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.