So Which Is It? Sending Mixed Fitness Messages
We get sent A LOT of workout DVDs. Like, they’re taking over an entire room of my house at this point. So when I say that one DVD (or set of DVDs in this case) caused me to have a full-out Oprah “aha moment,” you know it’s serious. But that’s what Georges “RUSH” St-Pierre’s RushFit series of workout DVDs did. They made me stop, scratch my sweaty head and then all at once on came the light bulb: WE ARE SENDING TWO COMPLETELY DIFFERENT MESSAGES ABOUT FITNESS THAT ARE ENTIRELY VALID!
This six-disc DVD set is intense. With titles covering strength, plyometrics, stretching and all kinds of intense exercise torture, it gives you the chance to train like its creator Georges St-Pierre, a Canadian professional mixed martial artist (MMA) and MMA world champion who holds black belts in both Kyokushin karate and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. I’m not into MMA in the least, but apparently the dude has a huge following.
After trying a few of the workouts, I can see that those who want to train like him are a bit crazy—and are serious about pushing themselves harder and faster. (In the DVDs you warm up with push-ups, planks and jumping squats. And the main event is a fury of circuit training that will leave you a hot sweaty mess.) And I’m all about pushing yourself. Heck, between this tough workout and my recent fast running, I get it. In so many ways, we can do so much more than we think we can, and when you’re really living up to your full physical potential and embracing your inner athlete, you feel strong, powerful and like you can do anything. And isn’t that what being an FBG is all about—being your best and most awesome? Yes.
But also no. Especially when that pursuit feels more like work. FBG is also about treating your body with respect, loving yourself as you are right now and doing everything in moderation. We’re not about working out for hours in the gym (although, for the record, the RushFit workouts are all roughly 45 minutes) nor are we about doing something so hard that you think you’ll toss your cookies. Because, no matter how many times we see them do it on The Biggest Loser (even if it’s for the better in the long run), that’s just not fun. And we think that workouts should be fun!
These DVDs rock if you’re looking to beat yourself up and take it to the level that’s beyond the next level—or if you’ve already completed P90X and other hard workout DVDs like they were a walk in the park. And while we know that some of you readers fall into that insanely and awesomely fit category, we know that many of you still struggle to fit in a trip to the gym or are still searching to find an activity that you really love.
These days DVDs and fitness professionals (guilty as charged!) seem to either be telling you to work out as hard as possible to get results (that would be the Jillian Michaels camp) or just do something, like parking your car farther away or taking the stairs. When in reality, the best fitness advice out there is to do something in between. Parking your car at the back of the lot probably won’t help you lose weight or even greatly benefit your health, but it’s better than nothing. On the flip side, we don’t all need to train like an MMA fighter.
So here’s the fit bottomed line straight from the horse’s mouth: Move your body in a way that you love and in a way that inspires you. Fitness isn’t about beating yourself up—it’s about making the rest of life even more awesometastic. —Jenn
Comments
St. Pierre is an amazing fighter ! I love watching his matches on UFC via Spike, but I certainly do not wish to train like him 😉
It’s so true you have to find something that isn’t pure misery because living healthy and fit is long term—-it’s your life and who wants to beat themselves up every day? If you don’t find any enjoyment out of your workouts they soon become a dreaded routine and fall further and further down on the priority list. And I do agree St. Pierre is an amazing beast and I am stoked to try his workout! There are so many different workout gurus and activities that you are bound to find something that you can enjoy so why settle– just get out and do something hike, bike, swim, run love life!
I’d like to try it. Can you mail me the 6 DVD’s. I would love to win them.
There is a metaphor I like which works for exercise & it pretty much applies to life too… “If it hurts, don’t do it”.
Work Out, hard enough to make a difference. Be active. Eat real food (not more than you need) & find your Mojo by respecting your body, not punishing it.
This improving-your-body-thing is not supposed to actually hurt, IMHO 😉
ohhhh I would love to try the GSP workouts because he is INTENSE!!!! I need to look at those, I love a good challenge!
It’s funny — I go between these two camps all the time. I did the Insanity program and LOVED it. I loved pushing as hard as I could, and I loved not being able to move at the end. But, then again, I also like going to Zumba classes and laughing, or yoga classes that focus on stretching the body and clearing the mind. To me, both feel good in their own way, and I don’t think I would be happy staying forever in the middle.
Hello, I’m a 35 year old male who is currently into my 2nd week of the “Beginner routine” of GSP RUSHFIT. I came upon this site after googling “RUSHFIT Workout reviews” and thought your posted review was quite unique in comparison with the vast majority of other reviews. I am a “newbie” to workout dvds, with no prior usage of any other programs such as “P90X” or “Insanity”. I have lifted weights in the past and done cardio as well, but currently, I am far… far… far, from being physically fit. I too would like to give a word of caution to all who are thinking about doing the “RUSHFIT” workout… If one truly gives their all for approx 25-30 minutes… these workouts are BRUTAL! In fact, I’ve never felt exhaustion like this before in my life… and SWEAT!(like a horse!) Please listen to your body. These workouts are intense enough that even GSP struggles at times and he is EXTREMELY fit! I personally wanted something that would kick my a** while getting in the best shape of my life…. or I’m just a bit crazy like GSP, lol! But then again, my goal is to obtain a physique like his.
You have got to like whatever you are doing and rushfit is certainly not for the fainthearted. If you like pushing hard and getting fit quickly then this is a great buzz and you have to admit that it works for St.Pierre. Go Hard lol.
Guys, don’t forget GSP also does gymnastics to keep in shape. So, get on those rings 😀
I have read about his workout and, while it is intense, it is nothing out of the ordinary. Remember, just because it feels intense, it doesn’t mean it works optimally. There seems to be a populist line of thought that a training program’s delivery of results can be gauged by how hard it has you gasping for air on the floor.
All the best.
I am in pretty good shape and I am loving RushFit. I have done and completed P90X and Rip:60 and my wife says I am a little insane. I liked the review as it is a little different and not so comparative. These workouts can be intense but what is left out of this review is that during the DVDs they do stress about going at your own pace. If you are fit pick it up a notch… If you are struggling just keep moving… They also give slight variations of the exercises so that you can continue to move. I think we often fail to hear the words that are being spoken and see the moves that are being adjusted because we are at that time giving it our all. so the middle ground can be found in a lot of these programs and listen with both our bodies and our ears. Just move people and feed your body properly.
Thank you. I really needed to hear this today. I see all of these programs out there and I’m continually questioning if I’m doing enough or working out hard enough. I had started to think that maybe my daily Jillian workout combined with my daily Pilates matwork and twice weekly yoga aren’t enough. Sure I think I would benefit from some longer higher intensity cardio workouts but at some point I have to stop beating myself up and competing and comparing to others.
I’m finishing week 1 of Rushfit. Tough Mudder is at the end of Sept and I’m starting to train now. Anyway, I did Insanity last year and enjoyed it but it brutal on the knees. Rushfit, I am loving. Yes the workouts are intense but you get out of it what you put in. I don’t feel the frantic-ness (made that word up)n as I did with Insanity. Erik (the program developer) gives you options. His philosophy is, you can do it with less intensity but keep form and it’s still beneficial. I really focus on form and honestly sometimes it doesn’t feel like a brutal workout until I realize how much I’m sweating or feel my heart rate or the next day, my muscles are a little tight. I find it much more “whole bodied”. I still like Insanity, nothing beats it for cardio. But, I like that Rushfit allows for your choice of cardio and you don’t feel like you’ve cheated on the program. I use my treadmill, HipHopAbs (heh! so not good at it but it’s fun) or Insanity.
As long as you stick to low weights, use the modifications and the beginner’s schedule, then you should be able to do this at a moderate level of fitness (skinny-fat peeps trying to build muscle, pudgier but strong chicks trying to lose weight). It is difficult and you may not be able to do all the moves at first, but I wouldn’t let that discourage you from trying.
Better than P90x as it requires far less equipment (a set of dumbbells and a mat) and the workouts go by a lot quicker using the mock-MMA fight format (10 min warm up, 5 rounds of intensity with a minute in between, and a 5 minute cool down).
I’m finishing up Rushfit’s beginner schedule this week and can’t wait to go on to the intermediate (possibly advanced) schedule next. I’m a 40-year old male, slightly overweight but in otherwise reasonably good shape. These DVDs have been kicking my butt. I like that the workouts are short, doable (with some occasional modifications), and only require a pair of dumbbells (I use ten-pound weights throughout the program). I also like that the warm-up and cool down routine is the same every time. The scale hasn’t really budged but I’ve added muscle and my pants are fitting looser so it’s obviously working. And I haven’t really changed my diet, either. I hate to sound like an infomercial but I really can’t say enough good things about this program.
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