Insanity or P90X?

Insanity and P90X are both extreme fitness programs produced by a company called Beachbody. You may have seen the infomercials or have heard about them from someone you know. Both are excellent programs for those seeking a challenge. However, you may be having trouble deciding which program to use. Below, I will go over the main differences for each.

Insanity was created by personal fitness trainer, Shaun T. You may recognize him from his other popular dance based workout, Hip Hop Abs.

If you're familiar with high intensity interval training (HIIT), then you will have a better understanding of what Insanity is all about. HIIT is a method of working out in which you perform moderate levels of exercise followed by short bursts of intense effort. After performing a set of exercises, you take a short rest, typically from one minute to several minutes, before starting your next set.

Insanity turns HIIT upside down. You do long bursts of intense exercise, followed by very short periods of rest. You also workout at your maximum capacity on every exercise.

Equipment Needed

The cool thing about this workout is that it requires no equipment. You only use your body weight as resistance.

P90X was developed by popular fitness trainer, Tony Horton. Before this program was made, he created Power 90 (also known as P90). Power 90 is a great program for those who are not yet ready for the extreme workouts in P90X.

This program is based on the principle of muscle confusion. It is not uncommon for many people to reach a plateau in their weight loss and fitness. P90X workouts are designed to prevent plateaus from occurring. Many graduates of the program have experienced fat loss and have gained strength, as well as packing on lean muscle.

Equipment Needed

Unlike Insanity, you will need some exercise equipment for this program:

• Dumbbells or exercise bands
• Yoga mat
• Yoga blocks (optional)
• Heart rate monitor (optional)
  

If you are more of a cardio person, then Insanity may be your choice. If you prefer a more weight-based program that also includes some cardio, then P90X is a great choice.