Amount of weight used

[mkunkel]

Cathe,

I'm brand new to your workouts. I recently purchased your Power Hour Plus DVD and Pure Strength DVD. So far, I've only done MIS and Power Hour. I love them. Can't wait to try PS. I know I will eventually get S&H and some of your new ones too. Anyway, my question is, when you say you are using a 35# barbell, does that include the weight of the barbell itself, or are you adding 35 pounds worth of plates to the barbell. I can't believe you use so much - especially on your triceps!

If you don't mind , I have another question about rotations. I'm doing a rotation of MIS 2X/week, PH 1X/week, and cardio 3X/week. I think I'll do this for about 4 weeks. Should I then do a rotation with Pure Strength, or do MIS or PH with BodyMax first? I'm very confused about all these strength vs. endurance issues. Is MIS strength or endurance? Can I do rotations consisting of both types of workouts in the same week? Sorry for all the questions, but I'd appreciate your opinion. You are a really motivating instructor. I actually look forward to doing my weight training workouts since I got your DVDs.

Thanks,
Melissa

 

[jillybean]

Sorry, I'm not Cathe - but I just wanted to jump in here. Cathe uses a 15 lb barbell in MIS with one 10 lb plate on each end for a TOTAL of 35 lbs. Cathe's stamina kills me during MIS (well, she kills me during all of her tapes, LOL). Cathe has posted the following rotation before (but it is just one of MANY combinations to choose from):
MIS 2x's a week with PH 1x a week for 4 weeks
PH 2x's a week with MIS 1x a week for 4 weeks
Body Max 2x's a week for 4 weeks
CTX series for 4 weeks
That is a fabulous endurance rotation. I usually do that complete cycle and then follow it up with a strength rotation:
MIS 3x's a week for 4 weeks
PS 1 time a week each for 8 weeks
S&H 1 x a week each for 3 weeks. Some people like to alternate weeks of strength and endurance, but I like to stick with one for quite sometime so I can better gauge my progression. Have fun!

 

[mkunkel]

Thanks so much for the info. I'm glad to hear that she doesn't add 35 pounds to the barbell, but rather that the 35 lbs includes the barbell. That's heavy enough! Don't think I'll ever make it to that much on the shoulders/bis/tris exercises. I'm struggling with 17 lbs. And the pushups kill me. Anyway...thanks also for the rotation suggestion. I'll try that, minus the CTX and S&H sections until I can purchase those. I can't wait to hear everyone's opinions on the new intensity series too.

 

[KarenL]

Hi There!

So I have a question too..........I have been using Cathe's tapes for a few years (just love them!). I just kind of mix up the tapes.....doing strength and endurance tapes in one week. Would I get better results if I did just endurance (say Power Hour 3x a week with cardio mix in and then another week just strength tapes with cardio mixed in?

Sometimes I get so confused with all my choices. I want to make sure I am getting the most bang for my buck, if you know what I mean.

Help!

Karen

 

[jillybean]

It really comes down to what works for you. By that I mean, if doing PH for 3 weeks, then doing Body Max for 3 weeks would bore you to death, then don't do it. I have heard that endurance facilitates strength training, but not the adverse, so I like to do back-to-back endurance rotataions, watch my progress, then do back to back strength rotations. But that is whay works for me. Someone might have a more scientific answer for you though. Have fun!