Revisited MBS w/Tracie

[Joni O]

I do a lot of Firms and FF through most of the lower body work these days. I really miss leg presses, but my knees can’t handle them anymore - even on the short step. My PT told me that perfect form is really important for squats, so I hesitate to do those, as well as lunges. Every squat I did she told me was wrong, and I've been doing them for years. I substitute deadlifts a lot and do more barre-type work and Classical Stretch for lower body. Also lots and lots of walking.

[Taramisu]

I don't have any knee issues, but one of my hips gets quite cranky at times, therefore I haven't done much Firm lately except for my two pinks that don't have leg press in them.

I think next time I do leg presses I may try them on a 10 inch box and see what that does, I have been using 12 inches for quite a few years and it's been fine but I just want to experiment with lower heights. Something tells me this might be a smart move, it certainly can't hurt to try.

[Joni O]

Planning to do MBS tomorrow.

[Jennifer R]

Taramisu, lowering the box made a HUGE difference for me. And lowering the weight too.

[Taramisu]

Originally Posted by Jennifer R

Taramisu, lowering the box made a HUGE difference for me. And lowering the weight too.

Thanks Jennifer! I am going to try that. 12 inches hasn't been bad but I am sure 10 would be effective too, and potentially kinder to my joints in the long run which I think is a wise move at this point.

Buying my high step almost 10 years ago was one of the best fitness investments that I have ever made, my days with leg press at 14 inches were over immediately. I always felt that height was too high, for me anyway.

[TinaT]

Since I've been using only the blue portion of my step, I've been able to really concentrate on form. As I come up onto the step, I'm able to squeeze the muscle harder and more purposeful. Coming down is now a softer landing and more controlled. I normally would have issue dropping to fast and feeling like I was crashing. I use heavier weight with the blue portion as well.

[Joni O]

Did it this morning - well, my 30-minute abridged mostly upper body version anyway.

[JackieB]

I used to love this workout with Tracie!

[Taramisu]

I did Tough Tape 2 (one of my all time favorite Firms) yesterday, and used 10 inches for leg press. It was good and will probably stick with this height for the time being, especially for tall box climbs. I think 12 inches is too high for those especially. For leg press 12 inches gets my heart rate up more, which I kind of need, but my form is better on 10 inches. Yesterday I did a set of leg press on each height to compare.

If I get considerably stronger, I may go back to 12 inches for leg press, maybe. I will have to keep an eye on it.

Another thing I discovered though, squats with pulses are out for me permanently, I feel them in my lower back immediately so they have to go. I will either sub a hold at the bottom (3 count hold for a 3 count pulse) or a slower count which is what I do for low ends, or squats that are especially fast paced (the single squats in Jari Love's original Ripped come to mind).

I have never liked pulses or low ends anyway so this is not disappointing news for me. I have to do what is best for my low back after all.

[Gibbee]

This is really a great workout, I agree. I need to pull it out again and revisit it myself.

As far as the tall box, when I had some knee PT done several years back I had been doing (among other things) Cathe’s Legs & Glutes. The PT had me do step ups to check my form and he said he recommends a lower step (he had me at 6” and later at 8” because if you can’t keep from one hip hiking up (or dropping the other), then you can be moving in poorly controlled fashion and damaging the joint. I had IT band issues along with the knee (related issues) so it made sense. If there aren’t a 1,000 of them, I will bump up to a 10 or 12 if I’m not rushing, but otherwise, I keep it lower.

Just make it work for you.

Taramisu.... Low pulses aren’t really for me, either.