Power Hour?

[caricampbellcool]

Hi all,

I never ordered power hour because I really want to build muscle
(especially in my upper body), and I assumed this was more endurance oriented. But it seems no matter what I do, I only see small muscular changes, but I normally lift heavy once a week.
Now my question is this: Everyone is raving about power hour,
and a lot of you are saying how sore you are, so should
I give it a try? Do you guys think I will see any strength gains at all?
Thanks!!
Cari

 

[Brinley]

Hi Cari,
I think it would be worth trying. Cathe says it's supposed to be more for endurance but she really works the living daylights out of each muscle, usually to failure in my case (if I'm lifting as heavy as I can, that is)! I think you could use PH 'as is' or try using a low rep/high weight format. She works you hard but not for outrageous lengths of time so you could go really heavy but use a 2/2 or 4/4 count the whole time instead of always going with the varying and alternating tempos in the video. Just a thought.

 

[ErinF]

A thought

I am waiting for the DVDs, so I can't really comment specifically on Power Hour, but if I understand you correctly, you said that you're only lifting once a week and going heavy? My personal experience has been that once a week per body part ( specifically Cathe's PS tapes ), even going heavy, doesn't get me the results I want. I didn't start seeing increases in strength and definition until I added a 2nd total body day to my PS workouts. What seems to work best for me is combining going heavy ( either total body or split ), and then also having 1 total body day in there doing a more endurance based workout. I often combine Cathe and the Firm, since their weight lifting philosophies are so different. Another way to do it would be to have MIS 1 day and Power Hour another. Or you could combine a PS split with Power Hour or the CIA Powerbar Training. OR a CTX split like they have on the DVD ( where they combine all the upper body segments into 1 workout and then you do LL another day ) with MIS. There are lot of different ways to combine heavy lifting with endurance workouts if you find that this works well for you. Good luck!

Erin

 

[Marlene123]

RE: A thought

Power Hour is great. I did it for the first time an hour ago. If you can survive that routine you can survive anything. Love it. I have added it to the Slow and Heavy Rotation like this:

Day 1: Chest/Back plus cardio
Day 2: cardio only
Day 3: Shoulders/Legs plus cardio
Day 4: Triceps/Biceps plus cardio
Day 5: cardio
Day 6: Power Hour
Day 7: rest.

This rotation was suggested by another forem participant, Aimee, and I think it is workable and will enhance muscle strenfth and endurance by working each body part twice a week.

I plan to use this rotation for 3-4 weeks, then go back to the Pure Strength and MIS rotation.

Hope this helps you decide what to get.

 

[Lynda]

RE: A thought

Hi, again! This looks a lot like what I am planning to do. What do you do for the cardio with S and H. I add on the S and H to CTX cardios for three times, then I am going to do a long cardio twice a week (Rhythmic Step, MIC, IMAX, etc. or my new Christi Taylor tape), then Power Hour in between the cardios to replace the Circuit Max or BodyMax I have been doing. This is not going to be working for me for awhile though--I have to take several short trips for the college tour for one of my sons. This week I started out with BodyMax on Sunday, Monday I did Rhythmic Step, today I did CTX circuit max with S and H Back and Chest, and tomorrow I will do CTX 10-10-10 with S and H Tris and Biceps. Then I have to go visit colleges with my son and husband. But I would have done All-Step CTX with S and H Shoulders and finished the week with another cardio. Oh--and I add on abs to everything that doesn't have it.

 

[Marlene123]

RE: A thought

Lynda:

Being pretty new to Cathe's tapes I only have Step Heat and Rhythemic Step. I do those as well as other, shorter step tapes I have (shorter ones are good for the Leg/Shoulder day).

I also add an ab section to any day that does not have one. I use the Firm's Five Day Ab tape as well as Cathe's on the PS series.

Marlene

 

[Cathe Friedrich]

Hi Cari! I always believe in recruiting muscles in different ways to enhance results. Working your muscles for endurance once a week will provide your muscles with a new challenge as well as a welcomed change--or should I say welcomed "shock". You will get quite a build up of lactic acid in the muscles during the exercises too so don't be surprised if your a bit sore too ;-)! Good Luck!

 

[Marnie]

Hi - Just wanted to say how much I like Power Hour! I generally stay with slow & heavy training (MIS, S&H, PS) but I also wanted to "shock" my muscles to gain size & also to increase endurance. I definitely think Power Hour is the way to go. I've added it to my rotation once a week to start, and doing slow & heavy twice a week. I find this is a really good balance and I am totally seeing results in size (my delts & quads are cut!!!) Anyway, go for it! It is quite the challenging workout, and if you like being sore the next day like I do, you will love Power Hour!