Insanity MAX 30: Week 1 Review

Sooooo…this past Monday I decided to start Beachbody’s latest and greatest workout program, Insanity MAX 30. I even took the dreaded BEFORE pictures and measurements, so it’s definitely official now! #gameon

To be honest, I’ve been having a hard time finding my workout groove lately. I do almost every Beachbody program in some capacity just to get a feel for them so I can make the best recommendations when people ask questions, but it’s been a while since I’ve completed a full program from start to finish. A big reason is because I’m typically in the middle of some training program for an upcoming run, and it’s hard to follow a program exactly as written without over-doing it. So typically what I do is figure out how to put together some type of hybrid program so I’m using my favorite workouts for cross-training on the days that I’m not running.

Nevertheless…for the past couple of months I haven’t been doing much running and I fell into a little bit of a slump. Yes, even “coaches” go through bad spells from time to time! T25 just didn’t do it for me, so when P90 came out in September I thought that would be the kickstart I needed to get me going again…after all, P90X was where it all started!

But alas, even though I enjoyed the workouts P90 just wasn’t enough to get my head back in the game.

And now…here we have INSANITY MAX 30. I ordered it the week it came out and it sat on our kitchen table unopened for about two weeks. That’s unusual, because typically whenever a new program arrives at our house I tear into it like a mad woman to see what’s inside. I think I knew that once I opened the box I was making the commitment to start and I wasn’t quite there yet.

I’m not exactly sure what prompted me to finally open the box but I’m soooooo glad I did. It’s a strange feeling, but this past week I felt much like I did back in the days when I was doing P90X and Insanity. I’m EXCITED about working out again!

INSANITY and T25 VS. INSANITY MAX 30…what’s the difference?

This is what I’ve experienced so far:

1. Both programs are 60 days. However, in the second month of Insanity the workouts are a bit longer…45 minutes or so. In the second month of Max 30 the workouts are more intense but they still fit in the 30 minute time frame. Yay!

2. There is no modifier in Insanity. You either do what everyone else is doing, or you take a break. In MAX 30 there’s a modifier up on the screen at all times. So even in those moments when you feel like you need to take a break, instead of stopping you can switch to the modified version of the exercise and you’ll feel less defeated.

3. There seems to be a bit more variation in MAX 30 compared to the original Insanity. The warm-ups are slightly different, and while there are some exercises repeated during the week you won’t feel like you just did the same workout the day before.

4. Shaun T amps up the motivation and pep talks quite a bit in MAX 30. In some places it seems a little over the top, but at other times you’ll notice he’s saying just the right thing at the right time to keep you going. I also like how at the end of each workout everyone gets in a circle to do the last exercise together. It’s like you’re right there with them sweating it out.

5. T25 is a little “dancy” which is probably why I had some issues with it. MAX 30 is not like that at all, it’s more oriented to sports drills like Insanity, which is WAY more my speed.

6. MAX 30 also has more strength training compared to T25 which is more cardio based. You don’t use weights or equipment with MAX 30, but you use your body weight for a lot of exercises to build strength…such as tricep dips, push-ups, etc.

What does it mean to MAX OUT?

You MAX OUT the first time you need to stop and take a break. MAXing out is when you finally say to yourself, “OK I need to stop for a second” and you mentally gather yourself so you can get back in the game. You basically go as hard as you can for as long as you can, take a short breather and go at it again. I really like the challenge aspect of it. In the videos each participant runs to a board where they write down their time when they max out and then they come back to the workout. I do the same thing with a little dry erase board. It’s kinda fun!

Here are my times for WEEK 1, not like you care or need to compare…but I like to use my blog as a training log to track my progress! :o)

WEEK 1

DAY 1: Cardio Challenge: 7:11
DAY 2: Tabata Power: 13:50
DAY 3: Sweat Intervals: 13:08
DAY 4: Tabata Power: 19:03
DAY 5: Friday Fight: Round 1: 8:31
DAY 6: Flex: 30:00
DAY 7: Rest Day

What are the different workouts?

I’ll be able to give a better review after I’ve done them a few more times, but this is what stands out from the first week:

Cardio Challenge: this is more or less the “fit test” for the program so you can track your overall progress. If I remember correctly there were quite a few breaks…like every 5 minutes. There’s a little bit of everything in this one. You do a circuit of several exercises three times each.

Tabata Power: 20 seconds ON and 10 seconds OFF for each exercise. I really like this one because the time goes by FAST. And seriously, you can push yourself for 20 seconds! Even so, the break is only 10 seconds so you still MAX out.

Sweat Intervals: This one is a little bit of a blur…but I think I maxed out doing some type of burpee-lunge exercise. I do remember going to the modifier A LOT during this workout.

Friday Fight: Round 1: This one totally reminds me of Insanity Pure Cardio (one of my all-time favorite classic workouts)…there’s no messing around, you just plow right through to the end. There’s a couple short breaks but only near the end of the 30 minutes. I like the very last exercise where everyone gets in a line and beats on their abs. If all that jiggling of your mid-section doesn’t motivate you to kick it up a notch in the kitchen nothing will!!

Pulse: This is the “recovery” workout. I really liked it! After 5 days of craziness it feels so good to do this routine and it’s only 20 minutes. There’s a few different exercises that will push you to your limits but otherwise it’s a nice little way to wrap up the week!

How closely are you following the nutrition plan?

I REALLY like the nutrition plan that comes with this program. It’s probably one of the best I’ve seen so far, and it incorporates the 21-Day Fix container system which I think is GREAT. At this point I’m not tracking my nutrition or following the plan to a “T” but I feel after all these years I have a pretty good handle on that aspect of my health and fitness. BUT once we get through Christmas I plan on following the nutrition plan more closely just so I can give the best review.

If you’re interested in doing Insanity MAX I’d love to have you join one of my private support groups on Facebook so we can support each other along the way! If you purchase the program through the links posted below I’ll automatically be assigned as your coach. :o)

There’s a few different options available:

Base Kit: Full program including bonus SWEAT FEST DVD and nutrition plan + complimentary access to my FOCUS Forward support group. Regular Price: $120 Coach Price: $90

Deluxe Kit: Full program including bonus SWEAT FEST DVD and nutrition plan, 3 additional ab workouts, cushy floor mat for your ab workouts, body fat calipers, 21-Day Fix containers, Shakeology shaker cup + complimentary access to my FOCUS Forward support group. Regular Price: $240 Coach Price: $180

Challenge Pack: Base Kit + 30 day supply Shakeology + complimentary access to my VIP support and accountability group. Regular Price: $205 New Coach Price: $205 (both discounted to $180 through December)

If you have any questions about Insanity MAX or any other Beachbody program or product, feel free to contact me anytime and I’ll follow up with you as soon as I can!