Insanity Workout Review - The Pain Is Over

*Update-The 46 second video of my Insanity before and after transformation 

My Insanity before and after transformation is complete. 63 days done, 7lbs lost and 1 new body gained. Every single day I took a photo of myself and wrote a small blog post on my experience. Over 1000 viewers a month were reading along. In addition I was able to inspire several people to do the Insanity workout which made me the most happy. Below is a review of the second half of Insanity along with my thoughts of the good, the bad and well... you get it.   

Insanity Workout Review - Half Way Through The Pain

The Workout

There are 4 new workouts in the second half of Insanity and each disc ranges from 47 minutes to 59 minutes. That is right... Each disc is an additional 15 minutes of Insanity. The good news is that this is where you get ripped. The better news is you go into the 2nd month stronger and faster after completing the first month. So, don't panic... you can do it...
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INSANITY Max Interval Circuit - Why the warm up isn't a workout in itself I will never know. It's 10 minutes of pure hardcore working out. I would even say it's best to warm up by yourself for 5 minutes and then start their warm up. It's that intense. After some stretching and a 30 second break you are onto 39 minutes of tough sweat producing moves. There are 4 exercises per set which is repeated 3 times before going on to another 4 exercises. However, the 3rd set is always the most challenging because Shaun T throws in a 5th move that will kick your ass if it wasn't already kicked. Do yourself a favor and pace yourself.   
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INSANITY Max Interval Plyo - Once again the warm up is 10 minutes of intensity. Then there is a nice longer than normal stretch followed by a 30 second break. Enjoy it because then it's on to 2 - 3 minute sets of various exercises with a 30 second water break in between. Then the 3rd set is double the 3 minute sets you were getting used to which will push you beyond your limits. Once again pace yourself and take pleasure in listening to Shaun T's instructions as those are moments to breath and catch your breath. 
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INSANITY Max Cardio Conditioning - The Max Cardio Conditioning is very similar to the Pure Cardio Workout in that the moment the workout starts, it doesn’t stop until the very end. Once again the warm up is intense and lasts about 10 minutes. There is a stretch that you will want to savor because after that it is the toughest workout of the series which lasts for about 30 minutes with NO BREAK. When you are done you will need to peal yourself off of the floor and cool down. Warning... This one is TOUGH.  *

INSANITY Max Recovery - Max recovery is the workout performed once a week in order to allow your muscles to stretch and recover from the brutal intensity that one experiences in the INSANITY workout. As such, there is very little cardio in this workout, no leaping or running or anything that would cause your muscles to protest even further. Instead, Shaun will lead you through a half hour’s worth of stretching, yoga poses and deep muscle work. It's still intense but nothing compared to what you felt during the prior workouts.
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The Good
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I haven't had a body like the one above in years. I think it's pretty obvious from the before and after photo that the results are significant and to me worth the journey. I enjoyed Insanity because it was no longer than 1 hour long and I didn't need any weights whatsoever to accomplish my goals. Shaun T is very motivating and reassuring through the DVD's. The moves are not overly difficult BUT very intense when you combine them the way that Insanity does and push yourself to the max. 63 days is not a very long time in the scheme of things and if you dedicate 1 hour a day you will see results. 
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Note I didn't use the Insanity diet plan. My wife and I have been on Jenny Craig and I can't tell you if their system is good or bad. However, like all diet plans you have to balance your nutrients, eat small portions of food and drink plenty of water. 
The Bad
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This is a tough call because after going through the whole series I don't find a lot bad about the program but here is where I think some people might have a challenging time. Shaun T is on a DVD and won't be able to motivate you to get up and do the workout. The hardest part is to push yourself. If you have issues doing that then you will want to find another way to have accountability. The whole reason I started blogging about my journey and posting a photo a day for the world to see was to give myself the push I needed and it worked. Again,  I live in NYC so I have neighbors who live below me. It's always in the back of my mind that someone will start complaining. That didn't happen but if you have sensitive neighbors then it might be a problem.  Insanity is not for everyone. It's a very intense workout and should be taken very seriously. If you have knee, back, heart or any other medical issues then check with your doctor and seek out another form of exercise. 
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All and all I would give this workout a 9. The reason I didn't give it a 10 is because there is no perfect system. Every great workout strives to transform people's lives and because Insanity is only a 63 day program it falls slightly short of continuing to coach people after that.   
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Insanity 
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Until tomorrow,
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Jai 

Until Tomorrow,

Jai