Glad I got Shock Cardio

[Aquajock]

This a.m. I did my planned Grand Slam of all 3 HiiTs, omitting the rest intervals, and then threw on the Cardio Core Circuit premix just to get a feel for it. I really enjoyed this mix, AND I got the one thing I asked for when Shock Cardio was in the planning stages: a drill that I couldn't complete as produced the first time out. That's all I really wanted and by golly, those squat-back-roll-explode-up thingies in CCC were my Waterloo. Couldn't get up into that explosive jump for nothin'; the best I could do was a sit-to-barely-stand. That, my friends, gives me something to work for, much like Boot Camp's Squat-Thrust-Climber and endless sequential power kicks intervals at first slaughtered me, the dreaded plie' jack interval in I-Max 3 at first slaughtered me, the forward bounding drill #5 in Drill Max at first slaughtered me, and the forward running suicides in 4DS-BC at first slaughtered me. Now I can do all of these very comfortably, so next stop: SQUAT-BACK-ROLL-EXPLODE-UP THINGIES!

I also like the core routines, especially the MMA Kickbox one. I look forward to doing the Circuit Blast within the next week. In all honesty, the complexity of the choreography in Step Moves and Athletic Step is far too . . . well, complex for The Ranking Klutz of the Cathe Forums, so I believe I will be finding new homes for these. And the MMAs do look a tad more moderate than my preference, although some of the leg blitzes will make, I think, for a good warm-up mix with my DVD recorder system. All in all, a good addition to my library of workouts!

A-Jock

 

[Beavs]

C'mon A-Jock...I know it's only a matter of time before we see some grueling mish moshes that require one to wear a weighted yes, ankle weights, and wrist weights while holding a medicine ball all while leaping to even great heights than Cathe

 

[bethj]

A-Jock, I'd be interested in knowing how you got in such good cardio shape. Did you just keep doing the workouts until you couldn't breathe, and then resume them? Did you monitor your heart rate at all? I having trouble finding the right intensity. If I work out too hard, I just feel like I'm going to throw up and get very lightheaded and almost pass out. I don't think that's a good thing. So how far do you push it?
Beth

 

[Aquajock]

A-Jock, I'd be interested in knowing how you got in such good cardio shape. Did you just keep doing the workouts until you couldn't breathe, and then resume them? Did you monitor your heart rate at all? I having trouble finding the right intensity. If I work out too hard, I just feel like I'm going to throw up and get very lightheaded and almost pass out. I don't think that's a good thing. So how far do you push it?
Beth

Hi, Beth, and thanks for your kind words! I have to credit Cathe herself for my current cardio fitness level, especially her productions that emphasize power stepping (basic choreography with high intensity power blasts), plyometric drills for the step and the floor (including her increasing utilization of squat-thrust variations), and high impact work as well. I've been buying her productions since the original Interval Max, and usually, each new series would have at least one drill that I could not complete as originally filmed (either my heart / lungs would hit their peak or my leg muscles would hit their peak, or both). And many others would really, really get me panting, sweating and my leg muscles singing. The drills that brought me to failure the first time were the ones I made sure to do at least once a week after "inaugurating" them, and the training effect being what it is, what was at first impossible became possible and then doable on a regular basis. That made everything stronger and gave me a higher performance level AND a greater endurance level.

It's what I call the "Do What You Dread Most" protocol: if you do that which you dread frequently, you demystify it, you come to understand it, your body adapts to the demands of the drill and it becomes not dreadful anymore.

And, I try to stay very current with my barbell squats, plie squats and lunges, trying to get these in at least two sessions per week, during (circuit-style) or after a cardio bout. The stronger the leg muscles the more power production capability they can build through plyo and other cardio work.

I do not wear a heart rate monitor for either my land or my aqua workouts; I tend to focus more on overall perceived exertion, breathing rate and volume, and sweat output. If I'm really wheezing and feel like I'm breathing cobwebs, OR if my heart is racing but the stroke volume is light and my breathing does not correspond to the HR, then I take things down or hit the "pause" button, because elevated HR for no real exertional reason is usually a sign of something else going on (environment too warm; dehydration; onset of a cold; etc.). I also focus on the mental aspect: if I'm working at my capacity that day I am totally focused on the workout; if I'm thinking of names for the cat I'll never own then I know I'm not working hard enough (have probably selected too easy of a format for that session).

I trust I've overanswered your question. I don't think there is one right answer for everyone, but no, I too don't think getting lightheaded, nauseous and faint is a good thing either.

HTH -

A-Jock

 

[bethj]

I think the "do what you dread most" is probably what i need to do! And I have found that my increasing leg strength from STS is enabling me to do plyos and things I couldn't do before. Thanks!
Beth

 

[BreckGirl]

if I'm thinking of names for the cat I'll never own then I know I'm not working hard enough

Priceless.

 

[ms71069]

Aquajock,
Thanks so much for your post. You answered my question, Will I ever be able to do this, and now I know YES I CAN!!!

 

[morningstar]

This a.m. I did my planned Grand Slam of all 3 HiiTs, omitting the rest intervals, and then threw on the Cardio Core Circuit premix just to get a feel for it.

And then Annette threw on her cape and fought crime, created world peace and ended world hunger - it was a weekend, so she had time!

 

[Worknprogress]

This a.m. I did my planned Grand Slam of all 3 HiiTs, omitting the rest intervals, and then threw on the Cardio Core Circuit premix just to get a feel for it.

Omitting the rest intervals?????? Are you kidding me????? I've done 30/30 and Double Wave Pyramid but I am not going to attempt 40/20 for a couple of weeks. And do all three together without rest? I don't think that will ever happen for me!

You must be in incredible shape and I think that is fantastic!! I bow in awe of you Annette!!

 

[NinjaMom]

AJ-

WOW...Way to go!! Glad you were able to find a move that will take a while to master. I remember doing those squat-roll back-explode thingys in P90X so I was ready to tackle them in CCC. I still have trouble keeping up with Cathe and sometimes cross my legs which makes them easier but what the heck....I'm still workout hard

 

[jodijodi]

AJ, you are amazing! WTG! Glad that you're enjoying the new series...I know how excited you were when it was first announced!

But I have to admit that I am relieved to hear that there were/are just a few things that you could not do on the first try. Makes me think that there may be hope for the rest of us mere mortals!