Questions about CLX

[Worknprogress]

I just received CLX today and am really excited about doing a program with shorter workout times to fit into my schedule these days.

I am looking through the program and she does give some guidelines however, for those of you doing this program I have a couple of questions.

1. Do I really need to sit and view each of the workout beforehand (I have all her Turbo Jam stuff) or can I just pop a DVD in as long as I have my weights ready?

2. Are the weight guidelines she gives for each segment pretty accurate for the beginner, intermediate and advanced?

3. Do you like the 2 rest days versus one rest day a week and for those of you that like the 6 day workout routine, what kind of cardio workout have you felt best fit with the program - step, HIIT, etc.?

4. Lower body - have you had to use a barbell for the heavy lifting or can I get by with 2 20 pound dumbbells and the weighted vest?

Thanks for any info - and if you can add anything else, please do!

 

[workoutaholic]

Hey Debbie, here's my answers:

1. Do I really need to sit and view each of the workout beforehand (I have all her Turbo Jam stuff) or can I just pop a DVD in as long as I have my weights ready?

I don't think you need to. I do when I can, but I'm weird and like to watch workouts like movies. The band/burn basics dvd demonstrates each exercise you'll be doing, so watching that will help you get ready and decide what weights you will need. We also have weight worksheets that list the weights Chalene uses in every video, and that could also help you choose your weights (just let me know if you want them).

2. Are the weight guidelines she gives for each segment pretty accurate for the beginner, intermediate and advanced?

I think for arms the ranges are pretty good, but I think for legs you can go heavier.

3. Do you like the 2 rest days versus one rest day a week and for those of you that like the 6 day workout routine, what kind of cardio workout have you felt best fit with the program - step, HIIT, etc.?

I definitely don't plan on having 2 rest days each week...usually just one. We have a checkin on videofitness, and I think people are subbing lots of different workouts. So far, I've subbed Cathe's step interval cardio workouts for Burn it Off a few times (Higher Intensity Step, for example).

4. Lower body - have you had to use a barbell for the heavy lifting or can I get by with 2 20 pound dumbbells and the weighted vest?

I think you can use whatever gets you to/close to failure safely. I do use my barbell, but I feel more comfortable with it than holding two heavy weights for a long time. Since you do reps so slowly, holding the heavy weights for a long time starts to hurt my hands/wrists. Lots of other people are having that problem, too. Also, in the 1st/3rd months, you do some combination upper/lower body moves where you can't use a barbell. But in the 2nd month, the barbell works great. I am going to get a squat rack to use with Push. I have a 20 lb. weight belt and 50 lb barbell, and that isn't quite enough.

Whew, sorry so long. Hope that helps!

 

[bitmover]

I agree with all of that -- sometimes barbell is good, sometimes dumb bells are good. I use the barbell for some of the chest and back work as well.

The only other thing I'll add is that I was very tired and achy-sore during the burn phase -- I'm actually feeling better during push.

Have fun with it!!

-Beth

 

[gogigi]

1. Do I really need to sit and view each of the workout beforehand (I have all her Turbo Jam stuff) or can I just pop a DVD in as long as I have my weights ready? I would at least do a quick preview b/c some of the moves take some getting used to or you could always look in the guide book. The first week of Burn, I paused the DVD player if I was usure and watched to see what I needed to do for a rep or two then back tracked and did it.

2. Are the weight guidelines she gives for each segment pretty accurate for the beginner, intermediate and advanced? I think so. I definitely would go lighter the first week but what I loved about the Burn phase (finishing that up today) is I progressed up in weights on almost every workout. I'm definitely lifting as heavy and in some cases heavier than with my Cathe tapes.

3. Do you like the 2 rest days versus one rest day a week and for those of you that like the 6 day workout routine, what kind of cardio workout have you felt best fit with the program - step, HIIT, etc.? I LOVE this b/c I have the option of two rest days without guilt or I can add in other cardio. Depending on the week and what is going on, I've done both. I find that right now, I'm doing what I want to do for my extra cardio days. I think anything would fit in with this.

4. Lower body - have you had to use a barbell for the heavy lifting or can I get by with 2 20 pound dumbbells and the weighted vest? I have not used a weighted vest yet. I find my legs being worked out quite a bit with no major DOMS later but they are worked frequently and the cardio works the legs as well. I don't know how I'll feel about the push phase. The most I've used in the Burn phase is 25lb. DB's and it's been heavy enough for me. Edited to add, that I have used a 60lb. BB for the last 3 extreme reps that do not include upper body.

Thanks for any info - and if you can add anything else, please do!

I can't say enough good things about CLX. It may very well be my best fitness purchase ever!!! The workouts are time efficient. Chalene is super motivating and so funny. The music is motivating. She is completely different from Cathe. It bothers some that Chalene doesn't do all the reps but walks around and points out form on her team, but I personally like the change of pace/style of leading. I love having the rotation laid out for me and that the workouts are so time efficient. I'm super motivated to workout and I was in a major slump. Nothing was motiviating me. It is unique and well thought out (this is just my non-scientific personal opinion). Today is my last workout in the Burn phase. I start Push on Monday. I can't wait. I also look forward to the lean phase. I think the workouts in the lean phase look super tough and fun! I'm enjoying the cardio as well and really wish I had DVD7. I'm just not willing to fork over $50.00 or whatever it costs right now.

 

[kathryn]

1) Some of the exercises in Burn and Lean are quite different from what one usually sees, so I think it's a good idea to do a quick preview. Each exercise is chaptered, so once you get the jist of it, you could move on. Also, it will give you a good idea of what weights you want to try. (previewing only has to be done once per workout, right before you do the workout for the first time, and only takes about 5 minutes).

2) not really, IMO. Looking at them and comparing what I used in Burn, they are more accurate in the higher range than in the lower range. (For example, they recommend 12-20# for intermediate women and 15-25# for advanced women. On BC1, I started with 9# for rear shoulder work and 25# on some of the other moves.

3) While I'm following the sequence of the workouts, I have sometimes taken the 2 days off, sometimes 1, often 3 (life getting in the way).

4) In the Burn circuits, a barbell isn't possible for most moves, because they combine lower body and upper body in ways that are not conducive to using a bar (like doing a forward lunge combined with a row). There are a few that would work with a bar, though, like chest presses and a squat/row combo. (A quick preview of the workouts would help you plan this.)

In the Push Circuit workouts, upper and lower body are separated, so a barbell could be used (I used one in Push 1).

As for a weighted vest: it's definitely possible in the Push circuit workouts, but I would use (and have used) a weighted BELT rather than a vest for the Burn workouts, because of the forward-leaning moves. Because of their different placement and weight distribution, a vest would add more stress to the lower back, while a belt wouldn't.

I LOVE this series! It's so time efficient but effective. I look forward to my workouts (like Gigi, I was in a slump, and these got me back to working out--fairly!--regularly. I'm going to try my best to actually follow the rotation for the PUsh phase, rather than having more off days than they recommend.).

I also really like Chalene in these (I didn't find the Turbo Jams I'd seen very appealing... but strange thing: as I got to 'know' and like, and respect the knowledge of, Chalene in CLX, I picked up a couple of her more athletic TJ workouts to use as cardio options, and I like them!). I also get the impression from what she says that she really did do the research and is giving us something new, not something based on old techniques passed off as new. She also gives some excellent form pointers (like having us turn our feet out a bit when doing burpees and jumping jacks because it's easier on the knees...I'd heard that from Karen Voigt before, but don't always remember to do it.)

HTH!

 

[Worknprogress]

Thanks ladies - your responses really helped and I appreciate the thorough answers.

I as well have become totally unmotivated but need something to get me back on track. The shorter workouts really appeal to me right now but it sounds from everything I've read that they really work you out in that time frame.

I was going to try and start today but I think I will take the weekend and really go through the program and the DVD's for the first phase.

Thanks again!!