CLX fans - need help, please

morningstar

morningstar

Cathlete
Hey, CLX fans, I am planning on starting it tomorrow and am just previewing it. I know that the idea is to go as heavy as possible. Here's my question - I can go as heavy as 65lbs or more on deadlifts, but am at about 12lbs for posterior flyes. She does an exercise that mixes posterior flyes with deadlifts - what weight should I choose? If I go heavy, I won't be able to do the flyes, but if I go light, I won't be challenged on the deadlifts. What do you guys do?
 
morningstar said:
Hey, CLX fans, I am planning on starting it tomorrow and am just previewing it. I know that the idea is to go as heavy as possible. Here's my question - I can go as heavy as 65lbs or more on deadlifts, but am at about 12lbs for posterior flyes. She does an exercise that mixes posterior flyes with deadlifts - what weight should I choose? If I go heavy, I won't be able to do the flyes, but if I go light, I won't be challenged on the deadlifts. What do you guys do?
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Many of us broke up those 2 exercises, first doing deadlifts at an appropriate weight, then doing the posterier flyes at the appropriate weight for that exercise. HTH!
 
jonahnah said:
Many of us broke up those 2 exercises, first doing deadlifts at an appropriate weight, then doing the posterier flyes at the appropriate weight for that exercise. HTH!
Click to expand...

That's an odd thing to mix up! Glad to read this - will pass it on :)
 
I also notice that she tends to have her lunges leaning forward instead of the upper body being vertical. This is not what I have been taught, so I was wondering what people think about this, in terms of safety and effectiveness on muscle development.
 
morningstar said:
I also notice that she tends to have her lunges leaning forward instead of the upper body being vertical. This is not what I have been taught, so I was wondering what people think about this, in terms of safety and effectiveness on muscle development.
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I'd always heard doing the lunges w/ the upper body forward was a big no no, until I tried it Chalene's way. She has you lean forward while holding the lunge; this REALLY engages the glutes, then you go back to upright before you stand up. Her slower pace has allowed me to have much more concentration on the glute part of several moves, w/o as much quad burn. (Wait til you get to the bowler lunges in BC2!)

Note: I wouldn't wear a weighted vest when doing a move that calls for a forward lean as it can place stress on the lower back, but you can wear a weighted belt.

She also points out that individual femur length can affect how much a person naturally leans when doing some of the moves. For example, I notice that Amy Bento leans forward more than Cathe when doing squats and I attribute that to Amy being about 5" taller than Cathe.

HTH!
 
morningstar said:
Hey, CLX fans, I am planning on starting it tomorrow and am just previewing it. I know that the idea is to go as heavy as possible. Here's my question - I can go as heavy as 65lbs or more on deadlifts, but am at about 12lbs for posterior flyes. She does an exercise that mixes posterior flyes with deadlifts - what weight should I choose? If I go heavy, I won't be able to do the flyes, but if I go light, I won't be challenged on the deadlifts. What do you guys do?
Click to expand...
Choose the weight that challenges the upper body (you will be surprised at how much the lower body is worked by holding the isometric position in many moves).
If you feel your lower body isn't getting enough work, add a weighted belt (NOT a vest, as the forward-leaning position of some moves, especially held in an isometric contraction, can put stress on the lower back).

I personally wouldn't split the moves, because I think that takes away from some of the uniqueness and effectiveness of the Burn phase.

In the next phase (Push), you won't have to worry about the weight to use, since the upper- and lower-body moves are separated.

HTH!
 
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jonahnah said:
She also points out that individual femur length can affect how much a person naturally leans when doing some of the moves. For example, I notice that Amy Bento leans forward more than Cathe when doing squats and I attribute that to Amy being about 5" taller than Cathe.
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I really appreciate Chalene's comments like this (also her : "if you're taller than I am, you might not be able to move this quickly").
 
Okay, so something bothers me, and I'm not sure if it should - I guess I'm looking for a reality check as to whether this is my personal issue with body image, or if anyone else feels the same way. Chalene doesn't seem in very good physical condition. Now, granted, she's in better condition than I am, and looks better too, but she is not in the kind of condition I would expect a personal trainer to be in, let alone one with her own DVDs. Her sister has the kind of physique I was more expecting - very toned, muscular, lower body fat ratio. That doesn't mean that Chalene isn't beautiful, she is, but I am a little concerned that if I follow her program I won't end up with the results that I would be looking for. One of the reasons that I like Cathe as a trainer as I know how fit she is, and I know that following her fitness programs will help me move in that direction- she is a fitness role model. As I preview the CLX programs, I am still looking forward to doing them and think that they mostly will be challenging and make me fitter, but this little thing is bothering me a bit. Should I just get over myself and stop assuming that shorter people with higher body fat ratios can't be super fit? (because that's my body type!)
 
morningstar said:
Okay, so something bothers me, and I'm not sure if it should - I guess I'm looking for a reality check as to whether this is my personal issue with body image, or if anyone else feels the same way. Chalene doesn't seem in very good physical condition. Now, granted, she's in better condition than I am, and looks better too, but she is not in the kind of condition I would expect a personal trainer to be in, let alone one with her own DVDs. Her sister has the kind of physique I was more expecting - very toned, muscular, lower body fat ratio. That doesn't mean that Chalene isn't beautiful, she is, but I am a little concerned that if I follow her program I won't end up with the results that I would be looking for. One of the reasons that I like Cathe as a trainer as I know how fit she is, and I know that following her fitness programs will help me move in that direction- she is a fitness role model. As I preview the CLX programs, I am still looking forward to doing them and think that they mostly will be challenging and make me fitter, but this little thing is bothering me a bit. Should I just get over myself and stop assuming that shorter people with higher body fat ratios can't be super fit? (because that's my body type!)
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I think you're confusing "fit" with "toned/muscular". Chalene and Cathe are both "fit" but they are not both "cut"/"buff". Fitness is more what you can do, not how you look. These two women have different body types, and , as you mentioned, different body fat ratios.

I don't want to look like either of them, just the best look for me, which is a bit more muscle and more than a bit less fat. I think CLX can do it (especially if I stick to it more regularly and add cardio).

I do notice a difference between Chalene's body in CLX and her previous workouts, but it's not a huge difference, and she still has more body fat than Cathe (which is partially genetic and partially diet, IMO. It also could do with how she prefers to look. She obviously has breast implants, so maybe a 'softer', 'rounder' look is one she prefers to 'tighter'?

She does say at one point that she and her sister have the genes to get really fat. I assume that Chalene's genetic makeup is more like that of the 'fat' members of her family, while her sister inherited more from the other side of the family, or eats cleaner, or does something different from Chalene).

Just my take on it!
 
I agree with everything Kathryn said.

I like the way Chalene looks, and I like the way Cathe looks! Honestly, Chalene's body would be more in reach for me than Cathe's. Please, do not get me wrong here, I'd love to look like Cathe.....but because I love chinese food and pizza and I know I just won't cut that out of my diet ...... Cathe's physique is not obtainable to me. Also, I don't have the genetics! I don't have the willpower! BUT, I am happy with me!

I think you'll really like CLX. The workouts are short and very beneficial. I just started the Push phase and I like it even more than the Burn phase. These workouts go by SO fast. I like these workouts also because everybody isn't so "qued"..... it's like being at my own gym.

Enjoy! And have fun!:D
 
jonahnah said:
I'd always heard doing the lunges w/ the upper body forward was a big no no, until I tried it Chalene's way. She has you lean forward while holding the lunge; this REALLY engages the glutes, then you go back to upright before you stand up. Her slower pace has allowed me to have much more concentration on the glute part of several moves, w/o as much quad burn. (Wait til you get to the bowler lunges in BC2!)
Click to expand...

Thank you for the form pointer! I'll make sure to be careful to go back upright before standing up.
 
I would do the exercise with appropriate weight for the delts, then do another set with heavy barbell just of deadlifts.

Clare
 
Today I broke up the flies and deadlifts b/c my lower back was irritated by the deadlift, stop, do an exercise and move on. I'll try doign the combo again for Burn 2 and see how it works, it just might be my lb readjusting to exercise
 
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