Had Rushfit for a week now. Ask me anything.

**JudOWNED** · Posted On: 4/10/2011 7:16am

So you're post prompted me to look, and I see that P90X does use a pull-up bar. I have to imagine, however, that it was simply a decision regarding equipment. Much easier for people to get by with one or 2 sets of dumbells. Plus, for the people who can't even do one pull-up, they can do rows and curls with a light dumbbell. Nevertheless, I can see how no pull-ups would be a drawback for people that are already moderately fit.

**JudOWNED** · Posted On: 4/10/2011 7:26am

Tell ya what, though. I have a pull up bar and know what my current unassisted max reps is. I will let you all know if that goes up or down at the end of this program.

**Snake Plissken** · Posted On: 4/10/2011 8:47am

Originally Posted by JudOWNED

Tell ya what, though. I have a pull up bar and know what my current unassisted max reps is. I will let you all know if that goes up or down at the end of this program.

That's a pretty good idea.

**jspeedy** · Posted On: 4/11/2011 9:16pm

Sounds like this workout maybe taxing to some degree and may be better than nothing, but i'm leary of a program that sticks to light dumbell and bodyweight exercises. Sounds good for newbs but if you can already cranks out several reps of pullups I don't know why you'd opt to replace them with sets of light dumbell rows.

My current routine is entirely bodyweight but i've used Pavel's material to create a strength based bodyweight routine. When I have the resources i'll return to a strength lifting routine like stronglifts, but for now the results i've gotten with Pavel's strength bodyweight routines has convinced me that i'm a badasss and all other routines are inferior.

**JudOWNED** · Posted On: 4/12/2011 1:01pm

lol @ "taxing to some degree." These workouts kick my ass! And though I wouldn't be doing this if I didn't need to drop some weight and get in better shape, I'm a guy who does judo twice a week and lifts 2-3 times a week. And these workouts still leave me completely drained.

if you can already cranks out several reps of pullups I don't know why you'd opt to replace them with sets of light dumbell rows.

Because the idea here isn't a low rep strength training program. It is a high rep, low weight, calorie burning S&C program. It has a completely different goal than doing a couple low rep sets of pullups.

**JudOWNED** · Posted On: 4/16/2011 10:47am

So, it's been two weeks now. Here's my thoughts and results so far.

I have done all the workouts but one (they don't schedule the explosive power workout until week 3). So far the Strength and Ednurance workout seems to do the most for strength building. I feel the most like I'm lifting weights when I do it. The FIght workout and strength and conditioning workouts are about tied for being the most intense, but the fight workout is definitely my favorite. For pure pain, though, nothing beats the ab workout.

So far, I've noticed these workouts hit the whoulders and quads hard. You do about a gagillion squats, lunges and other such movements. You also do a ton of pressing excercises, plus a ton of stuff where you are resting on your hands with your arms straight whcih hits the shoulders isometrically. I also feel (good) soreness in the lower back, glutes arms and abs. The abs ar killin' me after the ab workout, though.

Before I get to the results, let me explain that on weekdays I do Rsuhfit during my lunch hour and don't have time for the warm-up/cool down which, I'm sure, reduces their effectiveness somewhat. I also currently don't have heavy enough dumbbells, though I am getting some more tomorrow, I think. I've only missed one workout so far, but that was on Judo day, so I still got in a workout there.

Having said all that, after 2 weeks I've lost about 2 pounds. A pound a week isn't bad, and if I've lost 8 pounds by the end of the program I will be quite happy. Also, I have noticed the difference with my conditioning at judo. And, FWIW, I've had training partners comment that I seem a lot stronger. I should mention, though, that before I started rushfit I was hitting a 5x5 routine in the gym a couple times a week. I also think I'm just getting better at judo which makes me "feel" stronger to my opponents.

Either way, it's so far so good. Any questions?

**Soldiermedic** · Posted On: 4/16/2011 10:59am

How easy do you think it would it be for someone who is not in all that good of shape to start the program?

**JudOWNED** · Posted On: 4/16/2011 11:51am

Not easy at all. The warm-up alone would leave them sore and stiff like they probably never felt before. Someone who is a complete couch potato would do well to spend a good week or so just going through the warm up/cool down and practicing the exercises in the "how do plank" sections of the DVDs. Then, once they are used to the movements and past that initial and horrifying (to those who have never experienced it before) muscle soreness, they could start the actual program. The program has schedules for beginner, intermediate and advanced, but they still use all the same workouts, simply varying the schedule and frequency of them.

During the workouts, they encourage people to rest and take breaks if necessary, and often give easier alternatives to some of the exercises if you can't do them. I myself have to cheat my way through some portions of the workouts because they are killers.

I will say this, though. If someone is a severely overweight and out of shape slob, and they manage to follow this program to the best of their ability, I can almost guarantee they will see results. It is not easy, but such intense physical exercise can't help but have an effect. If they change their diet as well, the pounds should melt off.

**War Wizard** · Posted On: 4/16/2011 7:43pm

Well calisthenics when done with intensity do the body good.

Next you'll have to do a month of Crossfit and then compare the two.

Either way, one is free and one is not (and one has pullups dammit!), so yeaaahhhh.......

**JudOWNED** · Posted On: 4/16/2011 8:20pm

I've done crossfit. It was okay, but if I'm going to go to the gym to use weights, I'd rather just lift weights. When I did crossfit, I felt weaker than when I just lifted (and indeed, weights on my big lifts went down) and yet didn't feel any big boost on cardio/conditioning.