Although this elephant probably just lost 10 pounds in 10 seconds.There’s just something about doing handstand push-ups on the weight floor that brings it out in people. Brings what out, you ask? Eye rolls, high fives, stares, giggles… wedgies – trust me, we got it all today! But before we get to our crazy behavior*, you probably have a second question (if you’ve been paying attention): “But Charlotte why were you doing handstand push-ups at the gym? The Self Magazine January Fitness Experiment has zero handstand push-ups in it.”
My answer: Exactly.
The Shape Magazine “Lose 10 Pounds in One Month” Workout Experiment is over. Which is a good thing because this may possibly be my most hated Experiment ever. True, it wasn’t a spectacular failure that sent me screaming back to therapy like the Primal Blueprint was (again – not knocking the diet, just knocking myself) but it was worse in one important way. It was horribly horribly boring.
Despite giving a decent burn – especially on those Tabata squats! – it didn’t work all the muscle groups. It focused mostly on lower body, almost completely skipped the upper body and, well, it never changed. The allure of the medicine balls wasn’t even enough to keep me interested. I knew it was bad when most of the Gym Buddies found reasons* to skip the gym last week.
So I staged an intervention. I brought in other magazine workouts which the Gym Buddies and I dutifully tried. Not only did we do the “Lose 10 lbs in One Month” workout but we also tackled the “Drop 10 lbs in One month” workout and the “Banish 10 lbs – Fast!” workout. Okay, so I only skimmed the last one before chucking it into the garbage with the rest of them. Because the problem with magazine workouts – all magazine workouts – is that they’re limited. They’re limited by body part, by equipment, and even by aggressive crack-seeking spandex. But most of all they’re limited by their medium: print.
I’m not saying it’s bad to throw one in every once in a while to mix stuff up. In fact, I enjoy trying out new moves and tricks. But you simply can’t structure a whole workout routine around one. Finally, on Monday, when everyone dragged in and sighed, “So… magazine workout today?” it was the last straw. We were done with the glossy pictures and that stupid model with her stupid blue shoes (hey, yellow and blue are complementary colors everyone!).
Gym Buddy Krista, being relatively new to the insanity, has been going back through my archives and mentioned that she was sad that she had missed The Monkey Bar Gym Experiment. I was pleased because that one happened to be one of my all-time faves! In fact, when people ask me which workout I would recommend first for them, I always say The Monkey Bar Gym. (Unless you are seriously hardcore and/or have a high threshold for discomfort – then I recommend CrossFit. You get faster & more extreme results but I’ve found that very few people have the stamina or will to stick with it for very long. Plus it does take a bit of specialized training and equipment.)
The Monkey Bar Gym on the other hand is perfect for everyone from beginners to seasoned athletes. They offer 3 different levels for each exercise allowing you to get as much of a workout as you want. In addition each workout lasts only 20-30 minutes so it is great for the time crunched. It also uses very little equipment and can be done almost anywhere (hence the name). But my favorite part? It’s new every single day. Like CrossFit, MBG posts a workout of the day on their website. They even have a video gallery to show you how to do each move.
How does Gym Buddy Krista like her own mini-Experiment? Well at the moment she’s so sore she can’t lift her arms above her head. But she’s still smiling! I’d call that success.
Conclusions
The Shape Magazine workout was unbalanced, ineffective and boring. I most certainly did not lose 10 pounds (in fact, I gained a few). I don’t suppose that anyone will be terribly surprised to discover that magazine workouts of this type are just a gimmick to sell copies but it still was kind of a let down. Like I said, magazine workouts have their place. There is nothing wrong with using one to mix stuff up or introduce new moves but it certainly doesn’t replace a good total body workout. Not to mention you have to look at their obnoxiously thin, smiling models every day which I think depressed all of us.
And hey – Monkey Bar Gym is FUN! I was definitely glad to come back to it. Even if it did make us the punchline to every joke on the weight floor today! Don’t forget: New Experiment coming at you on Monday. And trust me, I’ve never done anything like this one before!
*The Male Gym Buddies, after being called out on my blog yesterday, have drafted a statement. They say, “I can’t reply on your blog, it is considered a security breach. But I would like to respond to your recent query on your latest article about where are all the male Gym Buddies are. It was in regards to the comment about female hormones. We, the male Gym Buddies felt a great disturbance in the force, we gathered around the weight bench and pondered and discussed at great lengths about what we should do (all of 2 minutes). One of us pointed toward the exit and we all nodded in acknowledgment and made an orderly retreat to the parking lot. Lest we be put in a situation where our very response would be an entrapment to any query you female Gym buddies may put in our direction, we decided it would be best to come very early to the “Y” or not at all =P.” I say, “Geez men, at least you could have thrown us some chocolate protein bars before beating such a hasty retreat!”
PS> Thanks to everyone for their kind compliments on my new profile picture! You all made my day:)
I’m looking forward to the next experiment, Charlotte…I’ve always wanted to do a magazine workout like that…but not so much anymore. I will check out the Monkey Bar Gym–I’m always on the lookout for something new. (Preferably something that does NOT involve handstand push-ups!)
Retraction…I can now lift my arms over my head but I CAN NOT dig out my wedgie!!! HELP!!!
I keep meaning to say something about your new picture, but then I get all wrapped up in my comment and say nothing. So, I’ll say it now: you are beautiful!
I can’t believe this experiment is already over. I was excited in the beginning to hear the results. Sounds like it bombed. I started reading your blog after the Monkey Bars experiment…need to look into that.
Looking forward to next month as always!
Wait a second, back up the bus. Are you saying you can do handstand pushups? Like, all the way down until your head hits the ground, then all the way up? If so, I’m impressed! This is something I’m working on right now.
– Dave
PS – I’ll have to check out that monkey bar workout too. Sounds like the kind of thing I’d be interested in 🙂
Can’t wait for the next experiment 😉 This outcome – not a shocker. And I like the new pic too.
Can’t wait for the next experiment 😉 This outcome – not a shocker. And I like the new pic too.
I look forward to the Next Experiment! Nice new picture.
and I really thought that the new pic was a fancypants headshot! I love it.
now shape.
how do they (read: pretty much all fitness mags. except experience life) continually get away with these lose!weight!fast! programs which are ineffective? I really think you may be the only one EVER to *do* the workout!
And you’ve hit the nail on the head on why these workouts never WORK: bo-ring! There’s no way someone could/would/should use one workout for everything, esp if it ignores entire body parts.
I know that I’ve tried many times to follow these things and bombed out within a week or so because I’m bored.
I’m looking forward to the next experiment – but then again, I’m always looking forward to them!
I am so glad you second the thought that magazine workouts are boring lame. I have tried them before and fall asleep in the middle, regularly, sometimes with a stability ball in my crotch. Can’t wait to hear what the new experiment is!
Ugh, I’m so jealous of the handstand pushups.
Can’t wait for the next experiment.
Do you realize what a great service you & the gym buddies did with this last experiment? With all of these experiments, really. I don't mess around with magazine workouts* anymore, but there was a time when my younger self felt like a total failure for not ever seeing results.
Can't wait to see what's next. I'm feeling rather experimental, so I might tag along. Unless I'm lured away by the Monkey Bar Gym – that looks like painfully serious fun.
*exception for stretches in runners world for preventing/soothing specific aches and twinges.
I’m going in a different direction here Charlotte. Yes, the exercises may be boring and not get the results promised, but It’s kinda sad that they pull (mostly not exercise minded) people in with their promise that a few squats will drop those 10 pounds. These souls are the ones that may have let themselves go for whatever reason and may have been encouraged to fix the weight loss, self esteem, body image problem and got bupkis for their trouble. Sure to be a turn off from any future try.
Oh, and very nice photo too.
Dave – HAHAHAHAHAHHHHHH!!!!! Oh good heavens, no. When I wrote we were doing handstand pushups what I meant was we giving it our honest best. We kick up into a handstand against a wall and then lower down as far as we can and push back up again. After practicing these for a year now, I can get to about a 90 degree angle and then push back up. And hey, sure I can get all the way down to my head. Just can’t get back up again:)
I think when you threw out those more than 10 lbs. worth of magazines (recycled of course), you lost the weight as promised in them! “Mission Accomplished” 🙂
Good post! The magazine workouts in the “men’s” magazines are the same. Except in some of the bodybuilding mags which have you trying to keep up with some ‘roid monster. 🙂
I found out about the monkey bar gym and TRX from your blog and love both. They are great workouts and equipment for traveling and a change from lifting weights all the time.
Oh, yeah, GREAT new picture.
Josh
The new picture is tres chic! I love it 🙂
And thanks for doing the magazine workout test. I’ll give that one a miss.
I like to check out magazine workouts for ideas for new moves. I integrated Shape’s Plyo Plank into my homemade Plyo/Strength/Core circuits this month and I think it’s killer. And I have been a fan of Scissor Lunges (in a love/hate sorta way) for a while now. But doing 12 per week is much more bearable than doing the stuff over and over day after day!
Why oh Why do I live in Ireland where we have nothing anywhere near as fun-sounding as a Monkey Bar Gym?!?! 🙁
Love the new pic, you are such a elegance personified! xx
hmm.. that was meant to be “such a lady, elegance personified”.. I think all this statement writing may have fried my brain. can you contract dyslexia…? 🙂
I tried the Magazine Workout. I even modified some of the moves to do with the kids I coach. I too agree they are a good supplement to a weight routine to mix it up. I NEVER followed the routine to the letter (did extra cardio, did standard circuits, etc.) but managed to lose 5lbs on it.
Magazine workouts seem to be made for people who don’t do any exercise. I was following the Oxygen mag workout and it made me a little impatient that there wasn’t more involved. I think if you’re not doing any other exercise then they are useful to get started, but you’re right- they’re mostly just dull and boring and only focus on very specific muscles.
PS My ambition in life now is to do a handstand push up. hehe.
You are beautiful in your new picture! 🙂
The only magazine “workout” I’ve tried that was actually effective wasn’t really a workout at all: Yoga Journal had a series of poses to do before bed to help you sleep better. (I was in the middle of a raging case of insomnia, and it definitely helped.)
Thank you (and the Gym Buddies) for putting yourselves through all that so we don’t have to!
Very excited for the next experiment!
workouts in women’s magazines are always unbalanced! they think women only want to tone tummies, hips, and booty…but hello??!! we want a bangin upper body too. i like the workouts on menshealth.com…it’s the best source i’ve found so far!
http://www.snapsanddaps.blogspot.com
I actually rely on fitness magazines for my thrice weekly strength routines.
I have a couple binders filled with workouts I've found in Women's Health, SELF, Fitness & Shape. I have such a collection that it allows me to pick a routine as a starting point for the particular day and then add on a few from others that, or I know from experience, are effective, and fill in any spots I feel the base routine ignored. ('Cause yes, a lot of the routines are focused too much on lower body and don't balance it out with more upper body.)
The routines also seem to be too multi-joint muscle geared, and therefore don't allow you to concentrate real well on say, your triceps, or hamstrings. So, that's why I'll also add in basics if I feel the routine I'm doing that day doesn't address certain areas as well as others.
I guess what I'm saying is that they can work very well and be interesting, if you have the experience and knowledge of strength training to mix and match the routines and build your own effective workout.
I have seen great results doing it this way. Another thing to remember is magazine workouts common 5-8 pound weight recommendations are usually too low for more experienced exercisers, and so you just up the weight.
There’s absolutely nothing wrong with stopping an experiment early. Just because you pledge to give it a try doesn’t mean you always have to see it through to the end…a month is way more than enough time to realize if you like something or not.
I don’t blame you for finding it boring! Magazine workouts…yuck. 🙂
The Male Gym Buddy statement sounds like Teddie to me. He’s so whitty or whitey, take your pick! 🙂
Every time I see a magazine, it always says “Lose those last 10 pounds!” I always smile, cause it seems like everyone wants to loose just 10 pounds more. I’m glad that the experiment didn’t work and that it’s just proves its baloney-mahoney!
I had fun in HHH last night with you! You sure can shake as little as your momma gave you! 🙂
Woah, this one is sure a shock! 🙂 I’m sure you can find a new exercise or 2 to change up the routine, but I certainly don’t think I’d get anywhere following a magazine to the letter.
We used to do handstand pushups all the time in gymnastics, ah the days…I’m now working up to a 1 minute handstand hold (I’m at about 3 sets of 45 seconds now), then I’ll give pushups a try. And maybe some pirouettes (on some soft grass, where I can fall on my butt and not hurt myself).
I also love your picture!! I think it’s awesome that you’re always willing to at least try something new. Way to go!
I have to comment on the photo you posted (the elephants not you) my kids are obsessed with it and have been talking about it and laughing about it non-stop. It’s my new threat now: “you don’t behave I’ll poop on your head!”