Insanity Review

Well, I have had a week of insanity! No, I'm not referring to my normal state of being - I'm referring to the Beachbody Workout series.  First things first: I think the name is ridiculous - clearly a marketing ploy to make us all think - "wow, this work out is gonna be INSANE and the biggest challenge of my life!". And it sort of reminds me of that song by Cypress Hill when I think about the work out - You know the one - Insane in the Membrane. yep. And I also wonder what the hell they would name the follow on..I can almost see the commercial now.... "Get your copy of the newly released follow on to the Insanity work out: Totally Bat Shit Crazy!! This work out will make you scream expletives and have a seizure. Warning: you may poop your pants."  Can't wait! and I only have to pay $250 bucks for that?! Like my dad says, might as well pay someone less to take me out back, kick me in the balls and call it day! (Love my dad!)

Uh, this move is not recommended for pregnant women. Shawn T is really really serious about being insane and if you didn't know that, just look at his face in this picture.

Okay, enough shenanigans (I heart shenanigans).. on to the review:

Pros - If you aren't fully conditioned - they give you a series of DVDs that you follow for the first month that are shorter/less intense so you can sort of build up to the maximum ultimate insanity later in the series.  Many of the workouts in both phases include plyometrics so if you aren't used to jumping drills, you will most likely find this the most challenging part (knee tucks, high knees, squat jumps,etc). It's mostly that and the body weight stuff, walking push-ups, plank jacks, etc. Most of the DVDs blend these types of body movements into shortish intervals - maybe like 4 minutes on and then 30 seconds break.  You will be fully winded for most of the workouts. He sort of repeats intervals going faster and faster each time - so, you can work out as hard or as easy as you need to. To get the full benefits you really have to push yourself, yourself. Shawn T is not going to come out of the screen and blow a whistle in your ear. Once you feel stronger and conditioned (or after 1 month) you move on to the like MAX series where you get an hour  instead of just 40 minutes for each workout. I like these much better. If you are going to put your tennis shoes on and do this thing - you might as well do it for an hour. There's a schedule you follow and I think it provides for one off day and one easier day of yoga type moves. For the most part, you do not need weights - just yourself and a towel (or a mop in my case). There is one or two dvds that use weights for an old fashion sculpting workout. Bottom line, you'll be doing a workout everyday so if you are also simultaneously watching what you eat, you will trim down. Working out is never a substitute for eating less - so you have to do both. If you are new to working out, it's probably a good idea to use a heart rate monitor. This workout is tough for even advanced home worker outers like myself.


Cons -  I dont understand the running timer on the screen - it's confusing. It seems to not correspond with what's going on. Shawn T is okay but I wish he would enunciate better.  The number one thing I do not like is they lead you through a 15-20 minute pretty strenuous warm up on each dvd and it is pretty much the SAME exact warm up on EACH work out. So, one third of the workout is the same every damn day.  That's the part i dont like the most.  And the moves are somewhat repetitive.  Oh and it's hard to do this workout and eat a burger at the same time - Too much jumping ;-) 

Okay that's it. I think if you can get it at a discount buy it. Otherwise, just do bodyrock.tv and pick maybe 3 of their workouts to do simultaneously for free. It's the same concept and much more variety.

Comments?? Agree?? Disagree?? Agree to Disagree??
                                                                                                                

DVD reviews for yous

Salutations!
So, I was supposed to be doing my work out DVD review each day but things got away from me when I went to the beach - but I'm back. Yesterday I did the work out of the day on Body Rock.tv and the Jackie Warner personal training DVD. 

• Body Rock, per their usual, kicks my arse. That 15 minutes is like a train wreck. 5 out of 5. Even if the instructor lady just got a boob job and new lips and hair regardless of how she tells us everyday on those videos to love yourself and work hard for your results.  She is now dating the camera man/guy who started the site  - he used to be married to the old body rock video girl who also had fake boobs so maybe it's a thing for him.  Why do I know so much about this workout website? I've been an avid follower for a solid 2.5 years and was there during the drama/divorce. It was tough on me. There was like 4 days without new workouts during the transition!!!

New Hair, Lips, Boobs, But She is still awesome. I feel a closeness. We have so many physical characteristics in common too - we both have a bellybutton and a couple of kneecaps.

• I also have to give the Jackie Warner DVD 4 out of 5 stars.  If you use heavy enough weights, it will kick your rump. I like that it's just weights - so there is no bouncing around and all the rest of the nonsense.  Her voice doesn't make me want to choke myself off and when she says you are "half way through", you really are.  It's really quick too - each body part gets like 5 minutes of attention and then you move on. Certain of your parts will be aching in the morning and other parts won't feel a thing. I think she could have been harder on the legs portion -she kills it on the arms and abs. 

  So, you're telling me that all I've been missing this whole time are a few "tips" from Jackie Warner? That's whats been keeping me from a hollywood body? Probably something as small as, "thumbs out when holding your hand weights".  It would have solved all my weight issues! FOILED AGAIN!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Best FREE at home online workouts

I've been in high gear lately trying my best to drop my extra weight without distraction. So, I've been trying to keep things new and fresh so I don't just get discouraged by trudging away on a treadmill or elliptical every day.

Some of you may remember my post about bodyrock.tv. (Fitness on the road).  Well I'm still using bodyrock.tv but there has been some major changes. The two people that ran the site got divorced - tragic I know - so the husband continued making the videos with his brother and his brother's lady friend and though I did love the original chick (Zuzana), the new crew is great and they are putting out new workouts daily. They are usually from 12-20 minutes and they are INTENSE. Usually you will need a sandbag for the workouts - but no worries, I have shown you how to make your own right here.  The workouts are sort of cross fit meets boot camp.  And best of all, you can access them from AFRICA! Unlike exercise TV or a lot of other workout sites.

The new body rock girl doing a very natural pose.

Besides bodyrock.tv - which will get your butt in gear all on it's own - the original bodyrock host, zuzana, now has her own youtube site and seems to be getting really professional. You can find her intense workouts of the week (WOW) here.  She is the sweetest little czech lady and she gives these little heart to heart pep talks that make you feel all warm and mushy. Often I'll just watch the workout videos while sitting on the sofa eating peanut butter out of the jar with my pointer finger -  her pep talks can be pretty effective to get me off my arse.  You can find her older bodyrock videos all over youtube and on the body rock website as well. 

The original bodyrock girl - Zuzana. She used to be super thin and cut as seen here..seems like she's put on a bit of padding when you see the new videos. She actually looks a bit more normal now..though still thin and extremely ripped.

Lastly, there is the crossfit website.  I'm not one of those cross fit cult people - Honestly I just dont have the equipment to really get into it since many of the workouts require very heavy weight, a place to sprint, row machines and pull up bars, etc. Plus I don't have someone showing me the proper form for some of these exercises which is important when you are using heavy weight. But I have done quite a few of the body weight workouts and some of the others that only require lighter weights and it's good stuff.    Here's an example of a workout of the day (WOD)-

• Hold a 45 pound (or lighter) barbell over head and do lunges for 50ft 
• then immediately do 21 burpees
•  Repeat for 5 rounds.

The idea is MINIMAL TO NO REST between rounds. You don't even necessarily  need to use additional weight to make this a great work out.
 If you dont know what a burpee is, you can see it demonstrated by Zuzana here. I believe Lucifer (yes, the devil) invented burpees.

Now, go do something!