by Coach Jimmy Hays Nelson
Have you heard the buzz, whispers, and excitement? Yes, the rumors are true. Insanity Workout Certification is on its way, which means a LIVE Insanity class is probably headed to a gym near you in the very near future!
I’ve been waiting for this since we shot Insanity in New York City back in 2009. It truly is the perfect group exercise format because it is just you, music, the floor, and your effort measured in sweat.
Insanity Class coming to a Gym Near You!
Before the official launch of the first Insanity Certification, Beachbody held its first ever Master Trainer Camp. This camp is an audition process for fitness professionals wanting to be able to teach the actual certification class to those wanting to be certified. The camp was a 3 day marathon that included other formats like Turbo Kick (aka the live version of Chalene Johnson’s Turbo Jam), Hip Hop Hustle, and PiYo (A Cirque Du Soleil bodyweight type workout with its roots based in Pilates and Yoga). Our mornings would start at 6am with a workout focusing on achieving perfect form in each of the formats. Then we would grab breakfast and settle into a lecture format where we covered topics like: What it means to be a great Presenter, Public Speaking Tips, Voice Coaching from celebrity vocal coach Roger Love, Promotions, Social Media/Instagram training from Chalene Johnson, and yes… even makeup and style tips from Tiffany Lee Bymaster aka Coach Glitter! That was just Monday and Tuesday!
Then Wednesday rolled around. Also known as INSANITY Day! We started the morning with a 6am Insanity workout lead by Master Trainer Angie Green. It was really cool to see how they took the vibe of the Insanity DVDs and translated that to a live class. The music for the Insanity Class was awesome. There were clips of Shaun T saying motivational phrases peppered throughout the workout to let you know when it was time to go to the next exercise.
After the workout, we grabbed breakfast and found our seats in the lecture hall. Then the man himself, Shaun T, joined us for an amazing presentation on the history of Insanity. Where it came from. What events in this childhood and past influenced moves, intensity, and phrases like ‘DIG DEEPER’. It truly was amazing. As an Insanity Cast Member, I thought I knew everything there was to know about the Insanity Workouts. Boy, was I wrong! Listening to Shaun share his story gave me a whole new appreciation for the workouts and his impact on my life.
Then it was time for the moment of truth. A live Insanity Workout with Shaun T! We were split into 2 groups of about 20 people each. I was thankful that I was part of the first group. I was chomping at the bit to get in that room. I trained for months for this moment, and I knew I was ready.
The live Insanity Workout with Shaun T was ready to begin!
I was so excited when I walked into the audition room and saw that everyone’s favorite Insaniac, Tania, was there as well! (You know her, she’s the chick no one can keep up with on the videos!) I found my spot behind Tania, the music started, and I immediately felt like I was back in NYC in 2009 filming the Insanity Workout Video Insanity Workout Video all over again!
I felt good, I was keeping up with everyone around me … then it happened. If you’ve never worked out live with Shaun T, here’s a tip that is better than any Insanity Workout Review you will find online: He’s not your typical instructor who stays at the front of the class. I compare him to a tiger … or maybe a shark that weaves his way carefully through the crowd. And just when you think you are safe he pounces and is right beside you challenging you to get your knees higher or your squats lower. Well just when I was feeling pretty good about myself is when Shaun decided to pounce on yours truly.
We were in a low sumo squat position throwing punches. I was right on pace with everyone around me when Shaun looked me dead in the eye and said, “Stop being Lazy! Push! Dig Deeper!” I felt like someone just looked thru me right to my heart. Why? Because he was absolutely right. The pace of those around me wasn’t my best, but I felt like I could save some energy by just matching their effort. The problem with that is other’s best isn’t necessarily MY best!
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Have you ever fallen victim to that? Do you let those around you dictate your pace? Or are you so busy comparing your results with others that you forget to congratulate yourself on a job well done? I was humbly reminded of a very important lesson that day. My struggle and competition shouldn’t come from anyone but me! If we constantly compare our effort and results to those around us, then we cheat ourselves! We either get sucked into doing less than our best because of the effort of others, or we don’t take the opportunity to celebrate the progress we have made because we are too busy measuring against the accomplishments of others.
You be the best you that YOU can be!
Well, I don’t know if I’m an INSANITY Master Trainer just yet. But I should be getting the news very soon. So be sure to check my Facebook page often for the big announcement. Who knows I may be teaching an Insanity Certification near you very soon!
In the meantime Focus and Go …. and always DIG DEEPER!
Coach Jimmy