Tag Archives: Insanity Asylum

Final Thoughts on Insanity: The Asylum

June 22, 2013 Kim 28 Comments

Today’s 43 was as much about stretching as anything!!! I did a side lunge with a toe touch and counted a right lunge and left lunge as 1 rep so it was 43 each side.

Here is a side view – all my weight is back in my butt (pretty much true all the time but especially when I lunge and squat!!).

Nice to do a move that doesn’t require a lot of jumping!!

Today I did my last Insanity Asylum workout – the Fit Test. I did this same test the day before I started the program and now after completing the program – I improved in all 9 drills!!!

Each move/exercise is done for 1 minute. 6 of the 9 drills use the agility ladder –

#1 – Agility Heisman – (using ladder) I went from 7 to 9.5

#2 – In & Out Abs – these are all done to the 2nd rung – I went from 20 to 35

[youtuber youtube=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_wwAhBLoDw0′]

#3 – Lateral Push-Ups (alt. sides) – 16 to 25

#4 – Standing Mountain Climber Switch Kicks – (heel has to come up above waist to count) – 54 to 70

#5 – Agility Push-ups (using ladder – down & back = 1 rep – touch hand to opp. shoulder for each move) – 4 to 6.5

#6 – X Jumps (squat down and touch toes – jump into X) – 42 to 49

#7 – Moving Push-Ups (using ladder – down & back = 1 rep) – I went from 3 to 5

#8 – Agility Heisman (different version than #1) – 11 to 15.5

#9 – Bear Crawls (with ladder – hop feet in at top and hands in at bottom) – I went from 7 to 10

Calvin & Hobbs sum up perfectly how I feel to be completely done with Insanity!!! I think the program is great but it was HARD!!! At some point ~~in about 20 years~~ in the next year or so, I will probably go through the program again but for now I need a break from it!!!

My favorite thing about both Insanity and Insanity: The Asylum is ~~Shaun T~~ when Shaun T says “Dig Deeper!!!”I will keep telling myself that while I move on to other workouts and finally get back to running!!! (I’ve been on a running break to try to reclaim my love of running – part of why I’ve been so focused on this crazy program!!)

And, on the running front – I’m ready to get back at it!!! Yesterday I even got these cool shoes because I ~~needed~~ figured that it was as good a time as any to add another pair to my collection.

I haven’t run in Asics since college (that’s been a LONG time!!!) but the guys (at the store) convinced me to give these a try and see how they compare to Mizunos so I agreed because I love the colors!!! (oh, and they feel good, too)

Gotta get moving on Saturday – lots to do today!! Chris just left for a trip – I can’t say where all he is going but I will say that this

is involved in part of the trip. I’m trying really hard not to be jealous!!! The boys and I will spend some of our day here

but it’s not quite the same!!!

Happy Saturday!!!

Kim

Butt, Fitness, Hamstrings

Choices and Why I Work out First thing

June 21, 2013 Kim 37 Comments

Today I tried a new (to me) move for my 43 – sumo dead-lifts. I’ve seen these in a lot of other workouts but just never tried them because I really love regular dead-lifts. I liked these OK but still prefer the standard method!!

To do the sumo lifts, I used 15 pound dumbbells and started with my legs wider than hip distance, toes turned out.

From here, I did slow (2-count down & 2-count up) dead lift.

I couldn’t go down as far as a regular dead-lift because of the angle of my legs.

I could feel it in my glutes but not my hamstrings as much as a straight leg dead lift. I did like the move – this is the kind of thing that makes a fairly easy 43!!

Today was double Boot Camp – 6 am backyard BC and 7:15 am beach BC!!! Because I’m the only ~~crazy~~ one who did both, it was the same workout each time. I wanted everyone to get a great workout because I’m going to be gone next week and I’m pretty sure today’s boot camp accomplished that!!! We did a pyramid – up and down – fun stuff!!!

I still need to do the Insanity Asylum Fit Test to see if I improved from before I started the program but I’m going to save it for tomorrow instead of doing it after 2 rounds of boot camp – seems like a much better idea!!!

All day long we are faced with choices. Some are little and simple – what to eat for breakfast, what to wear (not always that simple, but….), go to the beach or the pool…..Other choices can be harder – get up early or sleep in, buy a new top or ~~3 new tops~~ not, quit working, start a new job……..

One of the choices that I made years ago was to workout first thing in the morning (even when it means getting up at the butt crack of dawn)!!For me that works well with my life because then no matter what comes up during the day, I don’t have to worry about when or if I’m going to be able to workout.

Yesterday, for example, a friend sent me a text me in the morning and asked if Chris and I wanted to meet her and husband atfor dinner and drinks. Well, I had planned to go to Zumba cause it’s sort-of addicting or something!!!

However, it was and a chance to catch up with some friends – plus I had already made the choice to get my workout done in the morning and Zumba is more of just a social outing (active for sure!) so I made the choice to spend some time with Chris and some friends!!!

And because of the choices I made earlier in the day I enjoyed the evening guilt-free!!!Things come up and life happens – sometimes fun stuff and other times just normal everyday stuff and we will always have choices to make. There are times that I wish I had made better or different choices but yesterday I was happy with my choices!!!

Choices – what will you do today?

Happy Fun Friday!!

Kim

BOSU, Butt, Fitness, Lunges, Quad, Squats

Mottos

June 19, 2013 Kim 32 Comments

Today’s 43 had my legs burning!!! I used one of my favorite pieces of equipment:

I started with both feet on the BOSU – did a squat

then stepped my left leg behind into a curtsey lunge.

After 43 on the first side, I didn’t know if I would be able to do another set with the other leg because my quads were burning!! However, I don’t want to be unbalanced so – 43 more!!

I think the hardest part was the little squat in between each lunge – basically, the leg that stayed on the BOSU was working the entire time!!!

6:00 am Boot Camp was a lot of toning work with just a few cardio bursts in between! We used resistance bands and I’m pretty sure that my shoulders will be sore tomorrow!!

And, I’m still doing Insanity Asylum – but only 2 more days left!!!! Today was Back to Core (probably the “easiest” one of the whole program!) and Relief – 25 minutes of stretching. I did the whole stretching one even though it’s not my favorite – I might have entertained myself with my phone but I still stretched!!!

Lots of people have a motto (or even many mottos that they live by). Some mottos apply only to part of one’s life while others can cover everything.

I think that sometimes people have a motto that “sums” them up in just a few words – the following is one that I love!And, sometimes a motto is something that you are trying to achieve in your life.

Even kids have mottos – that they apply to their lives.

Life is like a cube - you just have to solve it. — Life is like a cube – you just have to solve it.

Life is like a cookie - sometimes it crumbles. — Life is like a cookie – sometimes it crumbles.

Look at the big picture - Will this matter in 10 years? — Look at the big picture – Will this matter in 10 years?

I’ve been trying to decide if I have a specific motto that I live by. I think if I had to pick one thing (other than Suck it up Buttercup!!), I would say –

Always do YOUR best!!!!!

Do you have a motto (or mottos) that you live by?

Happy Wednesday!!!

Kim

Core, Fitness

Jumping, Kicking, Squatting all Night Long

June 18, 2013 Kim 26 Comments

Today for my 43, I did a plank with some extra stability work. I started in elbow plank, pulled my right knee into my chest then extended my right leg into a leg raise. Then, I did the same thing with my left leg. I counted a right leg and left leg move as 1 rep.

[youtuber youtube=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ma7agAXug6w’]

I should have timed my plank!!! This took awhile to complete since it was 43 knee pulls/leg raises per side!

I did Insanity Asylum – Vertical Plyo before heading to the swim beach to teach Boot Camp. I only have a few days left of Insanity – WooHoo!!! Today I actually enjoyed the plyo workout more than I have other days – maybe because I knew it was my last time doing it for awhile!!

Boot Camp at the beach always makes me happy – the lake is peaceful early in the mornings. Today we did Tabata boot camp and it was so much harder in the sand than it was yesterday morning in the garage!! The sand gave us some bonus toning work!! Plus, with all of the jumping and kicking – I pretty much took a shower in sand!!! Good Times!!

Lately, every time I wake up during the night (it’s always a lot of times!!!) – I’ve been dreaming about jumping and kicking and squatting. It’s not always me that’s jumping – sometimes I’m watching people (or maybe animals) jump – but there is always action and movement in the form of jumping and bouncing!!!All night long – jump, squat, kick…..I don’t know if it’s because I go to bed thinking about the next day’s boot camp or Insanity workout or even just trying to decide what my 43 will be or what the deal is but I’m ready for some different themed dreams!! Sometimes I feel like I might be a ~~little~~ obsessed with all things fitness related – that doesn’t mean I want to dream about it every night!!!See – everyone’s jumping and moving – just like in my dreams!!!!And, everyone is running through the list of proper form and technique – over and over. I guess if this little guy is doing it then it isn’t that bad!!But all the nighttime jumping is wearing me out!!! I need a night where I dream about and maybe if I dream hard enough I will wake up and find myself actually relaxing in this gorgeous setting instead of jumping and kicking and squatting and doing burpees!!!!!

And the best part of these dreams? Along with jumping there is music from my new workout craze – Zumba!!!

[youtuber youtube=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GzAQ1XZH-j8′]

Yep – I hear that song a lot in my dreams – while jumping!!!!

Anyone else have dreams where you wake up exhausted from all the action in the dream?

Happy Tuesday – here’s to relaxing dreams for all tonight!!!

Kim

Cardio, Fitness, Lunges, Quad, Shoulders

How do you Know if you Are Pushing Too Hard?

June 17, 2013 Kim 45 Comments

Today I went with a basketball inspired 43 in honor of the NBA Finals! We (all but Jordan) are rooting for the Spurs!!!

The move requires a medicine ball (I used an 8 pound ball), or you could use a dumbbell, and has several parts:

lunge forward with right leg
pass ball under right leg
lunge back with right leg
pass ball under left leg
bring feet together
jump and press ball overhead

[youtuber youtube=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7zD5fdvqdiY’]

After completing 43 as listed above, I had to switch and do the lunges with my left leg for another set!

This was really a great combo 43 – worked my quads, calves, shoulders and even my upper back some work – plus because I moved fairly quickly, I got my heart rate up!!!

I woke up around 4:30 this morning to a pretty heavy rain so I wasn’t sure if anyone would come to Boot Camp this morning. However, since today’s workout was at my house, we had the garage option (necessary today since not only was it raining, there was some thunder and lightening!). I had a few show up and we had a good workout. Today we did a really fun workout – Tabata Boot Camp!!!

After that I had Insanity Asylum – and I was sort-of dreading it today. Today was Game Day (60 minutes of every possible sport) and Overtime (15 minutes designed to ~~kill~~ really challenge you). Game Day actually goes pretty quickly because you keep changing the sport (really it’s just moves that might be used in different sports). And, I felt like I accomplished way more in Overtime today than last week – but the moves are still beyond brutal!!!!

I feel like the past few weeks, I have been living by the above motto. Doing Insanity with Shaun T – you hear the phrase “Dig Deeper” a LOT!!! And, even though I’m in my basement living room with no one around (except Jordan who usually watches me to make sure I don’t ~~die~~ cheat) I feel like I have to push a little harder every time I hear those words. Move my feet faster, jump higher, eek out a few more push-ups – doesn’t matter what it is, I just try to push myself even more!!

I agree that you have to work hard to become who you want to be but at what point do you decide that maybe you need to back off just a little? Do you have to change your goals and “settle” for less or do you just change the time-line for your goals?

We see quotes like the one above, or hear fitness professionals telling us to push as hard as we can and then push just a little harder. But sometimes you need to hear –

We all have different limits and amounts that we can tolerate. I like to push myself hard almost everyday. By pushing hard – I mean to the point of saying “I’m done. I can’t do another _________ (rep, lap, mile, whatever).”

For others, pushing hard is something that can only occasionally be tolerated either because of health/injury or sometimes because of not being mentally prepared for the pain of pushing your limits. And, there are some, who are willing to work but only to a certain level and have absolutely zero desire to push themselves any harder. Pushing too hard for too long can lead to overtraining or burn-out. (click the link for a great article in Runner’s World about overtraining).

I’m pretty sure if you look, or even feel, like thisthen it is probably time to ease up and give yourself a little slack.

So, just because you see or hear the message to push harder all the time, remember to do what is right for you and your own personal limits. Sometimes you feel weak because you have pushed harder than you should and it is time to back off a little. It’s all about knowing your body and listening to the messages it gives you!!