First of all, I am wearing one of my race shirts out of love for Boston. My daughter is giving kisses.
Today is Day 37 of INSANITY which meant Max Interval Plyo was on the schedule. My usual alarm went off:
I half fell, rolled, slithered out of bed. It was like my brain was up and out but my body forgot to follow. It was so sore it was stuck.
I did, however, press play around 7:05am.
Length: 55 minutes
Equipment Needed: none
Oh Tonia… you and your jumps. This workout seemed less insane than yesterday’s Max Interval Circuit but works the bigger muscles (quads and shoulders). You have more watch demonstration time and slower moves, but you still sweat your butt off.
Warm-up
Before you start, Shaun T says,
‘Yo what’s up? This is Max Interval Plyo. The Max Interval training workout that’s gonna’ shape your body.’
The warm-up lasts about 10 minutes and is the same as yesterday’s (Max Interval Circuit). You do three sets total. The first two sets last 4 minutes and the last is 2 minutes (in which you move faster and push harder).
Jog - Yeah! I seem to have more energy than yesterday because I did not do a 30 minute Fit Test immediately before. Evil glare.
Jumping Jacks with Arms Up - Punch the ceiling. My thought - 'Oh my gosh, my arms are sore’.
1-2-3 Heisman - I pretend I am a football player. 1-2-3 to one side - knee up. 1-2-3 to other side - knee up. He says to 'exhale when the knee comes up’.
Jump Rope Side to Side - You have to do some pretending here too. Pretend to jump rope and move your arms opposite of the way you are jumping. Tongue twister. I know. This is not for the uncoordinated. You need to remember not to twist your feet and keep the knees together. (On the last round, Shaun forgets that this move comes next because things are moving so fast).
High Knees with your Arms Out - UGH! Keeping my knees up in line with my hips is always a challenge. 'Lift from the butt’. My butt isn’t listening!!!
Switch Kicks - Keeping my legs above my hips is not the easiest feat. Keeping my elbows into my sides is easy for some reason.
Hit The Floor - I hate this one. However, I get it done! 'Every time you go down it’s like you’re about to start a race’.
Side to Side Hops - Again, this is a crazy move in which you have to throw your feet up into the air landing side to side and hope you do not summersault forward. Ringling Bros Circus style.
Water break.
Stretch
This is about 3 minutes and 40 seconds of stretching. It should seem familiar as does the sweat in my eyeballs (where is this coming from - my scalp?).
Shaun quote:
'Let’s talk about Max Interval training for a second. What’s going to happen to your body is for three minutes straight you’re going to push your body to the max and it’s an interval so you get a rest.’.
Evidence of this (the last couple minutes I was taking photos and doing moves again):
Water break. I am starting to notice that Shaun T is drinking a lot during this workout. A lot.
First Circuit
Each move lasts 45 seconds and there 4 moves in each round. However, the third round has an extra move that lasts one minute.
Switch Jump - You start in a squat, jump, rotate, land in squat. Repeat. I started to feel this in my quads prettttttty quickly. BURNING. During the second and third round, Shaun is walking around drinking water while everyone is doing the move. Typical trainer. :)
Squat Push-Ups - Basically, you start in a squat position with your arms out and fall to the floor catching yourself in a push-up position. 'Oh! I am about to eat the floor… NO just kidding! Gotcha!’. I will admit I almost fell on my face once.
Wide In & Out Abs - With your legs wide and in a push-up position, you jump in and out. There were moments that I slowed down out of exhaustion. I’LL ADMIT IT!
Power Jumps - Ugh. The worst. You squat, jump into the air and slap your thighs, land in squat, and repeat. Good ol’ Fit Test move. If I’m angry, I’ll make a louder noise with my slap because I feel like I’m accomplishing something? I also find it helpful to jump along with Shaun when he says, 'come on let’s get 8’. There is a lot of standing around mustering up energy to do more during this (for everyone).
On the third round you do V-Push Up One Leg (30 seconds on each leg). Talk about burning the shoulders. I like to pretend I make $1,000 for each push-up I do and contemplate what I would pay off with my total. Weird? NEVER! Car paid off. Check.
Shaun quotes:
'This is Max Interval Training. We reverse the effect of regular interval training. We don’t have a recovery movement. We don’t just slow it down, we stop.’
'Don’t stop, don’t stop. Keep going’.
'HOW WE DOIN’ PEOPLE?!’
These poor people are laying on the ground. FYI.
Second Circuit
The first round is 4:30 minutes (demonstration time), the second is 3:30 minutes, and the last is just over 4 minutes. Shaun calls them 3 minute intervals.
Pogo Right - With your left leg up and arms in the air, you reach down and touch the ground and then hop up while you straighten your body. The second round you switch legs. Third - you do both. Goal here: Do not fall over. :) 'It’s all about plyo power here. So it’s not about moving super-fast’.
Power Push Up - These are a bundle of fun. You start in push-up position and then you pop your body up but bring your hands and feet together. Repeat. Hard thing with this one - you do not actually stand up. I slowed down during the last round.
Globe Twists - Starting in a squat, you jump to one side and 'connect shoulder to knee’. Then, jump to the other side. Repeat. There is a point that he says to jump higher and I sliced the ceiling with my hands. Talk about getting rid of popcorn ceiling. Slowly but surely!
Level 3 Drills - 16 push-ups, 16 runs, stand up, repeat. I think I fell to my knees in the second or third round of this circuit.
'FIVE SECONDS GET TO YOUR SPOT.’ Note to self: drink water faster.
'Somebody gotta share some water with me. I’m runnin’ out’. Lulz. Someone get Shaun T some WATAH!
On the third round you do Power Lunges/Hop Squats in which you switch between 2 lunges and 2 squats (for 8 sets).
Well this is ironic:
Water break.
Third Circuit
This circuit lasts about 6 and a half minutes and you do it one time. YES… wait a minute.
Side Push Ups - WHO CAME UP WITH THIS MOVE? With your legs out to one side, you do push-ups. Sideways. Yes. 15 times on each side. I am basically laying on the ground at the end.
'I don’t care if you did this workout 15 times, I want you to do this form with me so you protect yourself.’ Well that is inspiring.
Kickstand Touch the Floor - You start in a runner’s stance, jump up, bring your knee into your chest, go down and touch the ground, repeat for other leg (15 times on each side). Feelin’ a little dizzy here Shaun T.
8 Power Knees/4 Diamond Jumps - Knee into chest 8 times (Fit Test move) and then jump up in the air bringing your feet and hands together (making a diamond) 4 times. Then, repeat with other leg. Rinse. Repeat. This is the move on the cover of the disc. ULTIMATE INSANITY MOVE.
Balance Push Up - You start in push-up position, do a push-up and then extend the same arm and leg off the ground. Do another push-up and switch arm/leg. You do this 12 times.
I am going to be honest with you - I fell over on my side once.
Cool Down
This is about 4 and a half minutes of welcomed stretching. Tonia is tired. I feel ya girl.
You stretch your legs, do some hip flexor stretches, some 'flamingo’ (quad) stretches, and inhaling/exhaling. You also sweat all over the place. I did a little spitting of sweat that ran into my mouth…ewww…. typical.
'Stay strong. Peace out’.
Pshh. See you tomorrow SHAUN T!
Final Thoughts:
I burnt 710 calories in about 57 minutes. Satisfied? Uh, yeah.
Now I know why Shaun T was drinking so much. This is a plyometric workout which focuses on the big muscle groups and makes your heart skyrocket. I wish I had a waterfall that I could just stick my face in when I was thirsty.
My upper body is already very very sore from yesterday. I am going to feel this one tomorrow. Ripple effect.
I have already done this workout in a previous round of INSANITY, but I still love the element of 'what’s coming next’ in the last round/circuit.
Even though you are not using weights - this workout uses your own body for strength training.
