I have received some hilarious texts and e-mails from those of you doing Red Carpet Ready. These are not unfit people mind you; they are personal trainers, martial artists, fitness instructors, veterans of Afterburn and Turbulence Training. They write to me saying that the Valslide mountain climber thingies dropped them on their ass, that they turned bright red from exertion, that their legs were screaming, that they could only get through the circuits one time before they collapsed, that they had to stop because they thought they were going to throw up or faint.
Oh, how this warms my heart! Now, I do not feel like such a crybaby weenie for struggling through these "fluffy" little workouts. This high heart rate muscular endurance stuff is very, very different from typical heavy lifting. My heart and lungs (and sweat glands) feel like I am doing the TT Bodyweight 500 or 1000. It's that kind of no-rest, burning repetition, but it lasts longer! I'm getting better at it, finding my groove, picking up speed. I did the whole workout (all circuits three times) in 52 minutes this morning. Not only is my pace getting faster, but I'm getting better at the sliding moves and the squat, lunge and plank variations that used to leave me shaking. Of course, once I start getting good at it, the workouts will completely change. You only do them for 3 weeks before switching to something different and worse. :-D
If you want to try some Valerie Waters workouts yourself, she has posted Get an Action Hero Body and Action Hero Workout #2 in her blog. Give it a try. Run through those circuits 3 times each. Don't just look at the pictures and the lack of big weights and think that it's nothing. Try it! And if you have any comical newbie soreness, upchucking or muscle collapse, please write and tell me. I'm not laughing at you, I'm laughing with you.
