STS DEAL OF THE DAY!!!!!

HAPPY NEW YEAR NATASHA & JUSTINA!!!!!​
This is it!!! Our chance to start fresh for the year with XTRAIN!!!!
I did All Out HiiT yesterday and REALLY enjoyed it. The low impact was very welcome. Today I am starting the Official XTRAIN 90 Day Undulating Rotation; yes, I'm thinking like a warrior (hope I can train like one! :p). So, today I'll start with Chest, Back, & Shoulders...I previewed it and am exhausted! I have to admit some real trepidation with Cardio Legs. That is one brutal looking Plyo workout. I don't know if my foot can take it :(. I'm going to give it a shot though, I haven't done any jumping in over a month so I'm curious to see what happens. I have the same concern with Tabatacize and Hard Strikes. I may have to sub in some w/o from the LIS. I still need to preview the rest of the series and see what I'm in for. I'm curious about the 100 rep challenges and hope that Cathe gives us some guidance on how to incorporate them into the rotation.
Hope you guys pick out a great workout today to set the tone for not only the month, but a BRAND NEW YEAR :D!!!!
 
HAPPY NEW YEAR FIT LADIES!!!​

Hope everyone had a good New Year's eve. I'm a boring mom, I went to bed early :eek:. My sleep is more important than celebrating these days.

I walked to my mom's for a New Year's Day lunch yesterday. She lives about 20min away walking distance, but Bella stopped along the way to play and jump in snow, so it took 30min. It was cold, but we bundled up nicely and had a lovely walk. The sun was out with clear blue skies. The snow looked sparkly and beautiful.

No workout for me yesterday, which was a good thing because I was sore as heck! I did Hard Strikes Monday and really enjoyed it! Very simple, basic, straightforward Boxing moves (jump rope, jacks, punching, hooks, jabs, upper-cuts) yet very effective. I felt as though I was in a real Boxing session, except with kick-butt music. Those looking for "more" might be let down. The UB/Core toning section fried my abs! This section is also very basic, including plain ol' sit-ups & push-ups, but man did it work me! I felt as though I was in Rocky :cool:. Good stuff :D.

Nancy
Congrats on deciding to the Xtrain 90-day Undulating Rotation! If anyone can do it, I KNOW you can :eek:. The beauty of Cathe cardio, is that she has so many low impact ones to chose from if your foot is not ready for high impact. I don't think this will negatively affect your results at all TBH.
I am doing my own rotation and have added the 100RC's to it. I will post it here after personals.

Justina
How did the New Year lunch go! I'm sure you rocked it :cool: and everything turned out delish.
Finger's crossed you get your Xtrain early this week!

This is my rotation for this month. The cardio will be a mix of Xtrain and other Cathe cardio. I have included legs 2X (personal preference and LB slimming down goal of mine ).

D1 - Cardio
D2 - Xtrain Legs* (standing only) + rear delts bonus
D3 - Xtrain Bi's & Tri's + 100RC tri's or bi's*
D4 - Cardio
D5 - Xtrain legs (floor only) + barre + 100RC hip thrusts.
D6 - Xtrain Chest, Back, Shoulder's + 100RC lateral raises or scarecrows*
D7 - YOGA + Xtrain core 1 or 2

every week I will alternate:
* Legs & Cardio Leg Blast
*100RC Bi's & Tri's
*100RC Lateral Raises & Scarecrows

My goal is to keep workouts under 1hr. I'm also going to strive for a 6X/workout week, so that means I have to possibly do a lot of my w/o's when Bella goes to bed (DH will be working). You gotta do what you gotta do right?
 
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Happy New Year Natasha and Nancy!! It's 2013 and a new beginning for me as fitness is concerned. :D I got X Train in the mail! I'm just now reading the book and tonight I hope to start. First though, I want to order some new equipment. I don't have the slide discs. In STS I used card boards to slide on the carpet. I also don't have firewalker loops and missing some risers. Do you ladies have everything on the list already? Of course I'm going to get those gloves. I'm excited to get started. After taking such a long break, I need to get my butt kicked again.

Natasha, I really enjoyed hosting the luncheon yesterday. My husband and I cooked a lot of food; mac and cheese, collard greens, blackeye peas, pork chops, cream corn and green beans. My apple pie was a disaster though. Ha! :D I put too much syrup in it and the apples were underdone. Not giving up yet. It was my first apple pie. I will be baking many more. The cheesecake was better than my first one but not quiet how I wanted it. It was delicious though. Anyway, I was so tired last night that I went to bed at 9 pm. My arms were sore from all the cooking and cleaning.

Nancy, it's so like you to think and act like a warrior! I hope you enjoy all the XTrain workouts. I'm looking forward to getting started. I'm going to read through the book and come up with a plan. Today I'm going to order some missing equipment. What do you ladies think I should get first? I can't order all at once.

Have fun with XTrain!

Justina
 
Hi Natasha & Justina!
Wow! The XTRAIN is no joke!:eek:
I still have some pleasant DOMS in my shoulders, chest, & back from Tuesday's XTRAIN initiation! Last night I very cautiously got through Cardio Leg Blast with a few modifications. I didn't jump with the gusto that I used to have, and I ended up step up and down on the step instead of jumping up, but I still was sweating and my thighs feel it today! My foot is ever so slightly tender, but no where near as bad as I feared it would be!
Today I'll preview Hard Strikes during lunch and then do it tonight. I'll be wearing my 1# wrist weights as I don't have the fancy gloves!
Justina, I have all the equipment for the workouts except the gloves. I think that the discs would make life easier for you than the cardboard for sliding ( I used to use furniture sliders, but the discs are MUCH better!). Many ladies use their resistance bands tied around their legs/ankles in place of the loops, but I have to say that I love the loops. And to really complicate your options, the risers take your workouts to a whole 'nuther level! I have a total of 10 risers and the slanted ones too and I use them all!!! I did not acquire these toys all at once though. I bought a few things at a time over a period of a few months.
Natasha, have you tried Legs or Cardio Leg Blast yet? I am dying to hear your opinion since I know how much you love a good leg workout! Your review has me excited for Hard Strikes tonight! How are you liking the challenges? Which ones have you done so far? Have you started the rotation you posted yet?
Okay, now I have to get back to work! I really miss having all that time off!;)
 
WARNING: LONG POST *CUT & PASTE*

Here are the workouts I have done this week w/my reviews. Please forgive me if it's too long to read :eek:.

Bi's & Tri's AND 100RC tri's.
Awesome little workout :eek:. It's like Cathe took the best exercises from STS and combined them. I will be honest, I'm not particularly a fan of alternating muscle groups, but I actually liked it. I was spot on with my weight selections about 95% of the time. It really helps to have Cathe's weights as a guide. That woman is THE CHAMP of tri's & bi's :eek:.
100RC tricep extensions
I used 3lbs, however if I had 2lbs, that would have been sufficient (lol there is no way I'm going out to buy 2lbs. That would be just embarrassing :eek:). At one point during my, oh, 70th rep, I could not continue. My muscles were so damn hot I swear you could have fried an egg on them. Cathe actually points out that your muscles should be hot to the touch, and oh were they ever! I was spent and stopped :eek:. These challenges are not for the faint of heart :eek:.

Yesterday's w/o was Xtrain Legs standing + floor. I was supposed to do the standing + rear delts, but decided to do the rear delts this w/e. Anyway, the workout was FAB. I've read that some people did it not find it challenging enough, and I would have to agree to a certain extent. SO I decided not to follow Cathe's weight selections for the standing portion. For some reason, she went lighter than I've seen her typically go. For example, the walking lunges w/1x8lbs, I easily did 10lbs. Could have actually done 12lbs. Or even better, you can use 2 weights as I've seen her do in STS. Another one for example is plie squats w/the stability ball, she only did 10lbs. I went up to 15lbs. I think you need to make your own call as to what weight #'s will challenge you (obviously we all know that here :rolleyes:). As for the floor work, I always get smoked during those :eek:. There are some new moves that I found very refreshing, like the Clamshell (I'm not sure if Cathe's done this before). The floor portion, for me personally, takes this workout above & beyond. Hope you all enjoy it!

Nancy
You are such a positive-spirited, STRONG, woman. Even with your heel and needed to modify, you still do it and never make excuses. I love that about you! Truly inspirational :).
Congrats on the DOMS ;). I love reading when people get it :D.
Yes, I have started my rotation :). Be sure to check out the Newest Releases forum. I asked Cathe a question about the Barbell Hip Thrusts and neck fatigue (it seems as though many are having this problem) and she answered my question!.

Justina
Congrats on receiving Xtrain! I have everything on the list except for the gloves and the blue band. I have another band I think will work ok for those exercises. We'll see...
Your food sounded DELISH. FWIW, my cousin is a baker and she HATES making pie's! She says it is probably the hardest dessert for her to get perfectly, so don't feel bad.
Happy you can start Xtrain'ing with us!
 
Hi ladies!
Glad you are both enjoying XTrain so far. I'm starting this weekend. Are you followig the progam in the book or doing your own? I need structure so I will pick a program and go with that.
I ordered the gloves and will get the band too. Definitely have to buy the equipment over a period of time. Can't wait to get started! :)


Have a good weekend!

Justina
 
Hi Natasha, Nancy,
Just had to drop a few lines about the XTrain workout.I just finished Chest, Back & Shoulders. It was fun! Holy push ups! I haven't done pushups in awhile, so it was challenging to me. Wow.
I also noticed that the music is louder than normal. Is it just me? :confused:
This is a great work out. My arms are a bit sore right now.
Looking forward to the next work out. Waiting for the Workout Manager to add X Train on the drop down list!

Have a good weekend ladies!

Justina
 
Hello ladies :)

No w/o for me Friday. I took down all my Xmas decor (man the tree was HARD :mad:). In the evening when Bella went to bed, I did a 2 mile Leslie Walk + Xtrain Core 1. Speaking of Leslie, I scored 3 w/o DVD's for $15 at Walmart! Walking has been perfect for me in the evenings when I can't do strenuous cardio (AKA- anything Cathe cardio). I have noticed that since I've been eating clean, walking, doing heavy strength training for the past month, that my stomach is flatter and my jeans a little looser :D.

Yesterday's w/o was Xtrain CBS + bonus rear delts. I love how Cathe really pushes you to grab a heavy weight that is challenging. For 16 reps, she is chest pressing 60lbs for heaven's sake! I think for those presses next time I will use my barbell and step (instead of a stability ball), so I can hoist more weight up there :eek:. I'm also a fan of pull/chin-ups, so I might have to add them in there as well. The rear delt bonus was incredible. My goal with Xtrain is to strengthen my "weak links" like rear delts, bi's, tri's.

Today's w/o will be Tabatacise + 100RC glute thrusts :eek:. I'm aiming for all 5 cycles :eek:. Wish me luck!

Justina
I agree with you about the workout. I was super fun! The push-ups killed me, as they always do :eek:.
I did not notice the music, actually.
 
Happy Sunday Morning!​
I've been busy this morning looking through the Xtrain User Guide and trying to select some low impact substitutions for some of the new w/os that have proven too much for me at this time. Hard Strikes was a real surprise to me in how much it inflamed my foot! Even after post exercise stretching and icing, the next day my heel was maroon with bruising and the ball of my foot looked like it had a broken blood vessel in it. I thought I had modified enough, but it still got the best of me. Too much, too soon. I think S&G, CSS, even AB will sub in nicely. I found it odd that CLB didn't bother my foot that much :confused:?
Yesterday I did B&T and I FEEL IT TODAY!!! I was spot on with all weights except the overhead double arm triceps extension which I was too light on. I was pretty worn out by the end...and then came Core#2. WOW! I think Cathe must be part hydraulics! Today I'm slated for Legs; the long workout with all sections and the bonus rear delts. I haven't done any of the 100 rep challenges yet, I'm thinking of adding the lateral delts on today???

Natasha, way to go on sticking with the plan! I love when you can tell a difference in fitness (like loose jeans!!!)! HOORAY!!! I wish I could experience Tabatacise with you today...maybe in a few more months! I DO want to give it a try and modify the bajeebers out of it! I REALLY NEED that kind of cardio! I think I will be in "mountain-climbers-on-the-discs" mode for a while ;)! I miss walking, too...we've had some fairly mild days and I've taken advantage of a few of them with some short 20-30 minute walks around the neighborhood. The "spring" flowers will be starting to appear here in about a month and that always makes me yearn for my beloved hikes in the crisp green woods! Don't you love those wonderful treks out in the world when it's just waking up for a new season?
Justina, I'm with you on the push-ups! I still have to drop to my knees about halfway through, but hopefully as the program moves on we will be push-up veterans!!! I hate to admit that I haven't really noticed the music yet :eek:, I am still too focused on the amazing condition of Cathe & Crew! WOW! I am humbled with every workout! Can you believe the amount of weight they are hefting? YIKES!!! Maybe someday we'll get there too???!!! Hope that your equipment arrives soon! The proper gear makes a huge difference!

Well, that about raps it up for this morning! I am going to head over to our new "Play It Again Sports" (they buy & sell used and new sporting equipment) to unload some old Firm and Tracy Long w/os that were returned to me. I had set up a little fitness library at work, but no one was using the DVDs they were borrowing; so I figured I should make a little $$$ in store credit for the future weight purchases I intend to make! I have the Firm Transfirmer that I'll be getting rid of, too. When I think back to those workouts I smile, knowing that they helped get me on the path to being a Cathlete. They never really challenged me, though. I am so glad that I overcame my fear of Cathe "advanced" workouts and made the commitment to go big or go home!:eek:
 
Good morning! Happy Monday. :D

Last night was Hard Strike. It was fun but really tough. I had to take at least 3 breaks to catch my breath. The warm up felt like a work out to me! :D

Nancy, I totally agree how Hard Strike can aggregavate your foot. There are lots of jumping jacks. I feel like we spend a lot of time on our toes; shuffling, jumping etc. I guess training like a boxer we have to be light on our feet and fast.

Natasha, the music, I guess I was trying to listen to what Cathe was saying and then I noticed that the music seems to be overpowering Cathe. Not a big deal, I actualy like the songs. Congrats on seeing results! I want to see a flatter middle too. My weakness is definitely food. I find it difficult to eat clean. I will have to try harder if I want to reach my goals.
Anyway, I will start the program tonight; following the calendar in the book. I will have either Friday or Saturday off.

I ordered a new stability ball (my kids broke the old one), and heavier dumbbells. Hope to get them soon. Love those pink gloves by the way. Did you ladies order? I got them from Amazon and they are working very well so far.

Have a good day ladies!

Justina
 
Hello fellow Xtrain ladies :)

Sunday's w/o was Tabatacise (all 5 rounds!) + 100RC hip thrusts. I'm not sure if this a w/o I would be doing weekly. As you guys know, a dread factor exists between myself and hiit/tabata. However, if I want to blast mega cals without really "thinking", then yes this will be my go-to :eek:.

This w/e I scored 3 Leslie workouts for $15 at Walmart! The one I really wanted, 4 Fast Miles, was in that 3pk! I did that w/o yesterday and it was pretty awesome :eek:. That particular w/o has walking+jogging intervals. I had a nice sweat going and really enjoyed myself. Walking and biking are my #1 cardio loves :).

Nancy
I'm so sorry Hard Strikes aggravated your foot :(. I can see how that would happen with all the jumping jacks and jump rope. Oh man, I feel so bad that you have to go through that :(. TBH Nancy, when I did Tabatacise, I felt kinda "beat-up". No pain or anything, just worn and achy all over. I'm laying off high impact hiit for a bit myself -- except for Cardio Leg Blast which I MUST do :D. Walking has been my saving grace this Winter. It has not been extremely cold out, and so I've been enjoying the nice, crisp, Winter air with my little girl. I'm restless and can't stand being indoors all day.
ITA about selling/giving away the w/o's you don't use. I gave Turbo Jam, Billy Blanks, Pilates, all to my local library. I've even given my cousin some of my Biggest Loser DVD's. Once you go Cathe, you don't go back ;).

Justina
I also found Hard Strikes to be very enjoyable :). It's getting BAD reviews on Collage :(. Not that I really care, but it's kinda surprising I guess.
YAY on the purchasing of a new stability ball and heavier weights! I love new fitness goodies :D.
Now that you mention the music, I am going to pay attention to it. I'm not sure why I didn't pick it up to begin with :confused:. Perhaps I was transported to my "happy place" ;).
I gotta get those gloves! They look super pink and super cute :D.

Ok, have a good evening everyone!

Gina
Are you still here? If you're reading this, I know you mentioned you've been walking w/Leslie and so have I. We can walk together! Just so you don't feel left out or something :).
 
Hi Nancy, Natasha,

Hope you are doing well. Last night was XT Leg Blast. Wow, it nearly worked me to death!:D I sweat buckets. So much fun and very challenging. I don't have the firewalker bands yet though. That will be my next purchase. :)
I'm surprised HS has a bad review. I thought it was really good! I'm doing it tonight and I'm looking forward to it. I got my pink gloves from Amazon. They are very cute. :D I feel empowered when I put them on.
Now that I have begun the XTrain program, I'm trying to eat better too. I still have treats now and then, but I try to follow good and sensible food intake most of the time.

So yesterday I was researching online about converting my desk at work into a standing desk. I find it more comfortable standing than sitting. My lower back has been aching and I feel tight in certain areas on my back. I sit from 6:30 am to about 6 pm, every day. Isn't that crazy? That does not include more sitting I do when I get home before I start my work out. Looks like I might have to get a DIY desk platform to elevate my keyboard and mouse. Lucky for me, I have an adjustable monitor arm at work that I think can move up high enough so I can stand. My profession should be called a** sitting for so much time I spend on my butt!:D

By the way, what's this 100 RC about? Is that part of each DVD?

Have a good day ladies!

Justina
 
Burn Sets: Chest, Back & Shoulders!!!! Yes, it DOES burn!!!!:eek:
Last night I did this workout and thought, "that looks like it will be easy"...but it's Cathe, so it's not :p! I lifted heavy and REALLY struggled to make it to 10reps on the failure sets. WOW!!! I also really liked the scarecrow move with the band...creeps up on you like no one's business! There weren't any 100 rep challenges on this disc...THANK GOODNESS!!! I still haven't done any of them yet! Tonight is Cardio Leg Blast so I may tag on the hip thrust challenge. I'll be using my discs and some of the low impact Hiit moves on some of the more impactful exercises, and I'm going to try to heavy up on the weights too!
Have you guys tried regular Legs yet? Did it Sunday and thought I was gonna die!!! We are talking light weights but BIG BITE!!!!! LOVED IT!!!! It was a long session (it included the rear delt bonus segment), but worth it! You are so right, Natasha: the rear delt segment is OUTSTANDING!!!! Tomorrow I get to do Burn Sets Bis & Tris and I know I'll be a trembly after that! I think there is a reason that Cathe didn't include any 100 rep challenges on the BurnSet disc! I really need to start incorporating them into the other workouts, though...introduction time is over!;)
Justina, you made me giggle with the empowered statement about the gloves!
Well, my tea break is over and I've got to get to work here! I am really in the mood for a workout right now...wish I was home! :rolleyes:
 
Hey Natasha, Nancy,

Nancy, have you done Leg Blast yet? If not, you're going to love it. I haven't tried regular Leg DVD but am looking forward to it. So this week on Tuesday I did the Leg Blast and yesterday was Hard Strike. No joke, this morning I had a hard time walking around. I almost could not put my socks on. :D So much fun. I forget what's in store for me tonight but I can't wait!
I also picked up heavier dumbbells last night at the store, so it's time to challenge my muscles!

By the way, do you ladies have go-to breakfast food? I've been having two boiled eggs but want something different next week. Those eggs don't really fill me up anymore. Now that I'm working out harder I'm hungary all the time. I need something easy to make; perhaps something I can make the night before. I used to have instant oatmeal but it's not so healthy. The plain ones don't taste good to me.

Have a good day and have fun with Xtrain!

Justina
 
Hi Ladies,
My upstairs neighbors won't let me sleep :( so I thought I'd come to my happy place and check in!
Tonight's Cardio Leg Blast kicked me but good! It's the second time I've done it and I heavied up the weights (matched Cathe!) and had some good cardio substitutions lined up for the high impact moves. I was worn out by the time Core #2 came around at the end. My goodness I thought those sit ups would never end!:eek:
I'm excited for tomorrow: Burn Sets Bis & Tris for the first time (and I am going to give it my all)! I can't express how happy I am that my legs won't be involved!:p
 
jrichards111 said:
Hey Natasha, Nancy,


By the way, do you ladies have go-to breakfast food? I've been having two boiled eggs but want something different next week. Those eggs don't really fill me up anymore. Now that I'm working out harder I'm hungary all the time. I need something easy to make; perhaps something I can make the night before. I used to have instant oatmeal but it's not so healthy. The plain ones don't taste good to me.



Justina
Click to expand...

Justina,
I really love the Nature's Path cereals, including their oatmeals. A lady named Kathryn recommended them on a thread for people who didn't want GMO food. they have a good protein content and fiber to fill you! And they're yummy! I have some of it everyday with milk that I put 1/2 a scoop of unsweetened protein powder into and a banana on the side. I love breakfast!:p
 
Thanks Nancy! Bodybuilding.com talks about this brand of cereal. Will have to look for it this weekend!
I did Burn Set (chest, shoulders and back) last night. It was good! Today is my off day but I think I will need to do some stretching. So Stretch Max is it for me today.
It's funny you mentioned the legs not being involved. I felt the same way last night when I did the Burn Set. I was glad I didn't have to move my legs much.

Hi Natasha, how are things going? I'm sure you're rockin' the XTrain workouts!

Have a good weekend ladies!

Justina
 
I CAN'T MOVE MY ARMS!!!!!!!! :eek::eek::eek:

Burn Sets Bi's & Tri's + 100RC Bi's has literally rendered my UB in a state of paralyzation :eek::eek:. That's never, ever happened in my life! That was my w/o yesterday btw :D along with the cardio step only from BM2.

On Wed I did Xtrain Legs (barre only) + 100RC Hip Thrusts. I popped a mirror in front to see my form for the barre and how high my leg was going. It went up pretty damn high if I do say so myself :D. I did the entire barre with no modifications, no breaks. Dare I say the w/o was on the easy side? As for the Hip Thrusts, I think I can safely take my weight to 30-35lbs. I was worried about my lower back and form. I took Cathe's advice and put a pillow on my step for neck support. It went well :).

I was slotted to do Cardio Leg Blast today, but really, I don't know how effective it will be since I CAN'T MOVE MY ARMS!!! We'll see...

Justina
I love Nature's Path cereal too! A little costly, but well worth it IMO. What I find fills me up for breakfast is oatmeal with 1/2 scoop of protein powder. Sometimes I make a big batch of quinoa and I eat that instead of the oatmeal. Another goodie is Nature's Path waffles :p. I put some PB or Almond Butter and it is OH-SO-HEAVENlY.
Great job on sticking to your Xtrain w/o since the new year started! You are doing great! And YAY for DOMS :eek:.
Interesting about the standing desk thing at work. I think it will make a world of difference. When I was working at my f/t job, I was active and standing pretty much all day. It was hard to keep weight on! Not just for me, for anyone.

Nancy
Oh no, I have to get ready and go grocery shopping! Lost track of time :eek:. I will be back to finish your personal!

BBL in the afternooon!
 
Continuation...

Nancy
I'm sorry about your neighbor :(. I hope you get some much needed rest tonight :).
Yes, Burn Sets does indeed BURN! Actually, I think of it more as a flaming inferno :eek::eek:. You have no idea what's in store for you for Bi's & Tri's :eek:. Just get ready --that's all I'm sayin' :eek:.
WTG on match Cathe in Cardio Leg Blast! I'm not surprised though -- you are a powerhouse :D.
I forgot to mention that I have been doing Core 1 & 2, but I wuss out and stop after 10min :eek:. I can't take it! It hurts SO bad!


I have decided I absolutely cannot do Cardio Leg Blast today. I can't even pick up a 3lbs weight, so what's the point? Hopefully tomorrow I can give it a go :eek:.
 
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