P90X vs. Insanity

The Infomercial Showdown

The battle between the infomercial fitness DVD craze has begun!  Two fitness programs you can’t stop hearing about are P90X and Insanity.   Both are intense programs which offer high energy workouts promising drastic results in just a few months, but which one is good for you? Do they work? Do they do what you want with your fitness goals?  We’ve dissected both programs and answer all your questions!

Let’s start with the overnight fitness sensation that has its very own TV station and is the most pirated DVD on the planet, P90X.  P90X offers a mix of Super Setting, Circuit Training, Plyometrics, Kempo, and Yoga.  Not only does this program offer muscle confusion by changing every day, but offers many different forms of exercising to change the rhythm day to day to keep your brain from getting bored. 

P90X Positives

- Keeps your heart rate elevated throughout most of the workouts, burning more calories

- Changes Day to Day, giving enough recovery time for muscles to recuperate

-  Works all Pushing and Pulling muscles building a proportioned body

- 45 minute to 60 minute workouts

P90X Negatives

- Not designed specifically to each individual’s needs

- Many weights and workout bands to purchase, which gets very expensive

- Many awkward movements going against the biomechanics of human muscle and joint movements

Insanity is the newest of the overnight fitness sensations.  This high energy workout is based completely off of your own body weight and a heavy amount of plyometrics that offers a quick tough workout promising to make you sweat.  It starts off with a difficult fitness assessment that challenges your balance, your core, speed, and isometric strength giving a fitness base to progress as the 60 day workout is completed and then takes off to the jumping, bouncing, planking from there.

Insanity Positives

- Fast Paced, high energy workout keeping the heart rate elevated

- Zero weights to purchase

- 30 minute to 45 minute workout

Insanity Negatives

- Plyometrics are very hard on the joints

- Pushing and pulling muscles are not worked equally

- Not designed specifically to an individual’s needs

The Winner

When choosing between P90X and Insanity, P90X is the better option.  Even though you have to purchase weights and workout bands, P90X offers a complete body workout that works all the pushing and pulling muscles to build the body relatively proportional.  Insanity does not offer much for the pulling muscles and the plyometrics is a little much for the joints to bear on a day to day basis for the average person.  But, will both work…YES!  It’s exercising!!!  What we really learn from these two programs is to get out of our normal fitness routine, move your body, and eat with a programed healthy lifestyle!