I have done the rotation using GHAS when I didn't have CTX. It works great. I've also substituted BodyMax upper body as well. I recall Marlene123 saying that the CTX upper body section is more of an endurance workout, hence the use of GHAS (obviously endurance more than strength) and BodyMax.
I noticed that the last time I saw Marlene post (which was a couple of weeks ago when I last visited Cathe's site), she said that she had substituted Power Hour for MIS and was seeing great results. So, as long as you work out bis, tris and shoulders 3x, chest/back/legs 2x a week, the tank top rotation should give you killer results!
Here's a good portion of Marlene's original post - and then a good portion of her post about using power hour in the tank top rotation:
Here is my current rotation which I have been doing for 10 weeks. I plan to do two more weeks of this, then two to three weeks of Slow & Heavy and then back again. I have had such incredible success with this rotation that I hate to let it go even for a few weeks but I know I must to cause some muscle confusion.
Anyway, here it is (and I admit, it's a killer):
Day #1: Pure Strength Chest, Back, Shoulders, Biceps, Triceps
Day #2: CTX Leaner Legs
Day #3: CTX Shoulders, Biceps, Triceps plus cardio
Day #4: Cardio
Day #5: MIS
Day #6: Cardio
Day #7: Cardio or rest
As you can see, this routine works shoulders, biceps and triceps three times per week, chest and back twice and legs twice. I do abs 4-5 times per week as well.
Everyone is different and this may be too much training for some but it works for me. In order to develop cuts and definition I have to work the muscles frequently, making sure there is a day of rest between. My abs, which I work the most, have become fabulous - I even have a six pack that I can actually see and feel. Awesome. So in my case at least, the three times a week sessions for the shoulders and arms have produced the best results. I am ready for tank top weather.
I love this rotation, and it gave me great results, I'm doing S&H as she suggested for this week and the next 2 weeks, then I'm going back to this for one more round before summertime! (I think you can find this original post under a search for "show us your tank top rotation" in the subject line)
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Here's her post on Power Hour:
I just had to jump in here to comment about something you said regarding the Power Hour tape. You mentioned that because it is purely endurance you would not really build muscles or cuts from this one.
I realize we are all different and all of us repond to various exercises in our own unique ways. That is, what works for one may not work for someone else. That being said, I would like to share with you my own experience with Power Hour.
During the spring I was using a Pure Strength, Max Intensity Strength and CTX rotation and getting fabulous results. You can do a search under "tank top arms rotation" in these forums of you want more details. Basically, I decided that to build muscle and get cuts I would work the following body parts two times a week: Legs, Chest, Back and work the following body parts three times a week: Shoulders, Biceps, Triceps. I would do all the Pure Strength upper body on one day, skip a day, do MIS, skip a day or two and then do shoulders, biceps and triceps from the CTX series in one day. I would add in either Pure Strength legs or CTX Lean Legs for my second leg workout each week.
After 12 weeks of this I changed to a Slow and Heavy rotation for four weeks.
When it was over I decided I was getting bored with MIS and needed a change. There is absolutely nothing wrong with MIS, mind you, but I was just tired of it. A good indication of this was that when it was my day to do MIS, I found it hard to get started and it was easy to make excuses to avoid it.
I decided to plug in Power Hour instead of MIS for a full body workout.
Yowsa!!!!
I have been on this particular rotation for 8 weeks now. I was cut and muscular before but as a result of doing Power Hour once a week I have gotten even more cut. I have not added any bulk (I don't need any more muscle size so this is good) but Power Hour has given me much sharper definition in the arms, chest and back. People I don't even know ask me where I work out when I am out and about. This never happened before.
Now, I don't know what kind of results one would have just doing Power Hour once or twice a week by itself. But don't count it out for definition if you include it with other things.
I have read that muscle definition is created by using lighter weights, more reps. Muscle size is the result of performing less reps, heavier weights. This has certainly been my personal experience. Power Hour's endurance routines have done great things for me.
Can you all tell by this point that I have become a Power Hour advocate?
Marlene
This is the link to the post:
http://64.225.138.194/dcforum/VideoQC/1851.html
