Cathe looks like she has lost weight!

[Justinef]

I'm not so sure about height and jumping (high jumpers tend to be pretty tall....), however limb or torso length will effect your ability to do different exercises, and certainly the speed at which you can do them. Some are easier for the long-limbed, some harder. It's simple biomechanics. Us tall girls will never be great at a bench press or fast squats, but just watch us go with our deadlifts!
I think for some exercises it's more likely to be weight distribution which has the greatest effect (I reckon I can squat really low because the weight of my bottom pulls me down )

 

[desertambrosia]

Leg length definitely has an impact on burpees. I have long legs (I'm 5' 7") and burpees are a PITA for me. I do them, but I'm whining the whole time.

 

[Nanbo]

This thread? http://cathe.com/forum/threads/fructose-is-poison.283406/ I participated in that thread. The only problem anyone had was misuse of the word fructose. One poster said your thread title was BS. No one was beating up on you. Ordinarily, I wouldn't care about something like this, but you mischaracterized the behavior of the posters in that thread. I don't think that's very fair.

Well here we go....I never said which forum...it was not the Cathe forum. You assumed it was the Cathe forum.

 

[bonvivant]

Well here we go....I never said which forum...it was not the Cathe forum. You assumed it was the Cathe forum.

You never stated it wasn't. No matter, if you weren't talking about this forum, it would've been nice for you to clarify. The discussion lead you to imply you were talking about this forum.

Here what goes?!?! I wasn't rude or mean to you. Disagreeing with someone is not an attack.

 

[Teals]

I'm 5.6--maybe the 2 inches makes a difference? I have no problem with tuck jumps or jumping on 12 inch boxes (I've never tried any higher)--or any other plyo move I've attempted. I also have no problem keeping pace with any of the trainers in the workouts I do. Unfortunately, outside of this forum, I know few people who actually workout--other than running. I know a lot of runners, but no one who lifts weights or does home workouts or any type of plyometric. Other than my daughters, that is, but they are both shorter than me. They can jump pretty high.

Hi Jengollf,

Are there any moves that you DO have problems doing?

 

[Teals]

I'll hijack this a third time.... Teals, I swear I don't have fast twitch muscles and that's the excuse I use , I'm 5'5", again.... I shrunk too, same c5 to c7, discs herniated into spinal cord and causing c4 to slip.... Had 3 levels fused 18 mths ago, just now finally getting back my mojo, still will probably never do some things ever again. Tuck jumps are one of those things I'm happy not to attempt again.

Hi fitover40,

What about straddle taps? I can do them on 4 inches but that took time. It was one of the things I could do after doing Insanity. However, I'm tapping much slower than the "fit five" for sure. Cedie and Cathe do them so effortlessly and appear to be having fun. I'm very coordinated but my legs and feet don't want to cooperate and forget about the ones in Drill Max where she moves around the step. Puh-leese! By the time she's made the round, I've maybe gotten to the first turn to the short side of the step.

 

[jengollf]

Hi Jengollf,

Are there any moves that you DO have problems doing?

Teals--not sure if you are serious or not--but yes, I do have problems with balance moves. I have 2 plates and 12 screws in each heel and my range of motion of my ankles (side- to- side, not forward and backward) is severely restricted because of this. So balance is challenging as my feet cannot do that natural side to side motion that naturally happens when you try to stabilize. My feet simply cannot do that anymore. All of those moves such as pendulum lunges where you keep the knee raised in the middle (rather than tapping the floor) are impossible for me--I must always tap the floor. Some Cathe moves in her low impact workouts where you do a reverse lunge and come straight up into a front kick with the same leg? Not happening w/out holding onto a wall with one hand. Some goes with some yoga moves that require balance--warrior 3 is a perfect example. I always have to do a modified version. Luckily tho, metal heels didn't stop me from jumping. For that I am thankful.

 

[Teals]

Hi Jengolf

Teals--not sure if you are serious or not--but yes, I do have problems with balance moves. I have 2 plates and 12 screws in each heel and my range of motion of my ankles (side- to- side, not forward and backward) is severely restricted because of this. So balance is challenging as my feet cannot do that natural side to side motion that naturally happens when you try to stabilize. My feet simply cannot do that anymore. All of those moves such as pendulum lunges where you keep the knee raised in the middle (rather than tapping the floor) are impossible for me--I must always tap the floor. Some Cathe moves in her low impact workouts where you do a reverse lunge and come straight up into a front kick with the same leg? Not happening w/out holding onto a wall with one hand. Some goes with some yoga moves that require balance--warrior 3 is a perfect example. I always have to do a modified version. Luckily tho, metal heels didn't stop me from jumping. For that I am thankful.

Hi Jengolf,

My question was serious so thanks for your reply. I just saw it today. Sorry for the delay in responding.

Do you ever feel the plates or screws when you jump? We are supposed to land toe-ball-heel anyway so I guess if you land right you shouldn't have any issues, huh? But what about the big plyo moves jumping on and off the step? Do you feel anything extra because of the metal?
I know its off topic since we were discussing height and jumping moves. I'm just curious. My DDH had a metal rod in his femur with screws at the hip and knee. He said he never noticed the rod (except going through airport security b/c he'd trigger the alarm) but he'd feel the screws sometimes based on what he was doing. Maybe he meant he noticed the limited motion like you stated. He said he didn't know how to explain it other than saying it felt weird.

 

[Teals]

Leg length definitely has an impact on burpees. I have long legs (I'm 5' 7") and burpees are a PITA for me. I do them, but I'm whining the whole time.

I don't like burpees either. I can't do them anywhere near as quickly as Cathe and the crew. Sometimes I have my legs spread at the bottom of the move to make it easier to get up.

 

[jengollf]

Teals--no I don't feel the plates and screws in my feet when working out. I really don't "feel" them any time though I do I have pain. It is chronic, but not 100% of the time. I have good days and bad days. They also get stiff and hurt when I've been sitting for a while, but I can walk that pain off in minutes most of the time. That's one reason I love Cathe's warm ups. She warms me up better than most other trainers. My feet may be a little stiff and cranky when I start the workout, but by the time her warm ups are over and the workout begins, my feet are fine and ready to go. I also have bad days--usually Saturdays. I get up, workout out then tend to be on my feet all day (M-F I have a desk job, so I am not standing constantly, and Sundays are generally more relaxes--but Saturdays are very busy). By Saturday evening my feet are so bad I frequently have to ice and heat them and sometimes have to resort to crutches. However, after a night of sleep, they are back to 100% or close in the morning. The accident happened in 2009, so I've had a lot of time to "get to know" my new feet and how to work with them. I buy the right shoes for my feet and they give me no pain or problems when jumping on the floor, or on and off the step, or really any way. Now, before I found the right shoes for my feet I would sometimes have some issues, but I always wear Avias for working out(they have cantilever heels) and those do the trick. I also have a job where I can wear tennis shoes every day so that is a bonus.

 

[tlc93]

You're an inspiration Jen!! In a world sometimes filled w/ whiners and finger pointers, I so appreciate true strength, will and determination of the regular person!

 

[Justinef]

Yes, Jen, I agree with tlc - you don't let an excuse become a reason not to workout. Good on ya.

 

[jengollf]

Thanks ladies. I remember after the accident it was a long road to recovery and I cried a lot, thinking I would never be able to workout like I used to. I am one of those people who works out because I love to (as I'm sure most of us who frequent this forum are!)--so tears while watching the infomercial for Insanity and TurboFire and fearing I would never be able to do those workouts (when I was perfectly capable of them before a drunk driver decided to throw my life a curve) makes sense for someone like me. I was in the middle of P90X when the drunk driver hit me and my ortho surgeon didn't think I would ever doPlyo X again. So once I realized I could jump again--that became my goal--Plyo X. Once I was able to do that, I went on to Insanity with no looking back. (o; And I plan to keep jumping as long as my feet continue to allow me to.

 

[Sunshine1528]

Thanks ladies. I remember after the accident it was a long road to recovery and I cried a lot, thinking I would never be able to workout like I used to. I am one of those people who works out because I love to (as I'm sure most of us who frequent this forum are!)--so tears while watching the infomercial for Insanity and TurboFire and fearing I would never be able to do those workouts (when I was perfectly capable of them before a drunk driver decided to throw my life a curve) makes sense for someone like me. I was in the middle of P90X when the drunk driver hit me and my ortho surgeon didn't think I would ever doPlyo X again. So once I realized I could jump again--that became my goal--Plyo X. Once I was able to do that, I went on to Insanity with no looking back. (o; And I plan to keep jumping as long as my feet continue to allow me to.

All I can say is WOW, what an inspiration. Stories like yours help me realize I am sooo very lucky !

 

[Teals]

Teals--no I don't feel the plates and screws in my feet when working out. I really don't "feel" them any time though I do I have pain. It is chronic, but not 100% of the time. I have good days and bad days. They also get stiff and hurt when I've been sitting for a while, but I can walk that pain off in minutes most of the time. That's one reason I love Cathe's warm ups. She warms me up better than most other trainers. My feet may be a little stiff and cranky when I start the workout, but by the time her warm ups are over and the workout begins, my feet are fine and ready to go. I also have bad days--usually Saturdays. I get up, workout out then tend to be on my feet all day (M-F I have a desk job, so I am not standing constantly, and Sundays are generally more relaxes--but Saturdays are very busy). By Saturday evening my feet are so bad I frequently have to ice and heat them and sometimes have to resort to crutches. However, after a night of sleep, they are back to 100% or close in the morning. The accident happened in 2009, so I've had a lot of time to "get to know" my new feet and how to work with them. I buy the right shoes for my feet and they give me no pain or problems when jumping on the floor, or on and off the step, or really any way. Now, before I found the right shoes for my feet I would sometimes have some issues, but I always wear Avias for working out(they have cantilever heels) and those do the trick. I also have a job where I can wear tennis shoes every day so that is a bonus.

Hi Justine. I just saw this.

WOW. You are truly an inspiration. My husband was a lot like you in that he never let his injury stop him from getting back into shape after his major injury. I admired him so much and I admire you. I have flat feet (very flat) and my feet are killing me by the end of the day. Sometimes I lace up my shoes and as soon as I stand up the pain hits me and I wonder if I will be able to do the workout. I am certain my feet issues pale in comparison to yours. You're obviously a very smart and determined woman.

Why are cantilever heels beneficial? So far the Asics I have work okay but I still have pain in the area where my arch would be if I had one. I am considering ordering the Nikes that Cathe uses in RWH. My podiatrist told me yesterday that a minimalist shoe would end up taking a toll on my lower back after a time. I researched the Nike shoe. It has a bit more cushioning so it may work as a good cardio and gym shoe with the benefits (hopefully) of the lower profile shoe.

Thank you for sharing your info. As you can see, you've inspired others with your story. Now off I go to "get to know my feet" so I can do the RWH workouts. I just got back into town so I haven't tried the new workouts. I'm gonna give them a go in my Asics.

Thanks again and Happy Holidays!

-Teals

 

[jengollf]

Hi Teals--yes, the Cantilever heels are very beneficial for me. They give me more padding and the Avias give me support and stability. I like mine so much that when I fell in love with how the latest pair made my feet feel during the workout--I bought 3 pairs. So now I have backups in case they stop making them! I used to use Asics, too--and they were good for my feet, but so far, for working out at least, the Avias are the best I've found for my heels.

 

[ReneePruitt]

Hi jengollf not sure you remember my issues but to much to really go into, but I will say PF and I have to have cushion yet no arch because it makes the PF hurt more. But aside from that the bottom has boney parts that need cushion so wondering does the shoes you are talking about have more cushion then most shoes u have tried? And what is a can't cantilever heel? I have an awful time finding shoes that make my feet not hurt. I sometimes can't do a workout without stopping and putting on a different pair just to give it a different feel till I get through the workout, it feels like it burns to the bones.. Very frustrating. I use brooks to jog and jogging don't bother me but the step or even the "low impact" DVDS do and plyo strange. But not always but most of the time. The closest I had to doing really nice was Asics intensity gel 2 and of course can't find anymore they are discontinued. But I tried Nike, Asics, new balance I have a fortune under my bed that feel like torture to wear.

 

[Swimmer]

The nice thing is that we are all unique, with different body types/physiology, but we all do our best and are committed to taking care of ourselves. Some moves will never feel right to us---for example, straddle taps are tough for me (my right leg/glute strength is weaker than the left--I think you need fairly good balance to enjoy those). To paraphrase Suzanne Bowen, getting our bodies in balance is a lifelong journey. There's no such thing as perfection, just keep working on staying strong, fit, flexible and mobile as you get older.

I used to hate burpees but after incorporating Kettlebell Kickbox Scorcher workouts and SBF's stop watch planks (streaming workouts) for a few months, I have built up the necessary core strength to actually enjoy them. I never thought that would happen!

Anything is possible.

 

[jengollf]

Renee--I actually can find nothing about the technology of the cantilever heel on the Avia website--(tho they sell shoes with cantilever heels on their website, they just don't explain what it means) but zappos does: http://www.zappos.com/avia-avi-manitou-a5679w-black-nickel-grey-detox-blue

These aren't the shoes I wear, but it does say what cantilever means. I do not know that they are more padded throughout than an Asic gel. I used to wear Asic gels because they had such good padding. But the cantilever heel cups, pads, aligns and supports my heel better than anything else I have used. And trust me, since the accident I have poured a lot of $ into trying to find the most functional shoe for my issues. In fact, I wore Brooks the first 6 months after the accident--they worked well for me when I was hobbling, but even they weren't enough when I was ready to become more active. Each foot is unique, so what works for me may not work for you. Tho PF affects heels, it is still not the same as having plates and screws in your heels so what works for me may not work for you. I also have a serious problem with supination. I have had it my whole life, but it never affected me (as in causing me pain) until after the accident--now it is a major problem so I have to find a shoe that accounts for that. In addition, I spent my whole life with very high arched feet and now I am nearly flat footed since the accident. So tho the plates and screws in my feet are obviously the biggest problem, there are other contributing factors I have to account for.

However, I will say, with the right shoes I have zero problem with any of my workouts unless it is a one leg move then I have balance issues.

 

[ReneePruitt]

Thanks for the info.. I do have balance issues to so maybe I might try a pair with that technology. I had surgery on both feet with hammer toes with the big toes and they took bone out of the small toes and I still have the bone protrusion on the bottom and then of course yes my heel does burn and the PF. But no I don't have screws so I'm thankful for that. I do know how important it is to find a good shoe though! Cause I have scoliosis to and back and feet as u know go hand and hand. I'm going to see if I can't find a pair soon