Dump The Gym & Join the Madness!

The Science behind Insanity

The Insanity Workout was created by former track star and now celebrity trainer Shaun T. Billed as the most extreme workout on DVD, it's essentially a variation on High Intensity Interval Training, which Shaun T has modified according to the principles of his Max Interval Training.

Shaun T set out to create a program that would push people to their very limits and beyond, and in doing so allow them to burn so many calories and develop the results that normally take six months or more in just 60 days. By combining plyometrics, traditional cardio, calisthenics, sports drill and core work in incredibly intense and efficient packages, Shaun delivers the most incredible workout right to your door.

So if you are ready to go insane, and if you're ready to develop the most extreme results in the shortest amount of time,Insanity is for you!

Which Is Tougher: The P90X Workout or Insanity?

Both Insanity and P90X are very extreme workouts. Both will push your limits, which makes it hard to have a straight answer to this question.  P90X is a 90 day program and it combines resistance training, cardio routine, yoga, stretch and even kempo routines.It takes a more "conventional" approach targeting different body parts during different days of the program. It's for  people who want to pump some iron, want to mix things up, and don't mind longer workouts.

Insanity is different. It is a 60 day program and it is based on max interval training principals. No weights are required, and the workouts are all about cardio. Plyometrics, sports drills, calisthenics, it's interval training to the Max. It targets the core and legs and will definitely give you a shredded athletic look.

It is a common thing for those who finish either INSANITY VS P90X is that they found a new way of life and discover a new commitment and love for their fitness and well being.

What's Interval Training?

The secret behind Shaun T's Insanity and what makes it unique is his Max Interval Training program, the heart and soul of the workout. Traditional interval training works by having your perform at high levels of intensity for brief periods of time, and then relaxing for longer stretches. Max Interval Training flips this upside down, and instead has you working at your most extreme levels of effort for long periods with only short breaks in-between.

What does this mean in terms of your workout? The most common unit in the Insanity Workout is four minutes at maximum intensity with a thirty second water break, and then repeated. This forces your body to work in the anaerobic zone for most of the workout, allowing you to burn a ridiculous amount of calories in a very short period of time.

The anaerobic zone is where your body is no longer able to deliver sufficient oxygen to your muscles so as to allow them to function aerobically. This forces your body to turn to other energy pathways to keep going, and helps your body rev up your metabolism to extreme rates of production. That's why people who have performed the Insanity Workout have been clocked at burning almost a thousand calories in one workout!

The Myth of the Fat Burning Zone.

Insanity t flies in the face of a popular concept called 'The Fat Burning Zone'. You'll see this zone labeled on cardio machines and spoken about by casual fitness trainers, and essentially it means working out at a less intense pace so as to maximize fat burning. The reality of the situation is that these so called low intensity fat burning zones only lower the effectiveness of your workout, so that you burn fewer calories over all.

The reason people believe in the 'fat burning zone' is because at lower levels of intensity your body is able to function aerobically, allowing it to turn to fat stores for energy. This sounds great, because it means your body is burning fat for fuel, but the reality is that it does this at a very slow pace; one pound of fat contains 3,500 calories, so if you only burn a couple of hundred calories during your workout, you won't be losing much fat.

Instead, if you work at an extreme pace, you will be forced to function anaerobically, and this will result in the breakdown of body tissue as your body looks for other sources of energy. While it's not reaping directly from your fat stores, your body will release a host of hormones to help repair your body tissue, rebuilding it as a stronger and tougher version of itself. Your metabolism gets ramped up, your body burns through its source of blood glycogen (blood sugar), and as the tissue repairs itself your body begins to really change. Your future workouts won't be so hard, you'll adapt to stress, and your body will soon begin to look radically different.

Is Insanity Right for Me?

The Insanity Workout is one of the most crazy workouts out in the market, and if done correctly can deliver extreme results. This can sound incredibly intimidating to a lot of people, who envision only hard core marines and fitness fanatics being able to perform it. Does this mean regular folks should not apply?

No! Of course not! This is an intense program without a doubt, but remember that as the trainee you can set your own pace. Yes, Shaun T will push you, urge you to dig deeper and try harder to get better results. But you can always pause the workout, take a deep breath, or simply go at a slower pace.

The fact is that by challenging yourself with this workout, you will improve much faster than with any other, regardless of where you're starting. The trick is to just press play, and hang in there!

Is Insanity Too Extreme For You?

Insanity , designed by trainer Shaun T is a high-intensity conditioning program that's based on the principals of MAX Interval Training. His premise is that by doing insane amounts of high energy interval training you will naturally develop crazy abs which will show as the fat melts off you.