This is for all of you who have heard of or may be interested in trying the Insanity home workout DVD system. Everything I’m going to state is simply a personal opinion formed by my experience with Crossfit and Insanity.

First, a little about myself since we’re all different and have a different background—I’m 23, 155lbs, ~22% body fat; my physical goal is to get to and stay at 18% body fat, my Crossfit goals are to be able to do double unders, full hand stand push ups, 10 (strict or kipping) pull ups and have a sub 2min 500 meter row. I was the chunky girl growing up, (still) horrible at >100meter sprinting or >.5 mile running (my body just doesn’t like it). In high school I took dance then went into “boys” weight lifting class (more free weights, no machines, less cardio). In college I took dance classes, yoga, walking, swimming, weight training, cardio kickboxing, Pilates, nutritional classes, relaxation and flexibility, scuba diving…you name it. From all of this I understand the importance of warming up, cooling down and sufficient stretching after each. I first heard about Crossfit in Nov/Dec 2009 from a guy at my gym, after mulling around and figuring out the site I started doing workouts in January of this year, I moved from CA to VA (husband’s a Marine) in February, wasn’t able to get back into the gym until mid-March. Since then I had been following the mainsite religiously at the Pack-Rx’d scaling.

I heard about Insanity and thought it would be a good program to ADD TO normal CF workouts; for the first month I was doing Insanity in the mornings and the Workout Of the Day in the afternoons after work. Doing two-a-days like this completely drained me, everything was sore, my times and weights were going down and I was winded during each video. After the first month I decided to stop CF and finish the Insanity program since there was and “end” (I don’t like saying I will do something and not completing it). Unfortunately two of the four disks for the second month wouldn’t play, I contacted the seller (one through Amazon—she has horrible ratings, make sure you always check the comments on the seller!) and it took them a week and a half to get the new ones to me. I spent that time doing videos from the previous month until I received the disks (this probably created some negative impact but I’ll try to leave that out). Since stopping Crossfit I could feel my body and respiratory getting weaker; since I did two extra weeks of Insanity waiting for the videos, I agreed with myself that completing two weeks of the second month as prescribed would be sufficient so I can get back into Crossfit. I understand I didn’t complete the entire program but I feel I gave it sufficient dedication to make a personal, informed decision and share my PERSONAL opinions.

“Insanity” PROS:
Excellent warm-up: The infomercials mention that “the warm-up feels like the workout at first”, it does at first, even for an avid CFer. Unfortunately it’s not the type of warm up you would want to apply to your regular workout/warm-up sessions (at least I wouldn’t).
Great for travel workouts or to “mix it up”: This program definitely does not require anything but a DVD player and area to workout so these are great on-the-go workouts or good to use if you’re strapped for time and need to throw one in to get your workout done under an hour.

“Insanity” CONS:
Inadequate stretching: “Insanity” is all about plyometrics, core work and minor chest building (push ups, planks, etc). The videos incorporate a maximum of 5 minutes of stretching after the warm up and 5 minutes at the end of the workout. Most of it is used on breathing, standing split leg (to side) hamstring stretches and samson stretch. Out of the remainder they do approximately 4 standing cat stretches (extension and contraction of back to stretch spine) and 15 seconds per leg on quad stretching. With the amount of constant plyometrics done (jumping/hopping/running) day after day the spine compresses and needs to be adequately stretched and relaxed, this is not given in the videos. Also, it is understood in the workout community that a muscle requires a MINIMUM of 30 seconds for stretching to be benefit; the quads which are used repeatedly are not given adequate attention in the allotted stretching.  [Of course, one who knows could always add extra stretching but (1) I’ve tried it and it gets old having to do extra when you’re tired and (2) a lot of people may not know they should be doing more.]
Workouts are too long:  I make this point as a Crossfitter—we’re use to spending 5-25 minutes on a workout and the harder you push yourself the faster you’re done (what the big wigs don’t tell us is that this is what makes us see gains so quickly—sneaky). The first month of workouts are decently allotted, approximately 15 minutes, the second month however the workouts are approximately 40 minutes (1st month videos 30-45 minutes total, 2nd month videos 50-60 minutes total).

Learning to “pace yourself” inadvertently brings less intensity: This is the main reason I say the workouts are too long. As a Crossfitter I’ve been engrained with “you can breathe when you’re dead” (or “done” whichever comes first ) and “is that breath worth the extra seconds on your Fran time?!”. Unfortunately, going faster during these videos does NOT mean you get to stop sooner…eventually your body realizes this and you start slowing down—why work so hard for no reward? Even when you realize this it is still difficult to up your intensity; this may be different if you did these videos with a partner. The thrill of competition often helps drive motivation (this is a big reason Crossfit works so well for me; competition with yourself is still competition).
Demonstrates horrible form: This is another point that could be corrected if you knew what you were looking for however Beach Body is selling this to masses that, more likely than not, do NOT know how to do a proper squat, dead lift or box jump so they turn to videos because they still want to be active and get better but don’t have the knowledge to do so on their own. The “coach” Shaun T explains how to do the moves but when he does them with everyone his form immediately deteriorates, he goes around “fixing” one or two people’s form but ignores the rest and not once have I seen a full range of motion squat done throughout the entire program. Even knowing and being able to do full range of motion squats (butt 8 inches from ground) I fell into the habit of half or quarter range squats simply because the people on the video were—“if it’s good enough for them” syndrome.

To wrap up, my final statement would have to be that the “Insanity” at home workout program is a Jack of all trades and a Master of none. The program would have easily been better if they added more stretching and broke the workouts into more disks to create shorter more intense workouts.

Personally, I have lost all the muscle definition I previously gained, I’m not as lean, my grip strength (big problem for me) has deteriorated, all of my strength (pull ups, push ups, weights used for various moves) has gone down and my feet have lost all of the toughness built up from barefoot running. If someone is thinking about starting Insanity I would ask what their goals are and what restrictions they’re under. Insanity may be what some are looking for, unfortunately it wasn’t for me and if I was to make an assumption I would say it would be a step back for most, if not all, Crossfitters.

That is a very informed and logical review of the Insanity workout.  As someone that is currently doing both (CrossFit and Insanity) I can tell you that you are right.  You will be dead tired at the end of two a days.  Again you are right in saying that if you focus everything on Insanity and slack in CrossFit you will see losses in what you gain from CrossFit.  But, to play devil’s advocate here, Insanity is a cardio regime that focuses a lot on your core.  I have personally loved doing the two a days with this.  I have noticed that my cardio and breathing have improved and I have noticed that carry over into my CrossFit as well.  I say that it carries over into my CrossFit because what Insanity does is challenge you to push yourself as far (and as safely) as you can.  I am no fitness expert and I can guarantee that I don’t have the best form in everything, but I can also guarantee that nobody is able to keep proper form all the time.  I don’t think that Insanity is not worth the money as I have been very happy with what I have accomplished.  I also know that my brother has been doing the same workouts with me (since he currently lives with me) and he has not only become more tone and defined from Insanity, but the CrossFit has helped him in functional fitness.  I have also noticed that his endurance and ability to push himself longer and harder has increased because of the Insanity/CrossFit regime he is on.  While I agree that if you focus strictly on Insanity, you will see the gains that you make in CrossFit deteriorate and vice versa.  Still, as someone who is living the two a day life, I have loved every second and noticed huge improvements in all of my fitness goals so far.  Just my two cents.

McStache - 01 September 2010 07:48 AM

Still, as someone who is living the two a day life, I have loved every second and noticed huge improvements in all of my fitness goals so far.  Just my two cents.

I tried my hardest and put everything into a month of doing two-a-days and couldn’t hack it.

You are a God (<—for good measure)

Too play devil’s advocate on the other side, most people misunderstand CrossFit, and I will discuss that later.  But lets define “core” training.  The term is fuzzy.  Here are a couple of videos of children with what CrossFit defines as “core” strength.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5cA_ZqknS5U

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TJ_BEdeAGBs

mid line stability.

I watched that first video of the 225 x 44 DL, did that today and remembered why I love weightlifting.

Butch Meathook - 02 September 2010 10:30 AM

I watched that first video of the 225 x 44 DL, did that today and remembered why I love weightlifting.

And reminded your heiney why it hates you?

Butch Meathook - 02 September 2010 10:30 AM

I watched that first video of the 225 x 44 DL, did that today and remembered why I love weightlifting.

Did you get 44 without letting of of the bar?

nope. grip sure felt it anyway. re-chalked at 20, alternated left and right supine for last ten. about 4 minutes total.

m/22/5’9’‘/165

Very good.  My high is 41.

BTW-the kid is 14.

I thought he was at least 17. Gotta love it.

Kids been CrossFitting 3 years has completed Fran, Grac and Diane as Rx’d.  Gunning for Isabel in 6 months.

you guys are making superhumans. Im out on the farm throwing sacks and tires around trying to keep up.

Not wanting to take this conversation away from insanity and crossfit but speaking personally about core issues….

I suffered for many years after starting a desk job pretty much out of school - so for the best part of 8-9 years I visited and paid tons of cash to an osteopath to help keep on top of my lower back pain that I suffered with. I eventually was referred to my GP again who eventually referred me to a guy in the local hospital physical therapy center - he told me my core was sloppy! He gave me some core excerices to do - mainly table planks ie get on all fours and then brace your stomach/core and when I could hold that for a while I had to do the same but lift one arm, one leg, opposites etc and it helped a fair bit - as long I did the very boring and very repetitious excercies. When I got bored or too busy etc my back ache came back!

Until I started Crossfit and followed this incredible brandx forum with its magical scaling by GD (THANK YOU GUARDDOG) and the great supporting MODs and Members. I’m currently just 2 weeks short of my 1st year anniversay and I’m still loving it but more importantly - my back is stronger than it’s ever been, the small hollow that was visible in spine in my lower back that used to be there has gone, my spine feels normal and I rarely ever get back ache !!!! I worked my core without really thinking about it just by doing Crossfit with all its variety!

So anybody with core issues - who think they want to work thier core but want to do it properly CROSSFIT is the the only way to go in my opinion!!! Even if you don’t go mad and work that hard that you lay on the ground you can still see major major benefits to your core and the rest of you - physically and mentally too!!!

Just my 2 cents!