Ectochick Check 10/13

A

AKirkland

Cathlete
Hey ladies,

I thought I'd get us started for this week, even though my plans are a little up in the air. I've started my two weeks of "endurance" workouts. Saturday I did CTX Upper Body and Sunday I did Leaner Legs. I intended to do CTX Upper Body again today (Monday), but my chest and biceps are still sore from Saturday. If there's still a lot of soreness by this evening, I probably will do abs and some yoga instead. If so, this will sort of throw the whole week off, so we'll see.

What do you guys think about working out when you're still sore? Seems to me like this might be counterproductive. CTX Upper Body and Leaner Legs both kill me, so I'm sore all over this morning. :-(

Angela
 
[font size="1" color="#FF0000"]LAST EDITED ON Oct-14-02 AT 11:09AM (Est)[/font][p][font size="1" color="#FF0000"]LAST EDITED ON Oct-14-02 AT 11:06 AM (Est)[/font]

Angela, I don't know how to delete a post, so I copied/pasted mine to your thread...

Hey, Guys. Good grief, I can't believe this month is halfway over!! Time is really flying. Only about 12 weeks till NY's. So, with that in mind, I've made up a rotation (till (if) I hear from Cathe, anyway) for wts. thru NY's. I'm gonna do all my wt. tapes once. That'll take me to the end, and it doesn't include the Firm cardio/sculpt tapes I have. (Atho, I am sticking TBSM and Cardio Sculpt 1 in there...I think they have a little cardio). Anyway, this week:

Mon-PS Legs & Abs
Tues-PS CST/treadmill
Wed-Interval Express
Thurs-PS BBA/treadmill
Fri-Rhythmic Step
Sat-Body Pump

I'm alternating weeks like this:
heavy week
medium (Firm) week
heavy
medium (Firm)
light week
Repeat...

Like I said last week, my clothes are looser and I realized after trying on some blouses, that a lot of it is in my UPPER BODY! I'm very happy about that.

OK, I'll let someone else talk...Have a great week!!!

Edit: Angela, being sore is one thing that will put a kink in my rope every time! I also don't think it's a good idea to do wt. work when sore, so I skip it.

Robin http://www.smilies-world.de/Smilies/Smilies_klein_1/flower.gif
 
Hi ladies!

Angela - I agree with Robin. Skip the weights tonight and focus on abs and yoga or do a cardio session to help ease the soreness, get that lactic acid out of there! :)

Robin - your rotation looks good! :) Keep us posted on how things are going for you. Everyone always seems to be interested in a tough rotation and the results they can expect! Congratulations on the weightloss you've acheived so far! Try to stay motivated until Cathe gets around to you guys! :)

Here's my pre-planned week:

sun- ran 3 miles in the park (prepping for 5K this Saturday), leg training (extensions, curls and inner/outer thigh work using resistance bands)
mon- upper body (pressing exercises)
tue- cardio plus abs
wed- legs
thu- off
fri- upper body (pulling exercises)
sat- 5K run, maybe yoga that evening and abs

I was talked into doing a 5K with some co-workers this weekend and I'm really looking forward to it! Now that I know I'll be able to pull this off I may even do the Freak Nite 5K on the 26th! We'll see. The run this Saturday is for Friends of Kids with Cancer. I don't know of anyone personally with a child fighting cancer but it's something I don't mind supporting.

I'm off to do some searching and then reading up on this month's workout schedule. For month 2 of the Rock Hard Challenge the sequence of workout days changes, I get an extra rest day but I need to figure out how I'm going to do my sprints on the weight training days. :) I know I'll use the stepper, just wondering if I should thrown in some jumproping.... :)

Talk with you all later,
Angie
 
I believe I'm doing my last week (of six weeks) of the TTR and I can't wait to get to S&H next week. The TTR has been tough. I've pushed through it, but it's been tough (and I've been really hungry all the time too.). I'm doing:
Monday: PS CSTBBA (both tapes)
Tuesday: Leaner Legs
Wednesday: Upper body CTX
Thursday: Cardio Kicks
Friday: PH
Saturday: IMAX (if my knees are handling well, if not then RS)
Sunday: Ran on Treadmill 30 minutes top speed cause my knob broke and it happened to be on top speed, I'm stuck there now!!
I usually rest Sunday, but just needed to clear my head in the morning for some reason.

Anyway, I hear ya on your upper body ache after the UB CTX. And your lower body probably feels pretty tight too with LL following it. I feel like I've been sore much of the time through this rotation. I'm trying to lift whatever Cathe is lifting and I have seen LOTS of developing muscles. I would like to see my shoulders grow a little more and have toyed with the idea of sticking with the TTR two more weeks, I guess I'm just bored and would like to get to S&H. A wonderful person loaned me her tapes of S&H and I can't wait to start. Anyway I'll let you know what I decide next week.

Have you all seen more muscle growth (shoulders in particular) with S&H or with the TTR?? Just wondered? Also, I like to work body parts twice per week and am not sure how to handle the S&H with this. I thought of doing S&H Mon Tues Wed. each tape, then Cardio Thursday, S&H Upperbody split (from other thread) Friday and Leaner Legs/with shorter cardio on Saturday. Do you think that's too much. I REALLY want to get two parts in per week. Maybe just PH on Friday with cardio Wed and Sat.?????? Sorry for rambling. Have a great week.

Briee
 
Wow, Briee! That's gonna be quite a week! On the other hand, if you're lifting as heavy as Cathe - maybe it will be appropriate for you. I know it would kill me!

I like to work body parts twice a week, too. The plan was to do UB CTX and LL each two times this week. The monkey wrench in the plan is my unexpected upper body soreness and the fact that I want to start attending a dance class on Tuesday evenings - a day I used to have reserved for working out.

I've considered doing a workout before work on Tuesday morning, but I hate working out that early - it would have to be about 4:30 a.m. Ick. I'm definitely not a morning person.

The soreness seems to be getting better as the day wears on, so I may go ahead with UB CTX tonite - just keep my weights light.

I never found the TTR thread, so haven't been able to try it. I've seen great results anyway from PS, SH and some work on my hubby's Total Gym. Of course, I had no upper body development to speak of, so any improvement would be noticeable! Ha.

Angela
 
Wow, ecto's tough stuff going on with you all this week! :-jumpy
Take a skinny arm and pat yourselves on the back .

I am doing the same as last week.

Monday, Tuesday: CTX upper body split into BBA and CST on different days both with CTX cardio.

W: Meaner Legs (I always loathe this one)

TH: Cardio

F: S & H one day split

S: Cardio "drug of choice"

I MUST happily tell you all that this is my third week of this rotation and I am just please to the toenails with it!!!!! I have not seen results like this since I did TTA this summer. BUT I am not SO tired from lifting that I can't do very much cardio. Unlike other ecto's I need cardio to burn fat. I think that TTA's hitting upper body 3x per wk was just too much for me. This is awesome. It's great to see results. There's a definite increase in bicep/shoulder for SURE.;-)

Have a great week
Julie
 
Like I listed in my schedule above, I always substitute PH for MIS, I just like it better (i have both). I just realized when I checked out that thread that you listed that she says to go for 10 weeks (for TTR) and then do S&H. Boy, I don't know if I can do this for another 4 weeks, I need a switch!!!! I'll have to think about that one, any of you stick to one rotation for ten whole weeks???

Briee

Oh also, what does the "TTA" stand for??? I can't seem to think of that abbreviation for the life of me, please refesh the old memory??? Thanks
 
I think the TTA stands for the Tank Top Arm Rotation. A rotation for 10 weeks - I don't think I could handle that and the TTA looks pretty intense to me. Thought I would check in as I need some motivation. Like all the other ectos I've been suffering from a lot of soreness and fatigue - hiking all weekend and S&H are the reasons I think. I've decided to wimp out of S&H (it was just making me too tired to do any cardio)and I kind of feel guilty that I'm not getting enough workouts in. I'll give my own version of the TTA a whirl again. My version addresses the legs rather than the upper body - I am totally obsessed with my thighs! My week will be:

Mon - took it off (hiked all weekend)
Tues - PowerHour
Wed - MIC
Thurs - MIS
Fri - Cardio Kicks
Sat - PSLA or LL
Sun - Interval workout of choice

I was wondering what weights other ectos used on their barbell while doing S&H. The weight that I can lift onto my shoulders doesn't fatigue my legs anymore when doing reps at that speed. I can't afford a weighted vest right now so I'm wondering if I will be able to use that workout anymore. Does anyone else have this problem? Have a good week everyone.
 
I think the TTA stands for the Tank Top Arm Rotation. A rotation for 10 weeks - I don't think I could handle that and the TTA looks pretty intense to me. Thought I would check in as I need some motivation. Like all the other ectos I've been suffering from a lot of soreness and fatigue - hiking all weekend and S&H are the reasons I think. I've decided to wimp out of S&H (it was just making me too tired to do any cardio)and I kind of feel guilty that I'm not getting enough workouts in. I'll give my own version of the TTA a whirl again. My version addresses the legs rather than the upper body - I am totally obsessed with my thighs! My week will be:

Mon - took it off (hiked all weekend)
Tues - PowerHour
Wed - MIC
Thurs - MIS
Fri - Cardio Kicks
Sat - PSLA or LL
Sun - Interval workout of choice

I was wondering what weights other ectos used on their barbell while doing S&H. The weight that I can lift onto my shoulders doesn't fatigue my legs anymore when doing reps at that speed. I can't afford a weighted vest right now so I'm wondering if I will be able to use that workout anymore. Does anyone else have this problem? Have a good week everyone.
 
Yep, I can't get a heavy enough barbell over my head to really work the legs. If my hubby's around, sometimes I ask him to set me up. Then I can go really heavy.

I think this is why I'm seeing (and feeling!) so much difference with Leaner Legs. The weight's lighter, but the higher reps really fatigue the muscles. I did it on Sunday and I'm still sore!

To answer the earlier question: the only time I've stuck with something ten weeks was when I first started using Cathe's workouts. All I had was the PS series - I got them for Christmas and used them exclusively until my birthday rolled around (in June!) and could request the SH series. It's tough to do the same workouts over and over (if you have a choice). I was to the point where I even had all the little funny comments Cathe makes in PS memorized.

Angela
 
Hello all! My scedule for this week:

Mon-rest
Tue-BBA-done
Wes-CST
thur-SL&Abs
FRI-run with abs
Sat-rest
Sun-something total body

pfive-I'm interest in the 5k. How do you train for this?
 
Hey pr, right now I'm only using 30lbs on S&H legs. I like to start with a weight I can be VERY comfortable at, and then progress. A "nowhere to go but up" attitude helps.

I know that doing the same weight workouts gets boring mentally, but that's how I've seen my best muscule development occur. That was Cathe's advice to "hard gainer" poster way back. Iwish I'd printed that one out.

If I can stick with a program for 8 to 12 weeks I see much greater results. And in the end results are what keep me going.

Julie
 
Hi Julie, I think you are right about sticking to a rotation. I know I had the best results while doing PS for over 6 weeks. Thanks for reminding me of that. I usually get a good workout using a 45lb barbell with PSLA but even a 50lb barbell leaves me smiling after the S&H leg workout so I am not sure whether its doing me any good. I guess I'll have to stick to LL for a while. I know exactly what you mean about the 'nowhere to go but up' attitude when it comes to weights. I adhere to it faithfully when it comes to my upper body. I still use fairly light weights for most exercises but as long as I get good muscle development with them I don't worry about it too much.
 
Thanks a lot Julie :), now you've given me more to think about. I was going to go to the S&H right away cause I'm getting bored, but I am seeing results (lots more definition and muscle development, but I still want more for my shoulders) from TTR and noticed what you said about sticking to a rotation for 12 weeks (ala Cathe). I really would like to continue with these results, but mentally it's tough. I think I will try to tough it out and then go to S&H, but I'm going to need MAJOR encouragement here!!!! I am amazed at what this rotation has done (amazed and bored):-( . Thanks for pointing this out, REALLY!!!

Briee
 
Hey guys,

Just for the record, here's how my week has ended up:

Saturday CTX Upper Body
Sunday Leaner Legs
Monday Off
Tuesday Middle Eastern Dance class (great for the abs!)
Wednesday Leg work in the gym at lunch
Thursday CTX Upper Body
Friday Abs
Saturday Start over...

It's been kind of a strange week. Maybe I'll settle into a routine next week.

Angela
 
Briee, there's things you can do to shake up within your rotation: changing the order of the exercises, sort of doing it backwards (hope you have dvd player ;-)). Splitting a total body into two days. Doing 3 sets of a few of your favorites and leaving out the ones you don't like (this worked well with PS). For me it's always tricep dips, I hate them. Changing up intensity throughout the week: make one day light, then medium, the last HEAVY. Or as Cathe suggested, you can reverse the count and do the negative part of the movement first and THEN the positive, basically just doing the move in opposite order that she does.

I hesitate to move to a whole different set of tapes when I'm working like this because I like to have something "new" to rotate into. I found MIS is the easiest for me to get tired of. But that's just me. If you do tire of that one, try Bodymax upper body plus Leaner Legs.

Don't forget to take days off when you just can't do it.

Ecto's all over the planet are routing for you!

Julie
 
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