Help! I stink at plyo legs

[theclam]

I just started Meso 3 and did my first plyo legs last night. I'm in serious trouble here. I either only make it through 1/3 - 1/2 of the reps/time and end up hanging out for the rest, or I work at 1/3 to 1/2 the pace and get in very few reps. If I try to push myself, I end up getting one or more of dizzy, sloppy, way-too-high heartrate, out of breath.

I do cardio, normally, so it's not as simple as being out of cardio shape. But I just plain don't jump pretty much ever in my normal life or workouts. So maybe it's that I'm not used to using that much big muscle at once? Dunno.

So, I guess I have two questions.

Given the strength goal of meso 3, should I slow down and do however many reps with great form, or should I do as much as I can and rest while Cathe and crew finish? Also, is there anything (knee friendly!) that I can do to help build up my cardio tolerance for plyometrics?

Thanx!

ltg

 

[JanetP1507]

Just do what you can and then stop. You need to work up to that stuff. I can't always finish everything either. Also, lower your step height if you're not already. I don't feel comfortable jumping on and off a 14 inch step (mostly because I'm a klutz and I'm afraid my foot will get caught on the platform and cause me to fall forward and crash into my tv which would be bad ) so I lower the step height to 10 or 12 inches, depending on what we're doing.

 

[TpaGirl]

Are you eating something before plyo? Because you're doing resistance and cardio at the same time, you require more calories. You may be running out of energy and hitting a wall.

 

[theclam]

Ahhhh.... Fuel may well be playing into it. I definitely wasn't at an optimal point between fullness and emptiness when I started. On the tired side as well, but that usually goes away once I start working out. Not last night! LOL!

Hopefully, my next round will go better. It was really discouraging to be soooooo bad at it.

 

[PhyllisG]

I just wanted to add that I had a lot of trouble with the first plyo legs also and thought I will never be able to do this. I was very surprised at how much I improved as the Meso progressed. I was never able to do all of it but I was able to do much more then in the beginning. It was one of my successes with STS.

 

[LaughingWater]

But I just plain don't jump pretty much ever in my normal life or workouts.

I didn't either before starting with Cathe's DVDs, and it showed. The impact in Drill Max was too much for me in the beginning.

I once read somewhere that if you want to be good at a sport, you have to train at that sport. Crosstraining is good, but if you want to...for instance...become efficient at running stairs, you have to run stairs. It won't be pretty in the beginning, but if you keep at it, you'll get better.

I would apply that line of thinking to plyo work. I haven't done Plyo Legs yet (though I'm tempted to try it before I get to Meso 3), and I'm sure I won't be able to get through it at first. But eventually, with practice, I'll develop the leg power and endurance.

High-five to you for sticking with it!

 

[marnapril]

keep it up as others are saying.. you will eventually improve. plyometrics are hard because like you said, you don't really do those sorts of moves in every day life, hence why they are challenging. gotta keep it up and you will definitnely improve.

btw i am doing the weighted vest option for meso 3 legs (my old house floors are not appropriate for plyo workouts!) and just so you know, this option is very challenging! i am squatting and lunging with weights i thought i never could do! my running is improving as a result.. in fact this week my per-minute average pace has improved by about a minute to a minute & a half! woot!

 

[theclam]

It won't be pretty in the beginning

Boy, that's an understatement. LOL!

I'm glad to hear of people improving as they go. I'm doing a 6-month rotation, so I get to do the first plyo legs workout again next week. The other two workouts this week were wonderful (and challenging!). Hopefully, legs will move more towards the challenging and away from the annoyingly frustrating next time around.

Many thanx for the encouragement!

 

[kathryn]

You've got to start somewhere, and how you are doing the workout is probably the perfect place for you to be right now.

I think the 1/3-1/2 speed pace, going as long as they are, is a good start. That way, as you improve, you can see how much better you are doing.

 

[Aaroneet]

Don't worry; you'll get better at it.

Besides, this is what Kick Max is for. That and some other lower body work to get you acclimated to using those muscles.