Insanitiquing

I didn't really lose my insanity, don't worry- I just went back to my usual style of working out. I stuck with Insanity for a month and a half, and let me tell you, those last two weeks were torture. The short length of the Month 1 workouts was what was so redeeming to me about them- I could suffer through anything for half an hour. The Month 2 workouts were just as intense but nearly twice as long. It would have been one thing to do them a couple times a week, but every day?

Anyway, the reason I quit wasn't just boredom or suffering. The reason was that for how hard I was working, I wasn't seeing any changes that I liked.

Positive results:

• Slightly increased cardio stamina- mine was already excellent
• Increased physical and mental abilities to withstand physical torture
• Increased ability to do many pushups fast
• Other advanced workouts now seem easy in comparison

I'm sorry, but for the death-defying workouts I was doing every freakin' day, results that would have been acceptable cause for continuing the rotation would have included dropping significant body fat, dropping a clothes size/noticeable inches, improving my strength (see below), suddenly developing 8-pack abs, being able to speak a new foreign language, etc. Yes, diet is always a factor, but my diet did not change throughout the rotation- if Insanity were anything special in comparison to the other workouts I do, I should have been able to see changes. All I know is that I worked harder than I ever have before, and all I was left with was a lot of sweaty towels and a sense of accomplishment for working through something painful.

And then there were also the negative results:

• Lost muscle mass- I lost inches on my arms, not because of decreased body fat, but because I lost muscle mass despite doing supplemental strength training
• Lost strength- I couldn't do as many pushups as before
• Dread for my workouts due to repetitiveness and difficulty
• Having to do multiple workouts per day in order to fit in strength training

Overall, would I recommend the program? Well, I adore the workouts as standalones (yes, even the Month 2 workouts that I'm complaining about above, because who doesn't need a little pain in his or her workouts every once in a while), so hardcore, advanced at-home exercisers will find the system worthwhile. That said, I think following the rotation as-is is a big waste of time. There may be some rotation freaks out there who experience spiritual fulfillment and physical ecstasy from crossing off workouts on a pre-printed calendar, but for the rest of us general fitness folks, doing 5-6 HiiT workouts a week for months is just overkill.

I think a shortened rotation would improve cardiovascular stamina, and I also think that integrating these workouts a few times a week would also improve fitness. There might also be something in a full Insanity rotation for performance-oriented athletes. But for those of us whose main objective is general fitness, a balanced strength and cardio rotation offers better, more consistent results with less repetition- and pain.