Insanity

[Kearnzo]

Re: Insanity

Well, my worst fears about the program have come true. With a little over a week left, my knees just aren't holding up. My right knee has been swelling up pretty bad the last couple days. Tuesday was the last workout I finished, and the last two days, i've started, but only got through part of the warmup before I had to stop.

The problems honestly didn't start until month 2, but I don't know if that's purely due to the month 2 workouts themselves, or the constant toll on the knees for the last two months combined. I think what i'm going to do is take the break until i'm comfortable with the pain in my knee again, then start month 1 over. I'll probably do all of month 1 again, then start a 4 to 5 day a week program with the month 1 workouts that i'll stick with hopefully permanently. I may throw in the Max Interval Circuit once a week as well, as I love that workout from month 2. Max Plyo was doing the most damage to my knees, what with the crazy amount of various jumping exercises.

Hopefully you guys won't run into the same issues. I'm sure some of it probably had to do with not landing quite soft enough during some workouts, but it's hard to notice when you have the adrenaline pumping. The thing that sucks the most is that i'm already having what I consider adrenaline withdrawals, as I LOVED the feeling of kicking my own a** every day and getting in better and better shape. Can't wait to get back into some sort of routine with these workouts, even if I won't be able to finish the entirety of the program.

[WDOgF0reL1fe]

Re: Insanity

Yeah Month 2 seems to have a huge emphasis on Squats and jumping.

I feel like thats all Ive done in the 3 workouts so far for month 2.

My Lower back and my wrists have been hurting a lot more lately... makes it hard to do plan exercises

[Kearnzo]

Re: Insanity

Yeah Month 2 seems to have a huge emphasis on Squats and jumping.

I feel like thats all Ive done in the 3 workouts so far for month 2.

My Lower back and my wrists have been hurting a lot more lately... makes it hard to do plan exercises

Yeah, that's the problem I think. Month 1 had ways to drain you that didn't involve constant variations of squats or jumping. Like you said, I feel that Pure Cardio is more difficult than Max Cardio.

Not that I don't like the month 2 workouts. Like I said, Max Interval is maybe my favorite workout, but Max Plyo I think is what killed my knees.

Stick with it though man, just take care of your knees. I neglected icing them as well, as I typically only had time to just finish a workout, then the wife and kids would be home, and we'd be busy the rest of the night. This next time through, I need to take better care of myself, even if that means sticking to month 1 over and over.

[Kruza]

Re: Insanity

Well, my worst fears about the program have come true. With a little over a week left, my knees just aren't holding up. My right knee has been swelling up pretty bad the last couple days. Tuesday was the last workout I finished, and the last two days, i've started, but only got through part of the warmup before I had to stop.

The problems honestly didn't start until month 2, but I don't know if that's purely due to the month 2 workouts themselves, or the constant toll on the knees for the last two months combined. I think what i'm going to do is take the break until i'm comfortable with the pain in my knee again, then start month 1 over. I'll probably do all of month 1 again, then start a 4 to 5 day a week program with the month 1 workouts that i'll stick with hopefully permanently. I may throw in the Max Interval Circuit once a week as well, as I love that workout from month 2. Max Plyo was doing the most damage to my knees, what with the crazy amount of various jumping exercises.

Hopefully you guys won't run into the same issues. I'm sure some of it probably had to do with not landing quite soft enough during some workouts, but it's hard to notice when you have the adrenaline pumping. The thing that sucks the most is that i'm already having what I consider adrenaline withdrawals, as I LOVED the feeling of kicking my own a** every day and getting in better and better shape. Can't wait to get back into some sort of routine with these workouts, even if I won't be able to finish the entirety of the program.

I haven't done any Insanity stuff, but I do have some experience doing plyometric exercises.

One thing about performing jumping exercises that is important to follow is that you have to condition yourself to be able to consistently land on and also push off the balls of your feet. Doing so would allow your shins and calves to absorb much of the shock that would otherwise go entirely to your knees and joints upon landing. You'll not only be able to land softer and quieter, but you'll also strengthen your shins and calves throughout the exercise.

At any rate, I hope your knees feel better soon so you can finish out the Insanity program.

Kruza

[Kearnzo]

Re: Insanity

I haven't done any Insanity stuff, but I do have some experience doing plyometric exercises.

One thing about performing jumping exercises that is important to follow is that you have to condition yourself to be able to consistently land on and also push off the balls of your feet. Doing so would allow your shins and calves to absorb much of the shock that would otherwise go entirely to your knees and joints upon landing. You'll not only be able to land softer and quieter, but you'll also strengthen your shins and calves throughout the exercise.

At any rate, I hope your knees feel better soon so you can finish out the Insanity program.

Kruza

Thanks for the tips man. I'm feeling better now that i've taken the last few days off, and I plan on re-starting on Monday. I already know I can keep up with month one, so I may take week one to REALLY concentrate on form and not try to kill myself so much keeping up with the people in the video.

As it is, I already feel like a piece of crap for not working out the past few days. It's amazing how good you feel every day when you get a good workout in. I definitely haven't had as much energy the past few days.

[KSUowls]

Re: Insanity

I just started this yesterday with the fitness test and it kicked my butt.

I got about 30 days into p90x during the summer before I became lazy and gave up. Now I'm starting this one up because I think it fits my goal to just get lean better than p90x did. I also like that it seems to do more with fast twitch muscle movements.

One question though for anyone who has done this.
I'm set to run a 5k-10k in March. I've been running about twice a week for the last few weeks and can manage a 5k on a good day. How much do you think this program will help me? It's obviously a lot of cardio, but there are also frequent short breaks so I'm wondering if that will make much of a difference in my ability to run long distance without stopping.


ETA:
Just finished day 2. I don't ever remember being this exhausted after a workout in P90x. Even just the warmups to start the video had me gassed and I needed every second of the stretching that followed to recoup.

[Scott]

I just started this yesterday with the fitness test and it kicked my butt.

I got about 30 days into p90x during the summer before I became lazy and gave up. Now I'm starting this one up because I think it fits my goal to just get lean better than p90x did. I also like that it seems to do more with fast twitch muscle movements.

One question though for anyone who has done this.
I'm set to run a 5k-10k in March. I've been running about twice a week for the last few weeks and can manage a 5k on a good day. How much do you think this program will help me? It's obviously a lot of cardio, but there are also frequent short breaks so I'm wondering if that will make much of a difference in my ability to run long distance without stopping.


ETA:
Just finished day 2. I don't ever remember being this exhausted after a workout in P90x. Even just the warmups to start the video had me gassed and I needed every second of the stretching that followed to recoup.

Insanity is intense. I'm about to start it up again.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Kearnzo]

Re: Insanity

Any of you guys that are new to Insanity, some advice. I got through a month and a half before I had to call it quits, as I didn't focus enough on form, and I paid the price for it. My knees are still rather shot. Not as bad as before, but I still doubt i'd be able to get through one of these workouts again until i'm healed up 100%. Seriously, as much as Shawn would say go at your own pace and take breaks when needed, I just wasn't having any of it, and pushed myself through exhaustion with poor form on power jumps and the like, which was my downfall. Looking back, I wish I had taken the first couple weeks a little slower to learn form better before I went balls to the wall.

I WILL start this workout back up when my knees are up to it.

[Jonesy]

Re: Insanity

I was going to ask how you were going with this mate. No doubt the program kicks *** but like you said it's brutal on the lower body. I wonder what percentage of people get a month or so into it and drop out because of injury, I'm thinking a pretty high percentage....

[KSUowls]

Re: Insanity

Thanks for the tips on form. I'm the type that normally would just go all out but I guess I need to take care to make sure I'm doing it properly the entire time.

[Segagendude]

Re: Insanity

Can I be honest without getting flamed?

I must've seen the infomercial a thousand times, and each time, I find it hard to believe Shaun T got that ripped just from this program.(Oh, along with "hip hop abs", lol)

I know a guy at work who just completed this, and while he lost his "beer belly", he by no means has a six pack, nor is he Ahnold-like ripped. He's sore as hell, though, and now moves a bit slower while working. He's taking a long break before starting it again; like a month or two break...

I knew guys who "lived at the gym" and even they've told me it took YEARS of strict disciplinary diet and exercise to get the six-pack abs they had,(not merely 90 days) as well as the extreme definition everywhere else.

P90X seems to be legit, as it includes weight training. Neither seem for me, as I'm so out of shape, "you can donate my body to science fiction" (Thanks Rodney Dangerfield!)

Anyway, this is just my opinion. As I've said, a co-worker finished and isn't ready to compete for Mr. Olympia, lol....

[Pared]

Re: Insanity

I haven't done much working out in the winter months and I've jumped back in. Started Insanity again and I love it.

Not really concerned much with size - just don't want to feel like I'm being a lazy old, out of shape fat ***.

My body is aching. Good to be doing this again - I can feel my energy certainly increased.

[BIG CAROLINA]

Re: Insanity

I haven't done much working out in the winter months and I've jumped back in. Started Insanity again and I love it.

Not really concerned much with size - just don't want to feel like I'm being a lazy old, out of shape fat ***.

My body is aching. Good to be doing this again - I can feel my energy certainly increased.

Think your body is hurting now? Wait until you get to the Max DVD's.

I hate doing cardio in the gym so I use insanity as my cardio sessions. I lift one day and do insanity the next.

[cjonesfan921]

Re: Insanity

Can I be honest without getting flamed?

I must've seen the infomercial a thousand times, and each time, I find it hard to believe Shaun T got that ripped just from this program.(Oh, along with "hip hop abs", lol)

I know a guy at work who just completed this, and while he lost his "beer belly", he by no means has a six pack, nor is he Ahnold-like ripped. He's sore as hell, though, and now moves a bit slower while working. He's taking a long break before starting it again; like a month or two break...

I knew guys who "lived at the gym" and even they've told me it took YEARS of strict disciplinary diet and exercise to get the six-pack abs they had,(not merely 90 days) as well as the extreme definition everywhere else.

P90X seems to be legit, as it includes weight training. Neither seem for me, as I'm so out of shape, "you can donate my body to science fiction" (Thanks Rodney Dangerfield!)

Anyway, this is just my opinion. As I've said, a co-worker finished and isn't ready to compete for Mr. Olympia, lol....

The problem with guys who just hit the gym, most of them are there for weight training.

Abs, depending on the situation, are all core exercises.

The gym is mostly, from experience, used for heavy weight training. (other than the folks that are there for cardio)

I just recent starting going back to the gym. MY friend and I work out a different body part every day. There are guys that go there just for Chest or Tris, ALWAYS.

I laughed when I saw two guys on the curls machine for an hour straight. REALLY?

[Pared]

Re: Insanity

Think your body is hurting now? Wait until you get to the Max DVD's.

I hate doing cardio in the gym so I use insanity as my cardio sessions. I lift one day and do insanity the next.

I'm hoping the soreness subsides a bit by then. I'm looking forward to Cardio Recovery.

I threw all the DVD's on the iPad and I now workout while outdoors in the park on a nice day. If you're someone who is really self-conscious it isn't for you but I enjoyed doing the jumps and such while outside. A nice change of pace...