Put on the muscle?

C

cjanemartin

Cathlete
Hello. I have a quick question and I know I probably won't get Cathe so anyone that knows would be great.

I love the way Cathe's muscles look. I was wondering which of her rotations puts bulk on the best. I know a lot of folks don't like bulk, but I think Cathe's is perfect.

I have all her videos, but bought them all at once and haven't done them all. Right now I am on week 2 of this rotation...

Monday - MIS hi/low section and MIS Upper body
Tuesday - MIS step section and MIS lower body
Wednesday - Rhythmic Step (or other Cathe step)
Thursday - Power Hour
Friday - Step Works (or other Cathe step)
Saturday - MIS (the whole thing)

Please let me know if I am on the right track or should be doing something else to get Cathe's bulk.

Thanks,
Christi
 
Regardless of your workouts, you will only be able to build muscle like Cathe if you have her body type and muscle fiber density. Genetics is a powerful thing.

We can realize our maximum potential, but our potential is determined in the second stage of fetal development in terms of muscle fiber density and predominant fiber type.

If you aren't the same body type, what works for Cathe will not provide optimal results for you. This is where the frustration comes in from so many people wanting to look like their favorite fitness instructor. Many times, they are wanting the impossible. I'm a very tall ectomorph--my best bet for maximizing muscularity is to spend most of my time in the weight room vs doing cardio, and make sure I use a protocol that will maximally tax my slow twitch fibers as well as the more traditionally trained fast twitch fibers.

Your body type determines what training protocol will give you maximum results. Fitness really is not a one size fits all proposition.
Maribeth
 
Maribeth,

Would you consider a quick course on slow twitch vs. fast twitch muscles and what types of exercise build each?

Shari
 
Shari,
Absolutely! Fast twitch fibers are maximally developed with super heavy lifts--those which are soooo heavy that you can only do about 6 reps tops using good form. They are super strong, but poop out very quickly.

Slow twitch fibers can't exert as much force as fast twitch, nor are they as big to start with, but they can exert their maximal force for a much longer period. Slow twitch fibers are optimally developed using a resistance level that allows you to lift between 12-20 reps using good form--but the resistance has to be heavy enough that the final rep is the last you could complete without cheating.

Every time you lift a weight, the slow twitch fibers kick in. If they can provide enough force, the fast twitch fibers don't even get started. If the slow twitch fibers can't generate enough force, then the stronger fibers kick in. What this means is that slow twitch fibers get work with every lift. But, because they can go for waaay longer than the fast twitch fibers Why? Because the fast twitch fibers poop out too quickly, meaning that the super heavy weight can no longer be lifted.

To build the very most muscle mass possible, we have to train in such a way as to challenge all fiber types--this is the reason that bodybuilders use multiple sets as well as a different number of reps and resistance levels per set. However, the training routine that will work best for you will depend on a couple of factors.

For a person who has more of the slow twitch fibers, more emphasis on higher rep training may yield better results. For people with more fast twitch fibers, they may get as muscular as they want to be using just heavy lifting only. For the genetically blessed person who has tons of fibers per muscle (high fiber density), the person may be able to become very muscular by doing nothing more than focusing on building their slow twitch fibers--these are the people who say if they lift heavily, they become "too large".

Thanks for the question! Hope this helps!
Maribeth
 
Immensely! I was really confused about which was which and what did what. To me, the names seem backward. So, check my understanding here -- to increase endurance, I would need to work on building more slow twitch muscles? More reps, lighter weight? Is that correct? And do I need to do that at a relatively fast pace, or can I take my time, as long as I complete a high number of reps?
 
I just realized that what I asked sounded really . . . well, dumb. What I'm trying to ask is . . . if I'm a slow kind of person, one who has trouble moving quickly, will I be able to build more of those slow twitch muscle fibers by doing high reps slowly? Will I eventually build the type of muscle I need to get quicker. I lose my form when I try to move faster than is comfortable, and EVERYTHING seems faster than is comfortable to me, and I worry about injury. But I want to build the kind of muscle that will make me quicker and lighter on my feet.
 
Sorry I'm behind in responding--I've been out of town for the past week.

In order to build muscle mass, if you are a person who has a lot of slow twitch fibers, you will need to include sets that will maximally challenge all fiber types. This means that you will have to do the low reps-high resistance plus doing some higher rep set training.

Working to optimally strengthen slow twitch fibers won't necessarily make you quick and light on your feet. Quickness is a function of the power fibers--the fast twitch ones. But training all fibers optimally will make everything you do easier--your feeling slow and heavier can be a result of a lack of adequate strength and endurance.

Maribeth
 
The other answer is much better and more technical, but generally speaking the heavier you lift, the more likely you are to build bulk. Cathe's Slow and Heavy series is awesome, I have seen much more definition since adding this in.
 
Not necessarily, aerobidiot. Super heavy lifting does not adequately fatigue slow twitch fibers. For maximal hypertrophy, the volume of work has to be there, meaning that you have to successfully overload all fiber types. This is why bodybuilding protocols suggest multiple sets of 8-12 (some even higher) reps.

You can't optimize muscle size unless you train in such a way as to provide overload to all fibers. Overloading slow twitch fibers requires higher reps--with a resistance that causes fatigue at the end of each set.
Maribeth
 
Another novice joining in here:Let me see if I got this straight......... I am an ecto with very thin legs, so in order to build the most mass, an even split sounds like the most sensible way to build overall mass, especially if were unsure whether were fast or slow "fibered" to begin with.

Would you recommend combining heavy lifting w/ fewer reps along w/ endurance training or lifting lighter w/ heavier reps in the same rotation or should we split and just focus on one course of weight training at a time???????

Thanks,
GN
 
Another ecto horning in on the discussion...

I've found rotating between weeks of PS and SH for heavy lifting/low reps and weeks of CTX UB and LL for lighter lifting/high reps has given me the muscle development - particularly in my legs - that I never saw with heavy lifting alone.

I've been doing two weeks heavy, two weeks light. I'd like to hear Maribeth's opinion!

Angela :)
 
Hi,
Just jumping in here with a quick question. How do you fing out if you are an ecto or meso? I've heard of them, but I dont know that much about it.

Thanks,
Girafflegs
 
HI Angela,

How many days a week are you using the heavy tapes and how many days a week for lighter weight training.?? Glad to hear that youre seeing results. Especially in those legs........

GN
 
[font size="1" color="#FF0000"]LAST EDITED ON Nov-06-02 AT 01:48AM (Est)[/font][p]Maribeth,

I have so missed you lately!!!!

Do you have any rotations you would recommend for a combo meso/endo? I am only 5'3", have a lot of fat to lose, have excess wt in butt and thighs, belly etc. I am starting to see results with a S&H rotation I am currently on! I wear a size 8 in most pants, but a 10-14 in jeans depending on the brand.

I think I am a Meso/endo combo but not certain? My body looks a lot like Cedie (but higher body fat of course and right now I am fatter.) However, when I get in good shape my bod is a lot like hers. My hubby even commented on the similarities:)

You helped me on a couple previous posts in identifying my body type. You are so knowledgeable and awesome!!!!!!!!!!

I so appreciate any help you can provide.

-Pammer
 
Usually with PS and SH, I do the upper body parts once a week and the legs twice a week, since the legs are the hardest for me and seem to take longer to show improvements.

With CTX UB and LL, I'm able to do the entire body twice a week, because CTX UB fits all of the upper body into one workout instead of two like PS and SH. If I feel good - not sore - and my schedule allows, sometimes I'll do three times a week on one or the other.

On "off" days, because I don't do any cardio, I'll work my abs or take a total rest day. From what I've read, the total rest days are very important - particularly for the heavy lifting weeks.

Angela
 
The results you get once you realize that one size doesn't fit all when it comes to training are amazing!

WRT rotating heavy weeks and light weeks, if you are getting where you want to go, that's fine. My preference would be to progressively overload both fiber types at least once a week, ie, one day of heavy work and one day of endurance work. This way, you allow adequate rest following each type of training while training both fiber types frequently enough to see maximal results.

Remember that fast twitch fibers require more recovery time than do slow twitch fibers, so you'll need more days to recover between the super heavy days than you will between heavy and endurance days. If you cycle the training, it's a little easier to ensure both adequate workload stimulus and enough rest to optimize results.
Maribeth
 
Thanks for all the info Maribeth. Which Cathe tapes would you consider for endurance work? I've been doing a weekly routine of S&H Legs and Shoulders/Cardio/S&H Chest and Back/S&H Biceps and Triceps/Cardio/MIS/Rest. Would that fit your scheme of one day heavy/one day endurance? Or should I replace MIS with Circuit Max or Power Hour or something?
-Jennifer
 
Hey, Pammer!
Thank you so much for the kind words!! I missed you guys, too! Tell me a little more about your body type, your response to heavy resistance programs and what your goal with training is. Meso-endo crosstypes can be challenging, especially if your fat distribution patterns tend to be in the same areas that overlie large muscle groups, ie, the thighs and buttocks.

Here's an example of what I mean. As a meso-endo, if you easily get what you consider to be too big with heavy strength training and your goal is to be as sleek as possible, you may be the happiest with a strength program that optimizes the size of your slow twitch fibers and relies a bit more on cardio to burn off excess fat vs a program that will maximize the size of both slow and fast twitch fibers in these regions. I know this sounds somewhat contradictory to what I typically preach, but given that the only way you can decrease the number of fat cells in any one location is liposuction, if you have most of your fat cells located over large muscle groups, you'll be fighting an uphill battle if you want to decrease the overall size of that particular area while training to maximize the size of both your slow twitch and fast twitch fibers in that region.

Let me know a few more specifics and we can see what may work best for you.

Take care!
Maribeth
 
Hey, Jennifer!
I kinda hate to admit this, but I'm not very familiar with most of the Cathe strength training videos. Can you give me a quick rundown of the sets, reps and exercises?

I did see that Cathe has a muscular endurance video coming out soon--I gotta get up to speed on the content soon!

If you can clue me in to the format, I can give you my take on how to group them.
Maribeth
 
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