Do you modify most workouts?

D

diane57

Cathlete
I have a sort of obsession, for lack of a better word, when I do a workout - I always try to match Cathe (or whoever the instructor is) both in amount of weight used and/or in doing every single last tuck jump, or whatever. In other words, I really try hard to do each workout exactly like the instructor does. Last night I was doing Maximum Intensity Strength and when I got to upper body I just suddenly couldn't stand the thought of doing it all with 35 lb. barbell, and lowered the barbell weight to 25. SO, it was easier, I enjoyed it more, I still got a good workout, I'm pleasantly sore but not achy.

Do most of you do the workout exactly like the instructor, or do you modify? Maybe it's just middle age setting in, but I'm starting to think I'm pushing too hard, and should scale back a bit when I really feel like I'm working very hard. BUT the little devil (or maybe it's an angel?) in my head warns me that I'll lose fitness if I do this and I should keep pushing to the max (avoiding injury, of course.)

I'm interested to hear what people think about this. Thanks!
 
I never plan to modify, but sometimes while I'm doing it I just have to. I tell myself I have to do whatever it takes to finish--if that means not jumping or doing fewer reps, then so be it. I do feel guilty about it sometimes, but I also know that I have to listen to my body and that completing the workout with good form is better than just completing it. I generally feel really great that I finished for about an hour--then I start to feel like I should have pushed myself more...:eek:
 
Sometimes...I think your body tells you when it just can't do it without failing miserably. I usually give in when it comes to pushups and over head shoulder presses. I know that if I push too hard my form will be off and the set will be wasted. Know what I mean?
So you are not alone...I feel safe in saying that all of us modify now and then.

Melissa:D
 
Hi Diane,

I try my best to keep up with Cathe also.x( I've learned to listen to my body, and when I need to modify, by all means, I do. After all, there is a learning curve to get past, it saves on injuries, and overtraining. After the learning curve, watch out though, I sometimes, and I stress sometimes, use slightly heavier weights. ;)

Janie


"If you can't say anything nice about someone, then don't say anything at all."
-My mother, Mary Cooper-
 
Not usually. Sometimes if I am more sore than I thought or if a body part is just not up to where Cathe is on something, I go lighter. My motto is do as much as you can to challenge yourself and push yourself if you are up to it but not to the point of risking injury.


"You have to stay in shape. My grandmother, she started walking five miles a day when she was 60. She's 97 today and we don't know where the hell she is." -- Ellen DeGeneres


Debbie
 
As I am a new Catheite, I modify just about everything at this point. I am also not a big high impact person (imagine the self-consciousness of someone having used to been over 250lbs!) as well as having recently broken a toe tripping on DH's inversion table frame. That, and I just am not up to Cathe in the weights yet, but have noticed that I have been making great srides of improvement!
 
I do the best I can and modify where I have to. I modify pretty much all cardio. I do step on the platform only because using risers is painful for my hip, not to mention that I'm a first rate klutz;) .
 
I modify workouts whenever I feel like it.

For Cathe strength, I almost always put longer rests between sets (and sometimes between body parts, like in Muscle Max, where there is no break) because I *need* more recovery time, and I have better results from it.

I also modify or substitute exercises that I think are unnecessary (isolated front delt exercises, excessive sets of chest work), or that offer more risk than benefit (those deadlifts off the riser in Muscle Max--or is it GSL?

I'm doing a CTX rotation now, and I'm modifying several of the workouts to lower impact, because 5 of the workouts contain plyometrics/high impact (including LOTS of power 3's/7's/15's), which is too much for me.

There are some moves I don't know if I'll ever be able to do 'as-is,' like tuck jumps, which seem to be made for someone who is more 'fast twitch' than I am! I will either do a lame version of them, or decide to do my own thing (maybe speed skaters? Whatever I feel like doing at the time).

I omit many pivots, because I don't like twisty, turny moves, and have found a good substitute for ricochets, which present too much of a knee torque risk for my tastes, especially the 'double ricochets'.

My willingness to modify has actually saved some workouts (especially Cathe workouts) from the "to be Ebayed" pile, and after I gave myself permission to modify as needed/wanted, I reacquired both Imax 2 and the CTX series, which I had Ebayed a while ago.

I also modify non-Cathe workouts, like those that have exercises that supposedly work the back, but are really more shoulder exercises (ie: Kelly Coffey-Meyers' first series of exercises in "The Shape of Things to Come").

When I was gettiing back into exercising after a slump, I started back with Leslie Sansone workouts, but modified UP quite a bit (it was much more motivating for me than doing another workout and havingn to modify down!).

IMO, my body, experience and knowledge are my best personal trainers, and no matter what an instructor may present, I will tweak and modify and change and omit as I see fit!
 
I totally agree, Kathryn! I had to respond to you only because of the Leslie Sansone comment! When I started back, too, I had one particular 35 min workout of hers that was my "high intensity sweat-fest" tape. I think it was a 2 mile with 3 lbs wts. Now, 1 1/2 yrs and 68lbs later, I only use one of her 1 mile tapes as a warmup to Low Max (view Cathe's warm up as Combo 1/2, LOL)

Also in the process of getting through CTX and Imax 2, as well and have noticed a SEVERE lack in fast twitch muscle fibers (okay, don't think I will ever do tuck jumps, but will continue to work for it)!!!!
 
Girl, it all depends on the day. On weekends, when I have a chance to sleep in or eat before a workout, I typically modify in the sense that I make the workout harder (I ff through recoveries or add a few power scissors to some of the intervals). On weekdays, however, I sometimes modify to make it easier. It's like Cathe herself says in Power Hour, "It all depends on what you ate, how you slept, what's going on in your life" (or she says something similar to that.)

I used to be OCD about workouts, but they lost their 'fun' for me. And it should be fun, right?
 
Like The Bean, I usually modify upward intensity-wise. I like to substitute plie jacks wherever I can in floor work, power-15's whenever possible in place of repeaters or low-impact step work, omit recoveries and extend intervals. I also like to substitute "power scissors" for mambo-cha-chas and other fancy footwork drills that make me look and feel like a Gomer.

A-Jock
 
I agree with Kathryn and others. It depends how I feel on a given day. Afterall, I am not Cathe and I don't do fitness for a living but I do strive to do better every day. If I'm in Jazzercise, I step it up..if I do IMAX I may have to lower the intensity down a bit depending on how much sleep I have had etc. It really depends. You know your body best so don't feel guilty if you can't be Cathe for a day.
 
I often modify by adding in longer rest, particularly with the PUB. She puts no rest at all between any of the sets but goes right into the next. I need a rest sometimes, especially with the chest and biceps.
 
I never modify cardio, unless it's up, like to use a higher step height, or shorten recovery times (as in Imax 2). But there are times when I can't lift as heavy as Cathe (although sometimes I go heavier). You really just have to listen to you body and do what feels good.
 
Like most people here, sometimes I do and sometimes I don't. I am like Kathryn in that I try to avoid a lot of pivoty or torque-y types of moves, because they make me really dizzy and also my ankles and knees protest wildly. I love some of the power moves, though, like power 7's and 15's, so I will often try to jump as high as I can when I do those. Yes, I know that is contradictory. The trick for me is not to do that every time. ;-)

I do think what's important here is not to let yourself get caught in the trap of thinking that you're failing if you aren't doing exactly what Cathe does. You need to do what's right for you and not what's right for someone else.

Good luck!
Marie
 
Awhile back, I hated to modify, I felt like I was cheating.
Now that I'm all grown up and mature (LOL!) I will modify up or down as needed. I've learned to view workouts as "suggestive guidelines" not "must do as is-es."
 
I have to admit, being able to keep up with Cathe (or any other instructor) is a great feeling but there are many times I just can't do it! I can keep up with Cathe in most cardio except for some of the plyo moves and parts of the imaxes. I can NOT however, keep up with her during weight work outs. I'm simply not that strong...YET!}( I don't even TRY to use the weights she is using. I just use what I know I am capable of...sometimes, depending on the work out it IS what she is using but lots of times it's not and it's no big deal for me. :) Knowing that I can't lift as heavy as Cathe is part of what motivates me during the work outs so I guess it's a blessing in disguise because I want to be able to match her on everything one day so I put alot of effort into my work outs!}(
 
Thank you all so much for your very interesting and sensible responses! I'm amazed and very impressed that so many of you modify UP sometimes - I've NEVER done that in my life LOL! I'm going to try to "listen to my body" more, and modify down if I'm really exhausted, but also modify up if I feel I'm coasting - THAT will be an exercise in itself... Thanks again!
 
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