The long muscles down the sides of my back give out way before my energy or stomach muscles. Am I doing something wrong? I am pulling my shoulders approx. 5 inches off the floor. I am exhaling when coming up and trying to push my back to the floor and tighten my stomach muscles.

It could be your erector spinae. These muscles, which support your spine, also need attention. Try some lower back exercises to balance with the ab exercises- chest extensions on the floor or the ball, hyperextension bench, alternate arm/leg raises on the floor, the ball, or on hands and knees.

Leg exercises, such as squats, deadlifts and straight leg deadlifts, also work your lower back.

Yep, that's it. I Googled Erector Spinae [ too big of a word for little me. ] and that was were the pain was.

Bummer #2-

Push disk came in the mail yesterday but it stalls right after the intro. I can FF to the warm up but then it stalls again. I tried wiping it with a cotton cloth--no luck. I will call them on Monday and see what they say. While I am waiting I will do some of the leg raises, ie.. alternate arm/leg and the one where you lift leg at 90% angle. I can't do squats my knees can't take it.

Here's a place that might help

http://www.shapefit.com/training.html