Asylum 2 Review

Asylum 2 Review

 

 While Insanity: The Aslyum Volume 2 is another great work out series from Beachbody, I don't think it was as good or challenging as Volume 1. There were just no workouts as strong as Strength, Vertical Plyo, or Gameday in Vol. 1. However, Vol. 2 will still make you sweat, and it adds a mental component to it with its many agility moves that you have to practice in order to master and do effectively. I will say that many of the workouts fly by because you're constantly focused on getting the moves right and making sure your form is correct, which takes your focus off the time bar at the bottom of the screen. I'm also glad to say many of the work outs involve resistance moves, so weights and pull ups are used much more often in this series. Here's a more in depth review of each work out:

Agility Tutorial:

This isn't per say a work out, since you really only do it once at the beginning to learn some of the agility sequences, but it will still give you a decent work out and is a must to become familiar with the moves later seen in other work outs.

X Trainer

I thought this would be like Speed and Agility from Vol. 1, and while it had some similar qualities, it also added a ton of push ups and resistance moves. Get ready for a lot of ladder agility sequences and your brain to be spinning trying to keep the sequences straight. My coordination isn't the greatest, so this one really challenged my focus and concentration. This was probably my second favorite work out of the bunch.

4/5

Upper Elite

Definitely my favorite of Volume 2, Upper Elite most resembles Strength from Volume 1, but only focuses on the upper body. Is it tougher that Strength? I would say no, but if you up the weights every time you do it, it can get really tough. I also liked the focus on the chest in this work out, as you start every round with push ups, and then right into chest presses on the ground. You then do a bicep, shoulder, and tricep move (back is saved for a later work out). The best thing about this work out is it has 2 burnouts (basically 5 minutes of back to back to back moves without breaks) in the middle of the workout and the end. It kills you.

4.5/5

Power Legs

The sister of Vertical Plyo from Volume 1 (though it focuses only on the legs), I think Vertical Plyo wins out. Power Legs is a tough work out, but I never felt challenged and exausted like I did with Vertical. Shaun T does add some new cool kettle bell workouts which I've never seen in a Beachbody program before, and the last 5 minutes are crazy, so the program also has some positives. Overall a solid, but not great, work out.

3.5/5

Back and 6-Pack

This is similar to Back to Core from Vol. 1, though a little more intense and with more focus on your abs. It's the shortest of the main work outs at 37 minutes, but there are little breaks. You basically switch between back and ab moves, working your entire core. The back moves can be done either on a pull up bar or using dumbbells. A fun work out overall.

4/5

Ab Shredder

You don't start this workout until week 3, and I absolutely love it. It's a lot different from Ab Ripper X and your traditional ab workouts. You're never on your back doing crunches, the moves are unique and have you moving all over the place, making it not even feel like an ab workout. But trust me, you'll have a six pack in no time if you do this one. Definitely adding it to future hybrids.

4.5/5

Championship

I was disappointed with this one. This is supposed to be like Gameday from Volume 1, but in my opinion it just doesn't compare in difficulty. Gameday had me exhausted and shaking at the end of it, not wanting to move for hours. Championship just doesn't match its intensity, and I feel Shaun T spends too much time talking and explaining the moves, giving too much rest in between. For the work out considered the "end game" of Volume 2, I wouldn't even put it as the hardest work out (Upper Elite takes that award in my opinion).

2.5/5

There are two other work outs included; Off Day Stretch and Pure Contact. Stretch is your typical recovery day and Pure Contact is a nice supplemental work out involving agility and pike moves.


Insanity Asylum Volume 1 is still my favorite BB work out program, so Volume 2 had to do a lot to ovetake the #1 spot. While I like how its workouts focus more on specific muscle groups (most Vol. 1 workouts worked your entire body), it just didn't match the overall difficulty and intensity of the first. I am excited to try the 60 day hybrid that involves mixing both Volume 1 and 2, I think putting both work out programs together will create a fun and challenging work out program. I'll most likely do that to train for the tough mudder I plan on doing in June.

I will add that I thought Shaun T was at his best in this program...the dude is motivational and makes you want to do better. He was also pretty hilarious at times. He's getting up there with Tony Horton.

Oh, and if you're interested, here are the physical results from Asylum 2.