Thank you for following me this far on my Insanity Workout journey!  Here is my Insanity Workout Review for the first month of this incredible workout routine by Shaun T.

First off, let me say that so far I would rate this program 5 out of 5 stars!  It really is a complete program to me.  Mind you, I am not a fitness expert by any means, and this is just my opinion.  Insanity satisfies the goals of almost anyone looking for a workout routine.  Whether you are looking to lose weight, gain muscle, increase endurance, or just become better fit, this workout fits the bill.  My goals when starting this was to gain a few pounds of muscle and to get in the best shape of my life.  I feel confident that by the end of the second month I will be there!

By now you already know what each of the workouts are, if not please read my INSANITY Workout Daily Routines post which chronicles every day of the program.  You should then get a good idea of each and every day how I fared and what to expect.

So, here are my observations on all things Insanity after month 1!

Physical Observations

Before I started this, I didn’t consider myself out of shape, but I must admit I felt weak.  I have been running 2-3 times a week for many years (only about 3 miles per run) and that was the extent of my exercise.  So I felt that I had some cardio base to start from.  I never have done any weight training as I found that boring, but now realized that my muscles needed work as I was noticing that I was getting weaker with age.  Enter Insanity.

In the beginning it TOTALLY kicked my ass.  I had no idea I could be so sore!  For the first 3-4 days or so I was a walking 2×4, feeling stiff all around.  I considered this a good thing because it meant I was using muscles I hadn’t worked in years.   Beyond the muscle pain was the feeling of complete exhaustion.  I guess my little runs didn’t compare to max interval training!  After the first 2 days I felt nauseous and could do absolutely nothing for 30-60 minutes except think of if I was going to pass out.

That’s when you need to dig deeper!

The good news is this subsided by the end of week 1 and I now feel absolutely zero pain in my muscles minus a little soreness like you would feel from a good workout (for example, my shoulders feel like they have been worked).  I welcome that mild pain.  I also feel great right after the workouts.  My body has totally begun to transform over this month by: 1) the way it looks and 2) the way it is conditioned to handle this sort of exercise.

In the next few days I will post some pictures of me at the 30 day mark so you can compare and give me your honest feedback if I look any different.  One other thing I can say is that I feel stronger.  My core is tight and my whole body just feels like it is more powerful.  This makes me extremely happy as this was one of my main goals.

Another observation about this workout that I think gets glossed over when you might read other stories or see other pictures is the amount of work you put into your lower body.  There are some crazy squats and lunges and jumps that shape your legs and torso.  You always see pictures of the 6 pack abs on people, but so much of the power in these exercises start from the legs and core.  I feel like I can jump higher and tackle stairs much easier now.

Mental Observations

I came into the routine completely psyched up and ready to go.  I am a determined person and like to finish what I start, so that sort of mentality is helpful in the beginning.  Those first 2 days really forced me to look at myself and realize that I have a lot of work to do to get to my goals. I never let doubt enter my mind though and continued to push through.  There were definitely days where I asked myself why I was doing this, but you have to just brush them aside and keep going.  The other thing about these workouts for me is that even if I started it feeling crappy or unmotivated, but the second round of the warm up I had forgotten those thoughts and was focused on getting to the third round.  Once you start the third round there is no room for any other thoughts except pushing yourself to get to the stretches!

The hardest part mentally with this (as I think is anything in life) is simply taking the first step and getting started.  Once you take that first step, you have committed.  If you aren’t already doing Insanity, why not take the first step today and order Insanity!!!

Right now my mental state is great!  I feel good just about every day and sleep like a rock each night.  I am motivated now to push through month 2, even though I am a bit scared (shhh!).  I find it hard to imagine the workouts get harder, but they do!  “C’mon y’all . .  ..  let’s GOOOOOOO!”

Insanity Workout Review Summary

In summary, I really feel this is a great workout.  You will feel stronger, happier, and more confident as you progress through the routines.  I would recommend this to nearly anyone interested in improving their bodies.

Do you have any questions regarding the first month?  If so, please leave a comment and I will be sure to answer, or create a post about the question.  I have tried to provide as much insight as possible, but I am sure you all have questions I have not thought of. In the meantime, take that first step and go get Insanity today!