trainer set you up with a block lifting program.[/QUOTE]

No my current weight is 140 lbs and my goal weight is heavier because I want to gain muscle. I am sticking to weight training. And as far aa "knowing what I'm doing", I know that I'm doing starting strength. Not my much more. But I hope it's giving me muscle