Well, I've now completed each split, including abs, from Amy's Slow Mo. Tough series!!! I have to say that good form and a strong core are VERY necessary for Slow Mo. I was able to match the suggested weights (not that that's necessary, but when I'm first doing a new workout I like to try and match the instructor then adjust and move down if I need to) but I did have to go down in weight for a few exercises. I like Amy's weight work with a twist, but not everyone will like it. She has definitely proven that you can be creative and somewhat innovative even with a db and bb! To borrow from another poster on another thread, I am "delightfully sore" from Slow Mo. Yesterday was back, shoulders, and core. I did not feel that I was working my back all that hard but today my back is letting me know (in a good way) that it HAS been worked. For the last exercise for back, standing shrugs, I did the first set as a standing shrug, the second set I performed as an overhand row, and the last set I performed as an underhand row. I could really feel my back working for this last set of exercises with that slow count (I believe it's 4 count up, 4 count down, then 2 count up, hold 2, 4 count down for most of the back work). The shoulder section was tough! My shoulders were screaming. I had to use less weight for many of the exercises in shoulders. I loved the staggered push ups for the chest. I noticed that hand placement had a big effect on where I felt the push up so play around with that until you are comfortable in your hand position and can feel it working your chest. I liked the contraction concentration bicep curls...it really made you have good form and made it very hard to cheat and swing the bb. I will have to do the core section again as I don't know that I loved this for my core. I don't feel my core was worked the way I like it to be worked but it's not like I have a six pack or anything anway, so the key for me is to one day watch my diet and to keep burning some fat! Legs is my favorite of the splits! It is very different and I felt tight and sore in my cheeks, thutt, and other areas of my lower body that just usually don't get worked enough to produce soreness (some of the exercies were tough on the hands and again a strong core is key). I feel this will be a very effective weight series for me (IF I can give up m&m's...darrnit)!
For those wanting a comparison to Slow & Heavy...they are really nothing alike at all. Slow & Heavy is straight up traditional weight training. Slow Mo is traditional with a twist. There are some exercises where I will be able to go as heavy as I do in S&H and some where I will not. I have not had DOMS like this in a while, but again, it's that nice, really worked out DOMS (is the next morning considered DOMS?). I feel like my entire body has been worked out in a "new" way. I love it when a workout makes me sore as I find that even a new workout does not usually give me DOMS the way a new workout used to (I'm thinking that's a good thing and just means I'm more in shape than I used to be) and I'm enjoying that "worked out" feeling!
Angela
