Ok, Cathe-ites, I've got a question for you regarding her workouts. I've been doing Firm since BSS1, and up until recently all of their strength and C+S videos have been fairly heavy on lower body work using heavy weights. Now that I've switched over to primarily Cathe's videos, I've noticed that with many of them (primarily any of the circuit-style ones) there seems to be minimal lower body work with a focus on cardio and upper body primarily. I'm always hesitant to use, for example, Low Impact Circuit, on a strength training day because I'm not sure whether my lower body is getting worked as hard as it should. Does cardio w/ blasts = a good lower body workout? I'm wondering if maybe lots of sets of squats, lunges, and leg press with heavy dumbbells isn't as important as I used to think it was now that I'm doing a whole lot more cardio, particularly step cardio.
Question about working the lower body
- Thread starter judegirl
- Start date
RunninTeach
Cathlete
Hi~
I would disagree that Cathe's workouts include minimal lower body work.
Some of her workouts are focused entirely on the legs & glutes -- Butts & Guts, Legs & Glutes, Leaner Legs, GS Legs come to mind. All are excellent and will fry you. The full-body workouts include leg work which is equally as tough, IMO - try Pyramid Lower Body, Slow & Heavy, Muscle Endurance, Muscle Max.
It sounds like you are relatively new to Cathe, so all I can say is welcome & happy shopping!
~Cathy http://us.i1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/i/mesg/emoticons7/4.gif
"Man who runs behind car gets exhausted. Man who runs in front of car gets tired." -Source unknown
I would disagree that Cathe's workouts include minimal lower body work.
Some of her workouts are focused entirely on the legs & glutes -- Butts & Guts, Legs & Glutes, Leaner Legs, GS Legs come to mind. All are excellent and will fry you. The full-body workouts include leg work which is equally as tough, IMO - try Pyramid Lower Body, Slow & Heavy, Muscle Endurance, Muscle Max.
It sounds like you are relatively new to Cathe, so all I can say is welcome & happy shopping!
~Cathy http://us.i1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/i/mesg/emoticons7/4.gif
"Man who runs behind car gets exhausted. Man who runs in front of car gets tired." -Source unknown
I agree that there is plenty of heavy lower body in her weights-only workouts, I'm talking about the circuit-style workouts that include weights and cardio. There might be a set of lunges and/or squats, but that's about it in the course of 60-70 minutes. Anyone else know what I'm talking about? Maybe it's just me, but it just doesn't seem like an equal amount of upper and lower body work in these types of videos, and I'm wondering if the cardio is supposed to count for most of the lower body work.
RunninTeach
Cathlete
I didn't realize you were referring to circuits only. Have you tried Boot Camp? Each of the 8 cycles features cardio, lower body, upper body, and core work, and I would say there is a fair balance between the lower and upper body work. That one leaves me feeling KAPUT! There are plenty of lunges, squats w/ the barbell, plie squats, and leg presses. I'd say Drill Max also hits the upper and lower evenly. The only other circuit I have is LIC, which I don't do that often as I'm not so much into stepping. But on that one, I do think the cardio blasts are supposed to be part of the lower body sculpting.
~Cathy
~Cathy
crazystepr
Cathlete
Body Max 2 has some great lower body work in the circuit section of the workout. I would give that a shot. On top of the blasts, it's pretty killer!
And as another poster said, HSTA has some serious leg work within the circuits!
Allison
And as another poster said, HSTA has some serious leg work within the circuits!
Allison