Is this an Insane Workout? Pure Cardio Review
After my initial post about INSANITY. I’ve been meaning to post some reviews about the individual workouts. Here is my review for the Pure Cardio workout.
As a reminder, the INSANITY workout system is not for beginners. It is 60 days of intense cardio conditioning. The Pure Cardio workout is 38 minutes in length. At first I thought, “Really? Only 38 minutes?” but toward the end of this workout, I was thankful for the cool down and stretch.
The Pure Cardio workout begins with a warm up, but this is no ordinary warm up. By the time you finish the warm up, you’re already sweating quite a bit, or at least I was. The warm up is 3 rounds of about 3 minutes and 30 seconds each. There is no break between the rounds. Each round is slightly faster than the last, and the last round is “as fast as you can go” pace. The rounds include jogs, side-to-side jumps, jumping jacks, etc.
When that’s over, you get your first water break, a much needed 20 seconds to drink and catch your breath. Next, is a stretch. With Insanity, you stretch your legs and lower body, while your hands are straight out or up. Which means your legs are working, and your upper body is not taking any of the weight. It’s more like a power stretch or yoga session. The stretch lasts about 6 minutes followed by another water break.
At this point, there is only 21 minutes left on the clock (Insanity, like many other Beachbody workouts includes a workout time-line at the bottom of the screen.) So, I thought, this should be an easy one. NOT! The main part of the workout is 15 minutes. 15 moves, 1 minute each.
It may sound easy, but one hard part is that don’t get another water break until all of these moves are completed. The moves are not easy either, they require plenty of effort, and once completed, you’re completely exhausted. Even Shaun T (the instructor) rolls out on the floor! The 15 moves are:
* Suicide (side to side touching the floor)
* Switch kicks (exhausting)
* Wide football sprints
* Stance Jacks
* Pedal (two lunges, then sprint, followed by 2 more lunges, etc)
* Hooks and Jump rope (8 hook punches, several high jumps, 8 punches etc)
* Power jacks (like jumping jacks, but you go deep in a wide lunge)
* Level 2 drills (these get me every time. 8 push ups followed by 8 run lunges, repeat)
* Frog Jumps
* Power Knees (switch every 30 seconds)
* Mountain Climbers
* Ski Down (jump side to side as if skiing)
* Scissor Runs
* Suicide Jumps (squat down, jump back to a push up, stand up again)
* Push up jacks (push ups with wide feet)
Some of these moves may be hard to picture, but it gives you an idea of the variety and intensity of the workout. Throughout the 15 drills, many of the cast members are taking breaks. I took breaks as well. This is one tough workout both physically and mentally. The workout ends with a one minute water break followed by a four minute cool down and stretch.
Think this is too tough? It is an advanced program. Beachbody says, “Insanity is to cardio training, like P90X is to resistance training.” But if you have done P90X or Chalean Extreme, I think Insanity is within your reach, and can push you into another level of fitness. As always, I’m here to help you, answer your questions, etc, just drop me a line. Feel free to comment and post your thoughts.
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Totally is intense! I love it, well not the whole thing. I like to supplement it in for my cardio with a P90X schedule.
Great review, Jenn.
Didn’t realize how intense it was when I purchased it! I’m only on day 1 but I don’t want to quit!
I totally plan on getting Insanity after my move in June. I love Shaun T!!
I love Insanity! Yes, it is totally insane! I work it in with my ChaLEAN Extreme.
Vanessa – Don’t quit! You can do it. Take breaks when you need them. You can always continue month 1 a little longer if you are not ready for month 2. Adding in the “Max” workouts is really KILLER, but GREAT too!
It’s awesome – really pushes you which is what you want in a workout
You have a great blog. i am your new follower from MBC. http://showmemama.blogspot.com/ come by when you can.
AWESOME! I am a personal trainer and group fitness instructor and I had never heard of this! I love Beachbody, and am a Turbo Kick instructor. I’m so excited that my library carries these DVDs! On my way to pick them up…
That is so cool that your library carries these. What a great way for folks to give them a try.
Holy mess, I think I’d die halfway in.
Happy SITS Saturday Sharefest!
Cardio workout is always great if you want to cut down those fats:;.
Jenn- there is nothing in the world like Insanity. I am in love with it! It is extremely difficult, but I welcome it with open arms!!!!!!!
Cardio Workout is really great when you want to burnout those calories,~-
the best cardio workout is of course running and jogging,*,
the best stuff that you can do to reduce body fast is of course a cardio workout ‘
I have been exercising steady for about 11 years now. I kickbox, run, do pilates, yoga, bikes, elliptical, use a Bowflex, you name it. And I consider myself to be in good shape. But I almost died the first time I tried this program. I was grunting and cussing at the TV, talking to myself, saying things like, “I quit”, “I am way too old for this”, (I’m only 41 btw haha) “OMG I am going to throw up”. “This sucks”. The first 15 minutes into my first time doing INSANITY I told myself in my head I would be giving the DVD’s to my bff the next day, and I meant it…..
I love the insanity of INSANITY!
….Well, I am now on my 4 month of INSANITY because I love it and I am addicted! There were many days I still wanted to quit, And that is when you just have to tune out, stay strong and focus! There’s just something about this workout program that, no matter how sweaty and out of breath you are, or how many breaks you take laying on your living room floor wanting to die, you cant stop doing it. It’s in your blood now. I can’t explain it. It’s something you really just have to try for yourself. Seriously you will be hooked from day one. And even though I felt like I was going to pass out at the end, I knew I would be back again tomorrow and the next day and the next. And the fact that you can do it 6 days a week! Oh hell yeah. There is some magic some where inside those DVD that cast a spell on me. I hope it does you too…People who see it that have never tried it think I am crazy. Well Insane, Crazy, it’s kind of the same thing right
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