Post Insanity Thoughts

I have been completed with the Insanity Fitness challenge for about a week now! While I have been loving my time off from the gym, I can tell there is a huge difference in my mood now. Exercising gave me a place to release stress and focus all my energy on a specific task. Insanity truly helped me become both physically and mentally fit, and I do not want to break that habit!

Yesterday I decided to take a Barre class at The Refinery Fitness Studio. Barre was a great workout that combined cardio, yoga, and Pilates. We did a lot of deep stretching and toning exercises while incorporating a ballet bar for balance. Even though I am in great shape from Insanity, this workout still rocked my body. Your first fitness class at The Refinery is free! Click the link above and check it out!

Final Fitness Test

Well fitness lovers, this is my final Fitness Test!! These results are amazing and have even surprised me! I cannot believe how I was able to transform my body into a lean, mean, workout machine! Insanity has helped me gain control of my balance, increase my endurance. and overall help my self-esteem. I am now proud of the woman I am, both mentally and physically! I was able to overcome a huge fitness challenge that would normally discourage me, but I used my reluctance to help fire me up. Below is a chart comparing all my fitness test results from Week 1 all the way to now.

As you guys can see I immensely improved on all aspects of fitness! In these 60 days I was able to….

• Add 11 Switch Kicks
• Add 10 Power Jacks
• Add 32 Power Knees
• Add 11 Power Jumps
• Add 2 complete rotations for Globe Jumps; a total of 8 extra jumps
• Add 7 Suicide Jumps
• Add 7 Push Up Jacks (by far my hardest category!)
• Add 30 Plank Obliques 

Additionally I was given my second Body Composition and Fitness today at the Leech! They were able to determine what percentage of my body was made of fat and they were able to compare my results to my first test. When I first went into the fitness office, by body fat percentage was 28.9%. If you look at the chart below, according to my age I was at the cusp of being in the "average" category. A few more pizza slices and I was definitely moving into the "above average" section. However today, July 10th, I am proud to announce that my body fat percentage is now 23.7%!! An overall decrease of 5.2%. I am now in the "ideal" body fat category. This feels absolutely amazing, to reach my fitness goals in only 60 days! Check out the chart below to see where you think you may stand! Then use it as motivation to continue to push yourself and reach for the stars.

Fitness Test 3

Hello all you wonderful, motivated people. I apologize it has taken me so long to publish the results of my third Fitness Test, I had a shocking family emergency I had to focus on for the last week. But I am back and better then ever! Today I am going to share my results with you so you can see how much my stamina has improved!

Lets compare my fitness test 1, 2, and now 3 results! 

The two workouts that were the hardest for me during this third Fitness Test were Power Jacks and Suicide Jumps. Both require a lot of cardio and leg muscle stamina. 

While I improved on each specific fitness task, I would like to have seen a greater improvement in my number of Globe Jumps, Suicide Jumps, and Switch Kicks. I will be focusing on those in these next few weeks to make sure I obtain maximum results.

Good luck with these last few weeks of training!! 

Max Interval Training

After 5 long weeks of training then recovery, I have reached the final four weeks of the challenge. The final four weeks of Insanity consist of "max interval training". These new DVD workouts ask the fitness user to participate in long bursts of high intensity training followed by brief rest periods. However even the resting exercises still have the inner core and hip flexors working. The max interval workouts are said to burn 1,000 an hour!

The difference between max interval training and traditional interval training is that normally the high intensity period only lasts for 30 seconds followed by 2-3 minutes of rest. Max interval training is the complete opposite; the rigorous exercise lasts 2-3 minutes and the rest period is only 30 seconds long.

The benefits to turning the traditional interval training upside down is that results come much faster. The body gets sculpted quicker because fitness enthusiasts are using the resistance of their own body, improving cardiovascular abilities, rapidly dropping body fat, and toning all the muscles.

The workouts in this section of Insanity are longer, roughly between 45-60 minutes, but thanks to the previous 5 weeks of training the body can push itself harder than normal.

Fitness Statistics

As I enter my fifth week of training, I wanted to find some scientific data to support my physical fitness goal. I am slowly starting to see my couch as a great place to relax in place of a workout, but these facts and figures helped re-motivate me to get back on the grind.

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention the percent of adults 18 years or older who met the Physical Activity Guidelines for muscle-strengthening activity was only 23.9% in 2013. This means that only about 1/5 of the young adult population was able to meet minimal fitness guidelines! This is shocking to me. I feel that almost all young adults should be able to meet the minimum fitness requirements for their age groups.

This small percentage is supported by the fact that less then 5% of adults participate in 30 minutes of physical activity each day. Only 1 in 3 adults recieve the reccomended amount of physical activity each week!

The Presidents Council on Fitness, Sports, and Nutrition also reports that only about one in five homes have parks within a half-mile, and about the same number have a fitness or recreation center within that distance.

These facts, in my opinion, all aid to the large obesidy epidemic our nation is facing. Recent reports on the health and nutirtion of Americans say that by the year 2030, half of all adults-115 million- will be obese. Additionally, overweight adolescents have a 70% chance of becoming overweight or obese adults!

What does all this information mean to you and I? It means that only 1/5 of the adsolent population is meeting their fitness requirements. The other 4/5 of the population will grow up to add to the 115 million obese adults. You need to take a pledge right now to not add to the statistic! If you are one of those five households who do not live close to a park or a gym, not a problem! As stated before I do Insanity in the living room of my friends house! We don't even have to move any of the furniture, there is enough personal space for a great workout.

Hold yourself to a higher standard of personal excellence. Not only mentally, but physically as well.

Recovery Week, Finally!

After 4 long weeks of intense body training, I have finally reached the Recovery Week of Insanity!

The Recovery Week is a 7-day period focusing specifically on Core Cardio and Balance. This DVD is played each day for the entire week to give the knees a break and focus on the core, aka ABS, ABS, ABS! Even though it is called "recovery" this workout is not very simple. It requires fitness users to perform 1-minute exercises slowly and repeatedly to work specific muscles multiple times. 

I am going to breakdown the Recovery Week workouts so users can understand how Insanity is helping the body recover but not lose progress. 

Warm Up

Before every Insanity workout there is a 3-minute warm up session to get the blood moving, muscles warm, and raise the core body temperature in preparation for the workout. However the Core Cardio and Balance warm up routine is 7 minutes long, and introduces some new workouts users have not seen yet. Moves include football sprints, log hops, and and power jacks. 

Stretch Routine 

The stretch routine is 5 minutes long and includes basic balance stretches to help the already lose muscles not tighten up. 

Major Workout

The heart of the workout is 16 minutes long. During these 16 minutes, core abs are targeted and paired with cardio workouts to blast fat and build muscle. At this point in the program, users cardiovascular and and muscular endurance should be significantly higher, so the workouts are a bit tougher then the first four weeks of training. However each workout can be adapted to fit your personal fitness needs. 

Hip Flexor Burners and Oblique Work

The next 6 minutes are dedicated to working the hip flexor and the obliques. Hip flexor burners consist of three exercises asking users to lift their leg well above the hip, then pulse the leg while keeping it raised, then flexing the leg up and down while keeping it raised. These exercises flow one after another so there is no break in between.

The oblique exercise allows the users heart rate to drop back down and provides a slight recovery before transitioning into the last set of exercises in the DVD. 

Shoulder Burns

The final workout in Recovery Week targets the core and the upper body, specifically shoulders. Shoulder burns ask the user to sit in a wide squat position and spread the arms wide. Then the arms should start to circle in small circles, progressively getting larger when prompted. After making circles, the arms should come forward in front of the chest, then back out again. The last shoulder burn is raising the arms up above the head, then back down to shoulder length. These workouts also occur one-after-another so the shoulders do truly "burn" while you are working.

Cool Down Stretch

The final 3 minutes of the workout are cool down stretching to allow the heart rate to return to normal and give the muscles a break. The cool down stretch gives users a time to reflect on the workout and begin to relax the muscles.

Recovery Week is a great workout that helps transition users into the last 4 weeks of work, Max Interval Training! Stay tuned for my next fit test on June 15 where we can track my progress again!

Why am I doing all of this you ask? Here is some fitness motivation as we enter the 5th week of training! 

Progress Update

Hello fitness enthusiasts!

This is my weekly post to update you all on how the challenge is going. Because this is the week that is in between Fitness Tests, the challenge strictly focuses on using different workouts to tone the muscles and increase stamina.

The past week I have been on vacation in upstate New York mountain climbing, hiking up waterfalls, and attending the wedding of my god sister. Normally I would find it very hard to fit in a workout during my vacation schedule, however the Insanity challenge makes it easy to stay on track with my workout! All I had to bring on vacation with me were the workout DVD's, my laptop, and workout clothes! I made a copy of my workout calendar so I knew what DVD's to use on what days, and I was able to keep up my routine. Since Insanity only takes a laptop, I was able to workout in my hotel room instead of trying to find a gym in the mountains! This mobility and ease of access should encourage all of you to try out Insanity. You can do it in your living room after dinner, in your employee break lounge after your shift, or like me in your personal room! The DVD's all also include optional workout music to keep yourself pumped up and engaged in the workouts.

I have been missing my workout buddies Lexi and Meghan, so next week I will include some quotes from them about how they feel the challenge is going!

Fitness Test 1&2 Comparison

Today I am publishing the comparison of my first Fitness Test* on May 11th with my second Fitness Test on May 25th. I have officially been training with Insanity for 14 days. My growth in fitness stamina has already improved, and the results of my second fitness test are extremely encouraging.

*The breakdown of what the Fitness Test is, why users are asked to complete it, and the benefits of being tested can be found here in my previous post

Fitness Test 1&2 Results

Clearly, my overall results have improved. I gained 7 Switch Kicks, 6 Power Jacks, 16 Power Knees, 3 Power Jumps, 1 Globe Jump, 5 Suicide Jumps, 4 Push Up Jacks, and 20 Plank Obliques. 

The hardest skill for me this week was increasing my Push Up Jacks; this means I should focus more on shoulders and upper body strength going into these next two weeks of training. 

My results are extremely encouraging and I am excited to begin these next two weeks. I hope to add at least 4 more reps on each of my fitness skills before the next test. 

My Body and Composition Test results should be given back to me soon, and they will be published as soon as I receive the data. 

Fitness Test Breakdown

To give you readers a little background on the Insanity Workout Challenge:

• Insanity is mde up of 10 DVD's, each with different workouts that last between 30-45 minutes.
• Each day a different skill is targeted to enhance your body's growth and physical development
• The skills include Plyometric Cardio Circuit, Pure Cardio, Cardio Power and Resistance, Cardio Abs, and Cardio Recovery
• Insanity gets such positive results because it utilizes interval training.
• Interval training asks the body to perform the same workout three times, each time gaining more ferocity. 
• There are only 30-second breaks between each circuit in order to raise and then quickly lower the heart rate
• By fluctuating the heart rate the body burns fat and gains muscle faster. 
• Every two weeks, users are asked to complete a Fitness Test. This test is always on the same DVD and asks users to complete certain skills that have been gained the past two weeks in order to show growth and change in strength, endurance, and power.
• This is my second Fitness Test, and today this post will compare my results from the first week to beginning the third week of training. 

The Fitness Test is made up of seven different physical tasks each lasting 1 minute in duration, and there is a 30 second break in between each task. As perviously stated, the tasks are always the same and are very easy to count, so users can easily compare results every two weeks. 

• The first fitness task is Switch Kicks
• The user is asked to hop from foot to foot while kicking in the air.
• Swtich Kicks are recorded for 1 minute

• The second fitness task is Power Knees
• Power Knees are when the user lifts his or her knee up through the hands as fast as possible.
• Each raise of the knee is recorded for 1 minute

• The third fitness task is Power Jumps
• Power Jumps are when one begins in a squat and jumps from that position, using the core to lift the legs as high as possible when in the air. 
• Power jumps are recorded for 1 minute

• The fourth fitness task is Globe Jumps
• Globe Jumps begin in a squatting position and jumping left, back, right, and front; making a "globe" with your body. 
• One Globe Jump is a full left, back, right, and front rotation. They are recorded for 1 minute
• An example video can be found here
• The fifth fitness task is Suicide Jumps
• Suicide Jumps ask the user to throw their feet back into a push up position. From here, use the core to bring feet back under the arms and, powering up from the floor, jump into the air. Suicide Jumps work the core, arms, and legs. 
• Each Suicide Jump is recorded for 1 minute 

• The sixth fitness task is Push Up Jacks
• Push Up Jacks pair a simple push up with cardio
• The user begins in a push up position and as they lower the body down using the arms, the feet jump out, forming a star with the body. These looks like jumping jacks, but on the floor instead of in the air
• Each Push Up jack is recorded for 1 minute

• The seventh fitness task is Plank Obliques
• Plank Obliques begin in a simple plank position. Then, each leg is raised sideways towards the shoulder. 
• Users should alternate feet
• Each Plank Oblique is recorded for 1 minute 

All of these skills are tested during the Fitness Test. There is also a 3 minute muscle warm up in the beginning which includes jogging, jumping jacks, butt kicks, high knees, and mummy kicks. Following the warm up is a 5 minute stretch period. Once the stretching is complete, the Fitness Test begins. 

Proposal: 60-Day Insanity Workout Challenge

Challenging myself and my friends to become physically fit in 60 days

Needs and Opportunities

What does the average college student eat on a Thursday night when they are on a budget? Pizza. What does the average college student eat Friday morning when they wake up feeling lazy? Pizza. When the student is running late and needs to grab a quick lunch, what is the most common solution? Pizza, or another type of fast food. All this Pizza and fast food is so easy, cheap, and quick to purchase. While it is convenient for myself and my friends to run to Chick-Fil-A when we are hungry, it is taking a terrible toll on our bodies. At the start of summer I decided we needed a workout regime that would help keep our bad eating habits under control and would give us enough cardio, strength, and power training to help attain our dream bodies. After research and debate with physical fitness experts who work at the Bobby E. Leech Student Recreation Center, I decided the 60-Day Insanity Workout Challenge would be the most beneficial for us to attempt. 

The goal of this 60-Day challenge is to help myself and my friends gain endurance, stamina, power, and loose a few pounds before August begins. 

Audience / Clients / Users

The people who will directly benefit from this project are myself and my three friends; Meghan, Lexi, and Ayla. However, our commitment to the project will inspire other girls and other members of the community to begin a workout routine of their own. Also, the longer we keep up this workout routine, the more people will want to actually workout with us. I hope to inspire at least two more girls to start the challenge like we did. This project can also inspire other students to begin their quest towards physical fitness once they see how amazing the results truly are. 

Timeline

May 11 Deliverables	Take Fitness Test 1. Record Results. Begin Challenge.
May 25 Deliverables	Take Fitness Test 2. Take a Body and Composition Test. Record Results.
June 15 Deliverables	Finished with the first half of the Challenge. Take Fitness Test 3. Record Results.
June 29 Deliverables	Take Fitness Test 4. Record Results.