Better Results with more weight work vs cardio?

tricia

Cathlete
Hello everyone,

I've seen this come up in several posts here lately, so I decided I'd ask for some feedback. I've been doing pretty consistent workouts this year, aside from winter sickness and an unplanned week off for trips home. What I'm seeing is consistent maintenance of my current weight. I've definitely seen improved cardio and muscle endurance, but now I want to get rid of that last layer of ick that has been there since I had my babies.

SO, if more or heavier weight training is better, which series or rotations have any of you had good success with? I have all of Cathe's workouts and I don't do any other instructors anymore. I made the first transition, which was getting back onto a consistent workout schedule (5-6 days per week). Now I want to kick it up a notch. I haven't used the Gym Style workouts much since they came out, and I'm wondering if a rotation using GS or Pure Strength would be the best option? I notice alot of people seem to rely on the Pyramids for heavy weight work, too. I'm just not sure which workout series is best for what I want to do. (I know that clean eating is the other part of the equation, so I've been making more of an effort to educate myself on that and incorporate it - it's a work in progress, like me!)

I hope this isn't too long, I'm just trying to get something put together to do for my July rotation and wanted to pick the brains of this educated crowd!

TIA,
Tricia
 
Tricia-
I am one who found that less cardio more weights= success. As far as which series.... I find its not about the series its about the weights YOU select in each workout. You need to lift a weight that makes the last couple of reps very challenging but still allowing you to have good form. You can do this with ANY DVD. You also still need to shake things up every few weeks. I tend to do 1-part per day for 3 weeks then either 3 day splits or circuits for a week. You may not need to change it up that often.
I use all of Cathes stuff (Full Body, Pyramids, Splits, Circuits) and use them as 1- part per day. I just mix n match DVDs to make up a 30 minute session each day.
Your success in strength training comes from tuning into YOUR current strength level and maxing it out each workout PLUS increasing those weights as you grow stronger. MANY times I do only 2-3 reps with a weight that is extremely heavy and then drop my weight for remainder of sets..... Congrats on making the shift! I wish I had done it years & years ago!
All is just my personal experience of course.. YMMV!
 
Tricia -

I agree totally with Traci. Less cardio definitely worked for me. I am about to become a P90X grad like Traci and each week I did one of the strength workouts, whenever I got to 8-10 reps and it was too easy, I increased the weight in the next round so it was always challenging for me. Before the X, I was using Cathe's Gym Styles, Pyramids and Slow & Heavy and I got into great shape.

Marcy
 
Thanks, ladies. I guess the next question I would have is what does P90X consist of? I've seen this mentioned all over, but I've never seen or been intrigued enough to find out more about it.

Now I'm really curious!!


Tricia
 
I would post this on Open Discussion since this forum is only supposed to be for Cathe's DVDs.

Marcy
 
my question for you ladies is when you say less cardio, how many days do you actually do? i have been thinking about dropping from 3 cardio's per week to 2 and upping my weight training to 4 days per week (2 days upper and 2 days lower). Opinions?
 
That sounds good: 2 days cardio, 3 weight work
you could do something like:

GS chest and tri
cardio
GS back, biceps, shoulders
yoga
cardio
GS legs
off
I think you would get great results with a rotation like that!
Keep us posted!

Deanie
 
I haven't really changed my weight work vs cardio ratio but I have made a concentrated effort to really push myself with the weight work and go heavier when I don't feel like I'm getting a good workout. I have really noticed a difference since I really started to be aware of that. I also cut down a little on my complex carbs and added more protein and I have really noticed a difference as far as getting more lean. I started this last November and lost 6.5 pounds by the end of January. Also interval work really can help you push through a plateau.
 

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