insanity + lifting

[Jets51]

Was wondering if doing insanity in the mornings (5am before work) combined with lifting 4 days (mon/tues/thurs/sat) a week would be beneficial or detrimental? I like the cardio/fat burning effects of insanity, but DOES NOT supplement a good lift. Trying to lose weight (~25-30lbs) while, at least, maintain muscle. Thoughts?

[jbhasban]

Was wondering if doing insanity in the mornings (5am before work) combined with lifting 4 days (mon/tues/thurs/sat) a week would be beneficial or detrimental? I like the cardio/fat burning effects of insanity, but DOES NOT supplement a good lift. Trying to lose weight (~25-30lbs) while, at least, maintain muscle. Thoughts?

I tried doing this... and it wrecked both of my workouts. Insanity has a lot of pushups and its impossible to do them quickly and well after your chest day. Its also hard to do a good leg workout when you are constantly doing power squats.

[kanis999]

Do you hate dieting? The only reason I'd do Insanity on a cut is to improve cardio performance, and to allow me to eat 400-600 more calories throughout the day.

Unless you're really motivated to improve cardio performance, I'd cut Insanity out completely. If you're dieting correctly, you don't need explosive cardio to lose weight. 1-3 days a week of cardio (at 40-70% max heart rate) is good, but a routine as rigorous as Insanity is overkill. When I do Insanity, my heart rate is near 100%. That's well beyond the amount of torture necessary to facilitate weight loss.

[nlite2000]

Just make sure you eat enough and good things will happen. Ditch the stretch day too out of insanity and maybe cut lifting volume to 3 times a week/fullbody. And if you drop anything out of your routine, drop squats while you're doing insanity.

I went from ~18% to ~14% with the scale not moving at all doing this.

[illiniStrive]

And if you drop anything out of your routine, drop squats while you're doing insanity.

Or do fewer days of Insanity? A cardio program is not a substitute for weighted squats.

[nlite2000]

Or do fewer days of Insanity? A cardio program is not a substitute for weighted squats.

One or the other, doing hundreds of jump squats a week will tear your legs up. All the workouts have them so, it's one or the other.

[jon1995]

One or the other, doing hundreds of jump squats a week will tear your legs up. All the workouts have them so, it's one or the other.

*Ones more for size the others for endurance IMO or am i wrong?

[Jets51]

*Ones more for size the others for endurance IMO or am i wrong?

This is what I thought too. IDK, i don't want to give up lifting to do insanity, but I would rather do a cardio workout in the morning rather than after lifting (i don't want to be in the gym until 10PM every night). I don't have enough time to wake up, go to the gym, do cardio, come back home, eat, shower. I need a cardio routine i can do at 5am at home.

[Ondle]

Im currently doing this too. But im only lifting twice a week. One of my lift days is on the stretch day. WTF is the point of stretching? you burn no calories, and dont even sweat. Besides we already stretch everytime during the workouts.

[Jets51]

Im currently doing this too. But im only lifting twice a week. One of my lift days is on the stretch day. WTF is the point of stretching? you burn no calories, and dont even sweat. Besides we already stretch everytime during the workouts.

yeah i don't do the stretching. I do yoga a few times a week with my girl friend. thought it was gay at first, it works wonders though. I swear by it.

[illiniStrive]

This is what I thought too. IDK, i don't want to give up lifting to do insanity, but I would rather do a cardio workout in the morning rather than after lifting (i don't want to be in the gym until 10PM every night). I don't have enough time to wake up, go to the gym, do cardio, come back home, eat, shower. I need a cardio routine i can do at 5am at home.

Prioritize the lifting.

Just be smart the way you schedule things and monitor your progress in the gym. If you notice your lifts lagging because you aren't fully recovered than pull back a little bit or rearrange your schedule so they don't conflict.