Lifetiquing

I'll admit it. I've been completely spoiled by my Insanity routines. In fact, I'm afraid to review new cardio workouts because I think I'll be biased against them; nothing seems intense after Insanity (and I'm still only on Month 1…). This raised the following question: exactly which workouts am I going to do when I'm done with Insanity? How are any cardio workouts going to satisfy me?

Luckily, I've done enough to be able to identify some of the hardest, non-Insanity workout DVDs out there. Based on my current collection, here are the intensity winners. If you're an intensity fiend or looking for an occasional sweaty, horrifying challenge, these are must haves.

Kickboxing: Kickbox Surge, which never fails to destroy me with its high-intensity intervals and long series of jump kicks. Its challenging choreography also kept it fresh for a while, although it's not a workout I do often anymore.

Interval step routine: Imax 3, which is by far one of the hardest workouts I've ever done, combines 10 fast-paced choreographed step routines with 10 heart-pumping intervals, including a myriad of plyometric exercises that will take your breath away and possibly leave you floundering on the floor. There's little to no down time, so the intensity never stops. Bonus: it's only 41 minutes long (excluding warmup and cool down).

Interval floor routine: Cardio Core Circuit, which is currently one of my all-time favorite workouts. It has 5 intervals, each of which include a circuit of 3 intense exercises that is repeated twice, followed by a core exercise. It has more down time than Insanity, but whew, those intervals are intense.

Choreographed step aerobics: Cardio Fusion, which integrates challenging sections from several of Cathe's other workouts, is a particularly long, strenuous workout. There are several different styles of workouts in it, but each one (except for the second set, which is from Low Max), is difficult in its own way. Trust me when I say that a stability ball has never felt so heavy.

Choreographed floor aerobics: All Cardio Hi-Lo Knockout, which is yet another choreographically mind-boggling routine from Amy, has tough intervals that rival some of the sections of Insanity. In between, there are high-impact and complex step routines that keep the heart rate up.

And because an entry about intense workouts would not be complete without them, here are two of my least favorite workouts. Everyone has a different style, so intensity fans might want to read my thoughts on Tonique and Bikini Boot Camp and try them if they seem interesting.

Above photo (c) Darwin Bell and obtained via Creative Commons License, http://www.flickr.com/photos/darwinbell/2535102153/sizes/s/.