Insanity Max 30 #IMaxedOut!

Okay....people have been asking about my experiences with the programs I've completed, so here is my experience with Insanity Max 30.

General Description

Every day is a brand-new challenge in INSANITY MAX:30. With killer cardio, challenging Tabata-style strength workouts, plus 150 new moves designed to shatter your limits. Shaun pushes you to work harder, go longer, and MAX OUT later. It’s not about making it through all 30 minutes without a break. It’s about pushing yourself more each day to get the body you’ve always wanted in 60 days.

And even though INSANITY MAX:30 is a challenging program, the great thing is you can follow the modifier—whatever your fitness level—to MAX OUT and still get MAX results! 

The Workouts

Month 1:

Cardio Challenge-  Shaun gives you a series of exercises that you repeat before moving on to the next series.  It is intense cardio with moves like squat kicks, medicine ball twists, plank jacks, and suicide burpees.  This IS 30 minutes of cardio.

Tabata Power-  After the warm up, throughout this strength workout you get 2 minutes of work and 10 seconds of rest.  This sounds easy....but it isn't.  Mentally, it helps to know that you have that rest period coming up, but it is still a fight during some of these moves.  This is where we see burpee lunges and an entire round of various push-ups.  You start out with moving piyo push-ups (pushing yourself up off the floor) and move to push-up pop ups and push-up rows!  This section got me every time!  You then move to more cardio work, then core work, then are working your triceps.  This workout BURNS!  And....you get to do it twice a week for a couple weeks!

Sweat Intervals- After the warm-up, you work through 5 minute intervals with a short water break between.  You'll be on your feet, on the floor, and back up again throughout the entire workout...and sweat?  Ummm...yes.

Tabata Strength - This workout takes the place of Tabata Power in weeks 3 & 4.

Friday Fight:  Round 1 -  This is a fight between your mind and your body!  You need to convince your mind that you can get through this workout as well as push your body to keep going.  Breaks?  There are none.  This IS the most challenging workout of the week.  You'll recognize a lot of the moves from earlier in the week, but there is no rest.  You'll switch kick punch, medicine ball twist, hit the floor, jump 10 & 2s, and so much more!

Month 2:

Max Out Cardio - After the warm up, you do have an active stretch.  You're going to run through squat kicks, pike up spider lunges, and more before you get a water break at the ten minute mark.  Then you push through plank jacks, jabs with high knees, and THANK GOD, another water break at the fifteen minute mark.  The insanity continues on the floor, on your feet....It IS a great cardio workout!

Max Out Power-  These moves involve 45 seconds of work with a 15 second break...and boy does that 15 seconds go QUICKLY!  Many of the moves here are plyo moves, so be very careful of your knees and follow the modifier if you need to!  The first round burns your legs, while second has you on the floor doing plyo push-up jacks, push-up pops, and other variations of those dreaded push ups!  Round three still has you on the floor, but you are working your core, while round four gets you back up and jumping around again....yes....with burpees.  This is a challenging workout  that will push you to your limits.

Max Out Sweat - We are working through intervals again, but instead of five minute intervals with a water break between, they are now SIX minute intervals.  One minute may not seem like much longer, but it IS!  This is a great cardio workout that amps up what you started in month one.

Max Out Strength - Again we are working for 45 seconds with a 15 second break.  I found myself praying for that "beep" to tell me that I could stop!  There are split plyo lunges (I needed the modifier so that I wasn't killing my knees), squat thrusts, push up jacks, plank walks, and a whole round that will BURN your triceps!  This workout is HARD!  If push-ups are a challenge for you, you may be going to your knees with the modifier through a lot of this workout.

Friday Fight:  Round 2 - This workout follows suit with round one.  After the warm-up, you jump right into your first round of three and push the entire time.  Moves are a combination of things that are seen throughout the week and you will be exhausted by the end.

Results:

Month 1:

The first month was huge in increasing upper body strength and building endurance.  I'm currently at a point in my fitness journey where I am just maintaining my weight, but I definitely had to increase my calories in order to do so.

Month 2:

Month one gets you prepared to really burn calories and build strength in the second month.

Overall:

This program is, by far, one of my favorites!  I love the fact that you can compete with yourself throughout the program in order to beat your previous Max Out times.  It gives you great cardio workouts, while still incorporating strength training...without weights.  The split screen modifier option allows you to always see what the modifier is doing, so if you can't do all of the jumps or need to tone it down, you don't have to wait for the camera to move to the modifier.

Looking for more information on Insanity Max 30?  You can find information on the Max 30 Challenge Pack here or the base program here.

21 Day Fix Extreme: Final Results

Final Results

Throughout this program I did NOT follow the nutrition plan provided...in fact, I was WAY off on my nutrition.  This past week alone, I ate 2 pints of ice-cream!  This is proof that you can't out-workout a bad diet.  That said, here are my results:

weight - 127 lbs.  (no change...up 4 tenths of a pound)

waist   - 28" ( no change)

hips     - 34 1/2" ( down 1/2")

thighs  - 22" (no change...but more toned)

arms   - 12" (no change...but more toned)

The Container System

I did not follow the container system throughout this program.  I DID do it during the regular Fix and it IS extremely easy to follow.  This program's nutrition plan is not much different.  It does not allow a couple things that the regular program did (like wine), but it is still do-able.

The Workouts

For more detailed descriptions about each workout, scroll down to my end of week one review.

Plyo Fix Extreme

This workout kicks my butt.  It does not seem to get much easier as the weeks go on.  I did jump more often than I did in week one, but it BURNS your legs.  I still follow the modifier during the burn out round and pray for the end of that minute!  I could do another round of this program and STILL think this workout would be challenging.

Upper Fix Extreme

Wow!  I'm still using my 8s as my heavies and my 4s as my lights.  There are some moves that I probably could increase my weights with, but others that I'm still struggling with.  My triceps are still screaming during this workout and those bands really make you shake!  My arms are jello by the end of these 30 minutes.

Pilates Fix Extreme

I'm okay with the "pilates" piece of this video...but the bands are just so awkward.  I'm wondering if maybe the next time I try this workout, maybe I can use some light weights instead.  It won't work for some moves, but may help.  I just feel all wrapped up!

Lower Fix Extreme

This workout isn't quite as intense as the plyo workout, however, it burns just as much.  You do 30 seconds holding your weights and 30 seconds without....  just like the plyo workout, only you aren't necessarily jumping in the second half of each move.

Cardio Fix Extreme

I typically enjoy this workout, but I woke up with a horrible headache today.  You can see my description of this one at the end of week one....but today, I didn't make it five minutes.  I had to admit defeat and press "stop."

Dirty 30 Extreme

I was back in the game today and really enjoyed this workout.  The first few minutes will be torture on your shoulders!  I started with my 4 lb. weights and ended up finishing the moves without weights.  This is such a great all-around workout!  It is not heavy cardio, but it does get your heart pumping.  I will miss this workout.

Yoga Fix Extreme

As I've said in the past...this isn't my favorite routine....  If I'm going to take a rest day, this is where I would chose to not press play.  It really does give you a great stretch, but it just seems long to me.

Overall Opinion

This is definitely an intense program!  If you are used to programs like Insanity or T25, then it may not seem like it has enough cardio, but that does not make it any less intense.  Although I could definitely do another round or two and STILL find this program challenging, knowing I am doing the same workout every Monday, and the same every Tuesday, etc., tends to lose my interest after a month or so.  That said, I WILL come back to this program again.  It definitely builds muscle and burns fat.  Next time, however, I will have to be better with my nutrition.

As far as the difference between the regular Fix and Exteme....Autumn does more than stepping it up a notch!  The breaks between moves almost seem non-existent.  There is a modifier....but she is even more intense than the regular fix.  Basically, it IS an extreme program.  You WILL work!

Want more information about this program?  Click here.

Can you give TOO MUCH positive reinforcement?

Positive reinforcement....

We use it in teaching.  We use it in parenting.  It's a great tool, right?

I absolutely agree that the kid who is listening intently and engaging in class discussions should be encouraged and recognized for their choices.  I love that the kids who kept all of their points during our point system were rewarded with pizza for lunch. I've even given out small prizes to teams of students who have made great choices throughout the month.

But can there be TOO MUCH?

Have you ever played a game in class and, at the end, get the question, "so what do I get?"

Have you ever asked someone to do something for you and got the question, "what do I get?"

In this world of instant gratification, I feel as though we are building a generation of people that need to know "what is in it for me?" and not just down the road, but right NOW.

Why is this a problem?  Success doesn't happen over night and it takes WORK!

If you are looking to be financially successful, it takes WORK.  There is no "get rich quick" deal that will make you millions.  You must work hard at whatever it is you're doing every day to eventually build your income.

If you are looking to have a successful relationship, you need to work at it.  Maybe it seems simple at first, but then it takes communication and compromise and making time for each other in order to continue to last.

If you want to be healthy, there is no magic pill or patch or ANYTHING that is going to make you lose 20 lbs. and be healthy and fit over night.

Why do people tend to give up on fitness routines?  Because they aren't seeing results fast enough.

Why do people tend to put those 100-200 calories per day that they initially cut out of their diet right back in?  Because they aren't seeing results fast enough.

Have you read The Compound Effect by Darren Hardy?  If you haven't, you really should.  Our choices that we make each day are what builds who we become years down the road.  If we keep making the wrong choices day after day....we're not going to end up in a place we want to be.  But if we just make small changes that are positive each day, they WILL compound each day in order to improve our lives.

If you don't think you have time to workout, join my five minute fitness group.  Yes, it is only five minutes per day, but it is 25 minutes per week that you weren't doing before.  It's 100 minutes per month that you weren't doing before.

If you don't think you can change your nutrition because you don't have the will power to cut out junk food, don't cut it out...just cut it back.

Any kind of success is going to take work and if you want results, you need to be able to make the choice to do it every day....even if you aren't seeing result for months or years down the road.

So, what do we need to be teaching our children?  That not all rewards in life are immediate.  That sometimes we work hard and don't see the results right away.  That sometimes the "prize" is the joy of winning or increased knowledge.  Possibilities for success are endless, but you can't give up and you have to put in the work.