Insanity and Community

INSANITY - Webster defines insanity as 1)a deranged state of mind usually occurring as a specific disorder, 2)such unsoundness of mind or lack of understanding that prevents one from having the mental capacity required by law to enter into a particular relationship, status or transaction, 3)something utterly foolish or unreasonable. I have to say that I really like number three - simple and to the point - Insanity is foolish and unreasonable behavior!

I have been getting up at 5:30am six days a week to WILLINGLY participate in an exercise program that is called INSANITY. It is a 60 day commitment or ten weeks including Saturday mornings. The gorgeous, buff man that leads the INSANITY videos is Sean T and his six pack makes that stupid loudmouth from Jersey Shore look like a SCHMUCK! Sean T believes in this thing called MAX INTERVAL TRAINING - lots of cardio and strength training for LONG periods of time with 20 second breaks in between workouts - I think MAX INTERVAL TRAINING is a professional way of saying - this workout will HURT LIKE HELL! :) The previous workout videos in my library include the Billy Blanks 15 minute "novice beginner version" of kickboxing, and the YOGA stress relieving video where the instructor is sitting on a beach and peaceful wind chimes are playing in the background! Let me just say that this INSANITY video is a bit different than those! :)

Even though at 5:30am I am cursing and sleep walking wondering WHY I do this to myself, I have to admit that I am becoming insane enough to enjoy this insanity. Believe it or not, I am not alone in my unreasonable journey! There are anywhere from 10 - 15 other staff members that meet me in the gym to sweat and grunt and moan and groan. It really is true that there is camaraderie in suffering. We are pushing ourselves, we are exercising in a pool of our own sweat, but we are doing it together! We barely speak during the workout because we are all struggling to breathe, but we go around and give every single person a TIRED, but meaningful high five when we are finished with the workout. There is accountability with each other (or maybe it is just guilt) when we send an email to our group apologizing for missing a session. We see each other on campus and give the hard core ROCK ON symbol and then say, "See you tomorrow at INSANITY!" We have a community. It might be a community that is a little off their rocker, but it is OUR community. :)

We all have our reasons for doing these INSANITY videos. Most of us are doing it to lose weight and get those amazing abs, but there are other reasons as well. I want to develop a habit of getting up early in the morning. I want to be more disciplined and if I can get up at 5:30am to go and inflict personal pain on myself, then SURELY I can be disciplined enough to memorize that bible verse that I keep putting off or making excuses for. It is said that it takes 21 days to form a habit, well, by the end of my INSANITY tour not only will I look good, I will have formed these habits three times over! :)

You don't have to join INSANITY to have community, but you do have to have SOME FORM of community to be SANE!