classical stretch all the time?

[Sophie]

Originally Posted by Joni O

Here's my concern: CS works your muscles a certain way. Jari Love and other strength training seem to work muscles in an opposite way. Don't they cancel each other out then? CS elongates your muscles and works more of them at a time. Other methods contract your muscles and work them more one at a time.?

I honestly do not believe they cancel each other out in fact, quite the opposite - I believe they are quite complementary. I'm actually a bit surprised that Miranda, in her reply to you, didn't point out some things such as optimal length of muscles: in her "textbook", she says something to the effect that Essentrics/CS allows muscles to stay at optimal lengths for strength and efficiency.

I'm also a little surprised she didn't point out her frequent work with international calibre athletes - Olympic divers and NHL hockey players among them. Those people are doing "traditional" strength for sure - you can count on it. But they're including CS, and again, you can bet that they wouldn't be doing that if they didn't feel it was helping their performance in some way.

In my little part of the world, I've combined traditional weight work, including kettlebells, with CS and I don't see them as anything but complementary - if that's what you choose to do and enjoy.

[F1mom]

Originally Posted by Elzabee5

The downside of the whole classical stretch thing though is that I don't see where you can try it out to good effect without spending a decent deal of $. So far as I can tell, it is not on my PBS station. .

Could this help? http://www.youtube.com/results?searc...ssical+stretch

[flowerpotcat]

Originally Posted by Sophie

I honestly do not believe they cancel each other out in fact, quite the opposite - I believe they are quite complementary. I'm actually a bit surprised that Miranda, in her reply to you, didn't point out some things such as optimal length of muscles: in her "textbook", she says something to the effect that Essentrics/CS allows muscles to stay at optimal lengths for strength and efficiency.

I'm also a little surprised she didn't point out her frequent work with international calibre athletes - Olympic divers and NHL hockey players among them. Those people are doing "traditional" strength for sure - you can count on it. But they're including CS, and again, you can bet that they wouldn't be doing that if they didn't feel it was helping their performance in some way.

I was going to point this out too. I agree, CS complements other workouts!

[glowacki]

Originally Posted by donnamp

I tend to float between CS and Yoga - sometimes doing both - sometimes focusing more on one than the other.

Glowacki - I'd love to hear more about your rotation - such as a sample week. It sounds like it would fit in well w/ what I'd like to do these days.

I don't think of it as a rotation, because it hasn't changed in a year and a half. It's just what I do. Surprisingly, I haven't gotten bored because there's so much variety within the different workouts.

MON: CS Season 8 episode + Yoga Today
TUES: one of the longer CS/Essentrics classes like Core Workout, Full Body Workout Vol 2, or Flexibility Workout for Athletes
WED: CS Season 8 episode + Yoga Today
THURS: one of the half hour Essentrics classes (Sahra's Arms, Abs, Waist/Legs, Butt, Thighs or Miranda's re-released 2008 Upper & Lower Body) + Yoga Today
FRI: one hour weight lifting class at Park & Rec
SAT: off
SUN: CS Season 8 episode + Yoga Today

I also have Miranda's Stretching For Golf, which is just under 40 minutes, and I might use just that if I'm running late and don't have time to add anything else. I bought it from Miranda's website in Nov 2011 for $20. It's listed on Amazon.com right now for $99! Good Lord!!!

[calendria]

I will have to experiment with essentrics. I have such a hard time. i WANT to mix it in with some of the barre workokuts but those workokuts are sooo long.

[donnamp]

I like your workout plan, glowacki!!

Donna

[Debbie S.]

Originally Posted by Sophie

I honestly do not believe they cancel each other out in fact, quite the opposite - I believe they are quite complementary. I'm actually a bit surprised that Miranda, in her reply to you, didn't point out some things such as optimal length of muscles: in her "textbook", she says something to the effect that Essentrics/CS allows muscles to stay at optimal lengths for strength and efficiency.

I'm also a little surprised she didn't point out her frequent work with international calibre athletes - Olympic divers and NHL hockey players among them. Those people are doing "traditional" strength for sure - you can count on it. But they're including CS, and again, you can bet that they wouldn't be doing that if they didn't feel it was helping their performance in some way.

In my little part of the world, I've combined traditional weight work, including kettlebells, with CS and I don't see them as anything but complementary - if that's what you choose to do and enjoy.

I think everyone will respond differently. For some, CS might be all they need. For others like me, there is no way that CS would be enough.

Miranda said in #811 that she doesn't recommend weights for anyone unless you're a bodybuilder. She really believes that her program is all someone needs. But a lot of instructors believe that their program is all someone needs.

I did the April Bootcamp with season 8. I added one workout after my morning workout. For me, it was just a mild stretch, and I felt that each stretch wasn't held long enough for me. So even though I liked Miranda, her workouts were just so so for me. I think Jessica Smith's stretching workouts are very similar to CS and they are fantastic. She does a great job with her stretching workouts.

[Sophie]

Originally Posted by Debbie S.

I think everyone will respond differently. For some, CS might be all they need. For others like me, there is no way that CS would be enough.

Miranda said in #811 that she doesn't recommend weights for anyone unless you're a bodybuilder.

Yeah, I'm the same way. It wouldn't be enough for me either. But I don't think it's just a matter of "is it enough for your body" it's also a matter for "is it enough for your goals". And of course that's a huge source of variation whenever the "is it enough" question gets asked.

I've never done #811, although I've heard her say similar things in other workouts. But, I figure she's just tossing out tidbits of information here and there and is not going to get involved in a big discussion of goals and needs when she's trying to remember whether she's pushing a cloud or pulling a donkey next

[gigi]

Originally Posted by dela

I have been doing about 4-6 CS and Essentrics episodes per week since December.

I do them in conjunction with any other workout I am doing, right now that is the Drop 2 Sizes rotation plus heavy bag boxing classes and other random cardio dvds depending on my mood. Before this it was XTrain. I also do them on days I don't do other workouts, and find for a few months I have very few rest days where I did not workout at all.

I generally do CS at a different time than my other workouts since they are so easy to fit in anywhere. But if I have time I follow a workout with an episode because it feels good.

Now I find I crave them, I can tell my posture is improving, I feel like I stand differently, I definitely have increased flexibility, and overall, I am having more success in general with my overall fitness progress by combining CS with other workouts.

Curious...what is the drop two sizes rotation you are referring to?

[killoffsonny]

[QUOTE=Paine;2225634]Miranda said that Classical Stretch is the only form of exercise she does to stay in shape--she does not lift weights or do any other form of exercise.]

Teresa Tapp says the same thing about her workouts too. I don't see how they both look so good. I guess I just need more resistance than what they do. My body gets mushy.