Editor’s note: This review has been updated to reflect BODi’s current subscription-based access — Insanity Max 30 is no longer sold as a standalone DVD kit. Worth knowing: in November 2025, Shaun T launched “DIG IN,” a newer low-impact program that reimagines moves from Insanity and Dig Deeper — if the jumping in Max 30 is a dealbreaker, that’s worth a look.
If you are anything like me, your time is a precious commodity, one that seems to be eaten up by daily life — work, family, other adult obligations. This leaves very little time for fitness, but I’ve found a great method of getting the fitness training I need to keep my body in good health and looking cut: Insanity Max 30. Like the name suggests, it takes up 30 minutes of your day — just 30 minutes, but it gives you a full body workout designed to keep you at peak fitness. Be prepared, though, it’s insane.
My review of Insanity Max 30 is a no-B.S. review, giving you the straight story — and it’s a program you’re going to want to jump into if you’re managing multiple responsibilities each day and have limited time for fitness.
Quick Facts
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What I Liked
- My first day, I maxed out around 6 minutes in — every rep was hard, but after a week I noticed real changes
- No equipment at all — just pop it on and go
- Anyone can do it — male, female, teens up through 80 year olds — you go at your own level and pace
- You don’t have to plan time to go to the gym — get home, change, hit play
What I Didn’t Like
- Not all kits came with the same extras historically — some bundled Shakeology, some 21 Day Fix containers, some just the workouts. Check what’s actually included with your current BODi access.
- The scale may not move the way you expect — muscle is denser than fat, so don’t panic if the number goes up while you’re visibly leaner
- You have to fully commit — there’s no second-guessing this one
How It Rates
Based on my own experience running the program, not a lab test.
So What Is It?
Insanity Max 30 is a workout and nutrition program built to get you into peak fitness in 60 days. It’s here to trim unwanted pounds, build muscle tone and a defined physique, and bring your body’s nutrient and caloric levels to a healthy level. The “Max” refers to how each day, the 30-minute workout brings your body to its maximum output and ability — be prepared, because this is insane, but a good insane.
Max:30 is not for the faint of heart — it’s 30 minutes of hard cardio that takes you to your limit. Intense cardio, go until you max out. 30 minutes of fat-burning work. No equipment. A nutrition plan included.
My View of It
Not even the fittest trainers or participants can keep their bodies at maximum performance for the full 30 minutes. Shaun T designed the system so each person achieves their own max during each day’s program. My first day saw me maxing out around 6 minutes in — every rep was hard-core, but after a week I could notice changes taking place. That first week I was tired and suffering the burn, but after seven days I began to see muscle changes and the beginning of toning in areas I’d always dreamed of having good shape, like the abdomen.
Throughout the workouts, part of the program is Shakeology — I added it on day one and stuck to it because I was dedicated to getting the body I wanted. It’s easy to mix, easy to consume, and I noticed real effects on my training. Not all Insanity Max 30 kits historically came with the Shakeology add-on — some included only the DVDs and training program, some came with 21 Day Fix containers, some with a “Cook to Win” recipe guide. That’s part of the beauty of this program: you don’t have to go to the gym to get the benefits, just pop it on and follow along at home.
Who Is It For?
Anyone can do Insanity Max 30 — male, female, teens all the way up to 80 year olds. If you have a pre-existing medical condition, always check with your doctor before starting any new fitness regimen. The system lets you go at your own level and pace, so anyone can take advantage of it.
How Do You Lose Weight With It?
The goal isn’t necessarily to shed pounds, but to turn fat into muscle and sculpt the body. Weight may be lost as excess fat, but remember that muscle is denser than fat — a pound of muscle takes up noticeably less space than a pound of fat, per Cleveland Clinic’s own explanation — so your body becomes trimmer and more sculpted even if the scale shows you’ve “put on a few pounds.” Don’t be fooled: when you look at yourself after the program, you’ll see a sculpted, athletic look, without the muffin tops and love handles that were there before. Don’t panic when you see the scale go up — look at yourself and the results instead. You’ll also feel a real energy increase that may have been missing for a while.
What Are the Workouts Like?
The workouts break into segments — interval training, where you max out for around 20 seconds, then get a 10-second cool-down, repeated through the workout to bring your body up and give it recovery periods.
The first workout is Cardio — this gets your cardio-pulmonary system set to increase its output and glycogen consumption, priming you for more over 30 minutes. Next comes the Tabata-Power workouts — the strength training sessions, and your muscles will be begging for mercy after each one. These are spaced between the Cardio sessions so your body has time to recover as you tax the muscles so they build and recover. As your body’s ability increases, you’ll do more intervals, but always in the prescribed time periods — you do more as you get stronger.
Sweat intervals come next, helping burn calories as you convert fat cells into hard muscle, keeping the body maxed out and building. That’s how it worked for me — if I could do it, anyone can.
Insanity Max 30 Calendar
The program runs 60 days across two months, 5 workout days a week with an optional 6th. There’s a standard track and a Hardcore track (same workouts, no optional rest day) — start with the standard track unless you’re already very fit.
| Day | Month 1 | Month 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | Cardio Challenge | Max Out Cardio |
| Tuesday | Tabata Power | Max Out Power |
| Wednesday | Sweat Intervals | Max Out Sweat |
| Thursday | Tabata Strength | Max Out Strength |
| Friday | Friday Fight Round 1 | Friday Fight Round 2 |
| Saturday | Optional: Pulse + Ab Attack | Optional: Pulse + Ab Attack |
| Sunday | Rest | Rest |
How Much Does It Cost?
Insanity Max 30 is no longer sold as a standalone DVD kit — it’s included with a BODi subscription, which also unlocks 225+ other programs and meal plans. BODi has monthly and yearly plans, with a 7-day free trial. Pricing and promos change — check the current offer on their site before you commit.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Insanity Max 30 harder than the original Insanity?
Differently hard, not simply harder — the original is 60 minutes of sustained cardio, Max 30 is 30 minutes with no modifications and no cool-down. See our full comparison for the detailed breakdown.
Can beginners do this?
Technically anyone can start — you set your own max-out pace. But there’s no modifier here like T25 has. If you’re brand new to working out, start with T25 or PiYo and come back to this one later.
Bottom Line
I think Insanity Max 30 is one of the most effective workouts I’ve seen, and it can give you real results if you follow the program. Yes, you have to commit — there’s no second-guessing this one — but if you fully commit, you’ll see results you haven’t seen before.
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