Questions re: CTX

[kirstyscooby]

Hi Cathe,

I'm glad to hear that your pregnancy is progressing well.

I received CTX last week and am loving it!!!!! Thankyou. I just have a couple of questions though.

I dont have a barbell so use dumbells instead. While I do squats should I rest the dumbells on my shoulders or on my thighs?

On Leaner Legs (I've renamed this 'killer legs'!) I feel the dead lifts more in my back than in my legs. I try to keep my hand positioning on the dumbells the same as you do on the barbell. What am I doing wrong?

Finally, I double the cardio from two workouts and then do the strength work for the two workouts 3x per week. On the other two days I just do one hour of step and on the 6th day I do pilates/yoga. Is this a good balanced routine to prevent overuse? You kindly answered my 'sore achilles' post a month or so back and I am pleased to say that my heels are a lot better. I am really checking my form now also, as I wasn't always going toe-ball-heel which could have been the problem.

Thankyou,
Kirsty

 

[jgoycoolea]

As Cathe says "do what works best for you!" Hold the dumbells wherever they feel the most comfortable and allow you to maintain the best form. For me personally, I'd go to the shoulders on regular squats, and hold one heavy one in front of my body on plie squats.

It is natural to feel deadlifts in the lower or lower-to mid back also--they do work this area. But consider if your form is perfect. Some people can't lower the bar down too far. Think of pushing your hips back as you lower the bar (dumbbells), not just bending over. And on the way up, think of pushing up through the heels. From Cathe's home page is a link to form pointers.

Can't comment on overuse as I am guilty of this myself! Jeanne

 

[Sandlyn]

When doing deadlifts I have found that it helps if you turn your toes out slightly. You'll really feel it in your hamstrings.

 

[Tammyspq]

On the deadlift, make sure the bar is close to your body, as if you are shaving your legs down and up. Keep your head in line with your spine - like you are looking over a cliff rather than up to the sky. Lastly, concentrate on engaging your hamstrings and glutes to pull your hips back into line.

Certified instructor...Tammy