Insanity: The Asylum is the "sequel" to Insanity, and it pushes you hard, further, deeper in ways that the original Insanity workout wasn''t meant to do. I''m going to discuss what to expect in this DVD series, then tell you a little about my results. To give you some perspective, I''m almost 40, and only 2.5 months ago, weighed more than I ever had before (222 pounds). I''m pretty short, so I looked like a man-dumpling. I did insanity (all 63 days, never missed a workout), lost 22 pounds, and then was looking for the next thing to help me keep losing. Fortune struck, and this set came out at just the right time. I segued directly into this series. Here''s the story.The DVD set iself comes with six DVD''s, which includes I think 8 videos (the Fit Test, Speed and Agility, Strength, Vertical Plyo, Back to Core, Game Day, Overtime, and Relief). It also comes with a nifty wall calendar which I gleefully mark off each day (it tells you what to do each day). It also has schedules for how to combine it with Insanity and how to combine it with p90X for those who have completely lost their marbles and wish to push themselves to olympic like levels. It comes with a "speed rope"--really, just a jump rope, an "agility ladder"--a ladder like contraption made of sturdy plastic rungs and nylon cords. More on it later. My set came with two elastic resistance bands (a red, heavy duty one for legs, and a green, still strong but not quite as resistant one for arms and back). I''m not sure if they all come with these bands, I''ve heard some folks didn''t get them, so check out the package contents carefully when you buy. It''s not like you couldn''t get a couple of resistance bands for a few bucks, however, so this shouldn''t dissuade you from anything. It comes with a booklet containing a simple but quality nutrition plan--nothing flashy, just good solid time tested nutrition with some suggestions on how to eat to get the best results. I''m doing weight watchers, so I didn''t use their directions, but looking at the nutrition plan, it looks like something I could do if I wanted. I''m just happy with my WW results. Neither here not there. The packaging is quite professional, and the quality of the production is high. Music is much the same as in Insanity--it gets the blood pumping, but you''re not gonna want to listen to it in the car.
The workouts are crazy, no lie. This set was designed for use by folks who have completed a course like Insanity, P90X, Turbofire, or the like. If you are in good shape, you''ll be fine even if you haven''t done that. If you are overweight, like me, beware--this thing is nuts. It should be handled with care and treated with respect. These workouts will push you, challenge you. There are a lot of things that I STILL can''t do after completing Insanity! But by the same token, if you are up for a challenge, there is nothing here that you can''t modify down to your own level. Obviously, don''t do these if you are injured, or have heart issues, or all that jazz. You know what you can and can''t do. But if you are basically healthy but just overweight, these DVD''s are tools--use them to push yourself, to make yourself stronger, faster, harder, better. Heaven knows that I freely modify things so that I can do them--but I keep pushing, trying to get closer and closer to what Shaun T. and his insane posse of fitness gazelles are doing.
The Agility ladder is used as a tool to give you a physical goal during your "in and out abs", "mountainclimbers", and a series of running/agility exercises. It didn''t seem like a big deal at first, but let me tell you, it is a very effective tool and a cruel master. What the insanity folks do with an Agility ladder blows my mind. The speed rope is just a light weight jump rope--a little too light weight for me. I use a heavier rope, or use an imaginary rope. I''m just not coordinated enough to get my heart rate up really high when I''m using the jump rope--I keep tangling my legs up, stopping, and then losing my momentum. I am getting better, but I usually end up dropping the rope and just keep on jumping in time with Shaun. It serves my purposes, but if you are really interested in becoming more coordinated and precise with your movements, the jump rope is a great tool. Asylum also wants you to use a chin up bar, but if you don''t have one, it gives you alternative movements. You need some dumbbells or some resistance bands in order to do the strength workout. These can be purchased relatively inexpensively if you don''t have them, and are a good fitness investment anyway.
Results? Well I''m 15 days in now (it is a 30 day program). Remember that I was down 22 pounds at the end of insanity. I''m down 28 pounds now, and I''m gaining a lot of muscle at the same time. I''ve got biceps, triceps, and chest muscles that I never knew I had. My abs, which had started to show a little during Insanity, are continuing to become more apparent. I''m still overweight, but definitely getting better. My cardiovascular status has actually improved since Insanity, which is saying something. The workouts are unrelenting, about 45 minutes in length each, and they strive to use your whole body. There is still Shaun''s overarching focus on your core, but he works your back a lot, which is new. I''ve got back muscles which I had no idea I''d ever have. I''m enjoying the new emphasis on muscle development (Insanity itself was almost exclusively cardio work), and Shaun is all business here. He is here to "train you hard, and he is not playing!" That said, these workouts are also amazingly fun. The "game day" workout is one of the most fun workouts I ahve ever completed, and I look forward to doing it even though it completely shreds me to pieces.
In summary, I love this set. I love how hard it pushes me, I look forward to working out, I''m losing weight and gaining muscle. I highly recommend it to the highly motivated--but know what you are in for when you begin. You will be sweating, panting, groaning, and staring with amazement that "that was just the warm up!". But it will be worth it. Oh yes, it will be worth it.
**Update**
OK, a couple of things here. I''m done with Asylum for my first run through about a week ago. It was super hard, super fantastic, and really really exhausting. I gleefully took a few days off to fish with some friends, and then came back to start p90x for the first time. I had been told that I might not find the cardio in p90x satisfying after insanity/asylum. I figured that it would be fine and planned to just do p90x straight. Well, they were right, I was wrong. I realized just how special a program Insanity and Asylum are after I did "the mother of all p90x workouts--plyometrics" to paraphrase Tony Horton. p90x plyometrics is a great workout, but it didn''t have the intensity that I wanted. So I have started the p90x Asylum hybrid. I know, crazy. I can''t believe I was a fat lump sitting on the couch 3 months and a bit ago. Now, I''m less fat, less of a lump, and turning into a cardio and workout junkie. It feels great. It is simply fantastic.
**Update**
I just wanted to give a little update on how things were going with the Asylum/p90x hybrid. I love it. I''m now 38.5 pounds down from when I began. I am following the asylum/p90x hybrid plan but have extended it to a 90 day plan just using the included calendar as a template. I am in smaller clothes than I have been in years, which is gratifying, but what is even better is that I look good in the clothes! I''m getting muscular development where I had no hope of seeing it. My arms are bigger. My tire is disappearing. I still have a long way to go--but ultimately, I''m only just past my 4th month of working out--2 months of insanity, a month of asylum, and a month and a week or so into the p90x/asylum hybrid. I feel great. I feel more confident in myself. When I walk around, I feel strong. I''m not scared to take off my shirt--not because I look great with it off (yet:-) but because I know I am making positive steps towards my own health. It''s good. Don''t be scared, folks, if you are thinking of getting in shape. All the excuses we have all used--it is hard, it takes too much time, I don''t like to exercise, I have kids, I''m too busy--I''ve used them all. And I have 3 kids, a full time job, a wife that I adore, and lots of hobbies. But I feel great. The time is worth it. You can do insanity month one in 40 minutes. Same for asylum. You can do this. You can do this!
I never thought I''d say "Insanity is easy." However, it''s true...if I add the words "compared to Asylum." Asylum is truly taking the Insanity program and philosophy to the next level. Designed as a sports training program, it focuses primarily on agility, speed, strength, and jumping. The interval training of Insanity is modified slightly. The exercises change frequently (and rapidly), but the breaks are nearly non-existent.
Simply put, Asylum is difficult. Physically, it''s doable, but brutal. Even the warm-ups are on the same level of the tougher parts of the original Insanity. Not only is the program physically grueling, but the exercises themselves are more technically advanced. In the beginning, I had to pause and rewind the DVDs just to get an idea of how to properly execute the techniques.
The basic Asylum package comes with the DVDs, a floor ladder, and a jump rope. Both pieces of equipment are integral to this program. The floor ladder is especially helpful and will lead to great strides in fitness and agility. It could also lead to increased cursing and growling, since it kicks your butt that much. The use of a chin-up bar and dumbbells or resistance bands is optional, but I would recommend them to get your best workout.
The background music is decent and Shaun T and the fitness models are great for motivation. In fact, the nicer, encouraging Shaun T of Insanity has largely given way to a "bad cop" image as he acts more like a sports coach. For example, he often calls out the fitness models for lack of effort! Asylum is truly the next level, so be prepared to be treated like part of the elite (no excuses, no sympathy).
Asylum includes six workouts (Speed and Agility, Vertical Plyo, Relief, Strength, Game Day, and Back to Core) as well as Shaun T''s nutrition plan. A ten minute Overtime workout and an Athletic Performance Assessment are bonuses. Another cool feature about Asylum is the calendar. It features the 30 day Asylum program as well as an Asylum/Insanity and Asylum/P90x hybrid program (both 30 days). This makes Asylum more versatile and even more of a value for Beachbody fans.
I do have two minor issues with Asylum (not complaints, really). First, it requires a good deal of space to properly execute. My living room, which was fine for Insanity, is inadequate for Asylum. Shaun T has ladder, jump rope, and bands all laid out and quickly moves from one to another. I have to pause the DVD to move equipment out of the way. Second, I don''t believe Asylum Deluxe is worth the price. I found a chin-up bar and bands at WalMart (and on Amazon) for much less cost.
Overall, I love Asylum, and, like Insanity, it''s some of the best money I''ve ever spent on a fitness product, and that includes years of gym memberships. Insanity and Asylum have changed my life and taken my fitness and body to levels I never thought possible. For the first time, I can''t wait to go out to the beach in the summer and show off. If you buy one fitness product this year, make it Insanity. Then, when you master that and want to dig even deeper, buy Asylum.
Buy INSANITY: The ASYLUM - 30 Day Sports Training Workout DVD Program Now
While deployed, I worked out using the original insanity and ended with a Rushfit/insanity extension. I wanted to build the cardio and conditioning to start Muay Thai and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu again when I returned. Around day 45, I got addicted to the punishment that is Insanity, so I randomly thought "I wonder if there''s a sequel?" So I went on my search. I bought the program while still deployed the day it came out, and grabbed it from family when I returned.I have no issue with P90X and Insanity. They are both great programs with a different routes and goals to fitness, but I always wondered if they could be more technically aligned for athletes. I was hoping asylum would be that for me, and it turns out that it is!
Insanity: The Asylum is a 30 day program that is meant to build athletic function. Various drills from sports are thrown in at a crushing pace reminiscent of Insanity. The approach however, is much more balanced with added equipment required (Dumbbells, Agility ladder, Jump rope, Resistance bands, a pullup bar if available), and a new concept behind the madness. Plyometrics (You will not escape this lol), agility, speed, power, balance, flexibility, and strength are all emphasized at various levels.
Shaun T isn''t very friendly this time around unfortunately. He will never say it''s ok to stop, and will continue to push you to newer levels. Mp3 players are your friend. lol
Some claim the cardio isn''t as intense as insanity, but if you think you''ll easily get through asylum after 60 days of Insanity, or 90 of P90X, then you are in for a rude awakening. I personally think it''s much harder, and more technical. The moves are more complicated, and if you truly push yourself, you will be sweating buckets. I almost went through an entire gallon of water the first time I did Gameday + Overtime. It''s a killer combo.
My Muay Thighs are back (Yay! Lol), so I returned to Muay Thai today to see how well it applied over.
For those of you that may have not read my review of insanity, I actually quit Insanity the first time after 30 days because I gassed quicker in Muay Thai then I thought I would after dealing with Shaun for a month.
But today after over a year without training with my Kru, and completing another round of Asylum, I went back to Muay Thai.
It went really well. I''m a terrible critic of myself, and I felt that I did good, but not great. However, my partners, the assistant instructor, and the apprentice teaching the class all said I have a great gas tank and power. My kicks and knees were a bit more powerful and explosive then they were before. I wasn''t able to pull out my new awesome jump rope skills (No jumping rope for class today lol), but I was very happy with the results. My recovery is much better too. Usually after Muay Thai, I just perish into my bed, but today I almost felt like I could go at it again no problem.
It seems as though beachbody is stepping their game up with Asylum and P90X2. They are more complicated, more technical sequels to the original programs, and I really admire them for going the functional route.
Asylum is EXTREME.
It is recommended that one go through a previous product, or be at a level of fitness where they do comfortably on the fitness assessment provided. For insanity users, Shaun recommends a "Feeling of accomplishment" when doing Max Interval Plyo as a means of determining if you are ready. I went from doing around 50 to over 200 pushups with that workout as my own personal gauge (Along with keeping up for the most part with it).
I''m not in this war of attrition for looks, but to be functionally fit, healthy, and to be a great Martial Artist. The "Sports" emphasis of Asylum drew me in. I had a feeling the gains would throw me back into Martial Arts with many new found abilities. It is right up my alley, and while I will continue looking for newer things, at this point in time I consider Asylum my base workout just like Tae Kwon Do and Muay Thai are my base martial arts.
I took a star off (A half really) for just minor gripes:
The strength workout doesn''t really have a proper warmup. You just start lifting.
The stretching isn''t bad, but it feels kind of rushed in some of the dvds. Granted, relief is always there to help with that, but that shouldn''t mean the stretching included in the workout itself should be rushed.
I recommend a person first starting out to watch the videos a few times to get a grasp for the moves. They can be pretty complicated at times.
I''m of course eagerly waiting Insanity The Asylum Volume 2.
Read Best Reviews of INSANITY: The ASYLUM - 30 Day Sports Training Workout DVD Program Here
I am a very big fan of the Beachbody workouts and have done P90X, P90X Plus and Insanity. I was both excited and terrified for this workout as it looked very difficult. Shaun T, the trainer, noted that if you can''t do Insanity''s Max Interval Circuit with some level of accomplishment you should not progress to this workout and he is telling the truth. This workout is NOT for beginners, it is fashioned on sports performance and, as such, has some very difficult moves. The workout arrived with several aids, a pair of strength bands, an agility ladder and a speed rope. You will also need dumbbells and/or a pull up bar. Although some reviewers said the workout takes a lot of room, I found that I could easily modify the workout to do it in my living room. I did not use the pull up bar but used dumbbells instead (I have Bowflex Selectec ones). Also I ended up not using the speed rope as it made me nervous to spin the thing in such a cramped space. These modifications are mentioned in the program and are not an issue. My green strength band broke before the end of the series and I notice that this is a common complaint.The workouts are broken up into Speed and Agility, Strength, Vertical Plyo, Back to Core, Relief and something called Game Day. With the exception of Back to Core and Relief, which I found to be a little easy, the workouts were quite difficult to master and required both practice and conditioning. Speed and Agility and Vertical Plyo require you to do a number of cardio/resistance moves in and out of the agility ladder. You go very quickly and Shaun pretty much yells at you the entire workout. I can do most of the Insanity workouts all the way through without taking a break and i needed multiple breaks to keep my heart rate from going too high. The Strength workout is a killer, where you do a number of difficult resistance/cardio moves at a quick pace. Game Day is an hour of multiple cardio and resistance drills combined to keep you moving and your heart rate up; I burned 960 calories in this workout alone.
To summarize, if you can do Insanity or P90X all the way through and want to feel like you never worked out a day in your life, this workout is for you. But be aware that this is designed to kick your butt; Shaun T will never tell you it''s ok to take a break, he''ll tell you if you take a break you fail! You will need to be accomplished at push ups and pull ups and have good core strength to progress. If you finish they''ll send you a t-shirt (I have mine) and you will have earned it! Like many of the other reviewers I noticed that after doing this workout the others (even Insanity) didn''t seem so hard. That should give you an idea what you are in for with Asylum.
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After doing the first Insanity about 2.5 times I decided I''d give the Asylum a try. I''m halfway in at the time of this writing.My primary complaint with the first Insanity is that it was really good at making my legs look and feel awesome, but my upper body and pudgy gut pretty much looked the same as the day I started my first round. A LOT of work for not enough pay off.
Asylum seems to remedy this a bit by incorporating Strength and Back/Core workouts that definitely target the upper body a lot more beyond just doing pushups.
So here''s what I liked/didn''t like:
LIKED:
the Back to Core workout is probably the best back/core workout I''ve ever done. I have a lot of neck/back problems so usually doing most shoulder/back routines in a program is a injury kiss of death for me. This was the first one I did and actually felt pretty great afterwards. I especially like that you can exercise your abs without having to do situps or (what I consider to be worse) the v-style suspension exercises.
New improved stretches are excellent. Insanity had a good collection of stretches and they''ve made them even better in Asylum.
Full body focus like mentioned before without relying heavily on pushups.
GameDay is brutally hard but a bit fun and creative.
Having alternatives presented for weights, jump rope & pulls up is really nice
DIDN''T LIKE:
If you thought the resting periods in Insanity were too short, you''re going to be miserable in Asylum. I suppose that''s fair given the difficulty increase, but at least in Insanity Shaun regularly encourages you to take breaks if your form is slipping. In Asylum he''s now barking at you to always keep going and take "2 breath" breaks. This is injury bait, and while I realize the point is to push yourself I advise you to still take regular breaks if your form is slipping otherwise you''re just begging to end up with neck/back problems like me.
Asylum is a lot harder on your body than Insanity, the routines are longer than Insanity, but yet the Warmup/Cooldown stretches are a lot shorter than they were in Insanity. This makes little sense to me. And c''mon, having me do Vertical Plyo (2nd hardest thing) the day right after GameDay (most hardest)? That''s just abusive. Warmup/Cooldowns were the biggest thing I liked about Insanity since I''m never sure what I should be stretching regularly and for how long, and having it in a routine made a huge difference in keeping injury down. Reducing it seems like a big mistake to me, especially for a routine that is more aggressive. Shaun T tells you to use the Relief video if you need it afterwards, but that''s an extra 20 minutes to add to 50-60 minutes (and it still doesn''t address the warmup).
Like Insanity, Asylum is lacking a decent Yoga routine to help release the stress/anxiety that builds up when you''re regularly beating the crap out of your body. The Relief routine comes close but mostly aims at stretching. Not saying we need to be chanting Ohms with Tony Horton here, but working towards a Savasana at the end has always done amazing things for me.
EDITED Final Verdict: I ended up reducing to 3 stars after just about having enough of my body feeling like a giant sore mangled knot 17 days into the program.
Worth a try ONLY if you''ve already done Insanity and are pretty comfortable with how far to safely push your body since Shaun T will no longer be looking out for that in this. I consider it better than Insanity personally since it''s a lot more full body oriented, but the even more reduced period of recovery is just too much IMO. However I do recommend modifying it as necessary and trying to insert a yoga routine here and there, or mixing it into regular Insanity.
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