INSANITY Workout Review – Day 3

INSANITY Workout Day # 3 Power Cardio & Sculpt

(Note: Because I don’t want to overwhelm the blog with daily Insanity posts, I’m spreading them out despite the fact that they written each day in a row.)

Yesterday was rough. As reported I woke up feeling sore, and that soreness lingered throughout the day. My hamstrings and calves were stiff and aching, and I kept having to stand up every twenty minutes or so to stretch them out during the course of the day. By the time I got home I was getting seriously worried that I wouldn’t be able to do the next INSANITY workout-if I was limping up the stairs, how was I going to do Suicide Jacks? But, with a deep sigh of regret, I struggled into my trainers and headed down into the garage with Grace to confront Shaun T in my third INSANITY workout.

Couple of tips that I’ve already figured out: warm up before the ‘Warm Up’. Yes, Shaun T’s warm up will get you fired up and sweating, but it isn’t a sufficient actual warm up for me. So I stretched for ten minutes before even pressing play, working my way through some basic yoga asanas and doing so old school track and field stretches. I also paid special attention to my knees and ankles-his workout is rough on your joints if they’re not ready, so I also decided to do today’s routine on top of a yoga mat to cushion the impact of all that jumping.

Pressed play, and consigned myself to Shaun T’s devices for the next forty minutes. The warm up was the same as yesterday’s, three sets of a cardio circuit, each one faster and more intense than the last. However, having learnt from yesterday, and hampered by sore limbs, I decided to pace myself. Rather than burn out half way, I wanted to complete all three and so went at my own intensity, picking up the pace but not trying to match the people on the screen jump for jump. Even so, I was flushed and covered with sweat by the time the third circuit finished. Ouch.

The main body of the Power Cardio and Sculpt consisted of much shorter sequence of moves between the water breaks, and thus didn’t feel as intense as yesterday’s monster workout. True, I could have made it as intense as I wanted to, but again I kept my eye on the clock and tried to pace myself so as to last the whole way. The water breaks felt more numerous, and it was only toward the end that Shaun started throwing a number of push-up variations that I really started to give it my all. From incline V push-ups to work your shoulders (I’m feeling my delts today) to moving push-ups in which you side step your feet to the left or right to a brutal sequence of eight squats followed immediately by eight standard pushups a whole number of times at the end, my chest and shoulders got a serious workout.

Today I’m feeling less sore, but also more fatigued. My knees and wrists are a little crackly from all the sudden intense exercise, and my hamstrings and calves are still stiff and taut. My hip flexors feel better, my thighs and chest feel great, but my shoulders have a very satisfying burn to them. However, despite all the food I’m wolfing down, I’m just feeling worn out. Had eight hours sleep and could have slept another three easily.

Today is meant to be Cardio Recovery, but I’m going to go to my Vinyasa Flow yoga class instead. I need a really good stretch, I need to refocus my mind, I need to break up a sweat but through slow intensity rather than manic explosions. I’m definitely still excited about INSANITY, but I’m becoming increasingly aware that I’m going to have to be very careful about taking care of my body, especially in these beginning stages, so that it has time to adapt and not get worn out or too sore for me to continue.

Check out my previous INSANITY write ups:

Day 1: The Fit Test

Day 2: Cardio & Plyometrics

Learn more about the INSANITY Workout.