Advice on combining gym workouts and videos

H

Humanhair

Cathlete
Caroline Knorr
Hi Cathe (and educated crowd),
Here's my dilemma: I love my Cathe tapes, but I also need the variety and motivation of gym workouts using weight machines. My main fitness goal is to increase strength, build up my upper body, and reduce the jiggle in the glutes. I like to do two or three full-body strength training workouts per week, typically PH, MIS, and the PS series. But I also like lifting heavy on the weight machines, which I find really helps when I go back to my weight tapes. What is the best way to combine these workouts into a regimen that will help me reach my goals? Is it OK to sort of flip-flop, say home workouts one week, gym workouts the next (or even PH one day, gym workout two days later). Or, will that delay my goal? I have been working under the assumption that all weight-training I do is beneficial (especially because I know I'm working the muscles differently), but is it truly best to stick with one type of training for awhile and then switch after I plateau? I hope not, because I love working out, and for me, variety is the spice of life!
Thanks for your reply!
Caroline
 
I don't think it much matters. Sometimes, machine exercises are something you can't get with Cathe...like leg curls and extensions. But I know that dumbells are superior with many exercises. Personally, since I found Cathe, I would never find the need to walk into a gym, however I have a leg curl apparatus with a home gym. Just do both. I don't think the exercises are so different from machines to dumbells that you will break through any plateus just by switching to a machine.
 
I have the same question. I now have free access to a university gym that is brand new and nice. I usually work out at home PS style. However, I checked out the gym machines and noticed that I could do heavy leg presses that seemed to work the same muscles as squats without the pressure on my back, neck etc.. and no worries about balance. The leg curl machine really worked my hamstrings as well. I would like to throw in a work out or two at they gym given it would be more quicker some days but like you I wonder about whether it would be ill-advised for my goals of lean muscle and less fat. I think the rotation fascination on many forums leads me into that kind of thinking and may well be absolutely correct. It is just so hard for some of us to "plan" how to do things and then stay with that plan through busy, busy weeks.
 
Hello,

I know what you mean that some of us have good intentions and we plan rotations, but our lifestyle gets in the way.

The way I do things is rather than have rigid rotations, I have rules. For instance, rather than say I will do this tape one day and that tape the next, I say I will do 2-3 weight sessions a week and 2-3 cardios. That way, I will fit in any tape that I feel like doing on that day and repeat that tape on 2 consecutive days. For instance, Mon is MIS, Tues will cardio (step, running etc.) and Wedns should be weights again, but I feel tired so I will do nothing and the following day, Thurs will be weigths again. If I miss a day, I will do a longer programme like BodyMax to get 2 work outs in one.

I just find it easier not to follow rotations and do what my body tells me to do.
 
Last winter/spring I combined cathe and the gym workouts. I must admit I never had a true routine going... I love S&H and really liked free weights at the gym. (I only have up to 15 lbs at home). I started with S&H and did cardio (machines) at the gym but wasn't crazy about cardio at the gym. So then I went for all weights at the gym.

I found what worked best was like the last post... I'll do 3/4 weight a week (and play it by ear - either cathe or gym). THe thing is if you need a lot of structure to your routine this might not work

YES I did get good results with gym/cathe but also CLEAN eating and water.

In the summer - I like to get outdoors and did more running - and maintainence lifting.

BUt now its fall and back to S&H - funny i was just thinking about going back to the gym.... maybe after 3 weeks of S&H.

Let us know how it goes for you and what you decide.
 
Caroline,

I also use a combination of tapes at home and the gym. And, I wasn't seeing the results I wanted, so I decided to change my gym routine to see what happened. (I think that I just don't have heavy enough weights at home to see the results w/ the tapes).

Instead of doing the basic 3 sets at the highest weight I could get 12 out of, I switched to drop sets. I start w/ a weight I can only do between 6 and 8, dropped it by 5 pounds UB and 10 lbs LB adding reps. So, the 2nd set would be 10-12, the third 14-16. For the largest muscles (back and legs) I added a 4th set to fatigue. I do full body 2x a week.

The definition appeared in about 2 weeks and I've see strength gains like nothing I've ever done before. Going up at least 5lbs in max weight w/ each visit back to the gym!

Good Luck with your training!
Kerilyn
 
Caroline Knorr
Wow, thanks a lot for all the replies. I especially like that tip about drop sets, because that's the kind of training you can only do at the gym -- so it gives me a unique goal.

thanks again!
Caroline
 
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