muscle recovery question

[getnfit@38]

[font size="1" color="#FF0000"]LAST EDITED ON Feb-14-02 AT 10:13AM (Est)[/font][p]Hi
In understanding that your muscles need recovery time, I was unsure about the following:
If I were to split up PS Legs into 2 days-standing section one day, then floor the very next day, would I be able to use 5lb ankle weights for the floor section without risking any overuse? Keeping in mind I am not skipping a day, it would be
mon: cardio/standing legs
tue: cardio/upper body/floor legs
wed: cardio/standing legs
thu: cardio/upper body/floor legs
fri: cardio only
sat: total body (MIS or PH)
sun: rest

so would using a 5lb ankle weight on the floor work be okay, or just stick to my own body resistence to allow for good recovery?

*it may help to remind you that I am 208lbs., so fragile I ain't
thanks,
Donna

 

[getnfit@38]

*bumping*

 

[Aquajock]

Hi, Donna! Obviously I'm not Cathe, but I'll offer my $.02:

IMHO, you would not be risking overuse if you alternated standing-leg days and floor-leg days as you have listed out in your post, because they work the leg muscles in different ways.

HOWEVER:

I would caution you NOT to go straight to 5-lb ankle weights for floor work if you have only been using body weight up to now. 5 pounds is a lot of weight when it's at the end of a long lever, and you want to get into weighted floor work gradually and incrementally.

My suggestion, if you're interested in building strength thru floor work as well as standing work, is to invest in a set of adjustable ankle weights that can be adjusted in 1/2-pound increments; start with a 1/2 or 1-lb. (max) weight load per ankle to start, and then listen to your body to see if you're being challenged and increase by 1/2-lb increments from there. I do standing leg work 3X per week and do a 15-minute floor session once a week, and it took me awhile to get to 5-lb ankle weights and maintain good leg and trunk form in the process.

Hope this helps -

Annette

 

[getnfit@38]

Yes this does help because I would have tried to immediately jump into 5# ankle weights! I have a pair of 1# weights (I thought they would never get any use ), so I'll start with those as you suggest, and build gradually.
it just "seemed" like 5# would be so easy, but considering it took me weeks before I could "hang" with Cathe and the crew through the entire floor work segment, it makes sense to start slowly and with lighter weight.
Thank you,
Donna

 

[Cathe Friedrich]

Hi Donna! Just got over here now and I see Annette has given you great advise (thanks Annette). Keep up the good work Donna!