Ectochicks 2/24

[AKirkland]

Hey ladies,

I'm a little slow getting this week's thread started. I'm surprised someone didn't beat me to it. So, how's everyone doing with the new workouts, bun and thigh rocker, etc.?

I'm still doing a combination of endurance and strength workouts using CTX UB and LL for endurance and the new pyramid workouts for strength. I'm about to decide that the new workouts work better for me as endurance, though. Doing a full pyramid, I just can't go really heavy. I think in a couple of weeks I may try to add SH and/or PS back into my rotation.

I'm also going to make an effort to get my diet cleaned up again. I just completely let things go for a while because I was on some medication that made me extremely hungry - I just ate anything in sight. Now that the munchies have subsided, it will be back to "clean eating."

Hope y'all have a great week!

Angela

 

[pfive]

Hi Angela!!

Figured I'd chime in here! I guess we're all running behind today!

Last week did not go well for me - I had to take several days of rest. Don't know what came over me but I decided to take it easy and get back on track once the weekend approached.

I must say I had a good time getting reaquainted with MIS! Boy am I feeling it today in the glutes and hamstrings! I love it! :7

Angela, it looks like you and I will be on the same fitness plan for a while. I plan to start a rotation using PLB, PUB, CTX UB, LL and MIS next month. Can't decide if I want to start March 1st or the 3rd. I'm somewhat implementing Body For Life also.

I started today with a slightly cleaner eating plan. My plans are to have a very clean diet by the end of March. I'm sure I will look to members of this group and from others on this board for help in that area. My weaknesses are pasta and I guess sugar. (Have to have my Kool-Aid, hot tea and oatmeal with real sugar - the sweeteners just taste really awful to me in those 3 simple things!)

Not sure of my plans for this week is so far because I am so busy plotting next week/next month's schedule. But here's what I have in mind for the most part:

Sun- MIS (legs, chest, back, choulders)
Mon- Jumprope, MIS (triceps, biceps, abs)
Tue- Power Circuit (all of it)
Wed- Step & Intervals (all of it)
Thu- Rhythmic Step
Fri- Rest
Sat- next rotation ?

We'll see! Hope everyone gets to check in soon!

Angie

 

[tsut]

Hi Angie and Angela

I hope it's okay to post here. I don't mean to sound like a dunce, but this is a check-in for ecto-body types, right? I am an ecto, too and it has taken quite some to figure out what will work for me. What kind of workouts do you two do generally? I just started the Intensity Series and my stubborn abdominal fat is FINALLY melting away. I'm really suprised because I've been trying to figure out the mystery of getting rid of this extra blubber for quite some time. After I finish this Intensity rotation, I want to try something new. Do you gals have any suggestions? Thanks so much!

 

[briee]

Hi Ectos, almost got the thread started this morning and then got distracted by something....maybe my aching neck. Angela... I did PUB this morning and got a sore neck which happened to me last week, I must be doing something wrong. And it was interesting what you mentioned about your endurance and strength mix. I've been doing this too, but have been considering PUB as an endurance workout and then doing S&H at the end of the week. It (PUB) really seems to have a split personality depending on how you approach it. I've gone really heavy and slowed the reps down (and sometimes paused the tape - I almost prefer this approach) and I've also done some of it lighter and made it endurance. Isn't Cathe flexible, she just goes along with our plan!!!!

This weeks plan
Mon - PUB
Tues - PLB
Wed - Possibly CTX UB or boot camp depending on how my arms feel from Monday.
Thursday- S&H Legs and IMAX 1-5 or 5-10
Friday S&H Biceps and Triceps
Saturday S&H Chest and Back
Sunday S&H Shoulders (I may end up resting today if my arms are too stressed, I usually don't arrange S&H arms so close, but I'm in the midst of settling on a good rotation so my plans are a little messed up.)

I want try the one body part per day with cardio, but I want to keep the idea of the TTR going and I'm really trying for definition in my upper body so I'm pushing hard to get it in two to three times per week. I keep looking at Jai's arms and drooling, can you really get such incredible definition without steroids? She looks fantastic and really keeps me striving to push harder for that V.

Welcome tsut, it's always okay to post, in fact once you know you are an ecto this is the most "happening place to be" for an ecto :7 :7 :7 . And we'd be happy to give you lots of "opinions". So I'll start....I think I've seen the most progress with cathe's Slow and Heavy tapes. They are sometimes hard to stay focused on for many weeks, but I keep coming back to them as they have really helped build muscle and definition on my ecto-ish frame. The rotation I've seen the most muscle and definition on is as follows:
M-PS all upper body
T - LL
W - CTX upper body
T - IMAX or CK
F - S&H Legs and Shoulders
S - S&H triceps and biceps
S - rest

Since the IS, I'm altering this routine, but don't quite have it worked out yet. I'm trying to work in PUB and PLB, but I don't want to give up S&H work. Question for the rest of you....I can't seem to work in Cardio and Weights, where would you put this in while trying to do S&H work. This is the only IS tape I haven't done and I keep reading how much fun it is. I've got to get to this.

Briee

 

[Amadeus]

;( ;( ;(

Alas, Ecto's I have a badly sprained ankle with torn ligaments. I am reduced to limping but am joyful to be participating in the world of vertical human beings again.

I'm looking for info on injury re-hab. Don't want to mess things up permanently. If you know anything, please spew it. My post on this topic was buried in about five minutes. Boo-hoo. Robin, was it you who had an injury? Or am I just confused? Anyway be "nursey" for me, okay? Did you do Mardi Gras, btw?

I do plan to do S&H upper body all seated or kneeling. Did Bi's/tri's yesterday. Felt so good I almost started crying. So . . . upper body, core, and floor legs will round out the week for me.

I see the doc for a follow-up visit on Thursday. I am getting better everyday. It's just SO hard to be patient. Especially when 98% of my body feels just jim-dandy. DH and the "fam" have been just faboo.

Hi tsut, it's nice to have you on board. I can only speak from my own experience on the blubber issue. But what I've found is that I MUST do interval work. Splitting Imax into two workouts (1-5 and 6-10), doing intervals on cardio machines along with a serious weight training regimen has helped me make a dent. I have to be careful not to do too much cardio. When I'm "normal" it's 4-5 days per week 30-45 minutes at a time. I recently came across an article stating that intervals can burn up to nine times more fat than steady-state aerobics. I hope I can be back at it soon.

Have a great week, ladies!

Julie

 

[pfive]

Tsut! Welcome, welcome!

To help trim my abs I have found circuit or heavy weight training to work for me. For circuit training rotations I have used in the past included Circuit Max, BodyMax and Step Circuit Challenge (by Gin Miller). And just straight cardio on the days in between.

For the heavy training rotations I would use the split training plan seen in the Body For Life (BFL) book. BUT what I plan to do starting next week is to use the new Pyramid workouts (very similar ro the BFL method just more reps), MIS, possibly Slow & Heavy or the Pure Strength thrown in - haven't quite decided yet! But I think each week I want to use the Pyramid workouts as my main focus! Now that I think about it I may just go with the Pyramids and MIS for a few weeks and later rotate MIS out with one of those I mentioned before. See what happens when you have too many choices!!

And I agree this is a Very Happening group! :7

Angie

 

[tsut]

Hi Ectos!!

I survived Imax2 today. I thought I was gonna die after the 8th interval – you know the one with the hop squats around the board and power plyo thingies. My legs were screaming at me, but I know it’s good for me. I always feel like wonder woman when I finish an interval tape. Is it me or does Imax2 seem a little less painful than Imax? I have nightmares about Imax. Lol! I sold it too and can’t say that I miss it too much. Of course I know it’s good for me so I’ll end up buying it back sometime.

Hi Angie – Thanks for responding. Funny you should say that about circuit training. In the past, I used to lift heavy and do one body part per day at the gym. However, I ate quite a big amount of food and only did walking for cardio. I got every inch of my body in great shape except my abs. That is the place my body wants to keep the fat. I really love lifting heavy because I feel so strong.
Anyways, my point was that I have tried something similar to circuit training with cardio in between and I got some great results fairly quick. I didn’t reach my goal because I stopped, but I know if I had kept that up I probably wouldn’t be where I am now – starting all over again.

I really love the new intensity series and I’m going to use that for about 6 weeks. I think once I finish, I will take your suggestion and try the circuit training. I have Cardio and Weights and Circuit Max – along with some Firm tapes that will work nicely. Thanks again for your suggestions.

Hi Julie-I agree with you about the interval training. I think that is the best way to burn body fat – esp. if you have stubborn ab fat like I do. I sold Imax, but I have Imax2 and Intense Moves by Gin Miller. Do you have any other suggestions? I was thinking of using some of the premixes on Cathe’s new Intensity series. I haven’t built up the courage to try them, but there is one on Imax2 called blast mania (scary!!) and they have the cardio portions from Bootcamp (even more scarier!!!). I think those would be good to add to my lifting days if I can move my limbs afterwards. Lol!

Hi Briee-You are making me regret letting my friend borrow my S&H series. I’ve had them forever, but just never got around to using them in a rotation – so many tapes and so little time and all. My friend has lost over 110 lbs. in the last year using exercise videos so I couldn’t ask for them back. She really likes them and I know Cathe will be good for her. I am slowing introducing her to the world of Cathe…so far so good. She’s not ready yet for any of Cathe’s cardio, but I’ve got plans for my friend. * evil grin *

About Cardio and Weights – I’m not sure when you should fit it in. I don’t think it’s a good idea to do it after upper body workout day. I tried that last week and I was in a lot of pain for several days. I did PUB and then Cardio and Weights – bad choice. I also used a ball instead of a bench for PUB so I’m sure that made it harder, too. Plus, I am a wimp as well. Hee hee.

My plan tomorrow is to do PLB, but I may have to change that. My legs felt sore from the stepping in Imax2. Darn that Bootcamp hurt me worse than I had suspected.

Goodnight all! See you tomorrow.

 

[briee]

Man Julie, I am so sorry to hear about your injury. I know how impatient I would be as well. After my baby was born I waited a whole 14 days and could take it no longer and did a nice long slow and heavy workout, all body parts. My legs felt so good, I believe I was crying too (for happiness just to be doing something again).

Be patient and we will all hope that you will heal quickly!!

Briee

 

[JamminX3]

Hey, Gang. I hate checking in late in the week, cuz there are so many posts and after I read them, I can't remember a thing anyone said!:+ Just a bit of senility.

JULIE!! So sorry about your injury. I posted on your other thread to bump it up and get more responses. I'm sorry, I can't think of anything 'nursey' to add to the others. Just obey the doc and ease back into things when he/she gives the go-ahead. Make sure there is NO pain. Don't want a setback and have to wait around while someone like ME gets way ahead of you, do ya? Har!

Welcome Tsut! I have no "this is what works for me advice". I can't stick to any rotation and any improvements I've had over the last 2 yrs are hidden under my insulation.:-( But that's another story. I will say that S&H *seemed*...I say, *seemed* to increase strength for me and made my muscles a bit bigger. I ate like a horse, tho.

I'm still on the Fat Blasting Rotation Challenge at www.fitnessvideofanatics.com with Anyfit30 and others. This week:

Mon-C&W, Step & Intervals (Felt bad and ended up only doing C&W cardio only)
Tues-IMAX 2, All Step (Did IMAX 2 and C&W cardio only again)
Wed-ME, Kickbox
Thurs-IMAX, 10-10-10
Fri-PUB
Sat-PLB, PC

After 4-5 weeks of this, I'm gonna do a PS/S&H rotation for 5 weeks and then do another challenge with Amyfit using PS/Pyramids.

I fell off the no sugar wagon this weekend and so I'm using the last 3 days of Feb to hoist myself back on. Wanna enter March free of cravings.:9 Angela, there is no way to eat well while taking that medication. I'm glad it's settling down for you. That must be very difficult. You are incredibly strong, ya know that????

Briee, one of these days, I'm just gonna have to talk you into posting all your meals for a week, so I can copy things. It gets hard for a crappy eater to think of healthy/satisfying things when it's not your habit. *sigh*.

Angie, I hope that this week goes better for you! I'm feeling blahish myself this week. All this cardio is kinda gettin' to my legs and it's probably sucking a lot of my energy. I could curl up on top of my computer right now and sleeeeeeeeeeep!

OK, I've blabbed enough. Talk latah!

 

[JamminX3]

Hey, Angie,

I saw on the Ya Ya forum under Rotations that you did Donna's S&H with Lower Body Solution 4 week rotation last summer. I was curious what your results were. I have 4 weeks between the 2 challenges I'm doing and I'm looking for a S&H Rotation to do then.

Thanks a bunch in advance.