Death by Insanity

The most challenging DVD exercise program that I’ve ever struggled with is Insanity. The exercise was demanding and I began to question whether I could finish the program instantly. I gripped my inhaler with the little energy that I had left and thought, “If this is the warm-up how hard is the actual exercise?” At the lifesaving stretching period of the DVD, “Plyrometric Cardio Circuit,” Even though I was already drenched in sweat, I caught my breath and relished in this break period. “Insanity is possibly the most difficult, cardiovascular-based DVD workout program on the market today,” according to Michael Esco, PhD, WebMD Expert.  The 60-day program consists of ten   challenging DVD’s ranging from Plyometric Cardio Circuit, to  Cardio Power & Resistance.

The exercises are a combination of aerobic and anaerobic intervals. “Burn up to 1,000 calories in an hour and get the most insane body in 60 days,” claims the programs website. The program is lead by trainer Shaun-T, who has made  several appearances to promote the exercise DVD including the Tyra Show.

“Overall, I really enjoyed the program. It was definitely tougher than I expected but once you get the hang of things, it isn’t too bad,” said Chelsea Ayers,  Sophomore at Texas State University in San Marcos, Texas. She completed the program over the summer in efforts to fit back into her prom dress.  “My favorite aspect is that it’s a really good workout for your entire body and it comes with a extremely doable meal plan. Upon purchase of the DVD set you receive a complementary Elite, Nutrition Plan, Fitness Guide, Insanity Workout Calendar, and free online support tools.

The meal plan consists of different meals that directly correlate with the program to help the participant loose weight. Each meal plan has  10 options to choose from. Each  meal contains  about 40% protein, 40% carbohydrates, and 20% fat. This balanced diet  is recommended for the intensity of each workout. “Insanity is an excellent method of exercise for people who desire to lose body weight/fat and increase cardiovascular fitness,” Esco said in an article for WebMD. You will get a great workout with each DVD if you can maintain such intense exercise.

Not everyone raves about the DVD program. “I love the idea of DVD’s but I can’t stand them myself.” Nicele Hoskins, Senior Health and Fitness editor at “Heart and Soul Magazine.” Hoskins explained that she is “sometimes concerned about the safety” of the program. You don’t have a professional there with you to ensure that you are not putting yourself in harm she commented.  Much like other participants Hoskins did like the amount of cardio that the program features.

“It had a lot more cardio than I expected. You had to max out instead of just getting to a number in your head,” Brian Hinds, Junior at Howard University, commented. Hinds exercises three times a week but enjoys the strong emphasis of cardio of the program. “Overall, I like P90X better. It helps you gain weight and build muscle and that’s my ultimate goal. It’s great for losing weight and staying slim. If I wanted to drop some pounds I would like it better.” 

In order to lose one pound you have to burn or cut 3,500 calories. To do this in a week you need to cut 500 calories a day. However, one pound isn’t what rumors have built it up to be. To further illustrate this, one pound is “equivalent of four sticks of butter,” according to Tracy Teare in her online article for fitnessmagazine.com.

Angelo Wong, a graduating Senior at Howard University , realized how out of shape he was after the completion of the first DVD titled “Dig Deeper & Fit Test”. “The workout allowed me to get a great sweat going. It was definitely worth it.” The first DVD introduces you to the typical exercises that you’ll be doing in the DVD program. Variations of jumping jacks, sport drills, and plyometrics are all used to identify where the participants starting point of their fitness levels are

The rest of the DVD’s in the 60-day challenge incorporate max-interval training, Insanity’s defining piece. Traditionally when trainers use interval training the participant completes short periods of exercises followed by long periods of rest. Shaun T and the Insanity team flipped this concept and the participant completes long intervals of exercises and short periods of rest.

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There is a long list of supporters that say great things about the DVD program.“I loved it. It was one of the hardest workouts I have done,” stated Michael Madden Jr., sophomore at Howard University. Madden continued to say, “it’s totally worth it. I know people who did it twice and I wish I could do it with them. I would use it again.”