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8 Important Things You Should Know About Insanity Max:30 Today (A Review and Guide)

October 20, 2016

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I'm Mickie. Co-founder and CEO of One Strong Southern Girl. Our team is here for you. We want you to remember us because we helped changed your life. 

Hello!

So, you’ve either just purchased Insanity Max:30 or you’re thinking about it.  Good for you!

We’ve all seen the infomercials and wondered if there’s as much sizzle and Kapow in those Max:30 routines as it looks like there is.

Here’s a reminder of what the ad looks like:

I know I had a lot of questions about Max:30.  (Which is why I waited a long time to buy it).

How does Insanity Max:30 measure up to classic Insanity and Insanity Asylum?  Is it the same moves rearranged into a new puzzle with the Beachbody Masters hoping no one notices?

I was worried about that.  No one wants to feel like a sucker.

What I can tell you is that if you love the routines in classic Insanity and Asylum then you’re going to love Max:30.

The exercises from all 3 programs are from the same family but each maintains their own identities.  It’s like all the songs on your Miranda Lambert album.  Shaun T does all the vocals but the songs are all different.

The biggest differences between Insanity Max:30 and the other Insanity programs are the lengths of the routines (Insanity and Asylum are longer), and that you won’t need any equipment (like you do with Asylum).

You may have resisted it for a long time but eventually we all arrive.  Welcome to the party.  You’re not going to regret it.

Now I’ll tell you all the stuff you may not realize about Insanity Max:30 (and why you’re going to love it).

The truth About Insanity Max:30…

This post may contain Amazon (or other) affiliate links which won’t change your price but will share some commission. You can get more information about that here.

the cover of the Insanity Max:30 workout with Shaun T facing the camera

It’s Not Just Cardio

Like everyone else in the world I’ve seen the Insanity Max:30 infomercial about 100 times.

We’ve all seen the people drenched in sweat.  I always assumed the program was just a bunch of cardio routines.

But without any equipment you’ll get total body sculpting during the course of the series.

You’re not going to bulk up (sorry, guys) but you will tone and trim.  (Two of my favorite words—tone and trim).

The Workouts Aren’t Really 30 Minutes

With the 2 minute cool down/stretch the workouts are actually 32 minutes.

You’re not allowed to skip the stretch (this is my own personal rule but you should follow it, too) so just know you’ll need 32 minutes to do each workout (not 30).

I’m kind of neurotic about my time management so I like to know exactly how long each routine lasts.

There’s No Choreography

Listen to me.  Anyone can do the routines in Insanity Max:30.  (Unless you’re injured or have a medical condition that keeps you from doing intense, high-impact cardio exercise).

You may trip and fall while getting dressed every morning but you can do this.  You do not have to be a Dallas Cowboy cheerleader or a good dancer to figure out the moves.  No excuses.

There’s No Equipment Required (So They Say)

Shaun T says the equipment requirement is ‘nada’ but over the course of the 10 main workouts you’ll be doing a lot of exercises on the floor.

There are low planks (on your elbows), ab exercises sitting on the floor and other core exercises in the supine position (on your back).

If you’re doing Insanity Max:30 on a hard surface then you’ll want a mat for some of the routines.

So, I’d say a mat is recommended but still optional.

You Don’t Have to Buy From Beachbody

We all love Beachbody.

I’ve personally purchased an embarrassing number of their programs AND I have a membership to Beachbody on Demand.

But sometimes I don’t feel like going through their checkout process (no I don’t want to buy supplements, no I don’t want to sign up for blah blah or purchase blah blah. The truth is, sometimes I need to avoid Beachbody just so I don’t end up purchasing more than I intended.)

Plus, who doesn’t like to compare prices?

You can find Insanity Max:30 on Amazon (as well as with a membership to Beachbody on Demand).

PRO TIP-If you have no idea what Beachbody on Demand is then I recommend this article, Beachbody on Demand: 5 Good Reasons to Give it a Try.

It’s the Perfect Complement to P90X3

(Girls,) If you want to be a complete and total badass then buy P90X3 (these workouts are also about 30 minutes each) and pair it with Insanity Max:30

It’s a beautiful combination of programs and will change your body.

Do one of each on the same day or alternate each series during your week.

Shaun T Gets Down and Dirty

A huge pet peeve of mine is when an instructor in a video strolls around the set during most of the routine.

I understand the value of pointing out good examples of form and such but there’s a limit when it just gets me irritated.

Disclosure-My husband says my threshold for irritation is lower than most people.  Maybe.  But don’t tell me how hard something is or how it feels when you’re not even doing it?

There are programs out there where Shaun T does a fair amount of wandering around the set and not doing the exercises with the team (*throat clearing* Focus T25).

But Shaun T delivers in Insanity Max:30 by doing almost every exercise in every routine.  I love that.

I get fired up when I see the instructor (the Master of the Program, shall we call him) struggle through the same exercises I do. (But never quit.)

Also, we all want to see how many reps Shaun T can do, right?  I mean my goal is to keep up with him (or that girl Sarah, she’s a total machine), afterall.

Bonus Calorie Check (Here’s What I Burn)

*This is my personal calorie burn for each of the 10 main (32 minute) workouts in Insanity Max:30 (this list doesn’t include Ab Attack which is only 10 minutes long, and Pulse which lasts 20 minutes).

These numbers are for reference only.

Your numbers will be different but you can use the values to see which routines are more cardio intensive.

Cardio Challenge-340

Tabata Power-234

Sweat Intervals-335

Tabata Strength-270

Friday Fight Round One-295

Max Out Cardio-316

Max Out Power-253

Max Out Sweat-320

Max Out Strength-287

Friday Fight Round Two-316

I’m roughly 5’3” and 118-120 lbs and exercise 5-7 days a week.  If you’re about my size (and exercise regularly) then you may burn close to the same amount.  For reference, my husband is twice my size and he burns roughly twice as many calories as I do on every workout.   

Don’t be like me and put off buying this series.  Insanity Max:30 is fun, effective and affordable.  You won’t regret it.  C’mon you can do anything for 32 minutes, right?

You can read about every single Insanity Max:30 workout by clicking here

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  1. Debby Dedecko says:

    Hi,

    I don’t typically max out! Sometimes I think that I must be doing the workout wrong. I do push as hard as I can. I am a runner and do a lot HIIT training. So I am in pretty great shape. However, Max out power one week I can get to 13 minutes and the next week I get to around 12:40. I can’t get back up to 13 minutes or more. Any thoughts?

    Thanks in advance
    Debby

    • Hi Debby! I doubt you’re doing anything wrong. As you know, everyone is different when it comes to their workout results. Most of the baselines are based on ‘typical’ results but I doubt the group of people used to gather the data were advanced exercisers (and it sounds like you are, especially with the amount of cardio you do on a regular basis). As far as your question about Max Out Power One…how many times have you done the workout to compare results? Overall, your results are very close, but different outcomes from the same workout can be affected by a ton of different variables like your diet, time of the day, hormonal levels, what other workouts you’ve done that week, stress levels, as well as your tech equipment used to gather the data, etc. It sounds like you’re doing all the right things so I’d recommend you just keep up the good work and focus on how you feel after the workout and if you’re proud of what you accomplished. Thanks for taking the time to comment and leave a question! I hope that helps a little. Have a great day! Mickie

      • Debby Dedecko says:

        Thanks Mickie for your reply. I actually was talking about max out power2. I can’t get past 12:36. This is my 2nd time time around. However, I don’t max out after my max out time. I feel frustrated.

        • Hi Debby! I really don’t think you’re doing anything wrong but I understand why you’re frustrated. Keep tracking your results but focus on how incredible you feel and what you’ve accomplished after every single routine (rather than those numbers). Insanity Max:30 is one of my all time favorite workout programs because it’s no joke! It’s an incredible cardio challenge and you should give yourself a lot of credit for doing it. Which workout is your favorite so far? Mine are the Friday Fight routines (Round One is awesome!). Have a great evening! Mickie

  2. Chan kin says:

    So is it just 10 workouts total? and if I purchase the plan that says 6 months or a year am I just repeating the same 10 workouts over that time period? So confused

    • Hi Chan, without knowing where you’re trying to purchase the videos from (what platform) I’m not sure what you’ll be getting in the purchase. But I’m guessing that ‘6 months’ and ‘1-year’ are a Beachbody on Demand (BOD) membership that are included in the purchase. All of the Insanity Max:30 workouts are available on BOD as well as every other Beachbody workout. You should contact customer support at Beachbody to clarify everything before you make a purchase, though. Here’s a phone number for customer support that might help: 866-737-9407. Insanity Max:30 is an incredible program! Thanks for posting the question. I’m sure other people have wondered the same thing. You could also try this link: https://www.teambeachbody.com/shop/us/b/fitness to the Beachbody shop where you can see all the options for buying Insanity Max:30 along with an image and description of what’s included in each purchase.✔????

  3. Joy says:

    I am almost done with insanity max 30, any suggestion what will be my next step? Is it okay if I go for 21 day fix workout? Or do another round of insanity max 30? Thank you

    • Hi Joy,
      I think it depends on what you’re looking for in a workout as to what you try next. If you have a Beachbody on Demand membership then you have a TON of options. If you liked Insanity Max:30 then I’d recommend you try the original Insanity series and/or the Insanity Asylum series. If you’re looking for something altogether different then 21-day fix is a great option. Autumn Calabrese and Shaun T are night and day as far as workout style and personalities, so keep that in mind. And the workouts in 21-day fix aren’t as intense as Insanity Max:30. But if you’re just looking for another workout option to keep you motivated then 21-Day fix is fun and will do the job. I hope that helps. Thanks for reading! Best, Mickie

  4. Maddie says:

    Hi! 🙂 I was a bit hesitant about actually starting off with Max 30 but I ended up doing it! Yesterday I ended my second week of month 2 which is a HUGE success for me since I tend to get bored with working out at home. I do have one question though not sure if this has happened to others; in month 1 I was either losing weight (scale weight) or maintaining it but now that I’m two weeks into month 2 I have been gaining weight (scale weight). I didn’t measure before starting or after month 1 nor did I take pictures so I’m kinda worried about that. I have been eating the same since I started this adventure. I’d really appreciate feedback or at least a similar experience to have peace of mind lol.
    I’m a bit obsessed I’ll admit because I was once overweight so my fear is going back to that.
    Just for reference at the beginning of the month 1 I was weighing 128, at the end of that month I was weighing 125 now, like I mentioned 2nd week of month 2 I’m at 127-128
    HELP! 🙁

    • Hi Maddie,

      I’m so happy to hear that you’re having success with Max:30! I LOVE the program! It’s hard to say with certainty what the number on the scale means. But I bet you’ve replaced some fat with muscle (which is more dense and weighs more). As long as your clothes fit the same (or looser) then I’d say you’re doing all the right things! It’s hard not to get focused on the number on the scale but small changes can even be water weight so I always try to focus on how I feel and how my clothes fit (and only weigh myself once a month). Congrats on crushing Insanity Max:30! Keep it up! It’s an advanced program, so you’re an official warrior for doing it!

      Mickie

  5. Joanie says:

    Hi! Do you know how many calories are burned doing Max Out Abs?

    • Great question, Joanie!

      I’m on it! I’ll post the answer here later today:-)

      • Hi Joanie! Update to your question>> I burn about 123 calories doing Max Out Abs from Insanity Max:30 (this is a workout included in the the Deluxe videos). The workout is 15 minutes and combines cardio and static exercises that all target your core. You alternate between standing and getting on the floor for each exercise. I’d forgotten how fun this routine is. *As a side note, burning 123 calories in 15 minutes is a LOT for me. Just remember that the number of calories you burn doing this routine will almost certainly be different (I like to share it as a reference point) and could be more (or less) than me. I hope that helps! Thanks for the question!

  6. Magnum says:

    Hey,
    I started in the insanity Max 30 workout today. I lost breath around 2.5 minutes into it. And gave up a little after 10 minutes(like closed the laptop and fell on the floor). I’m not able to push myself to complete the workout. I wanna be able to push through the 30 minutes.
    Any pointers or advice for this? I really wanna get through the whole 60 days workout

    • Don’t give up! I don’t know your baseline physical fitness level but Insanity Max:30 is difficult for everyone. As long as your baseline health is good I’d recommend you push yourself a little further (1 more minute, 1 more push-up, etc.) every time you do one of the workouts. Over time, you’ll see progress. Don’t be hard on yourself, these workouts are not easy but you can do it and you’ll feel like a rockstar in 60 days!

    • Natie says:

      I know it’s an old post but thought I’d comment for anyone who stumbles across the article.
      Being a larger lady and not such a fitness fanatic; I experience the difficulty. Infact my first max out time the first time round was exactly 2mins 40. This time round. The most important thing is to not give up; keep the full length of the video rolling. Shaun T does mention somewhere in one of his workouts whether you’re doing one of each exercise, having 20 breaks the important thing is to not give up.
      I personally had to take what felt like 30 breaks the first time doing it. Even some of the people in the video take a few throughout.
      Also, use the modifier the great thing about max 30 incomparison to normal insanity is they have a modifier move for almost all the workouts. These tend to be abit less jumpy but you do still feel the stretching and pulling. The fact you get so tired means you’re meeting the main purpose of the workout.
      Take it easy get through it and it will get easier. I’ve done these and insanity more then once but always after stopping for months, and even towards the end still have to take more breaks then given. Do not be disheartened by the needs of your own body!
      The time of day you do a workout can also effect the energy you have doing it, I personally have more motivation to do it during the day, but having a very busy two year old makes it so difficult. Evening time I maybe even have more energy as my home is quiet but it’s finding the motivation to actually pick myself up.
      I also, found even with doing insanity this time round I gained weight but I think my body did look a little smoother.
      My downfall is after a few weeks or so finding the motivation to continue the program and keep it going after that.

      • I love this! Thank you for taking the time to share about what you’ve experienced with Insanity Max:30. These workouts are no joke! Your insight and advice will help other women thinking about trying this program. ‘Do not be disheartened by the needs of your own body!’ is spot on advice for all of us. Again, thank you for sharing this! I’m curious, which program do you like more, Classic Insanity or Insanity Max:30?

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