New Exercises to Try Out: Crossfit, P90X and Insanity

Exercise has two cult followings – the ones that love and do it, and the ones that vehemently stay away from it.

Those who do their exercise regimen religiously swear by the effects that come with it, such as lean, toned muscles and reduced risk of diseases. The other camp, however, react to this piece of information with skepticism and excuses.

If you do like to work out, CrossFit, P90x and Insanity might just catch your attention. You may have already heard about them, and you may know people who do them as part of their fitness routine.

What makes them different from others, and which one is the best choice for you?

#1: Crossfit Incorporated

In 2000, Greg Glassman and Lauren Glassman founded Crossfit Inc., a fitness company which has now spread all over America.

Crossfit is an exercise regimen that is a mix between gymnastics, Olympic weight lifting, and aerobic exercises. Workouts are constantly varied and are coupled with high intensity, as well as functional movements.

It aims to condition and strengthen the body, which eventually goes more intense session after session. If you are a busy bees, it is good to note that Crossfit doesn’t take much of your time.

Each workout routine does not last more than thirty minutes. However, it is highly intense and demanding, leading to physical exertion at the end of the session.

High intensity workouts also lead to speeding up your metabolism, and burns plenty of calories too.

Sample workout routines may include jumping and climbing rope, weightlifting, sprinting, and using gym equipment such as dumb-bells, pull-up bars, kettlebells and gymnastic rings.

The workouts are known as workouts of the day or “WOD,” which are designed to focus on metabolic conditioning, power, intervals and doing ‘as many repetitions as possible’ at a given span of time or AMRAP. The workouts burn around 50 to 55% more calories compared to regular weight-lifting or gym workouts.

While Crossfit is indeed intense, it is important to note that each routine is centered on the individual’s pacing, so you do not have to compete with anyone but yourself.

#2: P90X

The brain child of several health enthusiasts and experts, Power 90 Extreme (P90X) is an exercise program aimed at people who want to exercise in the confines of their home.

The program comes in video form, which you can watch anywhere. Despite the fact that it is to be done at home and not at the gym, this system is well-known for the intensity of the exercise regime, which is also paired with a dietary plan.

The exercise is to be done for ninety days, with a mash-up of cross-training such as weight lifting, yoga, calisthenics and martial arts.

The P90X program cycle is designed to last at least thirteen weeks, with you exercising for six days a week. There are three programs, which you can rotate depending on your goal.

These programs are aplty named “classic”, “lean” and “doubles.” The DVDs target different muscle groups, and most of these take less than an hour to perform. The nutritional plan also composes of three different phases.

The first month instructs the person to eat more protein and less carbs, while the second month encourages higher intake of carbohydrates. On the last month, the person’s carbohydrate intake is increased even more.

#3: Insanity Workout

Another brainchild of the Beachbody company and Shaun T., Insanity is a DVD workout program that can be easily done at home, aimed for those who don’t have time to hit the gym due to a busy schedule.

However, as it is aptly described by its name, it is also a workout that requires extreme patience and willpower to perform.

In fact, it is dubbed to be one of the most difficult cardiovascular-based workout regimes. Truth be told, I tried doing Insanity for four days and I can definitely say the same!

It targets all the muscles of the body and makes use of your own body weight for resistance. Each workout lasts for thirty minutes to an hour, and should be done six days a week for two months, or a total of sixty days including rest days.

It puts emphasis on “max interval training”, where you works out to your full strength for three to four minutes, take a break, and resume again.

What’s the best option?

All three exercises program focus are quite vigorous, focusing on strength and intensity. They build and tone muscles, but at the same time speed up metabolism by increasing your heart rate.

If you want to go outside and workout with many people, then Crossfit may be a great choice, but if you like the idea of working out at home, then P90X and Insanity video programs may be better choices.

It is good to note though that because they require stamina and intensity, they can be quite difficult and taxing for exercise newbies or those who follow a sedentary lifestyle, so do not rush into these programs immediately.

If you have been exercising for a while though and want to try something more challenging, then these programs can bring a breath of fresh air for you.

Have you tried any of these exercise programs? Tell us all about your experience!

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