Insanity: Was It Worth It? The Results

The answer is a resounding, YES! I am telling you Insanity was not a cake walk though! I had my ups and downs throughout the Insanity program but now that it's all said and done, I am so glad I did it. Let me give you a Month 2 breakdown:

I started out Month 2, scared and a little leery of jumping around as intensely as Month 1 but for 60 minutes as opposed to the 45 minutes I was used to. I was feeling so good though physically, that I was ready for it. I started to feel bloated around week 2 and it was discouraging. I felt really strong and tight but bloated none the less. According to Alicia Marie (Oxygen Mag), many bodybuilders avoid intense cardio before a show because it makes you bloat. I was glad I read that or I would have freaked out. By the end of the program the bloat was gone and the scale went back down.

The last week of Insanity was the hardest for me. Mentally I was so ready to be done. It took all I had to put that DVD in and do the workout every day! On the last Thursday of the month I even put Pure Cardio in because I just didn't want to do Max Interval Circuit. You'll be happy to know I started doing Pure Cardio but couldn't go through with it. I put MIC in, sucked it up and finished, yippee!!

After all of that intense cardio and plyo I thought I would lose weight for sure. Guess what? I only lost 2 lbs.! Granted I am not overweight to begin with but I still have an unhealthy obsession with the scale. Thanks to my nutritionist, I am starting to let go of that. She checked my body fat at the beginning and at the end of the program. I gained a total of 5 lbs. of muscle and lost 4% of my body fat. Just goes to show you that the scale is a LIAR! That's right, I just called it a name and it can just live with it! :D

My measurements were better as well. Here are the stats:

Waist: -1/2"
Hips: -3/4"
Thighs: - 1/4"
Chest: 3/4" (sniff, sniff:)

I would encourage anyone doing this program to take your measurements and pictures and if possible, get your BMI done by a professional.  I would have been so discouraged had I not done those things. The scale is not accurate, as I have found out personally!

I think the shape of my body is vastly improved over this 67 day program. I actually feel good in a bikini and will proudly say, "Nothing is jiggling here!". Yeah!

I hope you have a chance to try the program out. If you do, let me know what you think, pretty please!


Nicole

Insanity Update: Fit Test #4

This week marks Week 8 of Insanity. I have to say, it is mentally tough at this point. Physically I am improving with big gains in most of the workouts. Mentally though, I have to talk myself into finishing. I have not stopped early but I won't lie, it has crossed my mind. Believe it or not, the chatter that Shaun T. does to encourage you and keep going, I have all but ignored up to this point. I am now glad for this chatter as it does motivate me to keep going. I have my eye on the prize! I will finish, I won't quit and I'll be happily sweating the whole time!

Now, for Monday's Fit Test results:


Switch Kicks       1: 63/ 126   2: 64/ 128  3: 64/ 128   4: 66/ 132
Power Jacks       1: 50           2: 56          3: 64           4: 65
Power Knees      1: 86           2: 94          3: 96           4: 96
Power Jumps      1: 50           2: 50         3: 56            4: 57
Globe Jumps       1: 11           2: 11         3: 12           4: 12
Suicide Jumps     1: 19           2: 21         3: 22           4: 23
Push-Up Jacks    1: 24           2: 27         3: 32          4: 34
Low Plank Oblique   1: 35/70    2: 52/ 104    3: 47/99 4: 53/ 106

I was really happy with this Fit Test because the last time through I thought there was no way I could get better on any of the moves. Not that I think I'm fantastic by any means, it's just that I felt I was going as fast as I physically could. I guess I was happily mistaken. The improvement on the Switch Kicks I was very excited about and am guessing those improvement comes from the fact that this move is done so much in the Month 2. The Power Knees are at their highest I'm thinking, and I will be interested to see if I can improve further on them  come my final Fit Test. Other surprising improvements were the Suicide Jumps, the Push-Up Jacks and the Low Plank Oblique. I think because all of the push-ups this month I shouldn't be surprised at the improvement, but I was.

Well, a little less than two weeks from now I will be taking my final Fit Test and saying goodbye to my morning chats with Shaun T. I will miss him but I am excited to hit the gym once more after a 10 year hiatus. Hmmm, what will I do there? Looks like I'll have to get busy on a gym rotation! Any tips or suggestions?



Nicole

Insanity: Month 2, Day 7- Max Cardio Conditioning

Today I did Max Cardio Conditioning. I was so happy this was my workout today because it's my favorite workout and it flies by. I was a little under the weather today and was very glad it wasn't the plyo workout. I had to modify a few of the exercises but I was able to make it to the end. I know the next time through this will be much better!

Each exercise in this workout is 1-minute long. I love it because after the 1-minute you will never have to see that move again during the workout. Variety is the spice of life, right?

Here are the moves:

High/ Low Jab w/ Squat
Football Runs w/ Low Plank
Basketball Shots w/ Hop Squats
Right & Left Kicks
Diamond Jumps (A move that needs massive improvement for me)
In & Out Abs w/ Push Up Jacks
Suicide Jumps
High Knees/ Low Sprint/ Plank Runs
Ski Abs
~The following 3 moves are a recovery of sorts~
Kick Step Back ~
Squat w/ Twist~
Over the River Hops~
Attack w/ Jumping Squats
Power Knees
Ski Down w/ Hooks
Belt Kicks
Forward & Back Suicides
Push Up Abs
Plank Punches
8 Jump Ropes/ 8 Hop Squats
Squat w/ Speed Bag

Stretch 4:00

The bonus to this being an endurance workout versus the kick your butt and give you 30-seconds workouts, is that you seem to be not as out of breath. It's really good to mix things up and that's what this workout does. The extra bonus is that it's only 47 minutes long, yeah!!!

I haven't mentioned it in a while but I do ALL of the workouts without the music on. It is so much better! I only used the music on the first workout so I know the difference was enough to never listen to it again. It's better because I can go at my own pace instead of trying to get a beat from the music. Try it for yourself and see what you think.

Thanks for reading! I always love to hear from all of you!!

Nicole

Insanity: Month 2, Day 6- Max Interval Plyo, The Breakdown

Today I did Max Interval Plyo for the second time and no I didn't have a breakdown silly! It was still tough but not as bad as the first time through. At the end of round 1 I was seriously wondering if I could make it through the rest of the workout. Now you all know I did but I just wanted you to know that this is not a cake walk by any means.

Obviously with a name like Max Interval PLYO, you will be jumping a lot! I have had knee issues in the past but have been pleased that it hasn't talked to me once during Insanity. I have done other plyo workouts before that have bothered my knee but Shaun is so particular about form and I think that is the biggest difference. When you are doing most of the work with your core like he constantly reminds you to, you tend to put less stress on the rest of your joints.

In this workout, Rounds 1 & 2 will be repeated 3x as with most of Shaun's interval workouts. The good news is that you only do Round 3 once, yippee!! I forgot about that until the end of round 2 and I was so excited when he was done after one time through : )

Here is the breakdown:

Round 1

Switch Jumps
Squat Push Ups
Wide In & Out Abs
Power Jumps
Water Break- 30seconds
After the third round, no water break and straight into:
One Leg V-Push Ups
Water Break- 30 seconds

Round 2

Pogo Jumps- One Leg
Power Push Ups
Globe Twists
Level 3 Drills (yowza!)
Water Break- 30 seconds
After the third round, no water break and straight into:
Power Lunges/ Hop Squats
Water Break- 30 seconds

Round 3 (1 cycle only)

Side Push Ups
Kickstand Touch the Floor Jump
8 Power Knees/ 4 Diamond Jumps
Balance Push Ups

Stretch- 4:30

My favorite move in this workout is the water break! Okay, I'm kidding, I do like the Wide In & Out Abs, I can really feel them in my quads. My moves that needs most improvement, Level 3 Drills and Power Push Ups, ugh! Just when I though I was getting better at push ups Shaun has to knock me down a couple notches by adding more reps! What a brat!

I am so happy that tomorrow is a rest day. I think I will do some yoga because this week was really tough. I may go for a walk because it is so gorgeous outside but taking it easy is my plan.

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend! Any exciting plans?

I will be back on Monday to breakdown Max Cardio Conditioning. This is my favorite workout in Month 2 because of the variety in it.

Talk to you soon,

Nicole

Insanity: Month 2, Day 5- Max Interval Circuit, Take Two!

Well, it was the second time through Max Interval Circuit and I do think I did better. I would say the second circuit is my favorite with the High Knees w/twist being my favorite move. The one move I really want to improve on is the Full Body Drills in Round 3.

The entire workout is 60 minutes long. When you take out the time for the warm-up, stretch and cool down, you are left with the body of the workout which lasts 45 minutes. I am finding that it takes quite a bit of endurance to jump around for 45-minutes straight! My favorite part of the workout is the first round of each circuit where he breaks down the moves. It's a nice little break and I encourage him to keep explaining while I catch my breath : )

Here is the breakdown of the body of the workout: (each move is about 45 seconds)

Round 1

Pedal/ Power Lunges
Ski Abs/ Push Up Jacks/ In & Out Abs/ Oblique Knee-In (Yep, all one move!)
Power Strike
Frog Jumps
Water Break- 30 second
Repeat 2 more times
After the 3rd round, no water break and straight to:
Football Runs w/ Cross Jacks
Water Break- 30 seconds

Round 2

Hook Jumps
High Knees w/ Twist
High Low Jab w/ Squat
Floor Switch Kicks
After the 3rd round, no water break and straight to:
1-2-3 Jab Across
Water Break- 30 seconds

Round 3

Side Suicide Jumps
Squat Hooks
Full Body Drill
Plank Punches (Shoulder burn, big time!)
Water Break- 50 seconds

Stretch  5-minutes

I find that I am more tired after Max Interval Circuit it is just so intense. I will say though that it was nice doing it by itself today versus with the Fit Test like I did on Monday. I know my shoulders will look nice by the time I finish this month. Love it!

Just a side note, I went to the doctor today to get my BMI done. I was so glad I went there one week after I started Insanity because now I can get a true progress report. My doctor uses the machine with the wires that looks like an electrocardiogram machine which they said is very accurate as long as you are properly hydrated. It actually tests your hydration as well and mine was perfect, yeah! I lost 2 lbs. of fat and gained 4 lbs. of muscle since starting Insanity. Yep, I was excited! This month is so much more intense and I can't wait to see the changes at my next appointment.

I want to hear how you are doing with your programs, whatever they are! I love hearing from my readers! Thank you for the comments and e-mails, they mean a lot : )

Nicole

Insanity: Month 2, Day 4- Max Recovery

I was so glad it was a recovery today because my entire core is so sore! Guess what? It wasn't as much of a recovery as I thought. Cardio Recovery was a little tough at first and there were a few moves I wanted to improve upon. As for Max Recovery, I could seriously improve on more things than not. It may be the fact that I didn't get to bed last night until 3:00 a.m. but I this was a really tough workout! Just think planks, push-ups and plies to the nth degree! I know I'll be sore tomorrow. Just so I don't scare you, I will say it was nice to not jump around like an insane person. Other than that, don't let the "recovery" label fool you : )

Shaun T. doesn't label the moves so it was my best guess. Here is a breakdown as well as I could, well, break it down:

Warm-Up

Flat Back Hamstring Stretches
Flat Back Inner Thigh Stretches
Flat Back Hip Flexor Stretches
Upright Hip Flexor Stretch
Side Angle Pose

Workout 1

Hamstring/ Back Stretch
Lower Back Strengthen and Stretch
Plank Contractions
Knee-In Plank Contractions
Chaturanga Push-Ups
Child's Pose
Downward Dog
Split Leg Stretch
Stationary Lunge w/ Leg Lift
Side Angle Pose (crazy long!)
Split Leg Stretch
Repeat last 4 exercises on other side

Workout 2

High Plank
One Arm Balance/ Push-Ups (rotating right to left and repeat 3 times)
Child's Pose (Thank God!)
Low Plank w/ oblique knee-in
Child's Pose
Downward Dog


Workout 3

Plie Squat Series- This 4 minute section is done holding a plie the entire time while bending from right to left. All I can say is, ouch!

Workout 4

High Plank/ Low Plank Walk
Child's Pose
Repeat 5 times

Workout 5

Downward Dog (You won't hear me complaining about starting this series with one:)
Standing Oblique Knee Up
Repeat 6 times
Water Break- 30 seconds
Hammer Abs

Cool Down and Stretch- 2-1/2 minutes

I wish I could narrow it down to a couple of sections that I want to work on but I can't. I would say workouts 3-5 were the toughest. I will be doing this next week on a better night's sleep and I will let you know if that helps my ability to make it through. I have so much room for improvement but I'm excited to see it!

Tomorrow I will be breaking down Max Interval Circuit.  Stay tuned!

Nicole

Insanity: Month 2, Day 3- Max Cardio Conditioning

I was lost in chore land yesterday so I didn't get a chance to talk about my workout. It was Day 3 of Insanity which meant Max Cardio Conditioning was the workout of the day. I really enjoyed this workout! As I have said before, I am not a fan of repeating workouts. I prefer every move to be a new move instead of doing the same move a couple of times. I have been glad that although Insanity has repeating circuits, it hasn't bugged me at all.

I have not been sleeping well and it's starting to show in my workouts. The good news is that I'll be showing major improvement by the end of the month if I start getting some good sleep. Note to self and others, GET GOOD SLEEP!

Max Cardio Conditioning is a 48-minute endurance workout. If you are looking for several water breaks during the workout, you're out of luck with this one. There is 28-minutes of pure cardio in this little jewel and I was begging for a break at the end. I made it through though and it felt SO good!

Here is the warm-up breakdown:

Rounds 1 & 2 (4 minutes)

Jog
Straight Arm Jacks
Jump Rope S-S
High Knees- Arms Out
Switch Knees
Hit the Floor
S-S Floor Hops

Round 3 (1-1/2 minutes)

Sprint
Jumping Jacks
Heisman
1-2-3 Heisman
High Knees

The warm-up is followed by a 30-second water break, a 5-minute stretch and another 30-second water break.

Coming up next, Max Recovery, or is it?

Nicole

Insanity: Month 2, Day 2- Max Interval Plyo

Okay, so last night I was awake several times wondering how I was going to make it through Max Interval Plyo. My usual method is to push really hard one day and do less intensity the next and so on, with Insanity that is NOT possible! I was already sore in the middle of the night because of yesterdays 85 minute workout and I wondered if my body would let me repeat the whole thing again today. Well, it did! Yippee!

The good news is that there is definitely room for improvement on this workout. I hate nailing a workout the first time through because it leaves nothing to be desired and the challenge of beating the darn thing is gone. I will definitely be able to improve on this one and I will have fun doing it. Yes, there are a lot of push ups and yes, it is tough but I know the results will be worth it.

This warm-up is a lot like that of Max Interval Circuit. Rounds 1 & 2 are 4 minutes a piece and Round 3 is a little over 2 minutes for a total of 10 minutes if you like to do math : )

Here is the warm-up broken down:

Jog
Straight Arm Jacks
1-2-3 Heisman
Jump Rope S-S
High Knees- Arms Out
Switch Kicks
Hit the Floor
S-S Floor Hops

After round three you get a 30-second water break followed by a 4-1/2 minute stretch and another 30-second water break. The bad news, you have a 45-minute killer workout in front of you. The good news, you're going to look great in 4 more weeks!

Okay, so is it just me or does the words insane and insanity come up a lot when talking to people about this workout? I laugh because I am constantly saying that. Talk about marketing genius!!

The full workout breakdown is coming your way on Friday so stay tuned!!

Nicole

Insanity Month 2, Day 1- Fit Test & Max Interval Circuit

Today was a big day on my Insanity journey, 85 minutes of Insanity. Do I feel insane yet? Uh, yeah!

I took the Fit Test, ate some breakfast then completed Max Interval Circuit. My Fit Test was a mixed bag, while I improved on most of the moves, I stayed the same on one and I did less reps on one of the moves. Overall I was happy because the improvements I made were improvements I didn't think were possible.

Here are the results:

Switch Kicks       1: 63/ 126   2: 64/ 128  3: 64/ 128
Power Jacks       1: 50           2: 56          3: 64
Power Knees      1: 86           2: 94          3: 96
Power Jumps      1: 50           2: 50         3: 56
Globe Jumps       1: 11           2: 11         3: 12 (Yea!!)
Suicide Jumps     1: 19           2: 21         3: 22
Push-Up Jacks    1: 24           2: 27         3: 32
Low Plank Oblique   1: 35/70    2: 52/ 104    3: 47/99 (Bummer!)

Oh, Max Interval Circuit! This is the longest workout of the Insanity program. This workout runs 60 minutes and it is a sweaty, tough 60 minutes! I enjoyed the workout as long as I ignored how much time I had left ;D

I will break this month's workouts down the same way I broke down Month 1. I will start by breaking down the warm-up of Max Interval Circuit. There are three repeating rounds in the warm-up. The first and second round run 4 minutes long while the third and final round is a little over 2 minutes. By the third time through I was glad that Shaun T. shortened up the time!

Here are the exercises in the warm-up:

Jog
Arms Up Jacks
1-2-3 Heisman
S Jump Rope
High Knees- Arms Out
Switch Kicks
Hit the Floor
S Floor Hops

After the third round you get a 30 second water break followed by a 5 minute stretch. The official body of the workout starts when the clock hits 44:00. To be honest, I was already tired by the time the body of the workout started. I think it was the 25-minute Fit Test I had already completed. By Round two of the main workout I hit my second wind and powered through. Tomorrow is Max Interval Plyo which is a bit shorter at 47-minutes in length. I am glad the rotation followed up this doozy of a workout with a nice "short" one! I'll let you know how it turns out.

As always, I would love to hear how you are doing with the program. Also, if you have any questions about the program or other fitness programs just e-mail me: thefitnessfreak@cox.net.

See you tomorrow,

Nicole

Insanity Recovery Week: Core Cardio & Balance

Last Saturday I finished Month 1 of Insanity. I was excited to be done because I was just starting to get burnt out on a workout or two. I previewed Core Cardio & Balance and wondered what kind of a recovery I would get doing the DVD. It has quite a few of the exercises I had been doing up until that point so I was a bit leery. Good news, although a lot of the moves are the same as in the Month 1 workouts, they are far less intense and most have a little twist from the original. It is nice to do the moves and focus more on form and the core area. I have been pleasantly surprised by the results I've seen just in this week.

I think I will have this same recovery week when I am done with the program even though it is not suggested. It is really tightening up my core area and I am loving how my arms look. I am so happy with this program and I am saying that now because I know Month 2 is coming and I may pass out and die before I return to the computer for an update ;D

Here is how the workout breaks down: (all moves are 1 minute)

Switch Heel Kicks
Mummy Kicks
Football Shuffles
Over the Log
8 High Knees/ 8 Power Jacks
8 Fast Feet/ 8 Alternating Hooks
Stretch (4 min)
Moving Ski Hops
Hit the Floor
Level 1 Drills
Heisman
8 Switch Kicks/ 8 Hop Squats
High Jumps
Moving Plank Walk
8 Elbows/ 4 Suicides
4 & 4 Hops
Jab Switch/ Jump Squats
Hip Flexor Burners (3 min)
Water Break (30 sec)
Oblique Knee Lift
Shoulder Burners in Plie (3 min)
Cool Down Stretch (3 min)

The workout runs 37 minutes long and it goes by quickly. I thought I would be annoyed doing the same workout 6 days straight but I've really been trying to focus on my form each day. I still am not able to finish the shoulder series without taking a break but that is my goal for this week. Hopefully by Saturday I will meet that goal and be nice and recovered for the daunting Month 2.

I will be reviewing each workout for Month 2 just as I did in Month 1. I hope you are all enjoying these reviews! If you have any questions about this program or any other fitness questions, don't hesitate to ask me!

It's almost Friday! Any exciting plans this weekend? Are you enjoying beautiful weather where you are? Talk to you soon!

Nicole

Insanity Update

This week I started my final week of Insanity, Month 1. I am so excited that I am on my way to Month 2. Of course I can't move on to Month 2 without my "rest" week. Insanity splits up the two months with a 1 week recovery. During that week you do Core Cardio and Balance. I am anxious to try this workout. It may be that I'm anxious to try it just to do something new : )

I have really noticed an improvement over these last, almost four weeks. When I started the program the Level 1 and Level 2 drills seemed impossible to finish. I am happy to say that I can complete all of the drills. In Plyometric Cardio Circuit there is a series of core work/ shoulder work exercises that I never thought I would be able to complete. This week I have this workout twice and today I almost completed all of the exercises. I hope that by the last time I do this workout on Friday, I can complete it without rests. It's a lofty goal but one I hope to accomplish. The true test will be my Fit Test which I will do in a week and a half.

For those of you wanting to get to brass tax, I have NOT lost any weight. Why? Who knows! I have sweat more in this past month than I have in a long time. I will say that I am a lot more hungry and am eating enough to pick up the deficit that is caused by the intense workouts. Should I make a calorie deficit? Another good question. At this moment in time I am focusing on switching out fat for muscle and less on the number on the scale. I am always struggling with the scale and have decided that as much as I want it to say 130, it may never happen again. 138 may just be my number. I have made it a habit now to write down how I am feeling before I get on the scale and after I get on it. This practice has really helped me differentiate between what my body really feels like and what my brain makes it think it feels like. Try it!

I have an appointment at my doctors office on August 6th. They will take my body mass numbers again and see if my fat to muscle ratio has improved. To me, that is the true test. Stay tuned and see if Insanity has helped those stubborn numbers improve!

I'll be breaking down Core Cardio & Balance next week.

Thanks as always for reading! I want to here your stories too. Share, share!!!

Nicole

Insanity: Fit Test- Take Two!

I don't know if I was more excited to see my progress this morning or more excited that the workout was just 25 minutes long! I figured I might as well enjoy it because this is the last time I will be doing the Fit Test all on it's own. In Month Two you do both of your Fit Tests with a 60 minute workout. Those are going to be tough ones! Have I scared you yet? Nah, you can do it!

The Fit Test, like the other workouts, has a warm-up and a stretch prior to the body of the workout. This warm-up is short and much less intense than in the other workouts. It consists of 15-20 seconds of these 7 moves:

Jog
Jumping Jacks
Heisman
123-Heisman
Butt Kicks
High Knees
Mummy Kicks

After you warm-up Shaun goes through a 2-minute stretch then you're onto the body of the workout.

Here's how the workout breaks down and here are the reps I did in the allotted time:

(I'm listing today's numbers vs. last test numbers)

Switch Kicks      64/ 128   vs.  63/ 126
Power Jacks       56  vs.  50
Power Knees     94  vs.   86
Power Jumps     50  vs.   50 (these will be a goal to improve on)
Globe Jumps     11  vs.  11 (also on my needs improvement list)
Suicide Jumps   21   vs.  19
Push-Up Jacks   27  vs.  24
Low Plank Oblique   52/ 104   vs.  35/70 ( I really improved on these which was cool!)

Just to avoid confusion I listed the exercises that switched legs with both the 2 kicks per rep and counting every kick as a rep. My brother gave me crap because he said there was no way I could do that many switch kicks on my first Fit Test so as to avoid confusion, I listed both counts just for him. Of course, even counting them 2 per rep I still kicked his butt!! I told him I have a reputation to keep up and I can't mess around! Hahaha.....

I covered up all of my numbers to see if it would motivate me more. I felt if I knew how many I had to beat I would get lazy at the end and just try to get 1 rep more than the last time versus as many as I could do. It worked fairly well so I may just do that next time as well. Next tests I want to see improvement on the Power Jumps and Globe Jumps more than anything else. Moves like Switch Kicks and Power Knees you can only go so fast with so that may be my limit with those. Time will tell : )

Since I have already done a complete breakdown of each workout this week will be a little quieter on the update home front. I will give you an update at the end of each week just so you know how I'm doing with it. Until then I wanted to throw in a few recipes and such so stay tuned!

See you later on this week!

Nicole

Insanity Day 12: Pure Cardio & Cardio Abs

Well, it's that time again, time for Pure Cardio! I really like this workout because it is non-stop fun! I am not one for repetition so this one holds a special place in my heart. No breaks, no resting, just 16 minutes of pure cardio, nice! I know, you're thinking, 16 minutes? That's it? Yeah, that's it and that's good enough for now, thanks! Try it out, let me know if you wish it was longer. If you do, you're crazy! There's a whole other month for that kind of crazy!!

This was my first time through Cardio Abs but I was excited to give it a try. The two combined made for a 54 minute workout. I have a feeling that Shaun is trying to get me ready for Month 2 : )

I don't know about you, but I have never had my legs get sweaty. After today's workout every square inch of my body was covered in sweat and it felt great! I love feeling like I knocked it out of the park and today, I did : )

Here's how the body of Pure Cardio breaks down: (each exercise lasts 1-minute)

Suicide Drills
Switch Kicks
Wide Football Sprints
Stance Jacks
Pedal Lunges
Hooks and Jump Rope
Power Jacks
Level 2 Drills
Frog Jumps
Power Knees
Mountain Climbers
Ski Down
Scissor Runs
Suicide Jumps
Push-Up Jacks
1-Minute Water Break (Thank the Lord!)

The workout is followed by a 5-minute cool down and stretch which feels SO good!

After I finished Pure Cardio this morning I turned off the receiver, the DVD player and the TV before it hit me, "I didn't do Cardio Abs!" Back on with the TV, receiver and DVD player so I could knock out Cardio Abs!

Cardio Abs starts off with a warm-up, yep a warm-up. I was thinking, "Hey I think I'm warm enough, thanks!" Okay, I did it anyways, it's my OCD, I have issues!

Warm-Up: (all exercises are 30-seconds unless noted otherwise)

Jog
High Knees
Jump Rope
Tuck Jumps
Water Break
Wide Tuck Jumps

Floor Work: (Thank the Lord)

C-Sit Twists
C-Sit Twists w/ knee-in
A-Frame Ab Twists
A-Frame Ab Twists w/ knee-in
Hold C-Sit
Water Break
C-Sit Single Leg Raises
C-Sit Single Leg Raises (other side)
Water Break
C-Sit Double Leg Raises (60 crazy seconds)
High Plank w/ oblique knee-in
High Plank w/ oblique knee-in, faster
Low Plank w/ oblique knee-in
Child's Pose
Low Plank/ High Plank Pulse Tucks
Stretch (2 minutes)

And that was today's workout! Yes it was tough but it was so worth it! That's my last workout breakdown for this month. I will give you an update on my Fit Test on Monday. I wonder if I have improved? When I started Insanity I was coming off a semi-rest week so I had a lot of energy. It will be interesting to see how my body is adapting to the stress of Insanity. I guess we'll see on Monday!!

Nicole

Insanity: Day 11- Cardio Power & Resistance- Full Breakdown

So, I went over the warm-up with you on this workout, now I'll breakdown the body of the workout. This is one of my favorite workouts in the program. You know I love lifting weights so the chance to tone my muscles through some dips and push-ups is right up my alley! Today I was working at a slight disadvantage because of my hip. The bone is fine but it turns out the deeply bruised muscle does NOT like jumping. I told it to suck it up and get over it in the form of holding it during a few of the moves. I made it though and I did all of the push ups on my toes, yeah!

Here's the breakdown:

Round 1: (starts at time stamp 21:30)

Each exercise is 30 seconds long.

Power Jumps
Belt Kicks
Hit the Floor
V-Push Ups
Water Break (30-seconds)

This round is repeated 3 times but there is no water break after the third time through and you go straight into:

Triceps Dips
Water Break (30-seconds)
Ball Push-Ups
Water Break (30-seconds)

Round 2: (each exercise 30-seconds)

Hurdle Jumps
Globe Jumps
Walking Push-Ups
Floor Sprint
Water Break (30-seconds)

In this round you repeat it 3 times and there is a 15-second water break afetr the third time through then it's onto:

8 Hop Squats/ 8 Push Ups

It's Stretch time!

I would like to say I sweat less this time through but I did NOT! Here's the proof:

I hope these breakdowns are helpful. I know when I was looking into purchasing the Insanity program I really wanted to see a detailed breakdown of the program but nobody had one. I like to make informed purchases and I hope this is helping some of you do just that!

See you tomorrow,

Nicole

Insanity: Day 10- Cardio Recovery

I was glad that this was in the rotation today because my little fall on the stairs made me a bit leery of jumping. What fall you say? I was carrying a huge bowl of water outside and slipped on my concrete stairs. I would have caught myself had I not had the stupid bowl of water in my hands. Yes, I am a dork! Anyways, I took the brunt of the fall on my left hip and my left foot. I was able to do this workout without incident but tomorrow may be a different story.

This workout is a bit harder to breakdown than the others but I will try. This time through it I was able to do the entire squat and lunge series without stopping, yippee!

The first few minutes of the workout warm you up with a loose interpretation of a sun salutation. During this series he does a side lunge with a contract and relax of your back. I have to put my hands on my knee because this move seems to bother my back.

Next up is Plank Work. Shaun T. does pulsing leg lifts while holding plank position. After that you get a nice downward dog then a hamstring stretch.

Once you get out of the hamstring stretch, it's LUNGE/Squat series time! This is the most challenging section of the workout. There are 16 slow squats followed by a 30 second static hold. Now, at this point you think your legs are going to fall off but you're not done, now you have to pulse 16 times!

Just when the burn is getting better, Shaun starts the static lunges. He does these the same count as the squats. Guess what? You get to do that whole thing over again! Yep, another series of squats followed by the lunges with the other leg leading. Oh my!

Okay, you're legs are already sore at this point but Shaun makes you hold a plie squat while touching the floor to one side. I was thinking, this is a stretch? Hmmm, I may have to let Shaun know what a "stretch" is!

Do you remember donkey kicks from Jane Fonda days? Those are NOT in here! Instead Shaun does this, rear leg lift thing all the while in a table position. Now this would be easy except he has you elevate your knees off the floor while doing the move. This is immediately followed by oblique knee ins in the same position. At this point I was thinking, THIS IS A RECOVERY?!?!

Okay, I will give it to Shaun, he does let you have a more relaxing stretch, IN THE LAST 5-MINUTES!!!!

Okay, I'm teasing, kind of. I do like this workout because there is no jumping. That is one of the best parts for sure! Thanks for not making me sweat like a crazy woman today Mr. T : )


Nicole

Insanity Day 9: Plyometric Cardio Circuit- The Big Breakdown

Okay, I don't know if it was my pounding head or this little sniffle, but this workout was not much easier than the first two times I did it. This  42-minute workout is more repetitious than the others so it seems a little longer even though it's not. It consists of two sections of repeating drills. As with the warm-up Shaun T. encourages you to push a little harder with each round.

Each exercise lasts 30-seconds.

Here is the breakdown:

Round 1- Repeats 3x

Suicide Drills
Power Squats
Mountain Climbers
Ski Down
Water Break (at the end of each round)
After the 3rd round you skip the water break and go straight into:

Switch Feet
Football Drills


Round 2- Repeats 3x

Basketball
Level 1 Drills
Ski Abs
In & Out Abs
Water Break (at the end of each round)

After the 3rd round you skip the water break and go straight into:

Jabs
Cross Jacks
Upper Cuts
Attack Jabs

The body of the workout runs about 20 minutes but trust me, it will kick your butt! My main goal with this workout is to be able to do the entire series of Level 1 Drills, Ski Abs and In & Out Abs without taking breaks. This workout is the one that really reveals shoulder weaknesses. I love a good looking shoulder muscle so I am going to work really hard on this!

Tomorrow, Cardio Recovery revealed : )

Nicole

Insanity Day 8: Pure Cardio.......Round Two

Today, Pure Cardio was on tap! It was definitely better the second time through. I felt much stronger and I think this will be one of my favorite Insanity workouts. I like it the most because the exercises don't repeat them selves in this one it just has 15 different exercises that last about 1-minute each. Just my style, varied : )

Here is how one round of the warm-up breaks down:

Jog
Jumping Jacks
Heisman
123- Heisman
Butt Kicks
High Knees
Mummy Kicks

As with the other workouts, each exercise is performed for 30 seconds and each round is repeated 3 times before the water break and stretch. For those of you who haven't read my suggestion before, try doing the workout without the music. I like it so much better with the music off! Tell me what you think!

Tomorrow, Plyometric Cardio Circuit- The Big Breakdown!

See you soon,

Nicole

Insanity: Day 7- Cardio Power & Resistance

Today was the second time through CP&R. I did notice I got through it a bit better than the first time which was cool. As I said, I will do a further breakdown of each workout as I repeat it. The warm-up is 10 minutes long and each cycle repeats itself 3 times before you get a water break. Here's the warm-up cycle breakdown of Cardio Power and Resistance:

Jog
Power Jacks
Log Jumps
1-2-3 Heisman
Butt Kicks
High Knees
Vertical Jumps

After the third time through you get a 30-second water break and then it's on to the 7-minute stretch. The format for warm-up and stretches in this first month are the same but the moves are varied which is nice. I was wishing that the warm-up and stretch would get longer with Month 2 but I have a feeling I am not going to be so lucky ;D

I hope you all had a wonderful 4th of July weekend! Did you do anything fun? Did you make any yummy, clean eating recipes? I made myself some delicious Raw ice cream and had Raw tacos which are delish! I use lettuce as the tortilla and it is SO good!

I can't wait to hear from you!

Nicole

Insanity: Day 6- Plyometric Cardio Circuit.....again

So, second time through and I felt a little better but my shoulders still did not like the plank drills in section 2. I know they'll get stronger I just hope it's before I move on to Month 2.

Since I already reviewed this workout I thought I would break down one section at a time every time I do the workout. Today I'll break down the warm-up for you. The warm-up consists of 3 repeating rounds with each exercise running about 30 seconds each. As you begin each round again the speed picks up considerably until the 3rd jog is an all out sprint. Here are the exercises:

Jog
Jumping Jacks
Heisman
1-2-3 Heisman
Butt Kicks
High Knees
Mummy Kicks

After you repeating each round 3 times you get a 30-second water break before the stretch. The 7-minute stretch is very basic but works well as I have not been sore aside from slightly sore calves and shoulders.

I hope to improve more over the next month. This workout appears 7 times this month so I'll have some time to improve : )

I want to hear from all of you, are you enjoying the break-down of the workouts or is just a quick synopsis okay? Are any of you doing Insanity right now? Do any of you want to do Insanity now after the reviews? Let me know!

Nicole

Insanity: Day 5- Pure Cardio

Pure Cardio is right! This workout is 38 minutes of straight cardio with no water breaks after the  9-minute warm-up and 6-minute stretch. The non-stop cardio portion runs 16 minutes long and it will keep your lungs pumping. Here are the drills, each 1-minute in length:

Suicide Drills
Switch Kicks
Wide Football Sprints
Stance Jacks
Pedal Lunges
Hooks and High Jump Rope
Power Jacks
Level 2 Drills
Frog Jumps
Power Knees
Mountain Climbers (standing)
Ski Downs
Scissor Runs
Suicide Jumps
Push-Up Jacks

You get a 1-minute water break at the end of the drills and then a nice 5-minute cool down. I'm trying not to picture Month 2 at this point because I feel my 1st month is in serious need of improvement. My brother actually called me yesterday and said there was no way I did that many reps on my Fit Test, but I did! Maybe I'm not doing as bad as I thought ; )

Tomorrow is a repeat of Plyometric Cardio Circuit so I won't bore you with another review of it. I can't wait to see the progress I have made. The one major thing I notice just within 5 days of doing Insanity is that my core is getting tight, fast! That is a major trouble zone for me so I'm stoked!

Another little side note, I did the first workout with music and have done every one since withOUT! I prefer no music mostly because it helps me concentrate so much more. Try it, see what you think!

Nicole