Standing legs vs floor legs

spyrosmom

spyrosmom

Cathlete
I can squat, lunge, plyo, and all that jazz til the cows come home, with heavy weights. However, eight reps into any floor work with no or just 2lb ankle weights and I'm begging for mercy. Barre work, too. What gives? What am I missing here, besides that I obviously need to do more floor work. Why the discrepancy and am I the only one?

Thanks!

Nan
 
spyrosmom said:
I can squat, lunge, plyo, and all that jazz til the cows come home, with heavy weights. However, eight reps into any floor work with no or just 2lb ankle weights and I'm begging for mercy. Barre work, too. What gives? What am I missing here, besides that I obviously need to do more floor work. Why the discrepancy and am I the only one?

Thanks!

Nan
Click to expand...

You are not the only one! I'm fairly new to Cathe (discovered her 6-7 months ago) and have been doing a lot of her workouts for the first time: Pure Strength Legs, Butts and Guts and this morning, Gym Style Legs. I can power through the standing exercises, with heavy weight even, but once the floor work starts, I have repeated muscle failure. I don't get it either. I thought my lower body was stronger than that!
 
Your body isn't used to these types of exercises so they pose more of a challenge. Even though lifting heavier weights is challenging you, this is different they what your body is used too. Plus, often times training with heavier weights, you rely so much on larger muscle groups that they dominate the smaller muscle groups. Barre and floor work challenge these smaller muscles directly. This is why its so good to do both types of lower body work.
 
I could have written your exact post. Barre/floor work has me swearing and crying like a little baby.

Just to give you a heads up, you will get better. I was determined to nail Turbo Barre without taking less breaks and keeping my leg up high throughout most of the workout. I just finished a rotation which had me doing TB 1X/week for four weeks. I did my last workout Saturday and have noticed an improvement. The key I suppose is consistency and allowing your muscles to get acclimated to that "type" of workout.

Good luck!

Natasha
 
Oh yeah, right there with you. Sooo shaky during barre work and the floor work. I used to hate and avoid it, but started to really force myself to do it and now I find I enjoy it. I would say the toughest thing for me is that progression in floor/barre is so much slower than standing. I could really see progression move along quickly with standing. But with the floor it was like, okay, four weeks in and I can only do 1 extra donkey lift per side! :eek: But I figure since it is my weak point I need to keep at it.
 
owltx said:
I would say the toughest thing for me is that progression in floor/barre is so much slower than standing. I could really see progression move along quickly with standing. But with the floor it was like, okay, four weeks in and I can only do 1 extra donkey lift per side! :eek: But I figure since it is my weak point I need to keep at it.
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Oh yes, this is the case for me also. Progression is S-L-O-W. One extra leg lift without wanting to collapse is an accomplishment!

Also, I find it's not so much the working leg that suffers, but the stable leg gives out much faster. What about all of you?
 
Gawd I must be strange.... I can do floor work a lot easier then barbell squats, and lunges With heavy weight. I wish standing leg was easier for me.

I used to be able to do it but ever since a couple surgery oon feet.. well lets just say. Balance issues plus I'm now weaker then before because I can't do to many lunges and squats with heavy weight. I do them but only so. Many u can do whobbly before it effects ur back.
 
mini-natty said:
Oh yes, this is the case for me also. Progression is S-L-O-W. One extra leg lift without wanting to collapse is an accomplishment!

Also, I find it's not so much the working leg that suffers, but the stable leg gives out much faster. What about all of you?
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My supporting leg always gives out first during Turbo Barre, and because of that the reps on the next side are always much harder!
 
YAY!!! I'm not the odd one out!! Over the years, I swear there has been no progression with floor work. I find the barre easier than floor, but not easy by any stretch. I probably just need to add in extra floor work. OW!!!!

Nan
 
kariev said:
Your body isn't used to these types of exercises so they pose more of a challenge. Even though lifting heavier weights is challenging you, this is different they what your body is used too. Plus, often times training with heavier weights, you rely so much on larger muscle groups that they dominate the smaller muscle groups. Barre and floor work challenge these smaller muscles directly. This is why its so good to do both types of lower body work.
Click to expand...

I agree with most of previous post girls. I need to do more barre workout as my body is not used to them. They hit problem area so good. I hardly hit the upper part of my hip lifting heavy than when I do turbo barre. I call it the "sneaky incinerator"

Just as Natasha mentioned above, I also have to be consistent!;)

To Nan,

Sorry for deviating from your question. Reading all comments is just proving there few of us ... ;)
 
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mini-natty said:
I could have written your exact post. Barre/floor work has me swearing and crying like a little baby.

Just to give you a heads up, you will get better. I was determined to nail Turbo Barre without taking less breaks and keeping my leg up high throughout most of the workout. I just finished a rotation which had me doing TB 1X/week for four weeks. I did my last workout Saturday and have noticed an improvement. The key I suppose is consistency and allowing your muscles to get acclimated to that "type" of workout.

Good luck!

Natasha
Click to expand...

No kidding...I just did a 4 week rotation where I did TB once a week, too! I finished in Monday.

I'd only ever done TB once before, so it was about time for me to get around to it. Like you, I also saw progress, but I still had to take an extra break just after you finish the pulses where your leg in a L and you move it back and forth. It's closer to the end of the workout, but I can't start on the other leg without a longer rest than Cathe gives because my hip on my non-working leg feels like it's just short of cramping. But, the first week I needed more breaks and couldn't keep my leg as high, and it HURT. I actually uttered the word "Mommy." (That's our little secret!). FYI, I lent this workout to somebody who couldn't make it through the warm up, whereupon I nicknamed it TortureBarre. :)

So, next week I'm moving on to a new LB workout...haven't decided which one yet. Was thinking LBB, since this is also one I have only done once, although I remember liking it. But then plyolegs is calling my name. And I have, but have never done TBT Lower Body, SH lower body, Pure Strength, or Pyramids LB. I bought lots of Cathe DVDs all at one time, but it was right when i started STS, so it's not for lack of desire, just lack of time.

Any recommendations? FYI, for now I've decided to pick a LB workout and do it for a month before moving on to the next one so I can see how it affects my body, how I improve, etc.
 
Trixoo said:
No kidding...I just did a 4 week rotation where I did TB once a week, too! I finished in Monday.

I'd only ever done TB once before, so it was about time for me to get around to it. Like you, I also saw progress, but I still had to take an extra break just after you finish the pulses where your leg in a L and you move it back and forth. It's closer to the end of the workout, but I can't start on the other leg without a longer rest than Cathe gives because my hip on my non-working leg feels like it's just short of cramping. But, the first week I needed more breaks and couldn't keep my leg as high, and it HURT. I actually uttered the word "Mommy." (That's our little secret!). FYI, I lent this workout to somebody who couldn't make it through the warm up, whereupon I nicknamed it TortureBarre. :)

So, next week I'm moving on to a new LB workout...haven't decided which one yet. Was thinking LBB, since this is also one I have only done once, although I remember liking it. But then plyolegs is calling my name. And I have, but have never done TBT Lower Body, SH lower body, Pure Strength, or Pyramids LB. I bought lots of Cathe DVDs all at one time, but it was right when i started STS, so it's not for lack of desire, just lack of time.

Any recommendations? FYI, for now I've decided to pick a LB workout and do it for a month before moving on to the next one so I can see how it affects my body, how I improve, etc.
Click to expand...

I have been hoarding Cathe workouts and have been working my way through them. I'm not sure what TBT Lower Body is (I'm not clear on all the acronyms yet!), but I have done Slow and Heavy Lower Body and Pure Strength Lower Body (Pyramids is scheduled for next week). Pure Strength was the easiest of Cathe's Lower Body workouts I've done so far. Pure Strength the hardest I think. Though Butts and Guts was pretty tough, too. I'm doing LBB on Saturday and next weekend Turbo Barre--so in the next few weeks I'll have a better idea of her collection. I really liked Legs and Glutes--I am planning to do the long premix that combines L&G with KPC. But that is a few weeks down the road.
 
Trixoo said:
No kidding...I just did a 4 week rotation where I did TB once a week, too! I finished in Monday.

I'd only ever done TB once before, so it was about time for me to get around to it. Like you, I also saw progress, but I still had to take an extra break just after you finish the pulses where your leg in a L and you move it back and forth. It's closer to the end of the workout, but I can't start on the other leg without a longer rest than Cathe gives because my hip on my non-working leg feels like it's just short of cramping. But, the first week I needed more breaks and couldn't keep my leg as high, and it HURT. I actually uttered the word "Mommy." (That's our little secret!). FYI, I lent this workout to somebody who couldn't make it through the warm up, whereupon I nicknamed it TortureBarre. :)

So, next week I'm moving on to a new LB workout...haven't decided which one yet. Was thinking LBB, since this is also one I have only done once, although I remember liking it. But then plyolegs is calling my name. And I have, but have never done TBT Lower Body, SH lower body, Pure Strength, or Pyramids LB. I bought lots of Cathe DVDs all at one time, but it was right when i started STS, so it's not for lack of desire, just lack of time.

Any recommendations? FYI, for now I've decided to pick a LB workout and do it for a month before moving on to the next one so I can see how it affects my body, how I improve, etc.
Click to expand...

Sorry to hijack Nan...it's a legitimate one so please forgive me :)

Trixoo
The L-Move makes me swear like a truck driver. NO JOKE. That's the part I want to take my TT and whip it across the room :mad:.

I have also been doing the same 1-2 LB workouts every week for 1 month, just to see how much improvements (if any) I obtained from doing the same ones consistently. I have done a rotation with LBB, Plyo Legs, STS Legs M1W4, Turbo Barre, just to name a few. I just finished a rotation which included STS Legs W4 & Turbo Barre (UB+LB). Whatever you decide, I would totally recommend STS Legs W4 BUT YOU MUST include the bonus section at the end with the stability ball! I was never able to do 1 leg hamstring roll-outs, and now I can! It was a LB epiphany for me :D.

Good luck Trixoo!
 
Thanks for the information Jengollf! I forgot that I have Legs and Glutes...I have Leaner Legs, too, and have never done either of them. I have B&G, but only did that once...I found it "endless" feeling, but it might have been the day and I'll certainly try it again. That was about a year ago!

TBT is Total Body Trisets, from the Low Impact Series released about a year ago. FYI, I've been in this forum for a while now and still run across acronyms and references I don't get!

Have fun with all your new workouts, I know I am! And I'm not even going to get through all of them before Xtrain comes out!!
 
mini-natty said:
Sorry to hijack Nan...it's a legitimate one so please forgive me :)

Trixoo
The L-Move makes me swear like a truck driver. NO JOKE. That's the part I want to take my TT and whip it across the room :mad:.

I have also been doing the same 1-2 LB workouts every week for 1 month, just to see how much improvements (if any) I obtained from doing the same ones consistently. I have done a rotation with LBB, Plyo Legs, STS Legs M1W4, Turbo Barre, just to name a few. I just finished a rotation which included STS Legs W4 & Turbo Barre (UB+LB). Whatever you decide, I would totally recommend STS Legs W4 BUT YOU MUST include the bonus section at the end with the stability ball! I was never able to do 1 leg hamstring roll-outs, and now I can! It was a LB epiphany for me :D.

Good luck Trixoo!
Click to expand...

I'm sorry, too Nan...I guess I'm the original hijacker. :eek:

Thanks for the info Natasha...this is really helpful. First, to know that I'm not the only one having...uh..."negative thoughts" during those L moves! :)

I generally do the bonus section at the end of PlyoLegs, but have never, ever been able to do those hamstring roll-ins in one legged, darn it! Could I really progress to that point if I do that workout consistently? This is SOOOOOOO encouraging...thanks!

I'm still not sure what to do...something I know and love, like plyolegs, or something less familiar. My cup runneth over! We really are lucky that Cathe keeps the workouts coming...I know I'm never bored.
 
Trixoo said:
I'm sorry, too Nan...I guess I'm the original hijacker. :eek:

Thanks for the info Natasha...this is really helpful. First, to know that I'm not the only one having...uh..."negative thoughts" during those L moves! :)

I generally do the bonus section at the end of PlyoLegs, but have never, ever been able to do those hamstring roll-ins in one legged, darn it! Could I really progress to that point if I do that workout consistently? This is SOOOOOOO encouraging...thanks!

I'm still not sure what to do...something I know and love, like plyolegs, or something less familiar. My cup runneth over! We really are lucky that Cathe keeps the workouts coming...I know I'm never bored.
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Try PLB floor work only for a few weeks. You'll have those hamstring roll ins down in no time. It builds your core too when you have to keep your booty up off the floor.
 
lcsavik said:
Try PLB floor work only for a few weeks. You'll have those hamstring roll ins down in no time. It builds your core too when you have to keep your booty up off the floor.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the tip...I've never done PLB. ..now I just have to!
 
You may have a weak gluteus medius and gluteus minimus. They don't get a lot of work with traditional squats, lunges, step-ups etc. Do you ever do "firewalkers"? They are another thing you can do besides floor and barre work to strengthen that area.

Stebby
 
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