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Some links in this article are affiliate links. We may earn a small commission if you make a purchase through these links, at no extra cost to you. We only recommend products we find useful to our readersThe fitness industry has been booming with trends and new exercises. If you hear about one such workout called ‘Insanity workout’ know that it is one of the challenging workouts out there. Insanity is a complete bodyweight workout. It does not involve any fitness pieces of equipment which makes it easier to be done anywhere without the need for any fitness tools.
In an insanity workout, one exercises at an extremely high intensity which can burn up to 1000 calories in an hour. It is based on the max interval training fitness method. There is a range of exercises in an insanity workout which requires a three minutes interval with 30 seconds of rest.
This high-intensity workout has been gaining popularity and it makes you leaner in no time but is advised for people who already have a baseline physique ready to do such a workout. So what exactly is it and who can do it? If you want to know more, keep reading below.
What is Insanity Workout
Insanity is a complete bodyweight workout, which does not require any equipment. It is a high-intensity interval training workout. It is one of the most challenging workouts, that challenges even the most trained fitness experts and athletes. It involves bodyweight exercises that are performed with high intensity called max interval training.
In max interval training, you work at a good pace with 3 minutes of interval and 30 seconds of rest. These are performed for 30 to 60 minutes, six days a week, and done for 60 days. There are 10 different workouts designed for this program. They include all bodyweight exercises like push-ups and squats performed in very high intensity that can help you burn around 1000 calories in an hour with no gym equipment.
The difference between any workout program and an insanity workout program is that in this your workout with great intensity with minimal rest and work very hard in a 3 minutes interval with only 30 seconds rest. Where in the traditional workout you exercise for a short period and get longer breaks which increases your cardio while burning the fat.
There are a total of 5 exercises to be performed in the first month. After a month you focus on core cardio daily for about a week before starting the second month. Why cardio so that you can prepare your body for a much higher intensity workout in the second month as in the first month it is still less intense.
The 10 total body workouts are
- Fit Test
- Plyometric Cardio Circuit
- Cardio Power and Resistance
- Pure Cardio
- Cardio abs
The recovery period after one month where you perform recovery cardio.
- Max Interval Circuit
- Max Interval Plyo
- Max Cardio Conditioning
- Max Recovery
- Core cardio and balance
Even if you have a good physique it can be difficult for a few days in the start for your body to get used to it as it requires you to work with very high intensity. It is a fat-burning workout program rather than muscle building. That is why an insanity workout program consists of resistance training and fat burning that helps to make you leaner, tone your muscle and make you strong giving you a slim look.
Insanity workout targets areas such as your core, glutes, arms, legs, and back- a complete bodyweight which is a type of aerobic and strength training.
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Who Can Do Insanity Workout
If you are a beginner and haven’t been exercising, insanity workouts may not be a better fit for those. As you know insanity workouts are extremely high intensity and if you start with something like this in the beginning it may cause you harm and issues.
These insanity workouts are designed for people who have a good physique and are already in good shape but want to get into a better form for themselves. Even the athletes have fatigued when they begin in the first month. It is best for people with a sports background or people who do races and have great body conditioning. If you ever want to begin with such a high-intensity program workout you should consult your doctor first if it is suitable for your body.
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10 Tips on How to Survive Insanity Workout
1. Start with a warm-up and stretching
As you know insanity workout program is the very intense and high impact over a long period that is why making your body ready to start with these you will need to do some stretching and warm-up exercises and if you don’t do the warmups and stretching seriously, you could hurt yourself in the future and your body may feel like throwing up certain times. So make sure to prep your body prior.
2. Take deep breaths
Your body muscles need a lot of oxygen in order to do these high-impact, fast exercises. You can go longer if your body receives more oxygen. No need to worry about your heavy breathing when doing these workouts, many people try to be quiet which is wrong. If your body does not have enough oxygen you may get tired quickly and try to take longer breaks which in such an insanity workout is not ideal.
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3. Wear the proper shoes
In any high-intensity workout wearing the right footwear plays a prime role and it is advised by experts to not wear standard running shoes why because these are ideally worn when you move forward and not otherwise. Wearing running shoes may even hurt your feet and it might affect your workout and you may lose focus. Go for cross-trainers instead as whenever performing a large variety of activity cross-trainers will provide you more foot support in all directions. They are built for such high-intensity activities.
4. Wear a headband and wristband
In an insanity workout as you take minimum rest and perform maximum high-intensity workout you will sweat like crazy. Sweating is good for your body but too much sweat can irritate you so wearing a headband and wristband will be the best during such times.
#5. Do not gulp instead sip the water
Drinking too much water soon after any workout is dangerous and a big No! You will not feel good after drinking a lot of water. Remember the feeling you have when you drink too much water at once. Not a great feeling right? With such a high-intensity workout gulping, a lot of water will make you uncomfortable and slow your pace. Whenever you feel like having water, sip it quickly and do not keep drinking this will make you feel better.
#6. Do not focus on the speed
When you are starting the insanity workout program do not first start by focusing on the speed, you are new so instead, try completing the workout. Make sure to do each exercise effectively, move your body correctly. Do not stop when you feel tired in fact at a good amount of time trying to complete the exercise. The first month will take time and you have 4 weeks to practice and reach the speed that is necessary so remember to focus on completing the exercise always.
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#7. Correct your posture
Insanity workout is a great way to correct your posture, if you are doing all the exercises correctly then use the core to get to a low level instead of making use of your back to bend. Yes at the beginning for a few weeks it will be difficult but not improving and continuing to do so will get you in that same habit. Your legs will hurt like crazy but you’ll become a pro later so keep going. When you do the exercise correctly your lower back will stop hurting if you continue to use your back to bend it will keep hurting for a few weeks in the beginning.
#8. You are doing good if you see
If you are able to do the entire warm-up without stopping by the end of the first week it means you are doing really good. In the beginning, it is a great achievement to do and complete your warm-up as you may be unable to complete the exercise but completing warm-up is good to start with so be proud of yourself but do not stop there keep going.
#9. The quicker you do the exercises, the less they hurt
After a good amount of time, you should be able to do the workouts with the right speed, and do not think going slower will be beneficial to you in any way as you will be just prolonging the pain on each exercise. Instead doing them quickly will definitely hurt less.
#10. Consume protein after a good workout
Your usual food already contains carbs so focus on consuming protein and protein shakes are the best post-workout drinks that will help your muscle to heal and be ready for the next day
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Conclusion
Insanity workouts are great for losing fat and make you slim but nothing comes easy and going for a high-intensity workout may not be suitable for any people. You may need to consult a doctor or start by working slowly and getting used to normal workouts first. An insanity workout program is a great tool to get a lean body quicker and also build body strength. The best part is you do not need any equipment for this. Hope you enjoyed reading the article and understand more on this topic.