The secret behind Shaun T’s Insanity and what makes it unique is his Max Interval Training program, the heart and soul of the workout. Traditional interval training works by having your perform at high levels of intensity for brief periods of time, and then relaxing for longer stretches. Max Interval Training flips this upside down, and instead has you working at your most extreme levels of effort for long periods with only short breaks in-between.

What does this mean in terms of your workout? The most common unit in the Insanity Workout is four minutes at maximum intensity with a thirty second water break, and then repeated. This forces your body to work in the anaerobic zone for most of the workout, allowing you to burn a ridiculous amount of calories in a very short period of time.

The anaerobic zone is where your body is no longer able to deliver sufficient oxygen to your muscles so as to allow them to function aerobically. This forces your body to turn to other energy pathways to keep going, and helps your body rev up your metabolism to extreme rates of production. That’s why people who have performed the Insanity Workout have been clocked at burning almost a thousand calories in one workout!

Is Insanity Right for Me?

The Insanity Workout is one of the most crazy workouts out in the market, and if done correctly can deliver extreme results. This can sound incredibly intimidating to a lot of people, who envision only hard core marines and fitness fanatics being able to perform it. Does this mean regular folks should not apply?

No! Of course not! This is an intense program without a doubt, but remember that as the trainee you can set your own pace. Yes, Shaun T will push you, urge you to dig deeper and try harder to get better results. But you can always pause the workout, take a deep breath, or simply go at a slower pace. Another option is to start off with Shaun T’s Focus T-25 workout program as a way to get Insanity ready.

If you feel that the nutritional aspects of your body transformation journey is your weakest point, don’t worry! Insanity comes with the Elite nutrition guide, loaded with nutrition tips, recipes and recommended supplements such as the P90X Recovery Drink and Shakeology that will get you on the right track to maximize your results!

The fact is that by challenging yourself with this workout, you will improve much faster than with any other, regardless of where you’re starting. The trick is to just press play, and hang in there!