As you may recall, I got to interview Tony Horton, founder of P90X and P90X 2 (due out in December). (How many times can I name-drop this before it just starts looking pathetic? I don’t care. I talked to Tony! And he said I could call him “Tony”! Or “Friend”! Whatever that means! Squeee!) Near the end of our interview he said, “Well you sound like you’re pretty strong.”
Even though I’m well aware of the limitations of the telephone, I still gushed, “Thank yooouuuu!”
To which he replied, “Do you want a real challenge?” He said the magic word! He said challenge! To me! That’s like asking Lindsay Lohan if she’d like to go shopping or Charlie Sheen if he’d like his own reality show or Rick Astley if he’s never gonna give you up!
“Do I ever!”
“It’s a move called The Impossible and I have to warn you, most men can only do about three.” I immediately fixated on the number 3. Must. Beat. Men. “All you have to do is put your feet on an exercise ball and your hands on a basketball and do a push-up!”
Me, out loud: “Oh thank you! I am totally going to try this!” Me, in my head: “That’s it?! We’ll knock this one out of the park!”
It turns out that The Impossible is the gym equivalent of that circus trick where the elephant rolls around on that little ball. After working on it for a solid week, we all got it but it did not come without a lot of bumps, falls, rug burns, bruises and knocks to the head.
First, check out Shape.com to read the second part of my interview with Tony about how to get the most out of P90X2 and watch the video Gym Buddy Allison and I made of how to do The Impossible. After you are all impressed with how coordinated and strong we are (and how we still act like totals nerds on camera), you must come back here and check out this blooper reel.
And if that didn’t have you laughing hard enough (Kegels! Think kegels!), here’s what we did after our New Rules of Lifting for Women workout this morning:
First we checked out Krista’s gnarly bruise that she got when she tripped over Allison who had just tripped over me while we were playing basketball. There were only 4 people on the court and yet 3 of us ended up in a heap with poor Krista taking the brunt of it. But do we give her any sympathy? No, we’ve been mocking her Hypercolor arm for a week now.
Have you ever seen such a bruise?!
And then because of an argument on Facebook about who has the longer tongue – I know, do we have to compete over everything?! – Allison brought her ruler to the gym today so Krista and I could duke it out.
Krista’s tongue was 7.25 cm long! And pointy!!
Megan’s was only 4.5cm long. Poor child. However will she pick her nose if she looses both hands in a tragic accident?
See, Krista and I have that covered. So what was the verdict? My tongue was 7.25 cm… exactly as long as Krista’s. Tie!
Anyone who thinks working out is boring just hasn’t worked out with us! So – have I convinced you to try The Impossible? If you do, please let me know how it goes! (Video is even awesomer!) Do you have a freakishly long tongue too? Can you touch your tongue to your nose?
P.S. Don’t forget, you can still enter to win $100 from Unilever!
I watched the video. I love Gym Buddy videos! Family photos one day, then gym buddy shenanigans the next? What have your lovely readers done to deserve such a treat?
1) re: puships- Impressive! I am glad you showed Tony what is what. He should give you guys a REAL challenge. I’d watch a cartoon super-hero version of you all, called “The Gym Buddies”, and it would have various fitness challenges and the Gym Buddies coming up with creative ways to fulfill the challenges. Way better than The Simpsons. And I’m betting more family friendly, even with all the tongues.
2) re: bra over shirt- Since when has it not been okay to wear the bra on top? At the gym only (obviously). I mean, you’re equally as covered as if the bra was underneath…soooo…where is le problem? Sometimes a little colour is nice, and the bra on top can fulfill that.
Thank you – you are too sweet! So glad I’m not boring you guys silly with all the home video stuff:) And yes, I agree – we need our own show! With capes!!
And thank you for agreeing with me about the sports bra! I’ve been doing it a lot lately….I just wanted some color dangit!
Man, I AM the queen of Bloopers!!! I was totally LOLing during that whole tape!! Loved it. Oh, and my arm looks totally gnarly!! 🙂
Yes, yes you are! See, I was behind the camera most of the time so while I fell a TON, nobody got it on film. And Al, well she just doesn’t fall much! I laugh myself silly everytime I watch it…
Oh man do I love it!! Just everything about it! Good times girls!
Always;)
Too funny! Use those kegels (or per yoga the mula bandha!) The key to EVERYTHING!!! 🙂
I saw your Shape video last night and I remember thinkIng “I know someone famous” right after thinking “those can’t be that hard”. I don’t have abasketball , so looks like I have to try it at the gym and make a fool of myself in public. (I don’t mean to imply I am stranger than you guys…I thought that before I saw you attempt them. By the way – you’re awesome – you did TWO!!!)
When I was studying birds in Hawaii, we had to take all kinds of measurements on them, and one slow day, I started measuring all kinds of things with the calipers – I measured my gape (turns out I have a big mouth), my ears, the distance between the inside and outsides of eyes, my face symmetry, etc. It was fun for all!
Oooh yay! I love that you’re going to try this! Let me know what you think! Love that you measured yourself with calipers, lol.
LOL!! That push up looks like a broken wrist in the making! I’d wear my roller blade equipment before doing it!
As for the the measuring of lingual length, no comment 🙂
Haha – yeah we’re nuts on both counts.
Awesome blooper reel. I’ll have to try these impossible push-ups…but from the privacy of my own home 😛
Do it!! And then let me know how it goes!
So when I saw this video, I had to try The Impossible (and I had to make everyone else on the staff at the gym try it). I think us girls did WAY better than the guys! 😉
Ooh, I can’t wait to try those pushups!
I saw this on Shape yesterday! I am still freaking jelious of you for actually talking to The Horton! You guys are awesome by the way. I know this is going to be in P90X 2 but I’m not 100% sure I can do this with the stability ball. I can do it on my knees (which is how I have to do normal push ups with my bad arm, because there is too much weight on my arm when I do it on my toes).
Haha, my uber-fit colleague (was on UK Gladiators) once showed off to me by balancing on four medicine balls, spread eagled out, a ball under each hand and foot. Ultimate core strength! I was so tempted to try it, but having watched even him fall off onto the hard floor eventually I chickened out… my fear of injury overrides every competitive instinct!
(Nice tongue by the way)
Px
Hi Charlotte! Did any of the gym buddies follow the “diet” program on the new rules of lifting for women? Just curious if any of them had feedback. I think you said you stuck with IE.
And that pushup is happening as soon as I can blow up my exercise ball and deflate my 8 months pregnant stomach 🙂
You ladies are too friggin funny!!!!!!!!! I best not talk about tongues BUT I do do push-ups with my hands on those medicine balls single & double & I have dome the toes on the stability ball & push-up on the flat side up BOSU so I guess I best try the stability ball & the medicine ball now. Will report back! 😉
If Gene Simmons ever decides to retire, we now know who to call. You guys could split the tour dates!
That bruise is NASTY! But so worth it, it seems, lol!
I love that you measured your tongues! I have a tragically short tongue :\
I don’t have a long tongue – can’t touch my nose 🙁
I’m actually just commenting to tell you that today my copy of The Female Body Breakthough by Rachel Cosgrove arrived ! I’m so excited 🙂 Thanks for the recommendation.
At the moment I have a middle ear infection which means that I have way less co-ordination than usual. (none) The doctor made me walk one foot in front of the other. It’s a good thing it wasn’t a police officer ! So I might give the Impossible push up a miss – for a while anyway. I did buy one of those pull-up things for my doorway. I can’t even hang on it before my arms give out, let alone make any headway in going up ! I’m sure once I do some of my new book I should improve.
Allison is amazing. Seriously.
Second, I can’t even do a real push up yet, so I’ll have to hold off on attempting the impossible.
Love this!! I shared the SHAPE video on my facebook with one simple word…”CHALLENGE…”
I must try this asap! Thanks for another great post. 🙂
Y’all are so cute,
it’s kinda ridiculous.
And I am SO trying that at the gym.
Well, I thought pike push ups were the impossible push ups!
My goal is to be able to do 10 military push ups till 31st May 2012 when I’m 44. I think I will tackle the impossible push ups at 50. 🙂
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