Re: Slow & Heavy: Triceps & Biceps

[Guest guest]

I have Slo-Mo but haven't done it yet. Was thinking about doing that one next too... so many videos, so little time! I'll decide before Monday though! Rugelach is scary good, especially if you like soft cookies, like I do. Yummy. I was doing the intense chocolate craving thing the other day, not realizing my friend was arriving. Made sense afterwards. I can do okay fighting against the sweets except then!!

Re: Slow & Heavy: Triceps & Biceps

Yay! Happy you liked this series! I agree, MIND IN THE MUSCLE. Focus really reaps great benefits and I agree, with faster lighter reps sometime momentum can take over if you aren't careful. Have you done Amy Bento's Slo-Mo? That's a good one too! Several premixes on one dvd. I've never had Rugelach but now I want to try it! This PMS monster would rather like a cookie with her coffee right about now! Happy Hanukah!

Woo hoo! I've now done all 3 Slow & Heavy workouts, making that one less virgin on my shelf (which wasn't my main goal in doing them but is a nice side benefit). This one was a killer but a really good killer! I loved how Cathe seemed to get everything with a variety of exercises. I like working my triceps but was glad they were first because they're so hard! I was also glad she threw in abs at the end too because I had been thinking that was the only body part this series misses. The abs weren't killer but they were tough because there are no rests and had some interesting variations in there too.

Reflections on the Slow & Heavy series: I noticed, very quickly, that when I focus, the exercises are really hard in a really effective way. As soon as I stop focusing, I move faster, using more momentum and don't get the same burn. I can see why Cathe recommends a shorter rotation using these, they do take a lot of focus but that's good too, I hope it will train me to do the same with workouts that move faster. I really pushed myself and found that I can handle a lot more weight than I thought I could. I didn't keep track of the weights I used but wished I had. There were some I could go heavier with, some I overestimated on and had to change after a set or two. I loved how Cathe told you that a weight was too heavy for her and that she was changing weights so she could keep her form. She even changed in the middle of a set, which I thought was super honest and a good role model. I thought the hour long workouts would be too long, especially just focusing on two sets of muscle groups in each workout but each went fast it seemed and it really worked out to around a half hour each which isn't too much, I didn't think. I wasn't watching the clock at all, I was really immersed in them. I felt great too, after every workout. Feeling like I had really accomplished something. I knew I'd given my best effort and I felt very powerful and thrilled. These are very tough workouts but very doable too for many fitness levels. Cathe gives excellent instructions, form pointers and demonstrates modifications. The music is really good too. I think I liked the music in Chest & Back best though. Speaking of Chest & Back, I forgot to mention that I have never thought of superman and planks as being really difficult until I did that workout!! Wow!! I was so glad when the superman exercises were over and my arms were shaking so hard in the planks!!! I loved it though!

Once again, , thank you for challenging me!! Tomorrow, I'm taking a rest day and then Sunday will be a quick cardio and a good stretch before a Chanukah party at my Dad and step-mother's. I'd be skipping that workout for sure if you hadn't given me an idea for a plan and a rotation to follow! I'm in charge of dessert for the party and Miriam and I are making a super delicious double chocolate rolled cake (actually from Light & Tasty magazine so pretty low points, etc.) and rugelach. Rugelach is a traditional Jewish cookie that is anything but low fat, points or anything else (lots of cream cheese & butter in the dough) but super yummy so my workouts this week will help balance those out! We're doing that Saturday after I work and workout. Not sure what is on the agenda next week but I think I'll do a similar plan (Mon, Wed. Fri strength training, probably more Cathe & Tues, Thurs., Sat. cardio with a good stretch on Saturday).