When P90X first came out, it was known by only a select few. Today it is probably one of the most widely advertised home workouts and most people have at least heard of it. A lesser known home workout called Insanity was created by the same people that released P90X. Now that these programs are out, the internet is littered with people who post their before and after pictures which the trainer asks you to take during the program. So what is the difference between the two and are either of them right for you?
P90X is named as such because it is a 90 day program. Insanity is named as such simply for marketing purposes, but it is a 60 day program. P90X generally has one hour workouts per day (Yoga is an hour and 30 minutes), 6 days per week, and a special Ab Ripper X that is 15 minutes every other day. Insanity has 45 minute workouts, 6 days a week, and requires no special equipment such as resistance bands, pullup bars, or weights that P90X does. Both workouts are also different in the ways they work. Insanity focuses much more on cardio/jump training and P90X focuses on muscle confusion for muscle strength/toning. Both are on several DVDs and will run you about $120 (plus additional equipment).
Now that the facts are laid out, lets take a look at which one is better for you, if any. If you're looking to bulk up or tone down, P90X is the obvious choice. Composed of pushups and pullups along with intense cardio, this will get you ripped. If you're interested, you can find thousands of before and after pictures on the internet so I'll spare you. Conversely, if you're looking for weight loss and cardio-fitness, then Insanity may be a better choice. Using your own body's weight, it likely won't bulk you up as much but it will shed the pounds and provide toning if thats what you're looking for. So before choosing either, it's important to really figure out not only what your goals are, but also which one you think you would enjoy more.
You're probably wondering, "If these two exercise programs are so great, why isn't everybody on board and why aren't we all walking around with beach bodies?" The answer to that is simple yet complicated. The first and foremost characteristic that you must possess in order to start these programs is the motivation and will power to stick with them. These are incredibly challenging workouts and it is very easy to jump ship after the first week or even the first day. You have to know that it will get easier, but it will never be easy. You may start the program and realize that you can only do one pullup but the trainer wants you to do 15 to 25 of them. Again, your one pullup will eventually become five, and so on. Next, these workouts are meant to be solo workouts since they're done in the privacy of your own home. Of course you can invite your buddies to do the workout with you but finding schedules that coincide 6 days a week is not very practical. Therefore, if you do not enjoy working out by yourself, this is not the thing for you. Lastly, and probably most importantly, do you have the time 6 days a week? This is where I had trouble myself and I think many people would share my concern. Depending on your school/work/diaper-changing schedule, you may not be able to find an hour or more 6 days a week for working out. It's not as if you can just go for a 30 minute run or do some pushups and jump rope because the programs do not offer that flexibility. If you're going to make the committment, you need to have the time to do so.
I think both of these workouts are top notch and for those that can stick with them, they produce incredible results. For those of us who don't have the time or motivation to committ, there may be better choices. Perhaps a better option would be to incorporate some of the workouts into your routine. For instance, if you enjoy Kenpo-X from P90X, why not pop in the DVD for your next cardio workout? You can always lift weights or Zumba on the other days and switch things up from time to time. In the end, the perfect workout is the one that works perfectly for you. If that means running on the treadmill twice a week and lifting weights on the days in between, then that's your workout. Your results will obviously vary but at least you have found something that works for you. So before you run to the store to buy one of these programs, find out if they are really right for you. Enjoy your workout, make it part of your daily life, and never give up on your fitness goals!
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