As I got closer and closer to the end of month one, I was becoming more and more terrified about what was to come. Against my better judgement, I started reading reviews about the second month of the program. I started reading about: puking, elongated “30 second breaks”, crying, cursing, quitting. Many people commented on how, although they had been able to keep up with the first month, the second month left them feeling discouraged and embarrassed.

It is with this sort of language that I was getting ready to walk into my second month of Insanity, when I read this post from the blog Insanity Workout Log:

“Guess what? It’s hard, but it’s NOT impossible. Really? Did I just say that?

I won’t sugarcoat – this will push you. You will produce more liquid – sweat, tears, and maybe some other stuff – than ever before. But if you’ve adhered to the Month 1 schedule as diligently as you can, you will have prepared a strong springboard into Month 2. There is no way you could work this hard and last this long without all the hard investment you’ve put in for the past 5 weeks. So please, don’t quit after Month 1. This is where it begins to pays off.

To my surprise, I didn’t feel like I was back at square one, even though I fully expected to.”

– Insanity Workout Log: Day 36: Hello Carpet, My Old Friend… I’ve Come to Fall on You Again

More than anything else, Insanity is primarily a mental game. Start each workout with thoughts like “I’m not going to make it through this” and you won’t. Go in with thoughts like “I can do this” and “it’s not THAT hard” and it won’t be.

Also, don’t forget that you’re choosing to do Insanity, so don’t make it into some sort of punishment or torture. Enjoy it. Every day, use Insanity as a platform for seeing how far you actually can push yourself. Change your language and you will change your experience.

As for me, after completing the first three days of Insanity month 2, I have to concur with the above. It’s hard, but it’s not impossible. Actually (despite the fact that I have the appetite of a 16 year old boy) I’m really enjoying month 2 so far. Let the games continue!