All work... is dull

In case you wondered whether we're all work over here at Beachbody, here's a copy of an email string that happened the other day when my assistant was out of the office and I needed to organize a coffee run...

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From: Carl Daikeler
To: Staff

This is dangerous, but… First person who emails me that they’re getting coffee across the street, I’ll buy if you pick me up a medium size dark roast.

Carl
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From: Rick
To: Staff

I need to go for a walk.. I’d be happy to help you out in the process – kill two birds with one stone!

Rick
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From: Carl Daikeler
To: Staff

Thanks Rick.

Oh, I forgot to add, “plus I’ll give you ten million dollars”

Enjoy!

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From: Patty
To: Staff

Hey, for that much money I would have bought you a GRANDE...

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From: Carl Daikeler
To: Staff

Big deal... unless GRANDE is French for "Harley"

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From: Carl
To: Staff

Rick – This is the best cup of coffee I have ever had. Good work son.

You’ve got a bright future at this company. I am going downstairs to move Jon’s car so you can have his parking spot from now on. And see me later for a key, fluffy robe and slippers for our executive lounge and spa.

Carl

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From: Rick
To: Staff

Relax everyone – Carl did give me the ten million dollars - but it was ten million dollars in “Beachbody store credit”. Anyone need a couple thousand copies of Power 90?

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From: Patty
To: Staff

Carl:

Sounds to me like you have already had too much coffee, easy on the caffeine Mr......

Patty

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From: Rick
To: Staff

Carl -

As per our conversation in the Executive Spa, here’s the revisions I would make to our site.

Rick

P.S. Thanks for the foot rub.

P.P.S. Who is "Staff"? I see he is on all of these correspondences. Does he have the true power around here? If so, does he need some coffee too?

Yes, we hear you... You want more!

As Turbo Jam has started to get more notice now that the infomercial is on TV and people are experiencing the "party" that these workouts represent, the demand for an even more challenging and lively set of routines has been a recurring theme of many emails I get each week. (Yes VF'ers, that means you!)

We have completed principle photography on six new, more advanced Turbo Jam LIVE! videos which we are planning to release as they are completed - probably starting in December. Cardio Remix and Turbo Jam Booty Sculpt will be the first two titles in this new set. While they are more advanced routines, they still keep the workout to around thirty mins since that is by far the most popular feature of most of the Beachbody catalog (Time matters to most customers!).

The next four videos, which we shot this week will be Fat Blaster (30 mins), Turbo Jam 3T's of Sculpting (30 mins), Cardio Party 3 (45 mins), and Punch Kick and Jam (45 mins).

In January we will take it yet another level up with more advanced hour-long workouts, and a couple other twists I have in mind for this line.

Meanwhile, for anyone looking for the Yoga Booty Ballet Masters Series, the first of the five titles, "Yoga Core" is now hidden deep within the Core/Yoga Gear section of the website.

WOWY crosses 200,000!

Today WOWY crossed over the 200,000 workouts-to-date mark for 2005! That's 200,000 times people have overcome that urge to blow off their workout.


We hit the magic number of 200,000 workouts when MyBeachbody member PWmn1973 logged in for an hour of cardio at 2:45 PM PT!

That's consistency! That's persistence!



In case you think that's nothing... I sat next to Tony Horton on the plane coming back from Hawaii Friday to learn that, he too has the struggle to stay motivated to workout. He told me that if he has plans to workout with friends or a client, and they cancel, he often will have that urge to skip it "just this once". But he pulls himself together and he gets it done. So if the king of fitness has to work at staying on track, the rest of us should be proud whenever we string together a consistent week or month... Just like the Beachbody community has demonstrated 200,000 times so far in 2005!

Nice work to everyone who logged in their workouts. I'm guessing we could get close to 300,000 by the end of the year, but it will be difficult to actually hit that number. We'll see.

Erick and his team are working on some new features which will bring more people to the WOWY party. But that's slated for the end of the year.

In the meantime, congrats to everyone who has won the $100 so far, and keep logging in your workouts with the last week of the October WOWYfest ahead of us! (Can I finally take the dress off?)

The Last Hawaii Hurrah of 2005

Well, what a week. What a group. What a night. As I said at tonight's dinner, I am grateful for this group, while Beachbody deals with the firestorm of misunderstanding resulting from its offer set and custiomer service track record for 2005 -- yes, we have a lot to improve... but the attitude, success, and joy on the faces of these folks fills the entire team with hope.. Beachbody will help more people, and we will continue to improve, because every single customer is worth it!

Now - here's the crazy night - -karaoke, photos, and dancing... Looking forward to next year already!

A Few Photos from Dinner

It was a great dinner put on by our hosts Pure Kauai.

The group seems very relieved to have the interviews behind them. Everyone seems to be having a great time, and as usual making strong relationships with the other guests that will carry on throghout the year on the Beachbody message boards and to fitness gatherings throughout the country.

I think we are all getting a little restless!

With the big workout behind us, with hardly a complaint from anyone, it was time for just a quick lunch, showers, then the group interview. I think the gang and the crew is starting to think ahead to the beach day planned for Thursday. I'm hearing murmurs of vodka/pineapple shots and chocolate cake!

The Lawn Shoot

It was a non-stop grueling three hours of shooting, including the new Power 90 Fat Burning workout with plenty of new inspiration from the 2005 Success Stories.

That is an Upside Down Dawn

"Wow" is all I could think as I took this 5:45AM photo. Storm clouds are threatening our shoot today. But it's almost worth it with a dawn like this.

Muscle... at Dusk

Cort, Bernie and the crew oversee shots of Aaron - 107 pounds lighter thanks to Power 90, and Jack who was crossing to get in position for his shots to show off his results -- 63 pounds lighter.


Aaron responded with a sprint and a leap to finish off the shoot, after being asked to "Frolick more".

Back to the Beach

The end of the day got a little overcast, but it was still warm enough to capture beach shots of Dawn, who has lost over 46 pounds, and Melanie who has lost 34 pounds with Power 90.

Fred's Turn!

Message Board hero Fred, who has lost over 105 pounds since starting with Power 90, gave a great commentary about the value of the community to help you succeed.

Heather and I were hanging on every word

Beautiful Way To Start The Morning

Melanie doesn't know I caught her stretching at 5:45 AM, but I understand why she was inspired. It was an amazing dawn.

Speaking of Dawn - here is Dawn following Tony for the morning workout. We're refining the moves for a new workout to add to Tony's line-up -- a major fat burning routine we hope to shoot Wednesday, if the weather holds.

Today would have been ideal. It was a spectacular morning in Kauai.

The last moments of sun

In the last moments of light the photo and video crew worked together to get the proof that these Beachbody success stories were for real; Laurie, Ralph and Cindy.

Good stuff. I am heading over to dinner to find out how the group that went on the hike today did!

Then to the beach for Video

Jon and the crew oversaw beach photos and video during that "Golden Moment" where you have around 20 minutes to get that perfect light before the sun sets.










Here's Tom who lost 37 pounds doing with Power 90 along with his wife Lisa (seen doing push ups with Tony yesterday). Tom used his new found discipline to also quit smoking - cold turkey - on day 45!

The After Shots - THOSE pants!

We started the day with interviews and after shots. Here's Laurie V, who lost 30 pounds with Power 90, and Ralph H who lost 76 pounds! Inspiring stories on that basis alone, but when you hear the real story behind the stats, they are truly remarkable success stories that will no doubt inspire another wave of success.

Late -Sunday Workout

Before dinner, Tony decided to get another workout in. Here Lisa is getting some tips on close-hands push-ups, and Tony drew a crowd as he lifted the stack in a bullish set of pull downs.

Heather at Work

Heather Church, who has been around Beachbody since 2000, has taken charge of the Hawaii trip again. Here she and Lesley are during the location scout, and Heather and Tony as they layout the structure of a new Fat Burning video we're planning to shoot on Wednesday.

Morning - Sunday

A beautiful morning got started with our customer/guests working out with Tony Horton followed by a light day of production prep.

The Week In Kauia - 2005

I'll talk about this in my chat in the VIP room tonight at 7:30 ET, but in case you want to enjoy the week we're about to experience in Kauai vicariously through this blog, below is our basic itinerary in Hawaii time.

I will send photos to the blog as often as possible so you can see what's happening. In the meantime, here's what we're planning:

Beachbody 2005 - Success Stories Itinerary

Saturday, October 15th
5-6:00 pm Tony Horton and the Guests meet - Mai Tai’s at the Point
8:00-9:30 pm Buffet Dinner at the Sheraton Beach Lawn

Sunday, October 16th
7:30 am Group Class
3-5:00 pm Surf Lessons
5-6:00 pm Entertainment & Mai Tai’s at the Point
6:30-8:30 pm Welcome Dinner at the Sheraton Beach Lawn with Introductions

Monday, October 17th
7:30 am Group Class
10-5:00 pm Awa Awa Puhi Hike/Waimea Canyon
5-6:00 pm Entertainment & Mai Tai’s at the Point
6:30-8:30 pm Buffet Dinner at the Sheraton Garden Pool

Tuesday, October 18th
7:30 am Group Class
10–3:00 Sleeping Giant hike with lunch
5-6:00 pm Entertainment & Mai Tai’s at the Point
6:30-8:30 pm Buffet Dinner at the Sheraton Ocean Lawn

Wednesday, October 19th
9:30-1:30 Group Workout at the Sheraton Ocean Lawn
6:30-8:30 pm Luau Dinner at the Sheraton Beach Lawn with Fire Dancers

Thursday, October 20th
7:30 am Group Class
9:30-5:00 Beach day/Outrigger Paddling/Surfing/Volleyball in Hanalei
6-9:30 pm Farewell Dinner with Dancing and Karaoke Beach Lawn at Sheraton Ocean Lawn

Friday, October 21st
7:30 am Group Class
TBD Departures

Look out Mary Lou Retton!

Something about the way my daughter Ava and a group of 20 kids at a birthday party. They work up the most intense red-faced sweat ever, at the same time they're having an absolute blast, and it's an inspiration, especially to a guy who runs a fitness company.

Looking to not only lose the weight, but make it fun? Take a cue from the kids -- feel the limits of your body, and see how you can improve. Push yourself, not only to get a sweat, but to feel the FUN of the whole thing.

This is something that Tony Horton in Power 90 Masters Series and Chalene Johnson in Turbo Jam are adept at in particular. They make their programs fun because they're having fun.

The next time I push play on P90X Plyometrics, I'm not just gonna bring it, I'm going to enjoy it.