Cathy, Why Can't I...

[Teals]

Hi Cathe,

I'm a larger framed woman,6 ft tall. I love your workouts. You truly are the best. As far as I can tell, we are about the same age. YOU, are infinitely in much better shape than I but I am trying to at least get in your ballpark. I have two questions.

The first one is about the jumps that you do in many of your higher impact videos: I can do the vertical straight leg jumps okay but the ones where I'm supposed to jump and spread my legs at the same time, I can't do them and I don't know why. My legs may spread an inch at best. I can do the plyo-jumps and jumpings jacks so the problem is jumping and spreading my legs at the same time. Any advice or drills that can assist me in getting better at performing this move?

My other question is about "burpees" or squat thrusts:I Can't do those either but over the weekend I tried to modify them by using my step at 14 inch height (for my hand position)to begin the move. I would like to know if this is considered poor form that could lead to injury. If not, my plan is to continue to lower the step until I can do them from the floor as you do.

Please let me know what you think.

Thanks,

Teals

 

[andtckrtoo]

Teals -

Not Cathe, obviously, but I can help with the squat thrusts, if you'd like. One of the tricks I've used to get my body used to these is on the part where you thrust your legs out, don't go the whole way to a plank/push up position - start going about half way - as you gain core strength, you'll be able to go out further, but for us big gals (I'm 5'10 and am not a small build) it takes a lot of core strength to thrust all of that weight out there.

I would think that with practice the air jacks will get easier. Maybe try doing them like the do in P90X - instead of circling your arms, move them like you would in a traditional jack - out and down - that might help you get the mechanics down easier.

 

[kathryn]

> I can do the vertical straight leg jumps
>okay but the ones where I'm supposed to jump and spread my
>legs at the same time, I can't do them and I don't know why.
>My legs may spread an inch at best. I can do the plyo-jumps
>and jumpings jacks so the problem is jumping and spreading my
>legs at the same time. Any advice or drills that can assist me
>in getting better at performing this move?

I'm not Cathe either, but I am also not a fast-twitch muscle type person, and I have a hard time doing 'jack' type jumps as well as tuck jumps. I've decided just to do the best I can, since I may just not have the fast-twitch muscle fibers Cathe and the crew do (though if you look at some of the background exercisers, they aren't necessarily going as high and/or wide as Cathe).

It helps to break down moves, and concentrate on one aspect of it. For example, for flying jacks, there is both height and width involved. Sometimes when you do the workout, go for height. Other times, go for width.

It doesn't matter if you can do them like Cathe, as long as you do your best (and, frankly, it's not necessary to jump so high/wide to get benefits).

>My other question is about "burpees" or squat thrusts:I
>Can't do those either but over the weekend I tried to modify
>them by using my step at 14 inch height (for my hand
>position)to begin the move. I would like to know if this is
>considered poor form that could lead to injury. If not, my
>plan is to continue to lower the step until I can do them from
>the floor as you do.

This sounds like a good modification for your height. Your plan for progressing by gradually reducing the step height, sounds great. But if you never get to the floor, don't sweat it. ;-)