Why no Heavy Leg work in Xtrain?

*crazysoccermom*

*crazysoccermom*

Cathlete
Cathe,

I am wondering why there is not any heavy lifting for legs in Xtrain? I miss it .. nothing makes me feel more powerful than when I can increase my weight on squats.

Thanks,

Kristen
 
I agree. I am still have 3 more weeks to finish an undulating rotation of STS. but plan to make up my own version of XTrain. Partly as there is no heavy leg workout and I like do a heavy leg workout as well.
 
Why do we expect any one series to do it all?

If you have the STS series with heavy leg work, then there you go, you already have what you want. Add to this Slow & Heavy, and take any other leg workout, slow down the pace and increase the weight where you want.

I think it's OK for each series to present something different. Mix it up, you've got everything.

Clare
 
I agree with you, Clare. Cathe has so many wonderful workouts and one workout cannot do it all or please everyone. I am doing the Xtrain 90 day rotation and I actually plan to start replacing one lower body workout each week with one of her other lower body workouts--to mix things up. Make it even more "undulating" I guess. The funny thing is, for Christmas I asked my husband for a squat rack and bench for STS. And I plan to start STS when I finish Xtrain--but I am doing Xtrain now and the gift is collecting dust. He is not pleased since we both went to a lot of trouble researching and picking them out. I am still very very happy he got them for me, because I can use them in more of Cathe's workouts than just Xtrain... but right now I'm focused on Xtrain. :eek:
 
Heavy stuff

I agree with Clare too. Each series has to offer something different without necessarily using the same equipment, offering the same reps pattern or same moves! It would be a dread IMO. In STS there is heavy usage of various equipment and LIS and XTRAIN offer minimal equipment. It does depend on personal preference and also on the rotation you are on.

It is also all about being versatile embracing various program, utilising various equipment and cross training. I love Barbell for example *BUT* Recently I have been working on improving my grip and my form while doing biceps concentrated curl and I had to use dumbbell. I had no choice as I wanted to ensure my left hand (which is weaker) improves. So i used a dumbbell instead.

If you want heavy workout for legs,I suggest STS squat rack program. Nothing has challenged my legs as the heavy load I can squat using my squat rack. It has proven to me it was high time to safely increase the load at the comfort of my own home. I am doing both plyo and squat rack and I have had a response from my leg muscles I have not had for years. It has shocked my legs :D I will be using a weighted vest as well.

Both light and heavy program are important to gain improvement. This has proven to be true for what I have experienced.

All the best,
 
Now that I finished my 6th week, I think I have a better understanding the purpose of Xtrain (just my thoughts). This program is designed to build upper body strength and sculpt the lower body, which I think is perfect for most women who want to thin out the legs and build up our backs and shoulders.

I just came off of heavy leg work, so Xtrain legs is a nice change up to help make the muscles that were developed, by going heavy, pop.

I don't like to train the same way all the time...you have to mix things up to get results!
 
There is a 35 min premix in disk 6 cardio leg that is the strength part of the workout only. The strength part of that workout uses heavy weights. You can do that 2x since none of those exercises are repeated. It would be about 60 min since you can skip through one of the warmup and cool down. That would be an awesome workout!!!
 
Thanks everyone for your comments. I like your idea snderca, I going to watch that segment. I did some weight workouts from XTrain during a week's break from STS, so I only have a limited experience with it (so I value everyone's feedback) but trying to plan what I am going to do when I finish an undulating rotation of STS in 3 weeks.

I like the gains I have made doing STS 2X this year (and the break between the 2 times of STS, I was a lumberjack on my forested property and gained strength!). I like doing the varied strength workouts (i.e. the 3 mesocycles from STS) and don't want to let life interfer and not continue them, so trying to have a plan ready to keep me doing them.
 
Well, yes. Each series can be something different. But the burn sets using heavy weights with 10 reps for all upper body work, I would have expected to have a lower body training in the same format. The fact that Cathe choose to go a different route makes me wonder why.

Personally I don't have STS.
 
Personally, I'm really surprised! At first I was skeptical but I am having fantastic results with the XTrain Legs. I love mixing it up, but my results have never been better. I would've never ever thought that lighter leg work would be so effective for me. It's always good to mix it up.
 
I'm actually finding the whole series to be super leg intensive as it is. I don't know if I'd want a heavy weight work out added on:D
 
I for am am so happy that the leg w/o is not a heavy one. I hate doing legs but find with this series I actually look forward to doing to doing legs. I like the variety of standing, barre, and floor work in the leg DVD, and love CLB. I am having such great results from this entire series.
 
I love Cardio Leg Blast, but I've also decided that on some of the weeks that I do Burn Sets, I'm going to do one of Cathe's other heavy weight leg workouts for my leg work just to continue doing heavy weights for my legs. Next week, I have Squat Rack Legs planned. It would've been nice to have a heavy weight workout for the legs as a companion to Burn Sets done in the same style as Burn Sets, but since I have STS, I'll just use some of the workouts from mesos 2 & 3 for that.
 
I think the way Cathe put together CLB is great, esp. with the premixes. I've been playing around with them. Once I did the dvd a few times, I started mixing things up by doing an extreme one time and I really felt my legs the next day. Once I also did 2 timesaver premixes, One with 1-6 including cardio, then added on the premix with just weights. That was pretty good too. I think if you're unhappy with the original format, play around with the premixes. After all, isn't that why Cathe took the time to include all of the options.
 
Why Not Use Heavy Weights for the Lower Body

*crazysoccermom* said:
Well, yes. Each series can be something different. But the burn sets using heavy weights with 10 reps for all upper body work, I would have expected to have a lower body training in the same format. The fact that Cathe choose to go a different route makes me wonder why.

Personally I don't have STS.
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The only lower body heavy weight lift to failure video we have ever done is STS and these workouts were optional. It's just not practical or necessary to lift heavy weights to failure to work your lower body. This is because most people don't have squat racks and/or spotters available to them in their homes which are necessary if you're going to lift to failure. Most people also don't have heavy enough weights to lift to failure for many of the lower body exercises like a squat.

Another problem too with lifting to failure for your lower body is that in theory it sounds like a good idea. After all it works great for the upper body right? The problem is in practice when exercisers use a weight that causes failure in 10 or less reps for an exercise like a dumbbell lunge it's usually very uncomfortable to hold on to the weights and this causes the overwhelming majority of people do the exercise with very poor form. This poor posture greatly increases the risk of injury and often transfers the weight to a muscle group that is not the one you're trying to work. Bad form is never a good idea!

Something for you to think about too is this. The squat is regarded by many as the king of all exercises. For most people the squat is the exercise they use their heaviest weight for, but did you know it's not the number one exercise according to ECG studies for working your glutes. There are many other exercises that use much lighter weights that studies show work your glutes more effectively. Based on these studies we used several of these exercises in XTrain.

Don't get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with lifting heavy weights to failure for your lower body. It's just not practical or necessary to do for most exercises. Also keep in mind that Cathe has a Gym with more equipment than probably 99.9% of the gyms in world, yet she rarely trains her lower body to failure. Instead she prefers to train her lower body with the techniques you see in XTrain and most of our other workouts. This is true of most of our other cast members too and they all have some pretty well defined and sculpted legs.
 
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SNM Videos said:
Something for you to think about too is this. The squat is regarded by many as the king of all exercises. For most people the squat is the exercise they use their heaviest weight for, but did you know it's not the number one exercise according to ECG studies for working your glutes. There are many other exercises that use much lighter weights that studies show work your glutes more effectively. Based on these studies we used several of these exercises in XTrain.
Click to expand...

I noticed this right away. Had lots of glute DOMs when starting XT. My glutes are weak and this was a welcome change. I love the way XT is targeting the muscle groups differently. A lot of people have muscle imbalances esp in the lower body. XT seems to be addressing this and I thank you!!
 
jennifur said:
Personally, I'm really surprised! At first I was skeptical but I am having fantastic results with the XTrain Legs. I love mixing it up, but my results have never been better. I would've never ever thought that lighter leg work would be so effective for me. It's always good to mix it up.
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I'm with you. At 60 I can see more definition in both my legs and upper body with Xtrain than any other program. I'm on week 7 of the 60 day rotation and I love it.
 
Everyone is entitled to an opinion, so no hate mail in my inbox please ;). Although I *love* every single LB workout Cathe put's out (how can you not, seriously?) I found that the standing portion of XT Legs was a bit too short, only coming in at around 25min with warm-up. I would have preferred at least 45min of standing work w/moderate to heavy weights. I'm not saying I wanted to work my LB to failure, but I DO like more weights in my standing routine in addition to floor + barre. Just one Cathlete's personal preference for sexy legs & glutes, that's all ;).

Regardless, I still enjoyed XT Legs, especially the "shaving-shin-lunges" :eek:.
 
snyderca said:
There is a 35 min premix in disk 6 cardio leg that is the strength part of the workout only. The strength part of that workout uses heavy weights. You can do that 2x since none of those exercises are repeated. It would be about 60 min since you can skip through one of the warmup and cool down. That would be an awesome workout!!!
Click to expand...

I've been doing this premix because I have to eliminate high impact for a while...I have to say that IT IS TOUGH :eek:!!!! I've been matching Cathe's weights and have been super challenged by it! I love that it comes in around 36 minutes allowing for a core add-on and a Burn Set add on if I want one!
 
Nanbo said:
I've been doing this premix because I have to eliminate high impact for a while...I have to say that IT IS TOUGH :eek:!!!! I've been matching Cathe's weights and have been super challenged by it! I love that it comes in around 36 minutes allowing for a core add-on and a Burn Set add on if I want one!
Click to expand...

Wow great idea!! This premix with core and a burn set ..awesome! I really cannot get enough of this series and how versatile it is!!! Chris
 
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