Insanity Workout Equipment

Required Equipments:  These are the equipments necessary to start the Insanity workout.

• Nothing.  One of the biggest plus for Insanity is the fact that it doesn't require any sort of equipments to begin.  Many other workouts (including the super popular P90X) requires you to have starting equipments which just adds to the starting cost of the workout.  The DVD's are expensive as it is, but to have to buy additional equipments just makes it harder.

Highly Recommended Equipments:  Just because there are no equipments required does not mean that there aren't any equipments worth having.  Here's a list of equipments that I think would help you out with Insanity.

• Heart rate monitor:  Because of the high cardio nature of Insanity, buying a heart rate monitor is a worthwhile investment.  You want to make sure that you stay at your targeted heart rate which allows you to maximize your workouts and tells you when to take a break if you start hitting the danger zone.  I've seen prices ranging from $30 to $200.  The more expensive it is, the more features it comes along with.  I would recommend that you do your research before buying one.  After all, if all you want is to keep track of your heart rate, then it doesn't really make sense to buy one loaded with features.
  
• Yoga/Plyometrics Mat: There's a lot of jumping in Insanity.  I mean a LOT.  Undoubtedly, this leads to strain on the knees and ankles.  A nice semi-cushiony mat goes a long way softening the landings
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Recommended Equipments:  These are equipments that are nice to have, but not having them won't detract from your workouts.

• Good pair of shoes: If you have a problem landing softly, or doing anything softly, a good pair of shoes would be good to have.  I personally do my workouts in bare feet on hard wooden floor and haven't had any problems yet.  But for those that wants the extra cushion and food support, go for it.
  
• Body fat caliper/monitor: It's nice to be able to keep track of your body fat percentage.  For those of you that wants to slim down or get cut, it gives you a great method of keeping track.
  
• Tape measure: Tape measures are another great way to keep track of your body changes.  You can measure and keep track of anything, whether it be waist size or bicep size.  I think a lot of people would be pleasantly surprised by the results.  I know that because I see myself in the mirror everyday, I don't notice my gains and loss very easily.  This gives me a visual way of determining it.

Optional Equipments:  These are the equipments that you can get if you want some of the extras, but if you don't have them, they won't be missed.

• Weights:  Yes, I know.  Insanity says that it doesn't require weight and for the most part, it's true.  But, if you got the Deluxe package that had Upper Body Weight Training, you're going to need weights.  It's only one video and the schedule doesn't even list it.  Regardless, if you want to do this workout, you're going to need weights.
  
• Weight scale:  On the whole, it's perhaps the worst way to keep track of progress, but if you're trying to stay within a range of weights, it's important to have.  Otherwise, body fat and tape measures gives you a more unbiased measurements.