Insanity Workout - Day 41 (Week 6 day 6)

Still going strong on Insanity. It's been a while since I updated the blog so lots of things to report. I'm currently at 180.8 lbs which is nearing 20 lbs lost. I can't believe I'll be in the 170s soon which will be crazy to see on the scale.

Recovery Week went smoothly and looking back I miss it and Month 1. The start of Month 2 was pretty intense. I stuck to the schedule which had both the Fit Test and Max Interval Circuit on the same day. Pushing hard in the Fit Test, I got improvements in all exercises.

Switch Kitcks ?? -> 51 -> 59
Power Jacks 33 -> 37 -> 47
Power Knees 60 -> 75 -> 82
Power Jumps 12 -> 26 -> 39
Globe Jumps 3 -> 6 -> 8
Suicide Jumps 7 -> 10 -> 12
Push-up Jacks 6 -> 17 -> 20
Low Plank Obliq 30 -> 51 -> 60

Gains in all areas which is nice. One thing to note about the Fit Test. I don't pause for it, even if I'm still trying to recover from previous exercise. I did this to be consistent with my first fit test and continue just like the participants on screen. I read some people pause which I imagine could net you higher numbers, but whatever you do I'd make sure you're doing it consistently for each test.

I did this test in the morning so I could do Max Interval Circuit at night. After getting going in Max Interval Circuit, I could tell I was really struggling - lots of extra pauses needed throughout and it's a long workout!

The next day, just like others had blogged, I started feeling sore like in Week 1. I wondered if that was maybe the roughest workout and things would normalize out. Then the second day had 'Max Interval Plyo' which I felt is even harder than Max Interval Circuit! I really struggled through it with the INSANE number of push-ups. I didn't feel like I attacked it 100%. On the third day of Month 2 I had 'Max Cardio Conditioning' and again still struggling! I kept looking at the 'Max Recovery' that was coming up and thinking, OK, if I can just get through to it, I'd start to get in the game. When 'Max Recovery' was on, I felt relaxed and ready to recover... EXCEPT, this workout is no real "recovery." Sure there wasn't a lot of fast cardio, but it was extremely hard none-the-less.

When day 5 of month 2 came, it was Max Interval Circuit on the schedule again. I was really not that motivated to workout. I felt sluggish and hammered by things so far. I decided to try out something I read about, taking a pre-workout supplement to boost energy. After reading more reviews on it, I went out to GNC and purchased lemon-line "Jack3d".

About 45 minutes after a meal, I took 3/4th of a scoop with 8oz of water (taste was OK), waited 30-35 mins, then started the workout. At first, I couldn't tell much effect. But as the warm-up went by, and I just kept going into the workouts, I could tell I was definitely holding up better and putting more into it. I could possibly attribute this from adjusting into Month 2, but I think the Jack3d was really working. I plowed through things and the only extra time I took was in some of the scheduled water breaks. As far as side-effects, I didn't notice any tingling or itchiess like some. Although that night I could tell my abs were sore. I can't say yet whether that was from pushing the exercises harder or from anything related to Jack3d. At the end of Max Interval Circuit there's a 'plank punch' move that really makes your abdominals work. I focused and completed that last move without stopping even though my abs were hurting. My guess is that's the cause of my ab soreness.

I'm pretty excited about using Jack3d to help with energy into the workouts. It looks like the recommended usage of 5 out of 7 days lines up with Insanity well since you have a recovery and an off day you can skip using. Supposedly you build a tolerance to it and it becomes less effective, but if it can help me get well into Month 2 it will have done it's job! I'll report more on its effects on me in future blog entries (I'm curious how today's Max Interval Plyo will go with it).