On one side you have Shaun T and his INSANITY team, jumping, jumping, sweating and doing football drills non-stop in their basketball gym. On the other side you have Tony Horton and his test group, drilling each muscle group at a brutal rate, practicing kempo and yoga, lifting weights and doing pull-ups. Both are considered extreme, both are said to be the most intense work ever recorded on DVD, but which is really the most difficult? If you want the ultimate challenge, which one should you do?
Let’s first try to define what we mean when we say ‘hardest’. For the sake of this article, we’ll define it as requiring the most physical preparation beforehand, the greatest willpower and dedication to complete the entire program, and the greatest sustained intensity during the workout itself. Some caveats: Different people may find each of these workouts easier or more difficult depending on their own strengths. So while INSANITY may be incredibly difficult for a weightlifter, it will be easier for someone in track and field. Keep that in mind!
Let’s take a look at each program. P90X is a three month program. It is designed to be implemented in three phases, and the end of each phase / month involves a cool down week during which your body must recover from the ‘muscle confusion’ that the change in workouts must generate. There are 12 workouts, and they range from resistance exercises for major muscle groups to cardio / plyometrics, kempo / yoga / stretching, and core. It is a full body workout and should be done six days a week. Workouts can range from 45 minutes to an hour and a half, and require you to have weights, resistance bands, and / or a pull-up bar.
MADNESS is simpler. Designed to be performed in 60 days, it is divided into two main phases, the second being the ‘MAX’ phase where the workouts become even more intense and an intermediate week in between where you focus on Core Cardio and Balance for 6 days in a row, a period that Shaun T calls “Recovery Week.” The workouts are a combination of cardiovascular exercises, plyometrics, calisthenics, and different sports exercises. There are 10 workouts, and they range from about 45 minutes to over an hour. No equipment is needed as you use your own body weight at all times.
Which one requires more physical preparation to enter? CRAZINESS. INSANITY workouts start at an incredibly intense pace and don’t stop. Even the warm-ups are brutal, and if you don’t have that basic conditioning, you just won’t be able to keep up. Also, you need to make sure your joints are sturdy and flexible when entering; If not, the constant bumps for six days a week of jumping, squatting, jogging in place, and more will just wear them down. P90X is also incredibly tough, but the bar to get in isn’t that high; You can start off in a lesser state of readiness and progress over the course of three months.
Which requires more willpower to complete the entire program? P90X. Three months of sustained extreme exertion is incredibly exhausting. Not only that, but most people find INSANITY to be more rushed; Shaun T is incredibly motivating and the show’s great pace keeps people going. Tony Horton breaks the rhythm of the P90X with slower, more grueling workouts like hour and a half yoga. The longer, slower pace of the P90X requires more willpower to stick than INSANITY.
Finally, which one has the most intense workouts? This is a release. Try doing an INSANITY Max Cardio session, or keep up with Tony for the entirety of a chest and back workout. They are both brutal, and your level of dedication and the strength with which you push yourself will determine the intensity of your workout.
So which one is more difficult? For my money I would say INSANITY. The P90X is probably harder to complete though, and both will kick your butt from here until Sunday if you get them right. In a way, this is like asking, who will kill you faster, a tiger or a lion? Determine what your goals are and then choose the right program. For maximum cardio / calisthenics development, opt for the INSANITY. If you’re looking to bulk up and get in shape, go for the P90X. Either way, good luck. You are going to need it.
