IMAX 1/ regular stepping weirdness

[DawnA]

Hi everyone.
I had the strangest thing happen today when I did IMAX. I lowered my step and I actually had a great time doing it. I wanted to die of course at those scissors, and the horrendous tucks, but I could talk and breathe. What I'm finlly getting at is that I had an easier time with IMAX than with a regular step tape. What??? Is it the recovery periods? Is is that my body has adjusted to IMAX? Is it that with the stepping I'm using a higher step and it just keeps going for 45 minutes? I'm a little confused. Educated crowd, please tell me what's up.
Thanks,
Dawn

 

[naughtoj]

Hey Dawn..

I think it is the rest periods. And, of course, it is lowering your step. I found that when I stopped insisting on doing IMAX with a 8" step and finally lowered to 6", it was SO MUCH FUN!! It felt suddenly possible, instead of impossible. I am just about at the point where I can do all intervals with no mods, and then I will raise to 8", maybe. For my height, the step height suits me just fine as it is now though. Had you had a break from IMAX for a while? And then go back and lower your step?? It also could be possible that you just improved overall cardiovascularly and therefore you were not huffing and puffing. I can see how doing other Cathe cardios would train you for IMAX. Much of her other tapes are intervals in and of themselves.

I would like to see what the other gals say. BUT GOOD FOR YOU!!! Keep that step lower and maybe you will be able to plow through the intervals in no time!! What is your height, if I may ask. Maybe all along you were using a step height that was too high, huh??

Janice



http://www.picturetrail.com/thrashej

 

[kotacam]

It might be the breaks or recoveries. I find that MIC is actually harder. There are two reasons for this - one, there are no breaks and two, it's long. You do adjust to a particular workout if you do the same workout over and over. I do Imax weekly and find that over a long time it just does get easier. Maybe if I did MIC weekly it would get easier, too. Maybe. Yeah right.

Have you lowered your step for regular step videos? Just curious as to whether you've had the same effect with all videos at a lower step height.

 

[Aquajock]

I too think that once you've nailed all the intervals in I-Max (and the real mean intervals are the ones on the floor, with the possible exception of the jumps onto the step in interval #5), the recovery periods are too light and long, because you've improved your cardiovascular capabilities so much that recovery is quicker.

Just a suggestion or two: keep your step height lower, and start up-kicking the intensity of the aerobic segments and the recovery intervals. Instead of grounded repeaters, do Power-3's. Instead of grapevines and walks during the recovery, do side and rear alternating leg lifts to bring in a bit more glute work.

AND

Start extending out the intervals, even when that means you're doing the interval thru part of the recovery.

Good work!

A-jock

 

[naughtoj]

Ok< I would not go as far as adding power 3's where repeaters used to be!!!AAAAGGGGHHHHH!! Actually, I think it is better for me to say IMAX feels like it is killing me, but so do other Cathe cardios. Is this what you mean, intensity wise?? IMAX is hard, but no really any harder than the other Cathe's. If so, same for me...BUT I NEED my recovery....

Janice


http://www.picturetrail.com/thrashej

 

[DawnA]

Hi everyone.
I think I have to take my step back up. Nooooo!!! Yep, Janice, I mean the intensity. I feel like I'm about to die, (or wish I could to ease the pain, ha!), but the recovery periods really help, versus the regular stepping videos where there just aren't any recovery periods, which seem to make it harder.
Dawn

 

[getnfit@39]

A-jock......................

What kind of freakin cyborg are you man!? Geeezzzzz!

Power 3's in place of grounded repeaters, leg lifts during recovery?
HELLO~ mere mortals such as I are still pacing back and forth, hands on hips, sucking air in through WHATEVER open hole we can get it, and I don't care what anyone says, that recovery is not 1 full minute!
Power 3's in place of repeaters! Yeah! Okay!

You need to leave your body to science man! You aren't normal A-jock!
Power 3's in place of repeaters! I'm all over that one! (In the next millenium!)

Donna


Fitness~It's a journey, not a race!