| The classic question. Tony Horton and his vaunted | | | | to break down your own body tissue to keep |
| P90X system, or Shaun T and his truly daunting | | | | going once you've exhausted your supply of blood |
| INSANITY workout? Both are touted as super | | | | sugar. Then, over the course of the rest of the |
| intense, only for conditioned athletes. Both are | | | | day and that night your body will repair itself, |
| guaranteed to give you startling results if you | | | | resulting in more lean muscle tissue, greater health |
| follow their guidelines closely. But how to choose? | | | | and less weight. But it's hard. For this to work, |
| Do you go for Tony Horton's 90 day total body | | | | you need to operate at 85% + effort level, which |
| transformation, or Shaun T's 60 day cardio | | | | few people can do for more than six minutes. |
| madness? Is one of them simply better than the | | | | Shaun T will ask you to do so for thirty minutes |
| other? The answer, as you might have had a | | | | to an hour. Can you handle that kind of cardio? |
| sneaking suspicion, is that it totally depends on | | | | Conversely, Tony Horton's P90X will challenge you |
| your own fitness goals. In this article we'll take a | | | | in terms of strength training. While Tony's |
| look at what each program provides, and see | | | | workout includes cardio and plyometrics (jump |
| which style of exercise suits your own | | | | based routines), there is a strong focus on weight |
| personalized needs. Because while each is truly a | | | | resistance training, from pull ups to free weights. |
| challenging workout, they're tough for their own | | | | You'll be breaking down the muscle tissue in the |
| particular reasons, and it's important to know why | | | | classic manner, which will not only help burn fat |
| before making a choice. | | | | but result in muscle growth. You will not only fitter |
| Let's start at the beginning. Before looking at the | | | | but stronger, and your appearance at the end of |
| programs, you need to look at yourself. What do | | | | it will reflect that. |
| you want to accomplish? What are your fitness | | | | Finally you have the time consideration. INSANITY |
| goals? Are you primarily interested in losing | | | | is 60 days. P90X is 90. How much are you willing |
| weight, or bulking up with some muscle? Do you | | | | to commit to one of these programs? Are you |
| enjoy extreme cardio, or loath it? What about | | | | willing to go at it for the long haul, or do you want |
| free weights and doing pull ups? Of course in an | | | | a shorter exercise period? Extreme cardio versus |
| ideal world you would be able to accomplish every | | | | strength training? |
| fitness goal you could put on paper, but here you | | | | There's plenty of overlap, with both generating |
| have to be realistic. What is your number one | | | | extreme body transformations if done correctly, |
| goal? | | | | but in the end it's a matter of style and taste. Do |
| That determined, let's look at the programs. | | | | you want to bulk up some while shedding weight |
| Shaun T's INSANITY is so called because he | | | | and developing athletic potential? Then P90X is for |
| strives to keep you in your anaerobic zone for | | | | you. Do you want to burn fat so fast it melts |
| extended periods of time while giving you short | | | | right off you, leaving you leaner and ripped as a |
| short breaks inbetween. INSANITY is all gut | | | | result of tons of sweat drenching exercises? |
| wrenching cardio, where you use your own | | | | Then Shaun T's INSANITY is just right for you. |
| weight as the primary form of resistance. But | | | | But remember: the most important part of this |
| let's be clear: the key word up there was | | | | decision is not only knowing your own fitness |
| 'anaerobic'. Shaun T doesn't want you to cruise | | | | goals, but undertaking either of these at-home |
| through his workout at 65% effort, but rather | | | | workouts with utter dedication and awareness of |
| 85% +. When exercising this hard you won't be | | | | your own body's limits. If you do that, than both |
| getting enough oxygen to comfortably break | | | | of them will give you the incredible results you |
| down fat for energy as you would over the | | | | desire. |
| course of a 45 minute leisurely jog-you're forced | | | | |