FitPrime Fast Cheetah and Strong Bear - Great Workouts!!
- Thread starter roe
- Start date
I love From the Ground Up as well. This one just arrived in the mail last week.
I think the reason many people give up on these workouts after one viewing is because they are different and out of their comfort zone. The FitPrimes are doing wonders for my core strength and balance, and even though the scale has not budged, I am standing taller, my stomach is flatter, and I look thinner. These workouts focus on the deeper stabilizer muscles of the torso and legs, muscles that are often neglected during traditional strength training workouts. Many of my clients and participants have the "showboat" muscles going, but can't balance on a stability ball or on one leg to save their life. They want to give up before even getting started.
Once you have accomplished the focus and balance needed for FitPrimes, you can indeed go heavier and hit the muscles more intensly.
The curtsy dip is more of a balance challenge than a traditional dip. You need to keep your core strong to take the leg behind you without tipping over. So, in a sense, you are working more muscles to stay balanced with the 50 lb barbell durng a curtsy dip.
When I saw my mother take a bad fall recently because she couldn't maintain balance when my little nephew got in her way, I was very grateful for my FitPrimes!
-Roe
I think the reason many people give up on these workouts after one viewing is because they are different and out of their comfort zone. The FitPrimes are doing wonders for my core strength and balance, and even though the scale has not budged, I am standing taller, my stomach is flatter, and I look thinner. These workouts focus on the deeper stabilizer muscles of the torso and legs, muscles that are often neglected during traditional strength training workouts. Many of my clients and participants have the "showboat" muscles going, but can't balance on a stability ball or on one leg to save their life. They want to give up before even getting started.
Once you have accomplished the focus and balance needed for FitPrimes, you can indeed go heavier and hit the muscles more intensly.
The curtsy dip is more of a balance challenge than a traditional dip. You need to keep your core strong to take the leg behind you without tipping over. So, in a sense, you are working more muscles to stay balanced with the 50 lb barbell durng a curtsy dip.
When I saw my mother take a bad fall recently because she couldn't maintain balance when my little nephew got in her way, I was very grateful for my FitPrimes!
-Roe
naughtoj
Cathlete
I agree with what you are saying too, Roe. I think it is "out of the comfort zone" and therefore people are hesitant. I have many tapes that I refuse to trade away because every tape has its value. But the balls-to-the-wall type style of exercise that Cathe dishes out is very hard to duplicate in other tapes. It is like you get addicted to that intensity level and then everything else is BORING!! I really try to MAKE myself do these other workouts on lower intensity days. I may for sure get these now! Thanks for the input!
Janice
Janice
Hi Janice and others,
If boredom is what keeps people from doing these workouts then by all means, don't do them. The whole point of working out, after all, is choosing activities we love to do, and finding ways to change up those same activities to challenge ourselves once we plateau.
Cathe does give us incredible workouts no doubt, but a lot of what she delivers would be considered unnecessary and overkill by many exercise physiologists. Endless reps, too many hops on one leg... these are not necessary to get results, but we have been programmed that more is better. But on the flip side, many people need this because when faced with shorter workouts, they won't put the intensity into it, and intensity is a key variable to achieving results. Too much volume in reps and sets can lead to overuse injuries and burnout, and the Firm and FitPrime tend not to overdose on volume. So, when faced with less volume, it is up to us to put the intensity into the workout.
If it's intensity you need on Firms, do Plyo-jacks when they do regular jacks. Make calf pumps an airborne jump. Be creative and try to re-design some of the workout while still staying with the feel of the current move.
As for FitPrimes, just the concentration and balance alone needed to do these workouts makes me sweat! :7 The focus you need is amazing, but you won't really notice it until after you know the routine. Then you're like cursing at the TV. My whole core is transforming, my abs are holding themselves in naturally, and I haven't done a Cathe workout in weeks. I can't wait for Susan's tape to arrive!!
:7
-Roe
If boredom is what keeps people from doing these workouts then by all means, don't do them. The whole point of working out, after all, is choosing activities we love to do, and finding ways to change up those same activities to challenge ourselves once we plateau.
Cathe does give us incredible workouts no doubt, but a lot of what she delivers would be considered unnecessary and overkill by many exercise physiologists. Endless reps, too many hops on one leg... these are not necessary to get results, but we have been programmed that more is better. But on the flip side, many people need this because when faced with shorter workouts, they won't put the intensity into it, and intensity is a key variable to achieving results. Too much volume in reps and sets can lead to overuse injuries and burnout, and the Firm and FitPrime tend not to overdose on volume. So, when faced with less volume, it is up to us to put the intensity into the workout.
If it's intensity you need on Firms, do Plyo-jacks when they do regular jacks. Make calf pumps an airborne jump. Be creative and try to re-design some of the workout while still staying with the feel of the current move.
As for FitPrimes, just the concentration and balance alone needed to do these workouts makes me sweat! :7 The focus you need is amazing, but you won't really notice it until after you know the routine. Then you're like cursing at the TV. My whole core is transforming, my abs are holding themselves in naturally, and I haven't done a Cathe workout in weeks. I can't wait for Susan's tape to arrive!!
:7
-Roe
naughtoj
Cathlete
No worries Roe. I am getting these as well!! Just wish they didn't cost a fortune!!!
I was shocked by what you said about Firms not using endless reps.HUH???!!! Standing Legs is the biggest, strongest example I have of leg press overkill...and lunges!! It sure is an effective workout though! I definitly think Leaner Legs is overkill, but I do agree with you on Cathe's style. It is hard to get away from. But I will make the leap for these. I just did it for Powerstrike as well and am pleased. Lotte Berk is going to take a little more convincing!!!
Thanks for your elaborations..
Janice
I was shocked by what you said about Firms not using endless reps.HUH???!!! Standing Legs is the biggest, strongest example I have of leg press overkill...and lunges!! It sure is an effective workout though! I definitly think Leaner Legs is overkill, but I do agree with you on Cathe's style. It is hard to get away from. But I will make the leap for these. I just did it for Powerstrike as well and am pleased. Lotte Berk is going to take a little more convincing!!!
Thanks for your elaborations..
Janice
Roe:
Thanks for recommending SB. Tracie was always one of the least Stepfordish Firm instructors and I agree that this workout is excellent. As for the Boot Camp butt raises, here's my take. Ironically enough for the name Boot Camp, I think this whole sequence is kind of a yoga sun-salutation take off and that the butt hikes are a backwards up-dog. You get the same lumbar extension as in traditional up-dog, and it segues a bit more gently into the push-up.
A couple other questions for you, or Kathryn, or anyone who has this vid: do you think it's okay to do the yes-no push-ups from the toes? Also, I have pretty funky knees and find myself leaning way over the step in order to lower myself slowly on the step-ups--is that cheating?
--Ann
Thanks for recommending SB. Tracie was always one of the least Stepfordish Firm instructors and I agree that this workout is excellent. As for the Boot Camp butt raises, here's my take. Ironically enough for the name Boot Camp, I think this whole sequence is kind of a yoga sun-salutation take off and that the butt hikes are a backwards up-dog. You get the same lumbar extension as in traditional up-dog, and it segues a bit more gently into the push-up.
A couple other questions for you, or Kathryn, or anyone who has this vid: do you think it's okay to do the yes-no push-ups from the toes? Also, I have pretty funky knees and find myself leaning way over the step in order to lower myself slowly on the step-ups--is that cheating?
--Ann
kathryn
Cathlete
>
>A couple other questions for you, or Kathryn, or anyone who
>has this vid: do you think it's okay to do the yes-no push-ups
>from the toes? Also, I have pretty funky knees and find myself
>leaning way over the step in order to lower myself slowly on
>the step-ups--is that cheating?
>
>--Ann
I think the "no" portion of the yes-no push-ups would be difficult to do from the toes, but if it doesn't bother you to do it (shoulders, knees, etc.) then go for it!
Am I visualizing your lowering position correctly: I see you bent forward with knees forward. If you have "funky" knees, this might put too much stress on the knees. For the slow lowers--which are TOUGH, IMO--I'd just say go as slowly as you can in the regular position. You'll get better and better each time you do these.
>A couple other questions for you, or Kathryn, or anyone who
>has this vid: do you think it's okay to do the yes-no push-ups
>from the toes? Also, I have pretty funky knees and find myself
>leaning way over the step in order to lower myself slowly on
>the step-ups--is that cheating?
>
>--Ann
I think the "no" portion of the yes-no push-ups would be difficult to do from the toes, but if it doesn't bother you to do it (shoulders, knees, etc.) then go for it!
Am I visualizing your lowering position correctly: I see you bent forward with knees forward. If you have "funky" knees, this might put too much stress on the knees. For the slow lowers--which are TOUGH, IMO--I'd just say go as slowly as you can in the regular position. You'll get better and better each time you do these.
kathryn
Cathlete
I was shocked by what you said about Firms not
>using endless reps.HUH???!!! Standing Legs is the biggest,
>strongest example I have of leg press overkill...and lunges!!
>It sure is an effective workout though!
There is definitely a difference between the Firm workouts that are filmed as a complete workout, and their compilation workouts. Some of the compilation workouts (standing legs and lower body split, for example)get into the " mass quantity of reps" range. I always wondered if someone at the Firm actually tried out these workouts ahead of time to see exactly how they would work?
>using endless reps.HUH???!!! Standing Legs is the biggest,
>strongest example I have of leg press overkill...and lunges!!
>It sure is an effective workout though!
There is definitely a difference between the Firm workouts that are filmed as a complete workout, and their compilation workouts. Some of the compilation workouts (standing legs and lower body split, for example)get into the " mass quantity of reps" range. I always wondered if someone at the Firm actually tried out these workouts ahead of time to see exactly how they would work?