Insanity Max 30 Review

When it comes to at home workouts, it’s tough to beat the Insanity series by Beachbody.  Virtually everyone has heard of Insanity but not all have had the courage to try them.  Insanity workouts are exactly as the title describes, insane! With that said, they give you an incredible workout and, often times, a much better one that you could get at any gym or with any trainer.  If you are not drenched in sweat ten minutes into a workout and then unable to get out of bed because of that good sore feeling the next day, you did not do it right.

The Insanity series began with Insanity the original in 2009.  Beachbody CEO Carl Daikeler asked Shaun T to create the hardest workout ever put on DVD and he delivered.   After quickly becoming one of the top selling at home workout programs to date, Shaun T went on to create the sequel to Insanity, Insanity Asylum!  Soon after came Insanity: Asylum Volume 2 and, coming up in December of 2014, Shaun T will release the latest and greatest of the Insanity Series, Insanity Max 30!

What is Insanity Max 30?

Insanity Max 30 is a workout and nutrition program that runs for 60 days.  It was designed to help you get the lean, shredded abs, amazing glutes and crazy lean arms you have been striving for in just 30 minutes per day during that 60 day period. Of course, if you complete the 60 days and still have not met your goals, you repeat the program and try to improve your performance each time.   Insanity Max: 30 features a variety of 30 minute workouts that work your body through strength and cardio moves to get you in the best shape of your life. The workouts include 150 plus new cardio and Tabata-style strength moves that require zero equipment.  All you need is sheer determination in order to complete the 30 minute session each day. Every workout is a brand-new challenge and, if you commit to maxing out your effort and dial in your nutrition with Shakeology, you can get the maximum results that Shaun T and Beachbody promise.

When it comes to “Maxing Out”, Shaun T is referring to pushing your body beyond what you think it is capable of, while also being mindful of your limits and abilities.  Some may max out two minutes into the workout and others may last ten or twenty. Not even the fittest of trainers in the Insanity Max: 30 test group were able to last the entire 30 minutes so this program promises to be a challenge. It is one that you can continue to repeat after your initial days are over and continue to build endurance, stamina and strength with each time.  And do not think that Insanity is not for you just because you are new to fitness and/or you require a low impact workout.  There are modifiers in each of the workouts that allow you to complete them with low impact moves.

One of the unique features of this version of Insanity is that it features the very popular 21 Day Fix portion control containers in its nutrition guide.  The 21 Day Fix has been a program that has helped countless men and women achieve their weight loss goals while learning how to eat the right foods in the right portions each day.  It is not a quick fix diet and is intended to make healthy eating a habit. The 21 Day Fix containers can be purchased separately or as part of an Insanity Max: 30 package and are essential in following the Insanity: Max 30 meal plan.

Shaun T decided to call it Insanity Max 30 because he expects you to max your body out during each and every workout.  Although you may not be able to complete every move, every repetition and every DVD, you should be making every effort to do so while making sure to avoid injuring yourself.  Shaun T designed it so that you do as much as you can each day and work on improving your endurance as you move through the 60 day program and start it again for round 2.

Will there be modifications in the Insanity Max 30 workouts?

Like most Beachbody programs, there will definitely be modifications for those that want to begin with Insanity Max 30 but may not be ready for it, either due to their fitness levels or physical limitations due to previous injuries.  The program will come with the option to watch both Shaun T and the modifier.  It will also come with the option to watch just Shaun T do the full move or just the modifier watch the modified version.  This is why the program is set to sell out and be even more popular than its predecessors.  It is aimed at everyone at any fitness level.

What is Included with the Insanity Max 30 program?

When you order Insanity Max 30, you will have a variety of packages to choose from that vary in price. Some packages include Shakeology while others include the 21 Day Fix containers and extra bonus workouts. The package you choose will depend on whether you already have Shakeology and the 21 Day Fix containers at home and what you plan to spend since they vary in price. The packages available with Insanity Max 30 and their prices are as follows:

Insanity Max: 30 DVD Base Package
The Insanity Max: 30 DVD Base package is the smallest package of the program. With this package, you will receive everything you need to begin the workout plan, including all workouts, guides and calendars. The cost for the Insanity Max: 30 Base DVD package is $119.85. It includes:

• 12 Workouts
• Nutrition Guide
• Max Out Guide
• Wall Calendar and Workout Tracker
• No Time to Cook Guide
• Free 30 Day Trial Membership to Team Beachbody Club

Other items you may need in addition to follow the program as intended may be purchased separately or with the packages described below. They include Shakeology and the 21 Day Fix portion control containers and nutrition guide.

Insanity Max: 30 Deluxe DVD Package
The Insanity Max: 30 Deluxe DVD Package comes with everything you need to complete this program except for the Shakeology. It even includes the 21 Day Fix containers and Fat Calipers to monitor your weight AND body fat burned throughout your Insanity Max: 30 journey. The package retails for $239.70 and includes the following:

• 15 Workouts
• Nutrition Guide
• Max Out Guide
• Wall Calendar and Workout Tracker
• No Time to Cook Guide
• Ab Maximizer Workout Calendar
• 7 Day Ab Maximizer
• Core Comfort Mat
• 21 Day Fix Portion Control Containers
• Shakeology Shaker Cup
• Body Fat Calipers
• Free 30 Day Trial Membership to Team Beachbody Club
• 24/7 Online Support

This package is perfect for an individual that is already drinking Shakeology but wants the comprehensive all-inclusive version of Insanity Max: 30. If you do not already have the 21 Day Fix containers, this would be a good package selection since it includes them and they are necessary to follow the meal plan.

How is Insanity Max 30 different from T25 and other 30 minute workout programs by Beachbody?

Insanity Max 30 is definitely much more challenging than the T25 series. It features over 150 new cardio and strength moves that will help lean you out and tone your muscles in just 30 minutes per day.  The program is broken up into two phases, just as the original Insanity is.  Each phase is 30 days and, after the initial 30 days, the workouts increase in difficulty but not in length.

What are the Workouts Like?

The Insanity Max 30 workouts are broken down into sections that begin with a warm up and end with a brief cool down. They consist of interval training, Tabata-Style workouts and are similar to HIIT style (high impact interval training) programs. You will go very hard, up to your max, for 20 seconds and then take 10 seconds to recover on most, with a few having no recovery time until the end.

Most of the workouts are 30 to 40 minutes in length, depending on the length of the warm up and cool down. They are supposed to be done six days a week with one day off as a rest day. They feature intense plyometric cardio moves including running in place, jumping jacks, push-ups, squat jumps and various floor drills.

Workouts

Cardio Challenge
This is a 30 minute workout consisting of the hardest cardio sequences you have ever tried. It is quite a welcome to your journey with Insanity Max: 30 since it is the first workout you will complete with the series.

Tabata Power
The Tabata workout will definitely leave your muscles begging for mercy. This will be the beginning of your strength training starts with Insanity Max: 30 using the Tabata-style discipline of fitness. That means you will be doing power moves in increments of 20 seconds on, 10 seconds off. .

Sweat Intervals
This is an intense cardio workout that will have you screaming, sweating and torching calories for the duration of the 30 minutes.

Tabata Strength
In this workout, Shaun T takes it up a notch with a NO REST, Tabata-style strength workout. And that means it will be a full 30 minutes with no 10 or 20 second rest that is typical of Tabata style workouts. The moves will follow the discipline but the recovery will not.

Friday Fight
This workout is considered round one for the Max Out portion of Insanity Max: 30. It is a battle between your body and your mind as you fight to make the time in this workout. And remember, even seasoned Olympic athletes could not complete the entire 30 minute workout by maxing out so do not get discouraged if you cannot either. It will be a process and a level that you will build up to.

This workout has been officially deemed the new “hardest workout ever.” Every single move in the Friday Fight is a minute long. It is sure to be a challenge between your body and your mind.

MAX OUT Cardio
This is sure to be the craziest cardio workout you have ever tried. The first power move in it alone will have you screaming.

MAX OUT Power
The intervals are longer in this “45 seconds on, 15 seconds off” Tabata-style plyometric power madness. With that said, you have more recovery time but it is still a challenging workout that will have you fighting to stay in it for the full 45 seconds that you are “on”.

MAX OUT Sweat
The more minutes you make it through in this workout, the more you will sweat and the more calories you will burn. This is another plyometrics cardio workout that works the body from head to toe.

MAX OUT Strength
This is a strength workout that will have you using your own body weight for resistance. Your arms, shoulders, chest, and core will be toast after this mostly upper-body-focused workout is complete. The workout is also a Tabata style routine featuring “45 seconds on, 15 seconds off”.

What will Insanity Max 30 come with?

Nutrition to the MAX Guide
With the Insanity Max: 30 nutrition guide joining forces with the 21 Day Fix, it really could not get any easier. This plan does not consist of a complicated diet with tons of restrictions and a strict meal plan. It incorporates the foods you love to eat in the right portions while even allowing a few treats a week! That is right! You can enjoy a glass of wine, piece of chocolate and other treats while following this plan that will help make healthy eating a habit for you in the time it takes to complete the program. The plan will show you how to eat what you love and still get incredible results.

Max Out Guide
This book is the program guide that will give you a short and sweet explanation about Insanity Max: 30 and how you can achieve maximum results with it.

Max Out Wall Calendar and Max Out Tracker
The calendar and workout tracker lays out the entire program for you so you know what to do each of the 60 days. It is also a good tool to use for tracking your max out times for each workout and how you progress each time you do the workouts again.

Additional Items

Shakeology
When it comes to Shakeology, it is safe to say that no other nutritional shake on the market can match it. In order to recreate what goes into one serving of Shakeology, you would have to spend more than $700 on supplements and fresh ingredients Shakeology is comprised of over 70 natural foods and 23 nutrients and costs only $4 per serving if purchased separately. Shakeology is intended to give you energy for your workouts, reduces junk-food cravings, and help you reach your fitness goals faster. It is a nutrient-dense combination of antioxidants, phytonutrients, adaptogens, and many other rare ingredients that give your body countless nutrients that you would not get from a normal diet. There are even 100% vegan options to suit special diets. Shakeology is featured in the Insanity Max: 30 nutritional plan and is a key component in every Beachbody workout program.

7 portion-Control Containers
These containers are the ones featured in Autumn Calabrese’s 21 Day Fix Eating plan. They take the guesswork out of eating by helping you portion out your food accordingly. They help you eat exactly the right amount for your personal fitness goals, without counting calories, measuring portions or depriving yourself of anything. Carbs, protein, fruits and plenty of vegetables are included in the plan, as well as Shakeology daily.

Shakeology shaker cup
Since Shakeology is a recommended component of Insanity Max: 30, it is included in the Challenge Pack and a shaker cup is included in the Deluxe DVD package for it. The 25-ounce shaker cup helps blend your Shakeology when you are on the go and do not want to prepare it in a blender. You can also use it to take your Shakeology with you to work or out on errands. This will help you avoid skipping meals and slowing down your metabolism.

Body fat calipers
The body fat calipers are intended to be used throughout the 60 day program in order to track your progress by measuring your body fat. The Max Out Guide and Calendar will tell you when you should be using them and where to document it. Fat calipers and measurements are a much better way to track your progress than by relying on the scale alone. Remember that you may be losing inches but this may not reflect on the scale since muscle weighs more than fat.

No Time to Cook Guide
No excuses are allowed with this program. The No Time To Cook Guide helps you helps you stay on track when eating out at restaurants or using pre-packaged food and frozen dishes. It will help you understand the good choices versus the not so good when you are not the one preparing the food.

Pulse
This is Shaun T’s version of a recovery workout. It is by no means like your typical workout since it is Shaun T after all but, it is low-impact. It includes a combo of stretching and small “pulsing” movements that will be easier compared to the rest but definitely still make you feel the burn.

Ab Attack 10
This 10-minute ab routine will feel like an attack on your abs. You will most definitely be sore after completing it but you will love the rock-hard results.

24/7 Online Support
Beachbody representatives are available all day, every day to help you get to know Beachbody, Insanity Max: 30 and answer any questions you may have on the program. In addition to support, you will also gain access to tons of information via the Beachbody website accessible to you when you sign up for a Free Fitness and Nutrition coach.

What can I expect from the nutritional plan?

The Insanity Max 30 nutritional plan is going to feature the 21 Day Fix containers.  It will not require you to have them but, if you do, you can use them as an easy tool to track your food intake, portion sizes and make sure that you are eating the right combinations of the right types of food each day.  The 21 Day Fix program has been one of the most popular programs that Beachbody has released to date and, combining it with yet another awesome version of Insanity is sure to make this program sell out immediately.

How much will Insanity Max 30 cost?

The definite cost is not set yet, however it is slated to retail for approximately $120 and be offered with a Challenge pack at about $160-180.  The challenge pack comes with a 30 day supply of Shakeology as well and gives you the opportunity to try Beachbody’s super food at a discounted rate.

30-Day Money-Back Guarantee
If you have purchased a Beachbody product in the past, you should be well aware of their incredible guarantee. They guarantee every product or you will receive your money back. Their Shakeology even comes with a “Bottom of the Bag Guarantee.” That means you can return it even if you have finished it and reached the bottom of the bag, as long as it is within the 30 day limit. If you’re not completely satisfied, simply call Customer Service to return it within 30 days for a refund of the purchase price (less any shipping and handling paid).

Bottom Line

In my opinion, Insanity Max: 30 is the most effective whole-body conditioning program on the market today. It is an advanced program that is recommended for people that are already in decent shape but can be done by beginners as long as they use the modifiers. It is a program intended to burn fat, increase your stamina, endurance, strength and overall athletic ability. It will tone your core, define your legs and do it all without lifting a single weight.