rotation suggestions, anyone?

M

Michele S

Cathlete
I need to start a new rotation (currently doing CTX for cardio and CTX weight work twice a week) and was wondering if anyone had one that they've found to be effective in leaning out the lower body and keeping the upper body strong. I'm very happy with what Cathe's tapes have done for my upper half, but the lower half has a ways to go! I'm also extremely rotation challenged and I find if I'm following a specific plan, I do much better!

Thanks in advance!
Michele
 
I was just about to ask the same question! I'm doing CTX and next week will be week 6 and I'm looking to keep my upper half looking great and keeping what I've got but more cut. Or something. I think I just need someone to tell me what to do!! You know, Cathe should have a section on her page with rotation ideas, som kind of FAQ. This seems to be something people are really interested in!!

Marcia
 
RE: Michelle I am with you too!

You wouldn't believe what I just did. I had my entire original message done and then I hit a wrong button and it was gone. Bummer :-( So here it is again.

I posted a similar question to Cathe several weeks ago and hadn't heard back. I bet she gets tired of answering the same questions so frequently. Anyway I took a stab at one for myself.

It is a three week rotating rotation. Sounds confusing but just go to week one after week three is finished. I plan on doing it for 12 weeks, but if I don't see results after 6-7 I will just go nine and try something else. I just finished week 2 today.

Here it is - "Take it or leave it"

Week one:
Mon. - Interval Max with abs
Tues. - PS shoulders/Tri with 30 min. cardio (treadmill)
Wed. - Cardio Kicks
Thurs.- PS Legs with abs
Fri. - Interval Max with abs (or easier cardio if needed)
Sat. - PS back/biceps with 30 min cardio (treadmill)
Sun. - Off

Week two:
Mon. - MIS
Tues. - Cathe's treadmill workout recently posted. (this was one
tough workout. My legs were sore for two days)
Wed. - Angles/Lines and Curves (a Kari Anderson tape) with plank
work.
Thurs.- MIS
Fri. - MIC with abs
Sat. - Bodymax ( I might consider doing this through the leg circuit part since the upper body was worked twice already but include the ab section).
Sun. - Off

Week three:
Mon. - Stepworks with abs
Tues. - PS shoulder/chest/tri with 30 min cardio
Wed. - Cathe's Treadmill workout
Thurs.- PS back/biceps with 30 min cardio
Fri. - PS Legs
Sat. - MIC
Sun. - Off

That's it. I was trying to put in a little extra leg work for more definition and hopefully slimming. If anyone has any suggestions, they are certainly welcome!!

Lynn W
 
Thanks, Lynn!

I think your rotation looks great and I may give it a try. I really have such a hard time selecting tapes each day to do and that's way I love having rotations already done! I really think it would be great if Cathe would post a rotation-of-the-month and make EVERYONE happy!

Can you tell me where you found Cathe's treadmill workout, though? I never noticed that being posted.

Michele
 
Treadmill workout

Look in the Ask Cathe forum under Erin's 1/12 post. It's it one of the replies. It looks like a killer!
 
RE: HI Michelle

The treadmill workout is Erin F's post on Jan. 12 in the " Ask Cathe" forum. You can do a search with "treadmill" and it will come up. It is one tough workout as I said my legs were sore for two days. I never knew our treadmill would go to a level 14!

I too have a hard time selecting tapes. With a rotation it seems you do not want to change too much until you are ready for a new one. This one seems to have a lot of treadmill workouts which really are not my favorite. I don't know if you will "ruin" the rotation by substituting video cardios in for 30 minutes or not. Is cardio really just any cardio? or do you need to keep it the same with the rotation?

I am kind of new to this concept so any advice is appreciated. I guess I would really benefit from a Cathe rotation guide as mentioned in another post.

Take care!

Lynn
 
Hi Lynn!

I'm sure that you could substitute another cardio workout for the treadmill, just keep it intense like the treadmill workout. I have found that Cardio Kicks really gets me in my THR and want to try some other kickbox workouts just to get some variety!

I'm currently doing a rotation that I saw on The Firm's website, just doing Vols. 1, 2, 3, then a rest day and repeat, for four weeks. It seems like those people who have done this have had good results, and I also think I need a little Cathe break. Besides after four weeks of doing the same 3 tapes, I'll be dying to get back to Cathe!

As far as Cathe posting rotations, I think she gets so bombarded by people asking for ideas that she hasn't been posting as many lately. She gave me one a few months ago of doing the PS series every other day (one tape each time, adding a little cardio, if you want), doing cardio on the "off days" and MIS once a week. That one worked, and that's what I'll probably end up doing once my four weeks is up!

If you come up with anything, let me know! I'm always willing to follow someone's workout guide!

Michele
 
What worked for me

Hi! I don't know if you have the PS series, but the all-time most effective rotation I ever did in terms of giving my body a leaner look used those. I had people who would bet money that I had lost a ton of weight. I didn't lose weight or inches -- as gauged by how my clothes fit, ( Wasn't trying to either -- was at a good weight and size for me. :) ) but obviously SOMETHING changed :)

What I did wasn't rigidly planned out,as I tend to rebel, even against my own planned rotation. I was doing the PS tapes each once a week. On the upper body days, I 1st did a 20 -30 minute or so cardio segment. CTX wasn't out yet when I was doing this, but those cardio sections would be just right. :) I had the PS tapes FF'd past the warmup, so after cardio I jumped right into the weights. On the PS Legs day I didn't do any cardio. I had 1 day that was just cardio ( about an hour -- whatever I was in the mood for ) and 1 day that was total body weights with no cardio. This was sometimes MIS, but more often a Firm tape. I would occasionally combine the 2 upper body PS tapes without cardio if I knew I would only have 5 days to work out that week, but that was much more tiring, and less fun. :)

Like I said, I didn't lose pounds or inches, but people who never comment on my appearance were noticing and commenting on a change for the better. I was actually playing with the idea of doing it again, to whip my body back into shape after my fall slump and holiday craziness. This time I am hoping to reduce my size a bit, since I put on a few pounds ( tighter than comfortable jeans, UGH! :-( ) I'm printing off the other rotation ideas from this thread too! :)

Erin
 
RE: What worked for me

Lynn, your rotation seems challenging. I may have to use it, but substitute some other tapes, since I dont have Anderson's tape or a treadmill. I've been working on a few rotations for the months ahead. I'm doing CTX next month and in March a PS series rotation. Here's my PS rotation:

Step Works + PS BBA
Interval Max
PowerMax + PS CST
REST
Recumbent bike 30 minutes + PS BBA
PS LA
CarioKicks or Step Tape of choice + PS CST
REST

Hope this helps. I love sharing rotation ideas with everyone!

Stacy
 
I will be starting this new rotation using ctx series. I have it so I'll be working each body part 2x's a week, without doing the the same cardio w/o more than once a week.

S-PC
M-SNI + (KB)biceps & abs
T-10-10-10 + (AS)shoulders & abs
W-rest(or I may do CK or????)
T-LL + (PC)back & abs
F-KB + (SNI)chest
S-AS + (10-10-10)triceps

I have 2 video machines so I recorded the workouts in the order as listed so they're ready to go. No taking 1 tape out and putting another 1 in and ff or rewinding, plus it saves wear and tear on my Cathe video library:)

This rotation will still allow time for me to do yoga. I'm really looking forward to doing the ctx series again!!!

Kate
 
Thanks Kate!!! JUST what I was wishing for!!!

I was just soaking my weary muscles in a hot bath(Circuit Max this morning followed by 3 hours of shovelling heavy snow!), and while I was soaking I was pondering how best to combine the CTX's to work each bodypart twice per week. I couldn't figure out a good way to do it and was feeling kinda bewildered:-hmmm, and then after my bath I clicked on the Cathe Forums, and I immediately find that you have posted my answer!!!!! It looks like you have really thought this rotation out very carefully, as I notice that each body part gets a good long 3 day rest between workouts. AND, to top it all off, I have recently started doing a 3 on/1 off rotation which is REALLY working well for me, and lo and behold, that is the way you have set up your rotation as well. AND, I also have 2 vcrs and very often do just what you mentioned doing, to save having to change tapes/ff/etc. during the workout. Sounds like we've got a little bit in common! Thank you for posting the CTX rotation I'd been wishing for!!!;-)
Debbie
 
Attn: Stacy!

Your PS rotation is just about what I'm looking for! Next week I need to change rotations after doing CTX for 6 weeks and I really want to emphasize my upper body. Thanks for posting it!

Marcia
 
RE: treadmill workout

HI Jessica,

The treadmill workout is posted by Erin F on Jan. 12 in the "Ask Cathe" forum. If you do a search with "treadmill" you can find it. It is a ways down the thread though.

Lynn W
 
RE: treadmill workout

HI Jessica,

The treadmill workout is posted by Erin F on Jan. 12 in the "Ask Cathe" forum. If you do a search with "treadmill" you can find it. It is a ways down the thread though.

Lynn W
 
Hi Debbie

Debbie I'm glad you like the rotation. I think it's neat that you make up your own videos too. I'll be starting the rotation this coming Sunday-can't wait!!!. Hope you have fun, I know I will:)

Kate
 
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