Beachbody Insanity Vs. P90X: Which One Is Better?
P90X vs. Insanity
We have seen the Beachbody Insanity and P90X workout infomercials on late-night TV, but how many of us know which program is a better fit for our personal fitness needs? We are going to compare Beachbody Insanity vs. P90X to see which program is right for you.
Insanity is considered by many to be an alternative or follow-up to the popular P90X workout program by Beachbody. There is a significant difference between P90X and Insanity. Insanity is a cardio-intense workout plan that utilizes interval training to get you the "best workout of your life," whereas P90X is a program that incorporates cardio but focuses more on strength training using dumbbells, pull-ups, and your own body weight to provide the resistance needed to build muscle and burn calories.
Differences in Length
The Insanity workouts are shorter than the P90X workouts. Insanity workouts typically last only 45 minutes. Insanity workouts start with a warm-up that is a cardio session for the first 10 minutes or so. That is followed by a stretch/yoga session for about 10 minutes. Then the main workout follows. The Insanity main workout lasts about 20 minutes. Twenty minutes may not sound like much, but trainer Shaun T will have you sweating before it is finished. Insanity workouts are six days a week with one day off to recover, just like P90X.
What Is P90X?
A quick description of the P90X workout consists of the following:
- 6 days a week of workouts
- 3 of those days are strength training
- 2 days are cardio training
- 1 day of yoga
There is plenty of variation throughout the 90 days of workouts to keep it interesting and effective. Each workout is about 1 hour, but the strength workouts are followed by a tough 15-minute abdominal workout called Ab Ripper X. Yoga day is the longest workout and it lasts about an hour and a half. Insanity is a much shorter workout than P90X. It could be a better option for someone that wants a high-intensity workout but doesn't have a lot of free time.
Another disclosure is that I do not use any of the recommended supplements while I'm working out. The use of supplements and meal replacement shakes could give you significantly better results than I was able to achieve without supplementing my routine. I was able to drop anywhere from 5 to 10 pounds a month during the P90X program while building up both my muscle mass and overall body strength. If you have a huge lack of energy maybe supplements will help. If you are looking for a lot of muscle gain, then supplements will help. If you are looking to get fit, lose some weight, and gain some muscle definition then you do not need anything other than a healthy diet. It is recommended that you consult a physician before starting any workout program.
My Critique of Insanity
I tried the Insanity workout program for ten weeks then I stopped. I decided to move back to P90X. I stopped using Insanity because the Insanity workouts were very hard on my knees. In P90X, trainer Tony Horton says that it is about getting results, not about getting hurt. I took his advice when my knees started getting sore from all of the jumping involved in the Insanity workouts. I can handle the little bit of jumping that P90X requires during the Plyometrics workout, but the daily jumping in Insanity was too much for my knees.
Others Say This Too
I looked around on the internet, and I am not alone in this opinion. A lot of people have complained about knee pain while doing the Insanity workout. I did break my kneecap when I was a kid, so that might have something to do with it. But, In my opinion, the knee pain is not caused by my past injury. It is caused by the serious jarring exercises that Insanity incorporates into its workouts. Toward the end of my three weeks, Jumping Jacks were getting painful on my knees. Since I moved onto P90X, I’ve done Jumping Jacks with no pain at all. It isn’t the jumping jacks that cause the pain. It is the constant jumping throughout the Insanity workouts that created a condition where any small amount of jumping was causing me knee discomfort.
Insanity Didn't Give Me Results
Another reason that I quit doing Insanity was the lack of results. My weight fluctuates from day to day, so it is hard for me to nail down my exact results after three weeks. It could be a pound or two lost, or it could be no loss at all. As with any workout plan, I know that results are not immediate. I use the philosophy that working out is good for me, and if I do what I have to do, the results will come with time. I know that sitting on my butt isn’t going to change anything, so working out is only going to improve my current conditioning.
With that in mind, I needed to see something to encourage me to work through the knee pain and continue with Insanity instead of P90X. I didn’t see any results from Insanity. I looked on the internet and a lot of people go through 3 or 4 weeks on Insanity with no weight loss. The common claim by the trainers is that people are not eating enough to keep their bodies from going into starvation mode. I used the same eating habits through Insanity that worked for me in P90X, and the results were not the same. The Insanity workouts are intense, but my results were insignificant. That is why I think that P90X is better than Insanity.
Insanity Will Improve Athletic Performance
Just because Insanity was not better than P90X for me does not mean that Insanity isn't right for you. I am not a Beachbody coach. I am just a guy looking to pass along some honest information on this product. If you are a basketball player, tennis player, football player, soccer player, etc. with good young knees, then Insanity could improve your performance more than P90X. Insanity incorporates a lot of moves that work on your lateral movement, jumping ability, cardiovascular endurance, quick twitch muscle development, and sprinting. It even mixes in a small amount of strength training. If your main goal is to get quicker and jump higher, then Insanity is going to do a better job for you than P90X.
Who Should Use P90X?
If you are someone that is looking to lose a few pounds and doesn’t really care about your 40-yard dash time or your vertical leap, then I wouldn't recommend Insanity to you. P90X is better than Insanity when it comes to maintaining or losing weight while building muscle. P90X is not only easier on your joints, but it also incorporates more of a full-body workout than Insanity. Even though I didn’t complete the Insanity workout, I think that I gave it enough of a trial to give an honest critique. The strength training days of P90X give me more to look forward to throughout my workout and add a sense of accomplishment to the P90X workout. It is nice to see muscle development and an increase in strength as you work through the P90X program. P90X gives you that with its strength days, while Insanity left me wanting more. Insanity is more monotonous than P90X because the cardio never stops, and a lot of the workouts are very similar. Insanity seemed like Run, Jump, Stretch, and the workout is done to me.
I may try to incorporate a few Insanity workouts into my P90X workouts, as many people like to do. They call it a hybrid workout where you do the P90X strength training days with Insanity replacing P90X on cardio days. Three days a week of jumping might be more tolerable on my knees than the 5-6 days of jumping required while doing the Insanity program. It may not be necessary though, because P90X has its own cardio workouts that seem to get the job done.
Comparing P90X vs. Insanity
This content is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge and is not meant to substitute for formal and individualized advice from a qualified professional.
Comments
Kim on July 19, 2018:
You didn't give insanity a good chance by only doing it for 21 days. It's a 60 day program, and the majority of people who complete it drop substantial amounts of weight in the second month. I would highly recommend only doing insanity if you are relatively fit to begin with. You especially want fairly substantial core strength and joint stability. The use of proper shoes and a mat can help a lot as well. I agree that P90X is a better, more well-rounded program for someone looking to improve their overall fitness. Insanity is a good option for someone looking to cut weight or dramatically improve their cardiovascular endurance. I have heard good things about the hybrid program, but I've heard even better things about P90X2, especially for someone starting at a lower or average level of fitness. Hopefully your opinion doesnt discourage someone who may benefit from using insanity. I didn't like that the insanity program seemed to lack a proper cool-down, but aside from that found it to be a really great cardio workout.
Dave Smith (author) from Michigan on June 26, 2014:
I would go for something a little less strenuous.
Silvia on June 16, 2014:
Can a 50 year old woman in fair good shape take on something is strenuous. I'm not sure if I can handle this just want to lose 10 pounds.
anonymous on March 03, 2014:
In my personal experience Insanity is definitely better for cardio training. Ive played soccer for 13 years (town leagues and high school) and Insanity just fits me better. Don't get me wrong, I've done P90x and its a good workout and good for building strength, but its just not for those who want their mile time to go down or their leg muscles to be strengthened or toned.
Both workouts are good and just depend on what your personal goals are.
Dave Smith (author) from Michigan on January 19, 2014:
Maybe I will check it out. It sounds like a nice change up.
Andrew on January 17, 2014:
Hey dude, not sure if you've gotten p90x3 yet or tried it, but it is amazing. The most obvious part that makes it great is every workout is 30 minutes (excluding cool down) so it is a real time saver. One of the big advantages for insanity compared to p90x was the time difference, and now that issue is solved in x3. And also there is no ab ripper so I don't have to worry about doing an additional workout three days a week - which was a huge hassle on days when I worked a 12 hour shift.
One thing I noticed in p90x was that (other than recovery weeks) it was same exact routine for the entire program. Ie, plyo every Tuesday, yoga every Thursday, kenpo every Saturday, etc etc. And even the recovery weeks were also the same routines, just different order (except core). By day 75-80 I got quite bored and skipped quite a few days. Well, that was also right at Christmas time so I'm sure that had something to do with it too. I decided to finish off my last recovery week and then start insanity just for some change, and for the added cardio.
A major difference in x3 is that the 3 phases are all completely different. There are 16 videos compared to 12 (10 really, since ab ripper doesn't really count and cardio x is rarely used) so there is a lot more variety.
I'm hoping to finish insanity but if I have the same problem as you I won't mind quitting early and starting x3. Although I'm 2 weeks in and I'm already getting a little bored of insanity, the workouts are all so similar. But I will try to stick it out until at least phase 2 when the workouts all change.
Dave Smith (author) from Michigan on January 01, 2014:
Thanks for the input Fred
Fred on December 16, 2013:
I have completed Insanity and P90X and even moded them into a 2-day workout - usually making sure the workouts don't cause me the burnout. i.e I do a really intense Insanity workout with a milder P90X workout and vice versa.
I think your preference is just preference. I was traveling a lot recently and when I want to LOSE REAL WEIGHT, I go with Insanity. The problem is most don't push the threshold of pain so they don't push as hard as they can and don't get the results. P90X seems easy now after Insanity and I don't feel like I'm getting a serious workout. However the p90x results are just as good. I got seriously good at pullups and loved that. P90X makes me feel more bulky and Insanity makes me feel leaner though. Though p90X does push for lean muscle mass, I think it also pushes the muscles out more by building them to give the illusion of major weight loss. Finally I lost 25 lbs in 60 days with Insanity and maybe 15 lbs (I think more like 10) at the most with P90X. I'm a fan of both workouts though.
zenmoon333 on November 12, 2013:
hello, im looking to switch up my fitness routine and also figure out which is better for me for taking off an extra 20 pounds. Ive done insanity for a year or more with a few months break in between where I got out of shape and put on like thirty pounds... I love insanity and it put me in the best shape of my life, now ive been doing it for two months every single day and most days I do two discs, a max workout and then add core cardio and balance cuz im obsessed with losing the weight fast and ive mastered insanity to a point that I do 2 or 3 hours lol.... so I feel like I've hit a plateau and just don't know if I should keep doing insanity and push myself more, or try p90x to further my fitness, id def end up doing the doubles, I have lots of time to workout till next fall , im extremely dedicated and luv being pushed to the next level. need to lose more weight and then keep a general routine to keep it off..... plz help !! .
red234 on October 22, 2013:
Thanks again for the article. No need to respond. I've found my answer so I'll stop checking here. I'll stick with my current workout routine of yoga and cardio.
red234 on October 18, 2013:
Thank for a very well written and informative review of both workout programs. I haven't tried either of these but I'm desperately searching for a program that will give me the highly coveted Brazilian bubble booty. Would either of these programs help me to achieve my desired goal? I've tried several other workouts with little to no positive result on my targeted area.
Also, how does the P90x compare to the latest Cross Fit fitness craze? Have you tried it? I've read pros and cons about the program. I wonder if it would help my targeted area. Thank you for your assistance.
BTW... HBD
Dave Smith (author) from Michigan on September 06, 2013:
thanks for your opinion
anonymous on September 02, 2013:
I think this is very misguided, to take 3 out or 7 weeks, and say there was no results ? Even in weight training you don't start to see difference until after 3 weeks, and if you not eating a proper diet, increasing your metabolism then your eating is just going against the program,
insanity has given me great results, increased my cardio exponentially, and I would say I had more knee problems before doing this, with them not bothering me at all now, if you are landing hard and not softly it is not going to help your knees, and he is always telling you to land soft
Nothing against p90x Ive weight trained for a couple years, felt I need a cardio boost and insanity has been great, I will likely try p90x next or maybe insanity asylum then p90x, or the mixed schedule of p90 and insanity asylum that insanity gives you
Dave Smith (author) from Michigan on August 11, 2013:
I don't know if you are too young or not. You should talk to a professional about that. Insanity would be a good program for what you are looking for.
anonymous on August 10, 2013:
hi, I'm 14 years old, and I am looking to gain fitness, and gain weight, as I am underweight. I am also looking to gain strength (upper body), but I want to improve my running times and general athletics scores. Are any of these programs good for me? Or am I still too young. cos I find it difficult to motivatr myself without a CD/a program.
Dave Smith (author) from Michigan on August 08, 2013:
I could tell after a very short period of time that P90X was working better for me. I expected insanity to be a better workout program for weight loss, but that was not the case. If you do 1 month of P90X you should lose about 10lbs. If you do 1 month of Insanity, you will be lucky to lose 5lbs.
DerekH on August 06, 2013:
I noticed something while reading all these VRS's pages. There is a clear difference that I feel isn't giving Insanity credit... Insanity is 60 (67) days long. P90X is 90 Days. I am not saying that P90X isn't a good program at all or that Insanity is better. What I would like to point out and I wish it was put into context for people. With Insanity being almost a full 30 days shorter I feel the weightloss would be the same... Stop doing P90X at the 60 day point and then look at what was lost. I would say it is about the same wouldn't you? Either way good article and I am happy that there was some new information I just thought I'd add my 2 cents.
john on July 14, 2013:
Supreme 90 Day anyone?
Dave Smith (author) from Michigan on July 11, 2013:
I would do P90X. You will build more muscle to get fit.
Bryan on July 11, 2013:
I want to do insanity in order to be more fit but I don't want to lose weight, should I still get it?
Sid Kemp from Boca Raton, Florida (near Miami and Palm Beach) on June 05, 2013:
Thanks. I love it when I see a review hub like this one, where the author has really tested out both products, and can recommend each for different purposes from personal experience. Myself, coming out of illness, I need a lighter workout than either of these right now. But I do feel inspired to get into motion. Great job!
Dave Smith (author) from Michigan on May 27, 2013:
It could take more than one round ysin. I don't know what your ideal weight should be.
ysin on May 26, 2013:
Question will insanity give me aripped look whhen im done im 21up and 140
Dave Smith (author) from Michigan on May 08, 2013:
Keep up the good work Greeneyes.
GREENEYES on May 03, 2013:
Ok everyone, I 've gotten the insanity program, and the fit test is no joke I was out of breath but I completed it. I am now on my second week of the insanity program. These workouts are the real deal; they are extreme, I have never sweated this much in my whole life and I have lost 5lbs! I am so proud of myself.
Jmillis2006 from North Carolina on April 22, 2013:
I was thinking of trying one of these and found this helpful .
Dave Smith (author) from Michigan on April 18, 2013:
Congratulations on the weight loss Kelly. Come back and visit to keep us to keep us updated with your results.
Dave Smith (author) from Michigan on April 18, 2013:
Good luck Greeneyes. I hope that you meet your goals
Kelly on April 17, 2013:
Great information. Thank you. I lost 91 pounds in 15 months and looking for something to get toned and lean. I'm going to start P90X this Sunday (I have a 5K Saturday). :)
greeneyes on April 17, 2013:
I have P90x however, I just purchased Insanity. I cannot wait to get it ! I hear that the program will help me loose alot of weight. I will write back in about a week after I have gotten the system and let you all know how it is working for me.
Dave Smith (author) from Michigan on April 05, 2013:
P90X has a ton of pull ups. You can try using resistance bands as an alternative to actual pull ups.
lookin2222 on April 04, 2013:
I have golfers elbow, and was wondering how many pull ups p90 had in it. I used to to sets of 30 but now my right arm hurts, but is finally healing after about a year. Can I do p90 without being able to do a pull up?
Dave Smith (author) from Michigan on February 24, 2013:
Thanks for the comment ocbill. There is always a new gimmick looking to take over. Hip hop dance, MMA, who knows what is next.
ocbill from hopefully somewhere peaceful and nice on February 18, 2013:
Hey Great Hub!.. I got into P90x 4 yrs ago and swear by it. It's the best shape I have been in I have worked out for 20 years at the gym.
I tried Insanity and thought to myself. Is this something I can do for years. No. Who wants to do cardio everyday and not really build some strength?
With P90x you are still losing body fat. Just do cardio-x or the kempo workout. There's another one trying to copy Insanity called TapOut which wants to win you over with the popularity of MMA.
Very strange exercises in that one.
The P90x is classic & advanced stuff. P90x version 2 is up-to-date but hard and some of it very extreme. I like the original P90x and its P90x+ videos - Ab ripper is great stuff. Single leg wall squat is a killer
Dave Smith (author) from Michigan on February 17, 2013:
Thanks for the comment Neinahpets. Good luck with your programs
Stephanie on February 17, 2013:
I have considered P90X and Insanity after I finish up with TurboFire and haven't fully made my decision. That said, this article is very helpful in guiding me on making an educated decision. Thank you for sharing this with everyone, voted up and useful!
Dave Smith (author) from Michigan on February 07, 2013:
Thanks for the comment LoisRyan. Good luck! It is a good time of year to start.
Lois Ryan from Upstate NY originally from Long Island on February 05, 2013:
Great article and I have been considering the P90X
Dave Smith (author) from Michigan on January 31, 2013:
It isn't easy to build muscle, so do not worry about getting too muscular. Additionally, the only way to burn fat is through muscle. So, building some muscle will increase the speed that you burn fat. I would do P90x if I were you. There are supporters for both programs.
ivy on January 30, 2013:
I'm only forward to losing weight ,especially my lower body,but I am worried that I woulhd end up looking too muscular. I am only 17 this year, is p90x better or instainity?
Dave Smith (author) from Michigan on January 28, 2013:
Congratulations on completing the first round Uri! How were your results?
Uri on January 28, 2013:
I thank Google so much right now for helping me find your post. You answered the exact dilemma i had! I feared that buying dumbbells and equipment isn't worth it and i can do Insanity instead of P90x (i encountered P90x a while before Insanity). But today, after completing round 1 of P90x, I realized that Insanity is for the two months track, while P90x is for life.
thanks :)
Dave Smith (author) from Michigan on January 25, 2013:
It is challenging.
bpkitty on January 25, 2013:
I am starting it in summer. is it hard?
Dave Smith (author) from Michigan on January 25, 2013:
Good luck skater. I hope that it works out for you. Feel free to comment about your progress.
Dave Smith (author) from Michigan on January 25, 2013:
Thanks for the comment Sana!
ash-skater on January 25, 2013:
Hey i'm messaging from ireland where i found the insanity workout programme in a charity store for €6!!! bargain! can't wait to start as I am a member or the local roller derby team so i think the agility and footwork will be a great help. wish me luck and i'll try pop back and let ye know if it worked for me :)
Sana R from Reading, England on January 23, 2013:
Great hub with full of details. I like P90X
TheFlyingCouponer from Ontario, Canada on January 21, 2013:
Yeah, I know :-(
I am still recovering. Just going to the gym now, taking it easy.
Thanks!
Dave Smith (author) from Michigan on January 21, 2013:
Ouch! I hope that it heels without any issues Couponer. I would give it a try to take it easy on the hip.
TheFlyingCouponer from Ontario, Canada on January 21, 2013:
Thank you so much for your article. I actually broke the cartilage of my hip while doing Insanity. I won't be able to do Insanity anymore :-(. Maybe I should give P90X a try!
Dave Smith (author) from Michigan on January 20, 2013:
Thanks for your comment Brendan.
Brendan on January 20, 2013:
Thank you for this informative article. I have done multiple cycles of both of these programs, and have to say that one is not "better" than the other. Insanity is much better at burning fat (if you stick with it), and p90x is better for general fitness. You really need to determine your goals before choosing one. I liked the rating chart you used, the only thing I disagree with you on is abs. In every Insanity workout, Shaun T stresses the importance of using your core. Strong core=strong abs. Also just the fact that Insanity is focused on cardio should make it a better candidate for anyone who wants abs. I agree with your other ratings though :)
Dave Smith (author) from Michigan on December 29, 2012:
Thanks for the comment Cassidy247
Chris Cassidy on December 29, 2012:
Great hub! Found this a good read as im sure others will too.
Dave Smith (author) from Michigan on December 25, 2012:
Thanks for taking the time to offer another perspective Chuck.
Chuck-E-Cheez from Filderstadt on December 22, 2012:
Very interesting post, thanks for that! I also have both P90X (which I started first) and Insanity, and I personally prefer Insanity for a few key reasons:
1. No weights needed. If you perform exercises with the proper form, you can also quite easily gain muscle mass with Insanity, though not as much as with P90x.
2. Insanity can be done anywhere. Because of the nature of my job, I have to travel a lot, and it became annoying packing all of the necessary gear for P90x into my suitcase, since I like to travel light. Insanity can be done anywhere you have a little space.
3. Training time. The longest Insanity workout is less than an hour, including warmup time.
The things to remember when starting Insanity are:
1. Watch the intro DVD! There you learn how to jump and land properly, without putting too much strain on your joints. This helped me out immensely, since I have flat feet and 42-year-old knees.
2. Don't feel compelled to do every exercise all the way through. When I started, I could barely get through the warmups. I ended up doing every exercise, but on some I would stop about halfway through to catch my breath (I was quite heavy when I started, so I got winded quickly. Having asthma didn't help much, either.) in other words; pace yourself.
3. Don't think about losing weight; think about losing inches. I'm just starting week 5 of Insanity, and I've already seen pretty dramatic results. I've "only" lost about 14 pounds so far (more than I lost in the same time period doing P90x), but I've lost 2 pants sizes, my endurance is higher than its ever been and I'm stronger. I've actually gained muscle mass while losing fat.
There are many who have both programs who do P90x first then Insanity. I would recommend doing it the other way around.
BTW I'm not a Beachbody coach. I just wanted to offer another perspective.
Dave Smith (author) from Michigan on December 12, 2012:
Thanks for the comment Fitness over 35. Welcome to hubpages
Dr Sean P Mahoney from Vermont, USA on December 12, 2012:
Nice Hub. I've done both extensively and have steered away from Insanity lately due to the stress is puts on my neck with some of the ploy pushups and skier mountain climbers. P90X and P90X Plus are great workouts although many of my patients have bought and tried it but found it too difficult.
Dave Smith (author) from Michigan on December 11, 2012:
Hi Becca, Insanity will probably be a better workout for you to start with because it doesn't have any pull ups. Maybe do a round of insanity to lose some weight and gain some strength then do P90X for even more strength. It isn't going to be easy so take it one day at a time and push through it. Good luck!
Beccaboo51 on December 11, 2012:
Hi, my name is Becca and I am 16 years old. I am 5'3 and around 165 lbs. My doctor cleared me to do any type of fitness activity I wanted, so that is not an issue. I really would like to slim down, but also gain some muscle. I plan on going into the military after high school, so I want to be in the best possible shape before boot camp. Which program, P90X, Insanity, or even another program besides these two, do you think would be best for me?
Dave Smith (author) from Michigan on December 05, 2012:
That sounds like a nice game plan. Your body will be able to recover from the differing exercises during the off time.
Jackie Jones on December 05, 2012:
I've just started Insanity, but used to do P90X before. My plan is to alternate weeks with the two routines, as I see the value in both for me.
Insanity - because cardio isn't my strong point and this seems like a great way to bite the bullet and P90X - because it works well as an overall workout, so wouldn't discount it.
I also like to supplement with at least one Pilates workout a week.
popsock on November 14, 2012:
Truthfully, Insanity does not seem to prepare you, endurance wise. For me it seemed that I just maintained my core fitness, but I felt like it increased my cardio. Furthermore, for Insanity workouts if you're getting knee pains it's most likely because you're not landing properly on the jumps. It's all about control, you've got to land softly on the balls of your feet, staying balanced and using your core.
If you plan on doing crosscountry I wouldn't recommend any of these because you don't need muscle mass for it . I would recommend just going on long runs.
Dave Smith (author) from Michigan on November 13, 2012:
Yes, I wouldn't over work your knee if you have had an injury. It is nice to workout without extra costs, but the results will be worth whatever investment you choose to make. Good luck to you with your workouts.
Waldemar.from.germany on November 13, 2012:
Thx for Great Article,
My doctor had an Operation Performed on my left knee 4 jears ago. I can still Play soccer, Basketball and do Running and bycicle.
But sometimes when i Push too Hard forward I can like feel the knee.
After Reading all These comments its propably better for me to do P90x.
I like that it is better for Losing weight but i also like insanity for doing without any equipment. But the knee Thing is propably more important, right?
Dave Smith (author) from Michigan on November 05, 2012:
Eytan, P90X needs some extra gear and insanity does not. You can get by with what you need for P90x for less than $100 easily.
Dave Smith (author) from Michigan on November 05, 2012:
I would go with the classic program Dancrgrl12. The lean program didn't work as well for me.
Eytan on November 04, 2012: