There's no free lunch

so... yesterday I overheard a conversation between my boss and a couple of ladies I work with (that's what I do at work, just listen in on conversations. It's much better than actually having to be involved in them myself). She was telling them about a place that she goes to at lunch that has a machine you sit(?) on and it gives you a full workout in only 4 minutes.

4 minutes?

Really?

I'm of the belief that there's no free lunch, and you get out of something what you put into it. I can't imagine you would get much out of a 4 minute workout session.

I didn't ask any questions (eavesdropping, remember?) but she was ranting and raving about this place. She was saying how invigorating it was, and how good she feels after her "session". And it's only $35 a month for all of that!

Am I wrong? Can you get a good workout in only 4 minutes a day? I am a firm believer in high-intensity interval training (see my post about The Sufferfest), but how much high-intensity interval training can you get in only 4 minutes? And $35/month? It's $40/month at my local rec center for my entire family, and that gives me access to the pool, weight room, exercise bikes and treadmills. It just smacks me of being similar to all of those "weight loss" commercials you see on TV - "just take this one pill a day and watch the pounds fall off"

Now, not to be rude, but "fit" is not a word that you would use in describing my boss - unless "having a" was directly proceeding it.

What do you think?

Speaking of working out... it's about 3 months until Spudman, and I'm starting my triathlon training.  I'll be putting more than 4 minutes a day into preparing for my first Olympic-distance triathlon.