Wednesday, January 25, 2006

Push has CS!

Tonght, my friend M came over to Push with me. Because I knew we would be not want to do a cardio session after the regular workout/muscle training on the video, we started with cardio. I gave M the option of either going to the apartment gym or doing the 30 minute cardio session included with the DVD. She chose the DVD cardio, PUSHcardio Yoga II with Kristin McGee. When I signed up, I chose the third level of fitness bolded below based on their descriptions:


*Brave Beginner - Physical fitness isn't really part of your life, but you want to change that. You can just manage a brisk walk for 15-20 minutes, you have weight loss goals in mind, and you're ready to start looking - and feeling - better every day.

*Aspiring Athlete - You occasionally play recreational sports, and you can maintain a brisk walk or casual bike ride for 20-30 minutes, but you're not in as good a shape as you once were. You want to make time to get back in the fitness groove.

*Experienced Exerciser - You work out regularly and try to do both cardio and strength exercises. You can sustain 30 minutes of running or another strenuous cardio activity 3-4 times a week, but you want to PUSH yourself to the next level.

*Workout Warrior - You are in excellent physical shape and looking for a new challenge that will PUSH your limits. You can handle intense 45- to 60-minute cardio sessions 3-4 times a week and may have a background in competitive sports.



I guess I feel like I don't really belong in any of those categories. I certainly can't run, but I can incline and I do cardio and strength training that often. It seemed like the best choice for me.

I had three choices for cardio when I signed up:

PUSHcardio Groove II (step movements with "challenging movements")
PUSHcardio Yoga II
PUSHcardio Kickboxing II

Have I ever explained how completely uncoordinated I am? I took what I thought would be the path of least complicated movements, Yoga II. I learned a whole lot of hyped up yoga poses in the 30 minute session. However, if you're like me and have no idea what the heck most yoga positions are before you start it...well, you're just screwed. Add that in to my uncoordinated nature and the finished product is me looking really stupid and unsure if I'm any of the poses correctly. Apparently because I chose the third level of fitness they assume I already know basic yoga poses that would be covered in PUSHcardio Yoga I. My path of least resistance made me look like an eight-year-old trying to dance to an NKOTB song. I'm going to suggest that they allow me to choose a less complicated level of cardio. Maybe they have something like "PUSHcardio Marching in Place for 30 minutes" out there? I can assure you that if I can't do yoga poses, I won't be able to do kickboxing or groove. Especially since they sounded more complicated.

There is an option for letting Push chose the cardio to be sent to you. I wanted to know if that meant variety or the same thing on each DVD. I found the 800 number and called, fully expecting to wade through barrage of button pressing. A real live human answer the phone on the 2nd ring. Hark! And he did not even sound like he was in a cubicle. Rob was able to quickly answer my question and had access to my account at his fingertips. I like good customer service/telephone answering. Box clicked means I'll never get the same cardio. Cool.

I was amazed how much better I was at completing the workout this go-round. I didn't nearly cry doing the dolphin (a exercise that looks humping the floor-downward dog on elbows to plank) and I didn't have to stop mid-way through. It's something. Just not sure what yet.

M was so impressed by Push that she's signing up for it Friday.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

This is M. Push is awesome...however, my back isn't. I'm in pain...I know its good pain, but it still hurts. I did some research last night, and there's really nothing out there quite like this program. It's like having your own personal trainer with you when you want them, and you can cuss at your tv all you want. I was flipping Bob off the whole time. Good stuff...

Anonymous said...

See Rachel! I told you people enjoy the work out pain.

Rachel said...

I'm telling you, that pain feeling goes away and is replaced with something else. Or at least it is with me. If I only wanted to workout to be in pain I would be highly disappointed and slightly masochistic