Insanity Challenge Week 1

Day 1 - Fit Test

Monday, March 4th 2013. Today is fit test day. The fit test is taken on day 1 of the program and then every 2 weeks to track progress. First there is a warm up to warm up those muscles and get your heart rate up, then a stretch and then you do 8 different moves. For each move you get 1 minute to do as many reps as you can. Overtime you should see an improvement in the reps. I am pretty happy with my results. I dug deep and when I was tired, I kept moving and went back in. I notice that taking breaks will only exhaust you more. Or, shall I say, it gives you time to think about exhaustion ;) My results:

Switch Kicks: 87

Power Jacks: 39

Power Knees: 87

Power Jumps: 20

Globe Jumps: 7

Suicide Jumps: 14

Push-Up Jacks: 15

Low Plank Oblique: 39

I really like how some of the moves LOOK easier than they are and others look harder than they are (to me...). For example, the power jumps, sure they look tough, but easy - but I had such a hard time with them. You basically jump up, pulling your knees in towards your chest. I only got 20 in 1 minute.

Power Jumps

Then there's push-up jacks. Now, I am not great at regular push-ups. I worked my way up from being able to do 0 on my toes, to do like 6 on my toes now. So push-up jacks looked like a humanly impossible move to me. But there I was, doing 15.

Push-Up Jacks

Day 2 - Plyometrics Cardio Circuit

Tuesday, March 5th 2013. While my heart is still working hard, and the sweat is still dripping from my ears and fingertips, I am going to say: wow... It is insane (oh yeah, I will be using this word a lot!) to see what the body is capable of. Today's workout was simply nuts. After the warm-up and stretch you are already dripping in sweat, your heart rate is already through the roof. Then it goes into athletic cardio circuit - lots of jumps and drills. Football training, basketball training, push ups, mountain climbers, it's all in there. I absolutely notice that my body can do more than I think. As soon as I stop to take a break, I notice that my heart rate is HIGH and I tell myself "I am DEAD", but once I get myself together, I tell myself "no, you can do 5 more" or "no, just do 10 more", and I do. Your mind gives up faster than your body does, so you have to push your brain into thinking differently.

During the 30 second breaks I had to check my pulse, because I can't go over 200bpm. My heart rate was between 160 and 180bpm. This is my anaerobic zone, which increases lung capacity and your lactate tolerance (which basically means increasing your endurance). I do think I need a heart rate monitor for these workous, to make it a little easier on myself.

Either way, day 2 was a success :) Now if you'll excuse me, I am going to fuel my body with some fruit and protein.

Day 3 - Cardio Power & Resistance
Wednesday, March 6th 2013. Muscles are shaking, sweating more than I ever have. I felt like I was going to faint, and I had to work hard to get the air out of my lungs, but I got through it, somehow. With a lot of breaks! This was the hardest one so far. I don't know why, but I had to take more breaks than yesterday. Maybe because I worked out a bit too soon after breakfast? Maybe because I didn't have a great night. There is a warm up which is sort of the same as the last 2 days. The circuits only had 4 different moves, which is less than yesterday, but they involve more muscle than cardio compared to the Plyo Cardio Circuit.

Pule was still around 80 - 90% of my max heart rate, which is good.

Day 4 - Cardio Recovery
Thursday, March 7th 2013. Today was a "day off" from the heavy cardio exercises. This workout is a mix between yoga and stretching. I am a person that gets bored of things really fast. I love Insanity because it is high intensity, high tempo. With Cardio Recovery you do a lot of stretches and you hold the stretches for 30 seconds or longer... Honestly, I got really bored. I do have to say, it is great for your muscles and also helps with your balance. I felt it in my thighs and abs. Got a good workout in but I am excited for another high intensity workout!

I actually got my heart rate monitor in the mail and was surprised to see that I still burned 260 calories with this workout!

Day 5 - Pure Cardio
Friday, March 8th 2013. "This shit is bananas, yo!" Is what Shaun T at the end of the this workout and dang he is right! Pure Cardio is well, pure cardio. As every workout, you start with a warmup and a stretch. You then just go into several exercises, 15 I believe, each for 1 minute. Without. Breaks!! Needless to say, I took my breaks. But it is nice to see the people in the video taking breaks and breaking down as well, so you don't feel like such a loser :P This is a really tough workout, but fun because there are so many different exercises! Right now, my whole body is sore, from my feet to my calves, thighs and I even feel my abs - and I haven't done a single crunch this past week!

I loved seeing my heart rate during this workout. I try to stay between 155 and 173 bmp to maintain the anaerobic zone. I burned 410 calories today!


Day 6 - Plyometrics Cardio Circuit

Saturday, March 9th 2013. Last workout of the week, and wow, I am dead!! I loved wearing my heart rate monitor. I burned 488 calories. My heart rate kept climbing really fast, even though I was not even out of breath, so that was not fun, but I tried to go a little past the 90% every time. I now need a big bowl of fruit or something full of protein to wake me up.

Tomorrow is Rest Day - well needed and well deserved, if I may say so. Kilograms lost this week: 1,6. Nice, steady pace. I am very happy with the way I got through week 1 of Insanity! :)