Workout Literature: Insanity includes a program description brochure, a Fit Test card (to record the results of your fit tests), a workout calendar/poster, and Elite Dietary, the nutrition guide. The dietary guidance is the only item that requires explanation. It features the standard calorie calculator to assist you in determining how many calories you should consume each day. The food plan is divided into five daily meals. The recipes are divided into meals. For example, the first part contains recipes for Meal 1, the second portion has dishes for Meal 2, and so on. Each recipe in the guide has about 300 calories. If you need more than 1500 calories each day, each meal contains ideas for increasing the calories. At the conclusion of the guide, it also mentions that you should increase your calories as you begin month two, and it provides options for how to do so. The dietary plan for Insanity appears to be quite achievable and gratifying to me. True, I didn’t do anything, but the dishes sound delicious and, for the most part, simple. It’s something I’d like to try at some time.

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Now for the exercises.

**Note: Though I frequently round up or down, the exercise component minutes in the Insanity workouts may not always equal up to the total minutes—this is due to the multiple small breaks ranging from 15 seconds to 30 seconds between each component.

Fit Test: 26 minutes, including a 2 minute cardio warm-up, a 1:30 minute stretch, an 18:30 minute training phase, and a 4 minute cool-down/stretch. The Fit Test is designed to measure your progress during the 60-day Insanity program. You do it at the start of the program, every two weeks throughout the program, and, of course, at the very conclusion. It’s also a good little interval workout. The two-minute aerobic warm-up provides you a sneak peek at what’s in store for you in the next exercises, but it’s nothing in comparison! It just takes two minutes. However, the circuit is only done once, and each motion is only done for around 15 seconds: jog in place, jumping jacks, Heismans, 1-2-3 Heismans, butt kicks, high knees, and Mummy kicks. After a quick stretch, you begin the Fit Test routine. It consists of eight movements, each lasting one minute. The goal is to do as many repetitions as possible in one minute. So you go all out for a minute, then you have about a minute to recuperate. So it’s a high-intensity interval training session! And a great one at that! Switch kicks, power jacks, power knees, power leaps, globe jumps, suicide jumps (burpees), push-up jacks, and low plank oblique are the eight motions. I completed this program about a year ago (the whole 60-day program) and have since continued to perform most of the exercises 1-2 times a week as cardio (and to create this review, I completed every Insanity session again in a 6-week period)-so I’ll include my Fit Test results in this review. There will be three figures. The first number is the number of repetitions I performed before starting Insanity, the second number is the number of reps I did at the conclusion of the 60 days, and the third number is? How many did I get when I repeated the Fit Test to review the workout for the blog post? (nearly a year later). Power Jacks 43/62/54, Power Knees 90/115/104, Power Jumps 37/48/53, Globe Jumps 10/13/13, Suicide Jumps 18/26/26, Push-Up Jacks 18/32/30, Low Plank Oblique 49/66/60. As you can see, over a year later, I only improved in Power Jumps and the rest of the time I either stayed the same or did not perform as well. However, I am still better than I was before I started doing Insanity!

Workouts for the First Month:

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Plyo Cardio Circuit: 42 minutes; 10:30 cardio warm up, 7 minutes stretching, 20 minutes training, and 4 minutes cool down/stretch. The Insanity cardio warm ups all follow a similar format. A circuit of several motions, each performed for around 30 seconds and often repeated three times. The first time is slowly, the second time is quickly, and the third time is as quickly as possible. The aerobic warm-ups are really taxing. The warm-up circuit for the Plyo Cardio Circuit includes running in place, jumping jacks, Heisman, 1-2-3 Heisman, butt kicks, high knees, and mummy kicks. Then you repeat it two more times without a pause before moving on to the stretch. Following the stretch, you begin the first training session circuit, which includes suicide drills, power squats, standing mountain climbers, and ski downs. You repeat each circuit three times, but you receive 30 seconds of recuperation time between each one. He lengthens the third circuit by adding two additional moves: swap feet and football sprints. The second circuit is then started, which will be performed three times with 30 second rests in between. Basketball jump shots, level 1 drills (4 push ups and plank mountain climbers to the count of 8), ski abs, and in/out abs comprise the second circuit. This circuit is exceptionally difficult since you spend so much time in plank—and you’re already weary from everything else! He adds four more movements at the conclusion of the third run through the second circuit! Jabs, cross jacks, upper cuts, and an MMA maneuver called attack—all of which are similar to jabs. Finally, a well-earned and appreciated cool down stretch.

38 minutes of pure cardio; 11 minutes of cardio Warm up for 6 minutes, stretch for 6 minutes, training period for 15 minutes, cool down/stretch for 5 minutes. Because there are different little breaks (20-15-30 seconds) here and there—no breaks during the training period—the minutes listed do not add up to 38. One of the most hardest workouts in the whole Insanity program is Pure Cardio. The two other exercises that are comparable are Max Interval Circuit (60 minutes) and Max Cardio Conditioning (60 minutes) (48 minutes). And Pure Cardio just takes 38 minutes! However, it is harsh. During the warm-up stretch, Shaun T admits to being worried about the exercise. And when will it be over? He’s on the ground and exclaims, “That $hit is nuts!” That it is. Jog, jumping jacks, Heisman, 1-2-3 Heisman, butt kicks, high knees, and mummy kicks comprise the warm-up. This circuit is done three times with no rests in between, and each time you do it quicker. After your typical Insanity cardio “warm up,” which is a challenging exercise in and of itself, you get a good lengthy stretch before beginning the interval/HIITs. However, unlike the other programs, there is no 30-second commercial break! None! 15 minutes of nonstop action! You take your own breaks—which, believe me, I did! You perform 15 one-minute movements. Suicides, switch kicks, wide football sprints (fast feet and sprints), pedals (sprints and jump lunges), hook punches with high jumps, power jacks, level 2 drills (HATE THESE-8 push ups and 8 plank mountain climbers), frog jumps, power knees, standing mountain climbers, ski down, scissor runs, suicide jumps (burpees), push up jacks are the training period drills (hate these, too). You then receive a one-minute water break before stretching for four minutes. I dreaded Pure Cardio days throughout the first 30 days of Insanity. But as a challenge, I now do Pure Cardio once every other month or so. And I appreciate it when it’s utilized in that way!

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39 minutes of cardio power and resistance; 10 minutes of cardio Warm up for 7 minutes, stretch for 7 minutes, workout for 19 minutes, and stretch for 3:30. This workout focuses on strength more than any other (at least in the first month). The cardio warm-up is also a little different and, in my opinion, the most difficult (in the first month that is). Having saying that, this is most likely the simplest of the Insanity cardio routines overall (not counting recovery workouts). A jog, power jacks, log leaps, 1-2-3 Heisman, butt kicks, high knees, and vertical jumps comprise the warm-up. The warm-up circuit is repeated three times with no breaks. The first exercise circuit follows the stretch: power leaps, belt kicks, strike the floor, and V push ups. The training circuit is repeated three times with a 30-second rest in between. He adds tricep dips and tricep ball push ups towards the end of the last circuit. Then comes the following circuit, which includes hurdle leaps, globe jumps, moving push ups, and floor sprints (or plank mountain climbers). The circuit is repeated three times with a 30-second rest in between. He adds 8 hop squats/8 push ups at the end of the last circuit. Cool down and stretch.

Cardio Abs: 17 minutes, including a 4-minute warm-up, an 11-minute workout, and a 2-minute cool-down/stretch. Cardio Abs warm up is the same as any other Insanity warm up—hard cardio! The warm-up circuit, on the other hand, is only done once before you hit the ground for some ab training. Jog, high knees with arms over head, high knees with a twist, jump rope, tuck jumps, and wide tuck jumps are the warm-up exercises. You now walk to the floor and assume the C-sit position. Twists, twists with knee raises, A-frame ab twists, and A-frame twists with knees are performed in C-sit. After a short pause, return to the C-sit position but bend one knee, perform knee in and out then straight leg up with the other leg, knee in and out then straight leg up, and so on; then switch to the other leg. Then you do the same thing with both legs! Hard! Get into a high plank posture after another short pause. Slowly alternate knees to shoulders, then quicken the rhythm. Perform the same movement in a low plank posture (on your elbows/forearms). The last motion is pulse tucks in both high and low plank—you pulse 5 times in each position for a total of 4 sets. After that, a wonderful stretch.

Cardio Recovery Workout: 33 minutes. The word “recovery” in the title does not imply that this is a simple workout. The only thing you’re recuperating from is your ridiculous exercise! There is a “warm up” for this activity, but it was a little strange. It was approximately 3 minutes of lunge-type stretches in which you repeatedly curve your back—in a very unpleasant way. The plank segment is the first section of the program. You crouch, hop back into plank, and repeat. The first time, you do it once, twice the second time, and four times the third time. Plank pulses come next. Return to plank, elevate the right leg, and pulse it 8 times before returning to standing. Rep with the other leg. Repeat both sides, except this time pulse 16 times. After that, perform a good downward dog stretch. Squats and lunges come next. Perform 16 slow low squats. Hold in a low squat position for 16 pulses. Put yourself in lunge stance and perform 16 static lunges and 16 pulses. Return to squat and perform 16 low squats at a quicker tempo, followed by 16 pulse squats. Rep the lunge sequence with the opposite leg. The plie yoga stretch comes next. Enter a deep plie squat, place your right hand on the ground directly in front of your right foot, and lift and hold your left hand/arm in the air. Repeat on the opposite side of the body. Following that is some leg work. This one is quite difficult. On all fours, go into tabletop position. In this posture, elevate your knees a few inches off the ground while keeping your toes on the ground. Raise your right leg behind you and pulse 16 times, then repeat with the opposite leg. Get into the same posture as before, then lift your right leg out behind you and bend it to your shoulder for oblique training (16 reps on each side). Following that is what Shaun T refers to as Table Top balance position, but is actually Warrior 3. The next step is knee to chest. Standing, raise your knee to your chest and hold it there for approximately 30 seconds. You repeat each leg, but this time to the side in an oblique stretch. Finally, you perform hip openers. In a deep squat, place your elbows on the inside of your knees and press-stretch your inner thighs and hips. This is not an easy workout, but you will be grateful for it in month two when you face the terror that is Max Recovery.

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Week of Rest:

Core Cardio & Balance: 37 minutes, including a 7-minute cardio warm-up, a 5-minute stretch, a 23-minute training session, and a 2-minute stretch. Insanity’s recovery workout is called Core Cardio & Balance. It is done every day for a week between months 1 and 2 (so it is the week 5 workout) and then again during Month 2 unless you purchased the Deluxe package, in which case you substitute Max Sports Interval for Cardio Core & Balance… which is an odd substitution because they are very different workouts at very different difficulty/intensity levels. Core Cardio & Balance is a lower-intensity workout that will offer you a much-needed breather after the grueling month one and will prepare you for the nightmare that is Month 2. It also appears fitting as an exercise during Month 2, which, as previously said, is a nightmare. Even the “recovery” workout in month two is a nightmare, so