If you’re a woman who is researching reliable ways to get into shape, you’ve probably come across the Insanity Workout by BeachBody, and you may be tempted to try it. After all, who wouldn’t jump at the chance to improve their fitness significantly and totally change their body shape for the better in 60 days?!
But does the Insanity Workout work for women, or is it only suitable for guys?
If like me, you have a garage full of exercise paraphernalia you never use, you may be a little cynical.
Some of the stuff I’ve bought has been gathering dust for so long I can’t remember its intended purpose. One item, I can’t even remember buying.
I recently came across a device that was supposed to give me washboard abs in two weeks. Using it for five minutes a day, mind you! That one I do remember because all it gave me was a sore neck and back.
Some DVDs and gadgets didn’t live up to their claim. Others were boring to use, so I lost interest.
I’ve packed up all of the stuff I will never use to donate to charity and have spent many hours over the past couple of weeks researching and reading fitness program reviews. The internet has enabled me to quickly narrow down my options and focus on products that work well for women.
One of the first reviews I came across was an Insanity Workout review. It sounded great but it was written from a man’s perspective as were most of the other Insanity reviews I found. I wanted to know about the Insanity results women were getting. I also wanted to know how difficult it was and if it was suitable for people who were new to exercise, or only for those who were already reasonably fit. Further searching uncovered Insanity Workout reviews from women of all ages and fitness levels. Many claim that the program has enabled them to lose a lot of weight and improve their muscle tone.
Of course, we can’t always believe what we read on the net. However, the Insanity Workout before and after pictures speak for themselves. Check out the video below, and you will see what I mean.
Insanity Workout Before and After Pics
Insanity DVD Workout Overview
Most of us are aware of the importance of including regular cardio activity in our lives, both for its health and weight maintenance 
benefits. Choosing an aerobic program that doesn’t just focus on burning calories, but also on exercising the body’s major muscle groups, will deliver the best results for both calorie burning and muscle toning. This is where the Insanity Workout excels.
Unlike a lot of exercise programs, the Insanity Workout DVD does not incorporate the use of weights. Instead, it uses the body’s natural resistance to sculpt lean muscle. Known as plyometrics, or plyo, the training is similar to that professional athletes do. As your muscles strengthen and you become more attuned to working out, you will keep achieving new levels of fitness.
Over the course of the first 30 days, the workouts move at quite an intense pace. While challenging, most people will find them doable, even those who haven’t exercised for a while. The subsequent week’s workouts are lower in intensity. The slower pace gives you time to recover and prepare for the next 30 days when the pace quickens.
The 10 DVDs in the Insanity Workout Set are as follows:
- Dig Deeper & Fit Test – A 30-minute workout that will test your current fitness level, Dig Deeper & Fit Test is used throughout the program to check on your progress.
- Plyometric Cardio Circuit – An excellent 42-minute fat burning session, this alternates between lower-body plyometrics and intense cardio sets.
- Cardio Power & Resistance – A 40-minute workout centered around sculpting lean muscle mass and upper-body shaping, this is interspersed with power moves and strength-training.
- Cardio & Max Recovery – Slightly easier but equally beneficial, this 33-minute long workout is done once a week. It aims to help you recover from the more intense sessions you will be doing five days a week.
- Pure Cardio & Cardio Abs – Week 2 sees the introduction of Pure Cardio & Cardio Abs. By this point, you will be becoming stronger and more accustomed to the pace. This is just as well, as this 55-minute non-stop cardio workout is very challenging.
- Core Cardio & Balance – A 33-minute lighter workout, the aim of which is to improve balance and core strength, Core Cardio & Balance is done between month 1 and month 2 of the program.
- Max Interval Circuit & Fit Test – Of 86 minutes duration, this incredibly challenging, non-stop high-intensity cardio circuit workout will push you to your limit and beyond. The pace slows for 30 seconds between moves to give you a bit of a breather.
- Max Interval Plyo – A 55-minute maximum intensity workout, this one will challenge your legs and lower body with plyometric and power moves as it gently works your upper body.
- Max Cardio Conditioning & Cardio Abs – As effective as it is tough, this non-stop 65-minute extreme cardio/abs workout will have you begging for mercy.
- Max Recovery – Still intense, but done at a far slower pace, this 47-minute long workout includes lots of stretches.
Insanity Workout Tools:
Included with the Insanity Workout is a short Fitness Guide which contains information that will enable you to get the most benefit from
each of the workouts.
The Insanity Workout Calendar lists your full 60-day exercise plan and helps you track your progress. It also contains tips on how to get through each of the workouts.
With the program being quite extreme, it’s vital that you eat well. Doing so will keep your body fuelled, enabling you to build and repair muscle. This is where the Elite Nutrition Plan excels. Along with offering a wide variety of snack and meal suggestions, the guide teaches you how to combine foods for maximum calorie burn.
There are no crazy carb restrictions, and you get to eat five small meals a day. Each meal should contain equal amounts of protein and carbohydrate and around 20% or less fat. The calorie allowance is more generous than that of some other fitness programs and your allocation increases in month two.
And, if your motivation wanes, there is Free Online Support in the form of a members’ support group. You also get 24/7 access to expert fitness coaches and instructors.
Insanity Workout Negatives
The Insanity Workout is customizable to your fitness level. However, if you are very unfit or carrying a lot of excess weight, you might struggle with it initially. If you fall into either of these categories, I recommend you start with an easier workout.
If you suffer from joint pain or you have bad knees, you may find Insanity jarring, and you will probably do better with a more gentle program. A popular alternative for women that has excellent feedback is Slim in 6. (Click the previous link to read a review.) With a focus on women’s trouble spots, Slim in 6 is especially effective for trimming the lower body and reducing saddlebags.
Final Thoughts on the Insanity Workout
Many fitness experts and home exercisers consider Insanity to be among the best and fastest ways to get into shape.
Aside from the impressive body and fitness transformations, the Insanity Workout delivers, what I really like about it is its variety. Each of the DVDs in the kit focuses on a different body area, and the exercises change regularly. Mixing it up this way challenges the muscles, so they tone up super fast.
Whether you’re a man or a woman, if you stick with the routines as outlined, by the time you reach the end of the Insanity Workout Program your cardio fitness will have improved far more than you would ever have thought possible. Your muscles will be toned and sculpted, you will be wearing a smaller clothing size, and you will be brimming with self-confidence and a sense of achievement.
