P90X & Insanity which is better ?

Made some space and bought a mat; fitness test tomorrow...maybe...
Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

All you need now is lots of towels to keep the floor dry and lots of water. make sure to weigh yourself and take your resting heart rate now so you can chart your progress. Post you fit test number when you can.

Oh, and don't forget a defibrillator for the first few weeks!

Now just get in there and do it instead of worrying about setting things up!!!

 

I'm in for it. I haven't done insanity, but I'm more interested in doing my own cardio while using p90x to strengthen and change my metabolism. I'm an iffy student, and maybe posting weekly progress will help get me back into it 95% (let's face it, 100% just isn't possible for me with my schedule... no way to do the p90 workouts while at the cabin, or out of town. But 95% should be doable.

How do you suggest we go about this?

 

Insanity has a fit test you do as a baseline and then repeat every two weeks to chart your progress. You could use those numbers to compare results or you could simply just compare starting weight to finshing weight and then calucly the % of loss just like the Biggest Loser.

 

I just tried the Insanity fit test as a baseline. I had to quit halfway through or I would have puked! This sort of thing is bad for my morale! How do you get started in something like this when it feels like it's way over your head? I couldn't do a full 60 seconds of each exercise at the intensity that I know the workout is demanding.

I'm 25, 5'11" and about 185, basically NO exercise for the past 3-4 years other than what I get moving around at work and playing golf.

 

You could just do the routine and push as long as possible each week or you could start to run and do other cardio until you have a better base. It only gets harder so the fit test is just a taste.

Either way something is better than nothing.

 

This is exactly my train of thought! I am not overweight but I am not in shape - my stamina is laughable. If I continue down this path another 10 years I don't think I will ever be able to turn things around so I have to do it now.

I started running occasionally (I used to run cross-country in high school) and think I need to start running some more before trying Insanity. I don't think it's something you can just jump into when your muscles are as out of tone as mine. I only did half of the fit test yesterday and I'm definitely feeling it today!

 

I'm already on "new" week 2 only missing Yoga X... and I ran 4 times this week too. The pause button is my friend! I'm rediscovering muscle that hid away 6 months ago

I will likely miss tomorrows Plyo exercise due to work, and other activities. I may try to make up for it with a run. My legs are almost fully recovered from Legs / Back (the next day, I still managed to complete my course in a respectable 37:10 minutes). I fully expect to see the low 35's on my next hard run.

What one do I look forward to the most?
Chest / Back - I love my lats growing, and my chest having some ripples
which one do I despise the most?
Chest/ Back - So hard to run through more than 5 or 6 exercises continuously still. Wait, scratch that... 4 or 5.

Which is the easiest?
Kenpo X - I sweat a lot, but my heart rate goes higher durring the break time. I peak around 170. When I run, I peak +- 193, and sustain 185.

 

One more week to go ( prolly will take 8-9 days) before the first 'rest' week comes up.

My run is the fastest it's ever been @ 32:43 for my 3.8 mile hills/woods course. Even when taking it easy, I'm still punching out a 35 minute run!

Legs and back still has left me a little sore, but not that bad this time! For the first time, I'm doing non-leg assisted max reps for pull ups, followed by 10-14 leg assisted pull ups. I ripped out 40 during the workout, and 100 assisted... as opposed to 160 assisted. (since I restarted p90x, I'm up from 137 assisted).

I maxed out with 8 chin ups in a row, and 6 standard pull ups in a row. That is about as good as I've ever been able to do in my life

I can rip out plyo almost entirely w/out the use of the pause button now.

I've skipped the yoga mostly. Maybe I'll get a session in later today.

I feel like ab ripper isn't getting my abs any stronger, so next week I'm going to mix up he routine and just do sit ups, and leg raises for a week.

I'm down 8 lbs in two weeks... fast approaching my lowest weight that I got to last year before I injured my shoulder.

currently @ 214

 

Sounds great... you should be very pleased.
b

 

Haven't stepped on a scale in a while, but I'm up to 8 standard pull ups! My legs are doing fantastic, and my core feels solid. Kenpo X doesn't even feel like I'm getting my heart rate up much now.

After the holiday weekend, I'm (finally) starting round two. I'll post a picture in the Before and After thread. Too often, I get bogged down with work, which, or watching a baseball game to do workouts as often as I should. That said, my triceps look larger this week.

 

Can someone comment on the "diet" portion of these two routines? Somewhere in the thread I read "after work-out shake" and I'm wondering how mandatory these programs' diet routine is? TIA.

 

Maintaining their diet is key if you want the six pack.

Burning all those calories in the workout means nothing if you don't limit you intake correctly. I busted my butt today and burned 1,000 calories. If I go to DQ and get a small blizzard that's 1,300 calories alone. Six packs come from diet not crunches.

 

Ack, ok, let me try to be more clear: Do either of these programs include their own "proprietary" diet plan (and if so, what is it like/built around)?

 

Sorry for not being more specific.

Each of the programs comes with their own diet/meal plans to help you stay on track. They simply provide a book with various meals and recipes that you make on your own to stay within a certain daily caloric intake. You don't have to buy anything special from them other than their protein/recovery drinks if you like. Basically it is built around a target calorie goal using low fat, low carb, high protein diet (no sugar of course). It is 5 to 6 meals a day. I've found it is just like the many plans offered by Men's Health. You are working so hard if you eat at least half way decent you'll see results.

I personally have used a few of their recipes but have mostly adapted my own to stay within the guidelines. For me it's easy because I love chicken and can eat it seven days a week with no complaints. I didn't care for their protein shakes and have just made my own using whey protein, skim milk, peanut butter, and glutomine. I have found that keeping my protein intake up is essential to helping my recover from the workouts. It's sometimes tough with work but I keep cases of RTD's on hand and drink LOTS of water. The only thing I miss is ice cream!

 

This answers the question; thank you for taking the time to post!

 

I've been thinking about trying one of these out, however, I'm concerned about the noise I could make.

I live on the 3rd floor of an apartment and I don't want to be "that" guy. Is there a lot of running in place or jumping?

 

LOL. Do it at a time of day when they aren't home, or ask if they will let you know if they can hear it... and adjust... land softly

 

Insanity is nothing but jumping and running in place! P90X is more pull ups/strength exercises. The latter is for bulking up and Insanity is more for getting lean. I hurt my shoulder this spring so Insanity is the better option until I can heal. There are completely different workouts!

 

Thanks guys.

You know, I'm not sure anyone would say anything. I've lived here for 1.5 weeks and have only heard my across the way neighbor come home. Other than that it's so quiet.

My old roommates has the p90x disks from a coworker. I may borrow it from him in the future. Took off last week because of the move and getting situated. This week I'm able to work a little OT so I'm taking advantage.

I miss the gym.