Category: INSANITY
After documenting my workout on Teambeachbody.com today, my post workout message was, “Not a bad plyo workout, but if I was Shaun T, I’d be PISSED!”
For a beginner/intermediate level plyo workout, P90X2 Plyocide is not a bad thing to do. (If you really push yourself, it will be tough for intermediate/advanced people) None of the moves are very high impact, and it will get you sweating and your heart rate up. Though it DOES NOT COMPARE to any of the INSANITY workouts. Shaun T (I question his shelf life with BeachBody at this point. Just my feeling/opinion. No fact.) is the Video King of Cardio Hell workouts in my book. That guy kicks my ass with all his extreme fitness workouts. (And yes, I know there are only so many way the human body moves but more than 1/2 of the Plyocide movements seemed to be “inspired” by techniques featured in INSANITY and ASYLUM. I’m just say’n.)
Well, all that being said, Tony continues his love affair with his Beach Body stability ball and foam roller. It’s fine. I’d recommend doing your own warm up for this video. By the time the warm up was complete, I was anything but warm, and I could have used more stretching. They seem to be keeping the video times down, who knows, maybe people were complaining about the length of the videos.
As for the rest of the workout, it was fine. Nothing earth shattering. As I mentioned (and if you follow the blog you know), I have done INSANITY and ASYLUM. I really like both programs, and this whole video was like one long Shaun T warm up. It never really got out of first gear.
A personal issue I had with this video; I really don’t like his supporting cast in this one. They try hard enough on camera, but really have no charisma and don’t play off of Tony well. I will be replacing so I don’t have to see them, and get irked. (AND because I want a real cardio workout once a week. HELLO SHAUN T! Be seeing you next week on Tuesday. Heh.)
If I were to give this one a grade, it would be a solid C. Not bad, not good. And if you know what you are doing you can do better yourself.
Screw that…The more I write this (think about it) the more I am convincing myself that it does not hold up to P90X. It is more like an unfinished P90X+ workout, and all those were pretty mediocre.
So yeah, replace this one with a Shaun T INSANITY/ASYLUM workout.
-Rob
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Lot of us spend our days sitting around and not being as active as we could (or should). We then add rich and fatty foods to our sedentary lifestyle, and blam, we have a few to many extra lb’s. This isn’t rocket science, and this is a story that we all can relate to. (Medical conditions not being accounted for here) So, what happens? We get fat or, we do something about it.
All of us find motivation to get fit one way or the other. Maybe it was someone mentioning that you looked bigger, maybe your favorite jeans didn’t fit, or maybe you look in the mirror one day are say enough is enough. Whatever your reason to get fit, you need to look at a method/program to follow. (Any Fitness Program will take dedication and laser focus to get great results.) And this is different from staying or being healthy.
You can lead a less active lifestyle if you choose not to overeat. This does not mean you can get by without some basic exercise. Staying healthy means doing what you need to do to feel good, and live the life you want to live. You don’t have to eat “organic” this or “natural” that, and you don’t have to join an extreme fitness gym. You have to take accountability for your actions (or inaction), and not be a glutton.
To get fit, now there is a challenge. I believe you must follow a meal plan (to the letter) and you must also increase your activity significantly. It will be a ramp up to extreme fitness training, and it will be hard, but you will get through it, and you will be better off. Home programs like P90X, Insanity, and Turbo Fire will give you great results if you follow them. As will gym based programs, working with a personal trainer, or competitive sports/martial arts. There are so many activity choices once you dial in your meal plan.
Me, I like my Beach Body videos. I can throw together a 30,60, 90 day fitness program and get back to being lean and ripped. I can target improving my cardio or just work to look better naked. (Everyone wants that) This isn’t the best way, it is my way, and a way which has been working for the last 5 years. (Plus Soccer, Sambo, and other craziness) The important thing for me is to stay active for several weeks while keeping my eating/drinking in check.
Once I am where I want to be fitness wise, well then the slow slide back to needing a fitness kick in the ass begins. It is called maintenance mode. Still not being a glutton, but having a lot more flexibility in my eating. Many people call this time, “Staying Healthy.” But even when “Staying Healthy” you may (probably will) gain weight, and need to kick it into high gear for a time. And however long you need to kick it into high gear is decided on how far you are willing to let yourself slide.
My typical reset trigger: when I reach 201lbs, and it isn’t due to heavy salt or lots of drinking. This is usually a day or 2 thing. (Bloat) When that weight remains pretty consistent for a week or 2, I know it is time to get back down to 190-195.
Do you have a trigger? Do you have a goal weight? Are you happy with how you look right now? Do you want to feel better? What is your motivation?
-FitLifeSFRob
So, after 2 weeks of Asylum, Shaun T brings us the Game Day Workout. An assortment of sports influenced moves using the agility ladder, free space moves and a pull-up bar. This 60 minute workout was pretty brutal, and next time I’ll have the moves down more…But…I didn’t feel it was as good as it could have been and I was not thrilled by the flow of the whole workout. (Again, it may have been my lack of familiarity with some of the moves)
Even with what I said above, I was dripping by the end. (it began with a 5 minute interval run, some stretching, then BAM, non stop moving from game to game)
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For someone who is pretty damn fit, to be getting my ass handed to me as bad as I am, it is either my own delusion of how fit I am or the reality that this program is FRIGGEN BRUTAL. Today’s fun began with a 10 minute warm up, which, by the end of the warm up I was ready to call it a day. (And yes, I was out too late last night, and I did have a bit too much to drink, but hey, I am human) Thankfully, the warm up cleared my head, and had me in a flop sweat clearing my body of some of the crap I consumed last night. (I got out of bed at noon, and did this workout) This workout is not as “hop happy” as many of the original INSANITY series workouts, but Shaun kicks up the difficulty by using resistance bands, and very focused motion. Like the rest of the videos, YOU MUST HAVE YOUR MIND IN THE GAME, or you won’t even be able to do a number of the moves. So, be prepared to bring your “A” game.
This workout is jumptastic with long jumps, hops, squats, plyo pushups, jump rope work, and my new nemisis, the one legged power squat. ARRRRGGG! By the end of this video, I was again soaked to the bone with my own sweat. Here’s how good the workout was. I woke up weighed myself, had 2 glasses of water (I was dehydrated as hell), and did the workout. During the workout I drank 2 Pint glasses of water, and then at the end dranka 2 scoop recovery drink (in a pint glass topped with water). When I went and weighed myself before my shower, I WAS 2 POUNDS LIGHTER! AFTER ALL THE WATER AND THE RECOVERY DRINK. This workout is brutal. Have your water and your towel handy. You will need it.
Equipment: Jump Rope, 2 Power Bands, Agility Ladder, High Quality H2O and a very absorbantt towel.
Prepare yourself. This one will hurt you.
If you would like to find more information on this or any Beach Body Product, please follow this link: http://www.beachbodycoach.com/FITLIFESFROB
Well, I should have know something was up as soon as the video started. Shaun T made it quite clear that there was no need for weights in this routine, and the yoga mat on the ground almost had me ready for a bit of “Kindler, Gentler” workout. Wow, was I wrong. After a deceptively difficult warm up (I don’t want to give away the fun) you begin attacking your back and core for the next 35 minutes. Even the stupid green giant rubber band that comes with the Asylum kit had me cursing. (The thing has next to no resistance, and yet it beat my back into submission.) This video is full of very tough combination and isometric moves which will have you in a flop sweat in a matter of minutes. I was dripping again. INSANE!
Have your Yoga Mat ready, a towel, and the stupid green resistance band. Also, I did this workout barefoot and I felt I was in very good control the whole time. (I tend to not wear shoes when using a yoga mat)
Enjoy this one. It is a keeper.
If you would like to find more information on this or any Beach Body Product, please follow this link: http://www.beachbodycoach.com/FITLIFESFROB
I want to start this with the proper statement to describe this workout. OMFG!!! This workout is downright EVIL! It is very different from ANY of the INSANITY workouts I have ever done, as it isn’t cadiotastic. But, your heart rate will be elevated the entire workout, and you will hit muscle groups in ways P90X, P90X+, One on Ones or INSANITY has not. Sure there are some tried and true dumbbell workouts, but there are a number of progressions I had never put together which really crushed my stabilizers and several main muscle groups. (This workout hits the core, the shoulders, the back, the quads, and a bit of glute and hamstring)
For this workout you will need dumbbells (I used dumbbells and kettle-bells) or weight bands, and a pull-up bar (Optional). Yeah, and be sure to bring a towel. (I feel like I was hit by a hose by the end of this workout) Just a quick piece of advice. If you think you can do the workouts with 35LB dumbbells, grab the 30′s. And have set of 20′s handy for some of the last few excercises. (Though I could have gone to 40′s or 50′s for part the chest workout, but only part of it) Also, this is a very fast moving workout, you have very little recovery time between sets, so keep your workout area clear and your weights handy.
As with the Speed and Agility workout, Strength forces you to keep your mind engaged the entire workout. You HAVE to know what is going on with your body the entire time, you have to focus on your form. The better your form, the more brutal the workout. If you can keep your form, you will work to exhaustion on every move, and if you don’t YOU ARE A BEAST! This workout is not for the meak, and I noticed that Shaun T DIDN’T dare me to do it again. It was that rough.
Good luck. You are going to need it.
If you would like to find more information on this or any Beach Body Product, please follow this link: http://www.beachbodycoach.com/FITLIFESFROB
So, day 1 for me of Insanity: Asylum consisted of both the Fit Test and the Speed and Agility workout. ”Speed and Agility” is SO very different from what “Insanity” brought to the table. Sure it is a brutal cardio workout, but you are forced to be mentally engaged the entire time. Form and execution are just as important as powering through the workout, and this simple change makes the moves that much more effective and that much more brutal. I completely expect to master the moves in time, but even with mastery the workout won’t become any easier. (I just wont be fumbling around as much) 
It is about a 45 minute workout, with about a 10 minute warm-up (lots of jumping rope) and a 3.5 minute cool down. This left Shaun T more than enough time to kick my ass. (for the math challenged that is 31.5 minutes of ass kicking) This program is HEAVY on Agility Ladder work, so be prepared to use your brain and your body. At the very end, just to spite me, Shaun says, “Hey, if you are tough enough, why not do it one more time.” (or something to that effect) The sad part is, had I not done the Fitness Test earlier, my ego would have kicked in and I would have done it again. (And that may have just killed me)
So, I give Speed and Agility a double thumbs up.
Side Note: The Agility Ladder that comes with the program is pretty good. It is lighter than ones I have used in the past, so you HAVE TO HAVE GOOD FORM. (else it goes flying) Also, the Jump Rope that BeachBody provided is pretty shoddy. It will work, but I like a good weighted leather jump rope. I use a leather Nike weighted speed rope. NICE! (and hurts a lot if you miss while barefoot)
If you would like to find more information on this or any Beach Body Product, please follow this link: http://www.beachbodycoach.com/FITLIFESFROB
Ok. I just finished the fit test, and it was really tough. I expected to be a lot easier, but maybe I let myself fall too far out of shape since my last insanity cycle a month ago. It was a really good assessment of my core strength, my overall co-ordination, and my stamina. Wow. I hit myself in ways I typically don’t and it showed. See my results below. The numbers below (2nd box) are my current measurementsm which were all taken “unflexed.” The first box are my Day 1 Fit Test Results. (If you couldn’t tell) Well, so much for stalling. Time for the “Speed and Agility” workout. wish me luck.
Be sure to check out our “How to take Measurements” article:
http://www.fitlifesf.com/2011/01/how-to-take-body-measurements/
If you would like to find more information on this or any Beach Body Product, please follow this link: http://www.beachbodycoach.com/FITLIFESFROB
Ok people. It is ordered, and ready to go. Insanity: The Asylum is a 30 day elite training program and I will be posting my results and thoughts over the next 30 days or so. I am using this program to prepare for my SAMBO conditioning camp in June. What is that? True insanity. I am going to an olympic training center in Alushta, Ukaraine (for the 2nd time) and will spend 10 days with Igor Kurinnoy. Igor is a 3 time world SAMBO Champion, and 4 time SAMBO World Cup Winner, needless to say, he is very good. (And last time I lost 15 lbs in 2 weeks, and I was in pretty good shape)
This year I am going as prepared as I can be. (How best I can really prepare for 8hr training days while working a real job…)
Monday I will take my “before” the program pic, in 30 days the “After The Asylum” pic will hit, and then after the trip, one final pic. If I don’t get hurt, I should be in the best shape of my life by June 19th.
For the record, I will be using Shakeology every day, I will be using P90X recovery drink, AND I will be maintaining a proper diet. Interested in joining me? (Well, doing “The Alyum”)
If you want to order the Asylum or just check it out, follow this link: http://beachbodycoach.com/fitlifesfrob
-Rob
Today I saw that Smurf had another post featured on the front page of yahoo health, and looking at the comments I was set on edge. So much so, that I wrote a response to a number of the negative comments and let it fly into the ether. Nothing mean, but I did call all the “high and mighty” personal trainers who didn’t even bother to read the article a bunch of self serving nitwits. (not that exact verbiage) [I am still waiting to see it posted to the comments]
The article is about getting the most out of your gym membership and not having to spend your hard earned money on personal trainers, unless you want to. With most gym memberships, especially the national chains, there are a number of free classes given. These classes are great if you are looking to motivate yourself to get moving, try something new, or are just getting into being fit. Good information to know, right?