Muscle Endurance

K

kidsleepdoc

Cathlete
Hi Everyone,
I am fairly new to Cathe and her workouts (2-3 months). I used to do the FIRM, but found it not to be quite intense enought at times for me. Also, I would have to do 2 DVD's to get an adequate workout. I just got the High Step and it came with Muscle Endurance. I haven't done the workout yet, but saw it was listed as the most intense of the all weight workouts. I did preview the workout last night. I noticed Cathe uses fairly light weights. Should I also use that kind of weight? I have Muscle Max and basically use the weights Cathe uses and it seems to work OK for me. Thanks in advance for the help! :7
 
Hi Susan and Welcome!!....I'm a former Firmie too. I'd use light weight the first time as the number of reps and different counts Cathe does can make the weight feel quite heavy...:)...Carole
 
Where did you see ME listed as the "most intense of the all-weight workouts"? I would consider the GS series, or Pyramids or Slow and Heavy as more intense.

When doing any weight workout for the first time, I usually go a bit lighter in weights, because you never know how the sequence of moves or the longer or shorter rest periods or the types of reps (pulses, low-ends, etc.) will effect you. And doing something new is a challenge to the body on its own. This also allows me to really focus on the form of the moves. Then I take notes in my workout log (just a spiral notebook) indicating what weight I think I should use the next time. (A "YEOW!" next to an exercise means the the current weight was PLENTY challenging, thank you very much!;-) )
 
Hi,
Thanks for your response. I saw that ME listed under the first post in this section, the Ultimate Guide to Cathe's Workouts. I guess my question is, since this one seems to be such a high rep one, do you lighten the weights a little?:);-)
 
Thanks for your response! I have gotten such great results with Muscle Max and Maximum Intensity Strength, that I wanted to add more to my workouts. So, I will give it a try today with her suggested weights and see how it goes!:) :)
 
I was also surprised to see ME listed as Cathe's most intense weight workout. I see that it was ranked as the most intense total body workout, with the split routines like S&H & the GS are listed in a different category.

Cathe goes much heavier in the split routines. They are certainly more intense than ME.

As for ME, the reps are high, so you might want to go light.

Debra
 
Hi there,
I do think of Muscle Endurance as more of an endurance workout, not strength building, so I'd definitely drop down on the pounds. With muscle max, you are definitely building muscle, so it's good to go heavy. HTH.
 
I'd go with what Cathe uses, or less, on ME. It's pretty tough! I did the bonus combo on that DVD yesterday, and after the chest presses from ME you do pushups from BC and I COULDN'T DO THEM at all. It was funny- I got into position, then she said something like "and, down" or whatever and I was still in the starting position, totally unable to get my chest muscles to do anything!! LOL
I put two little puny 2.5 lb plates on my 12lb barbell for biceps and I still have to take breaks. I'm hoping I'll work up to more... I've only had the DVD for a few weeks. :D
It sometimes (only sometimes) makes me miss my Firms. But then if I do a Firm workout I know I'm wimping out for the day... ;)
Have fun!!
 
YUP! You are totally right, I just finished it. I used exactly her weights, except for lunges where I went heavier by mistake (put the wrong plate on my barbell!) So, I am also counting the drips of my nose. Just to pick some smart brains, how frequently should you do strength vs endurance weight training? If I do heavy weights 1 a week, endurance 1 a week, a interal (like a cardio with weights ) 1 a week and 3 days of just cardio with core. I am trying to lose a few pounds, develop a 6 pack (OK, I'll take a 2 pack, SOMETHING!!!) and really get some nice definition. I also have a big ski season coming up, so trying to get ready for that.:)
 
Just to pick some smart
>brains, how frequently should you do strength vs endurance
>weight training? If I do heavy weights 1 a week, endurance 1
>a week, a interal (like a cardio with weights ) 1 a week and 3
>days of just cardio with core. I am trying to lose a few
>pounds, develop a 6 pack (OK, I'll take a 2 pack,
>SOMETHING!!!) and really get some nice definition.

I think strength workouts are most effective as split routines. If you lift heavy, you need the recovery time between body parts, as well as the energy to put into the body parts you're working, and more time for each body part.

I'd recommend (just to throw out a suggestion), doing a strength rotation for 3 weeks (a two-day split, each workout twice a week, or a three-day split, with each workout once a week, spaced evenly throughout the week) to build muscle and strength, followed by a week of endurance to help "sculpt" that muscle and burn calories. Then you can do a combo of a two-day split (Monday and Wednesday) and an endurance workout (Friday).
 
I'm wondering, which of Cathe's workouts are endurance versus strength. I've never realized there was a distinction between the two. I just make sure I hit all body parts at least once a week and include cardio as well. I am struggling to get more muscle as well as definition, so maybe I'm not on the right track just focusing on varying the Cathe weight lifting workouts. Sounds like there is more to it than that. Any further comments on this would be GREATLY appreciated.
 
>I'm wondering, which of Cathe's workouts are endurance versus
>strength.

Actually, I'd classify most of Cathe's workouts as endurance to some extent, except for Slow and Heavy. Cathe once posted a rating of her workouts from endurance to strength, S&H was on the strength end, with PLB/PUB next down, I think (though I don't consider it a strength workout the way it is done: too short of a break between sets, so I would put the line between strength and endurance right between S&H and all the other workouts).

The workout that would be on the farthest end of "endurance" is PH: lots of reps which necessitate lighter weights.

Closer to "strength" (but not as much as S&H) would be the PS series (though the rep speed is sometimes too fast to go heavy enough, IMO) and MIS (though I personally feel that full-body workouts aren't as effective for strength building as a split routine).
 
Thanks so much for the info on the endurance versus strength Kathryn, it helps. I was thinking of buying Muscle Endurance, but now I'm really considering the Slow and Heavy series instead. Right now I have PS, MIS, PLB/PUB and Muscle Max. It sounds like Slow and Heavy might be a better bang for my buck and body, since I can only do one purchase right now.
 
Hi Amy,
I did the bonus combo yesterday from Bootcamp/ME and I struggled with the pushups!!! It's a fun workout, though. For the biceps, I use 5# plates and a 12# barbell also. It's a killer!!! Glad I'm not the only one that feels this way!

Jeanette
 
Sounds reasonable, when do you throw the cardio in, the days between the splits? I only really have about an hour each day to work out, and on Fridays, even less. Thanks!:) :)
 
I'm really considering the Slow and Heavy series
>instead. Right now I have PS, MIS, PLB/PUB and Muscle Max.
>It sounds like Slow and Heavy might be a better bang for my
>buck and body, since I can only do one purchase right now.

I really like Slow and Heavy upper body workouts. What's nice is that the slow 8 count lets you experiment, "play", and mix things up a lot. I often don't follow the "6-up/2-down" count of S&H(the "2-down" seems too fast to me on these sometimes), , but rather do a "5-up/3-down" "3-up/5-down" (to emphasize the negative), or "4-up/4-down" (usually for shoulders). You could even turn these into more of an endurance workout by doing the reps double time (3-up/1-down) and getting twice the number of reps in the same amount of time.

For lower body, I much prefer PLB or GSL. The slow lunges in S&H are not something my knees like (I tried them once, and that was enough!). And my lower body seems to respond better to other workouts (though I could do S&H "double time" and get a similar effect to other workouts).
 
>Sounds reasonable, when do you throw the cardio in, the days
>between the splits? I only really have about an hour each day
>to work out, and on Fridays, even less. Thanks!:) :)


I usually only work out an hour at a time as well. I like to do weights and cardio on separate days, so I do cardio on days between the weight workouts. Ends up being 3 days of weights, 3 days of cardio (on a good week!). I make sure one cardio is an interval (one of the IMAXes) and that works well for me.

I've also started gettiing a bit more of cardio in by doing 10 minutes of cardio before my weight workouts. I've been using "10-minute solution" or "Quick Fix" workouts (kickboxing or "carb burner" which is a hi-lo workout) as warm-ups. It doesn't add a lot of time to the workout, gives me a better warm-up, and, I think, boosts my metabolism a bit more than just doing the weight workout.
 
>I've also started gettiing a bit more of cardio in by doing 10
>minutes of cardio before my weight workouts. I've been using
>"10-minute solution" or "Quick Fix" workouts (kickboxing or
>"carb burner" which is a hi-lo workout) as warm-ups. It
>doesn't add a lot of time to the workout, gives me a better
>warm-up, and, I think, boosts my metabolism a bit more than
>just doing the weight workout.
>
WOW, great idea. Are these Cathe workouts?
:) :)
 
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