Benefit from SS or PP???

L

lwdinsf

Guest
Hey. This is for Cathe or any weight-trainers out there. I did Supersets yesterday, as is, and just didn't feel much benefit from it. I think there are insufficient numbers of sets/reps to get an adequate, full-body workout.

Does anyone else feel that way?

I find the same thing with push-pull. Kind of like, what's the point? I understand the concept, and appreciate the circuit-nature of both workouts, but am not sure what they do for me if I already have the endurance tapes, slow heavy, pure strength, and videos from other instructors.
 
If you have the DVD's you can select a pre-mix that includes multiple sets of each exercise. For example, you can select SS (3 sets) where they do each exercise 3 times. Some people have posted saying this really gets your muscles fried. I think there are also options where you can select just upper body (2 or 3 sets) and just lower body (2 or 3 sets). Unfortunately, I only have VHS so I have not been able to do any of these cool premixes. I kind of felt the same way you feel... like it's not enough just doing it alone.

I was thinking about doing the tape once through and then just rewinding and doing it again. Can anyone who has the DVD's tell me if this would be remotely similar to what is on the premix?
 
The above reply said it all:) But if you don't have the dvd why not go heavier and pause and take a break. I don't know but I think this is an awsome workout using the stability ball which to me makes it more challenging. I guess some people like you and I like longer workout to really feel the benefit but If you do have the dvd it has so many premixes to make it longer and tougher}(
 
Hi, I only have the VHS forms, and I sort of feel the same way about both of these. Don't misunderstand me ... I really like them both, but I never think of them as on the same level in terms of heavy strength training as say, the Pyramids or the Slow & Heavy series. Of course, I also realize not everyone will see them this way, but for me I have to go very heavy, or I don't feel it with either of these. But for days when I'm simply not in the mood for Slow & Heavy, or a Pyramid, and I don't want to do cardio for whatever reason, either of these is perfect. I'm just glad to find out I'm not the only one who feels this way!! :D

Carol
:)

Edited to say I really like the idea of rewinding to do more sets!! I'll try that next time and see if it helps!! :)
 
I personally like to do upper body one day and then lower the next. I usually do SS or PP when I am short on time and want some overall benefit. I'll tell you that Sunday after a slow 4 mile run I did PP. Now either it was the run ( I hadn't run in 3.5 weeks ), or PP I used the same weight as Cathe...My Quads and Hams were very sore the next day. As I normally do Weights first....I might have to rethink that once in awhile. I do prefer Slow & Heavy and Pyramids as that to me is more lke traditional weightlifting. I had gotten bored with regular weightlifting by myself, so I am using Cathe's workouts instead...:)...Carole
 
I'm not a fan of full-body circuit workouts, but SS and PP will still have their place in my collection. I'll save them for those times when I need a break from my usual routines.

I usually do split workouts as I like to work out each muscle group thoroughly -- upper and lower body in separate days with three days of rest in between splits. I've gotten the best results with Pure Strength and the Pyramids. I use S&H to break plateaus.

Now that I'm lifting heavier, I need to split my upper body workout even more into chest/shoulders/tri and back/bi or in a push/pull style like chest/back and bi/tri, then do shoulders with legs -- to allow myself more exercises per body part and more rest periods between sets. I may have to break away from Cathe's workouts at this point and follow a pre-assigned split on a worksheet.

As for endurance workouts, I still love Power Hour the best.

I say go with what you feel works best for you. Even if they're by other instructors.

Pinky
 
Pinky and others,

I haven't cracked the cellophane on my DVD yet, because I haven't been in the mood to learn something new yet. But with all the premixes, there must be a way to lengthen the workouts AND split them into separate days for different muscle groups, no? I mean can't you work it so that you are doing just chest and back one day, triceps and biceps another day, and legs and shoulders on a third day? Has anyone tried this?

-Nancy
 
I've been doing the Supersets Upper Body Blast premix 1x a week and the Push Pull upper body 2 or 3 sets (depending on how much time I have that morning) premix 1x a week for 4 weeks now and this a.m. I did PUB and was able to lift heavier than usual. I love SS and PP the most of all the Body Blast workouts.
 
I think Push Pull is awesome in that, done in it's entirety, you just have to pick up the heaviest weight you can use and I'm talking one that won't let you complete all the reps and burns out your muscles completely. It's a great add on to heavy training if you want to do two total body workouts in a week.
Bobbi "Chick's rule!" http://www.handykult.de/plaudersmilies.de/chicken.gif
 
Bobbi--what a great idea to add it on as your heavy total body. I've been wanting to stop with the endurance and go back to S&H for a bit (I imagine I haven't done S&H in a year or so--I'll have to check), but I always feel like I want to work everything twice in one week. With Push Pull I can do this without having my total body workout at the end of the week be a)an endurance total body or b) all segements of PS strung together, which is just too long, and really not slow enough anyway!

Thanks for the great idea. It's been sitting there in front of me, I just needed it spelled out!

Wendy
 
oh duh, I should have tried one of the pre-mixes. I felt the same - like I hadn't done anything after doing PP and the SS dvd's. I was feeling so lame - like I didn't get a good workout at all....but I think if I doubled up the sets, or did 3 of each, this would be a great work out. But just done straight through - I didn't feel anything. I was wondering what the deal was - it did not seem like a traditional Cathe video at all!
 
Yes, these are the first Cathe workouts I've regretted buying. They just don't do anything for me. I've tried the 3sets premix for PushPull and it didn't do anything. I guess I'll have to keep working with it, since other people keep saying it's worth it, but the bad thing is when I need to work out, I don't need to waste a day on something that is still not challenging. I don't really like StepBlast much either, but am finding ways to modify. I love KPC and Legs and Glutes and have found ways to use SJP, but I'm very disappointed in the lack of an upper body workout in this series. I'm still working on it, and have waited a long time to post this, because although my first impression was so bad, I know sometimes it takes time to find the way to use it.

Bottom line is, I normally feel very challenged by a Cathe workout, and use premixes to make it easier, in this case, I am using premixes to make it harder and not yet succeeding.
 
Mogambo, you must be one strong mama because I find the Push Pull and Supersets upper body premixes to be very challenging. Have you tried the Push Pull 3 sets upper body? Or you could try what I did this a.m. It is much easier than it sounds:

Work off of the mix and match menus of both SS and PP and do the exercises back to back, as opposed to in a push pull manner:

PP bench press - 2 sets
PP chest flies - 2 sets
PP dead rows - 2 sets
SS pullovers - 2 sets
PP one arm rows - 2 sets
PP front delt raises - 1 set
PP rear delt flies - 1 set
PP inverted shoulder press - 1 set
SS seated overhad press - 1 set
SS lying tricep extensions - 1 set
PP dips/kickbacks - 2 sets
SS seesaw push ups - 1 set
PP hammer/traditional curls - 2 sets
SS concentration curls - 1 set

Between each exercise, I would go back to the main menu to choose my next exercise, and while I did so, I would stretch, switch equipment, etc. The whole thing took about an hour and it felt great!!!
 
No one would be happier than me to find out that I can use the SS/PP DVD for a good workout. I did try the 3 sets Push Pull premix and because of the PushPulledness of the exercises, I never found it challenging and was not sore the next day. I've been reluctant to "waste" another workout day on it. But I promise i will try your suggestion and report back. Thank you for the great idea.
 
Well, thank you for asking, Bobbi. It's still a bit sore, but I've been ignoring doctor's orders and tentatively working out some, being very careful to monitor any sensations in the spot. So far so good. It seems better every day. If I really fill my lungs with air I still feel a pull, but I have done some leg work, ME upper body premix and a bit of step. Today I'm doing Imax. Should I tell him, or pretend I've been resting and icing?
 
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