Interval question

[Faithnveggies]

Hi all, my first post on these forums. I am a new Cathe user (Low Max). I would like to get more Cathe dvds, perhaps the Intensity series. Here is my question, does the weight training from the interval and circuit workouts count as a day of weight training and require a day of recovery?

I am currently doing upper body and 25 min cardio Sun/Wed, lower body and abs and 30 min cardio Mon/Thurs and 45 to 60 min cardio Tues/Fri. My cardio is generally a jog or jog w/ sprints or a step tape.

Do you get as intense of a muscle building workout when you do the interval? Does it still count as a cardio workout? I guess my main experience with cardio mixed with weights is Firm and I always felt like either cardio or muscle building was getting short changed. It didn't feel like an excellent cardio nor an excellent muscle work out.

Thanks for listening and input. I've enjoyed reading the forums and look forward to getting some new workouts.

 

[Aquajock]

Hi, Jody! Just to clarify the terminology:

Interval and circuit workouts are two entirely different types of workouts. Strictly interval workouts are for cardiovascular conditioning and do not incorporate weights or other kinds of resistance (such as tubing or bands); they consist of mid-range cardio-intensity segments, upper- or top-margin cardio intensity blasts to push you to your cardiovascular / pulmonary limit, and then recovery cycles. As a simple example, think: Jog, SPRINT, walk/recover, jog, SPRINT, walk/recover.

Circuit workouts incorporate weights or other resistance drill segments, and often there are cardio segments within the circuit workout. (Some circuit workouts are resistance-segments only) As only one example, Circuit Max has six cycles of 5-minute cardio segments followed each time by a 2-minute compound (upper and lower body) weight segment. There may be intensity blasts in the cardio segments of a circuit workout, but they are not considered "interval" workouts because of that.

Interval workouts, again, are not designed for strength- or mass-building. And IMHO, circuit-style workouts are better for muscle endurance work than strength- and mass-building.

And just in passing (this is gonna sound ungracious as h*ll, but here goes): don't judge the intensity possibilities of circuit workouts on those you've done with "The Firm". That's kind of like judging the artistic possibilities of all movies after seeing "Deuce Bigalow: Male Gigalo". Cathe's coughed up many circuit-style workouts that will totally leave you gasping . . . and coming back for more.

HTH -

A-Jock

 

[buffettgirl]

Amem, brother. Er, sister.
A-jock, as usual, has said it all.
Welcome Jody, and get your credit card warmed up.

 

[lov2bfit]

"Cathe's coughed up many circuit-style workouts that will totally leave you gasping . . . and coming back for more."

You got that right! Just try Boot Camp!!! You hate and you love it at the same time!

Katie

 

[Faithnveggies]

Argh, I had a thoughtful response but somehow lost it. Thanks for the clarification AquaJ as well as the other responses and info.
So would you all say that most of Cathe's circuit workouts would require a day of recovery as far as muscle building goes? Sounds like they undoubtedly count as cardio workout. Thanks again for the input, I am dusting off my credit card.

 

[Aquajock]

Actually, Jody, IMHO you would NOT need a day's recovery after a circuit-style workout, if you wish to do more concentrated muscle work that next day. If your muscles have the juice, go for it. Circuit workouts won't drain them that much.

Credit card warm-up . . .

Circuit Max
Terminator DVD
HSTA
Boot Camp
High Step Challenge from hard core
There are others . . .
There are so many others . . .

A-Jock