KCM getting in on "metabolic training"

[Vee]

I am another person who thinks Kelly's form is excellent.

My opinions, just so anyone reading for the first time about KCM will know this exists:
1. She cant be compared to a person trained in martial arts , but her kickbox/boxing form is above average for fitness instructors, and very suitable for those who want a workout and are not training to fight.
2. She likes mixing in full-range-of-motion, explosive style lifts that she executes cleanly, but usually has Lauren show modifications (unless it is Olympic lifting where the whole point is to lift in this style).

Rather than her form, what I sometimes find a challenge is the speed at which she moves in weight training. *I* cannot maintain good form unless *I* go slower or use lighter weights. But this is few and far between. For the most part her workouts are a fun, safe, no-dread way to exercise effectively in the time available, be it 30 minutes or more.

Again, there is no intention to say those who dont like her form are wrong. This is just my opinion.

[caligurl]

kelly's not the only one that does the twisting lawn mower move.... it's in P90X and i think at least one other that i can't think off the top of my head....

[caligurl]

Originally Posted by Vee

I am another person who thinks Kelly's form is excellent.

My opinions, just so anyone reading for the first time about KCM will know this exists:
1. She cant be compared to a person trained in martial arts , but her kickbox/boxing form is above average for fitness instructors, and very suitable for those who want a workout and are not training to fight.
2. She likes mixing in full-range-of-motion, explosive style lifts that she executes cleanly, but usually has Lauren show modifications (unless it is Olympic lifting where the whole point is to lift in this style).

Rather than her form, what I sometimes find a challenge is the speed at which she moves in weight training. *I* cannot maintain good form unless *I* go slower or use lighter weights. But this is few and far between. For the most part her workouts are a fun, safe, no-dread way to exercise effectively in the time available, be it 30 minutes or more.

Again, there is no intention to say those who dont like her form are wrong. This is just my opinion.

i've never had any issues with kelly's form???? she even addresses the concept of explosive move in one of her newer dvds....

i agree with your opinion, vee! and i totally agree that her workouts are fun, safe and no-dread! i hope she keeps them coming!!!!

[Helen S]

I don't think anybody said that Kelly's explosive moves were bad. I happen to like those types of exercises but I'm also used to kettlebells and I like power lifting moves. Only one person on this thread thought that Kelly had bad form in terms of weight lifting (unless I missed some). So I can't comment on that since it wasn't me.

I did indicate that some of her shoulder exercises aggravated my shoulder. These were mostly from her older workouts. Since I sold them a long time ago, I don't remember the exact moves. However, the shoulder exercises that usually aggravate my rotator cuff are isolation exercises (not compound or explosive ones), e.g. scarecrows, upright rows. It's also when instructors try to get too creative or try to put an extra twist to traditional exercises. For example, side lateral raises are o.k. But they are not o.k. when an instructor says that you should rotate your arms so that your pinky fingers are facing the ceiling.

Kelly also happens to be very strong in her shoulders so she can use really heavy weights for isolation exercises. At least, I know that I can't use as heavy of weights as she can (I can for compound or explosive type moves) but it's something that a new person might not realize.

[kali1]

Originally Posted by Helen S

I don't think anybody said that Kelly's explosive moves were bad. I happen to like those types of exercises but I'm also used to kettlebells and I like power lifting moves. Only one person on this thread thought that Kelly had bad form in terms of weight lifting (unless I missed some). So I can't comment on that since it wasn't me.

I did indicate that some of her shoulder exercises aggravated my shoulder. These were mostly from her older workouts. Since I sold them a long time ago, I don't remember the exact moves. However, the shoulder exercises that usually aggravate my rotator cuff are isolation exercises (not compound or explosive ones), e.g. scarecrows, upright rows. It's also when instructors try to get too creative or try to put an extra twist to traditional exercises. For example, side lateral raises are o.k. But they are not o.k. when an instructor says that you should rotate your arms so that your pinky fingers are facing the ceiling.

Kelly also happens to be very strong in her shoulders so she can use really heavy weights for isolation exercises. At least, I know that I can't use as heavy of weights as she can (I can for compound or explosive type moves) but it's something that a new person might not realize.

Hey Helen - which DVD's were you talking about? Just curious

[Helen S]

After my last post, I wanted to write that I do like some of Kelly's workouts. For weights, I like her 30 Minutes to Weights. Her Circuit Burn is one of my favorite circuit workouts because it's a fun format. I hope she makes a Circuit Burn 2.

I also like her step boxing, kickboxing, and boxing workouts. I haven't noticed if she has bad posture but then I've seen other boxing instructors hunch over like that. So it wouldn't bother me if I did. I don't box that way but I studied martial arts not boxing.

As for her new metabolic training, I'm not sure. I don't mind burpees. The only time I didn't like them is in Tracey Staehle's BC workouts because they are the first exercise in the warm-up. Early in the morning, my body is not ready to jump in like that. The reason why I'm not sure was because I was looking forward to her Plyo Workout. Unfortunately, I received it after dong an Insanity rotation so it didn't bring my heart rate up. But I felt that way about P90X Plyo and I did that way before Insanity. I guess I'm saying that I would want a Metabolic Training Workout to be intense and Kelly's workouts are usually intermediate in level. To be fair, Cathe's AfterBurn (which is supposed to be MT according to Cathe) also didn't raise my heart rate up but I did end up liking it because of the toning/light cardio benefit.

[Artist of Eyes]

Originally Posted by Taramisu

For those who have commented on her questionable moves, I am genuinely curious which moves or exercises are being referred to. I really like KCM and have several of her 30 MTF series, none of her earlier offererings though. But I would like to know which exercises I should watch out for or be more careful with. I have heard that NYC has some iffy exercises, but I don't have that workout and don't plan on acquiring it either.

I tend to agree that she does get creative with a lot of moves, I personally modify which ones that don't feel right, or I follow Lauren. It seems to work for me.

Thanks in advance...

I feel her shoulder and upper back work is unsafe and this is where she gets creative and her body posture creates poor form. Her shoulds tend to be hunched over and she lurches into the shoulder and back work. Also depending on your personal anatomy, your rotator cuff may not have a lot of room internally to allow the tendons to move and glide without snagging (impingement). If you are someone that has a more narrow scope inside the rotator and you won't know this until an injury happens, this can cause tendonitis, bursitis, and impingement syndrome which once you get it, you'll always have it. It might go into remission, but it will flare and it aggravated by the tweaky moves and twists she uses in the Upper Body work. This is why I say it's unsafe and uses poor form. Some people's anatomy will allow for a more diverse range of motion as well as more powerful lifts. Others don't. And like I said, coming from experience with impingements, you don't know where you stand until it happens and sometimes it doesn't happen until you repeatly flare the rotator which to be frank, you don't always feel. I have impingements on both sides. I never had issues until a few yrs ago. I did heavy lifting, body building with coaches, Cathe, you name it. And one day, I partially disloacted my left shoulder doing an exercise I had dones a million times before. The aftermath caused an impingement. I know have an impingement on my right side from doing back rows and the imflammation it caused it over time within the very fragile rotator cuff.

So, what Kelly can do works for her. But for someone working out at home, without the trained eyes of a physical therapist, exercise physiologist, and/or highly trained personal trainer you won't know what your body mechanics will and will not allow for shoulder work. You might be able to do something 100x before having a problem, sometimes you can't even do it once. I never recommend KCM for people to use for weights unless you know your form is perfect and you can look away from her and not copycat. While I could modify, I don't want to that's not why I buy exercise DVDs. If I see someone using poor form, it's out of my collection regardless.

[DirtDiva]

Originally Posted by Artist of Eyes

I feel her shoulder and upper back work is unsafe and this is where she gets creative and her body posture creates poor form. Her shoulds tend to be hunched over and she lurches into the shoulder and back work. Also depending on your personal anatomy, your rotator cuff may not have a lot of room internally to allow the tendons to move and glide without snagging (impingement). If you are someone that has a more narrow scope inside the rotator and you won't know this until an injury happens, this can cause tendonitis, bursitis, and impingement syndrome which once you get it, you'll always have it. It might go into remission, but it will flare and it aggravated by the tweaky moves and twists she uses in the Upper Body work. This is why I say it's unsafe and uses poor form. Some people's anatomy will allow for a more diverse range of motion as well as more powerful lifts. Others don't. And like I said, coming from experience with impingements, you don't know where you stand until it happens and sometimes it doesn't happen until you repeatly flare the rotator which to be frank, you don't always feel. I have impingements on both sides. I never had issues until a few yrs ago. I did heavy lifting, body building with coaches, Cathe, you name it. And one day, I partially disloacted my left shoulder doing an exercise I had dones a million times before. The aftermath caused an impingement. I know have an impingement on my right side from doing back rows and the imflammation it caused it over time within the very fragile rotator cuff.

So, what Kelly can do works for her. But for someone working out at home, without the trained eyes of a physical therapist, exercise physiologist, and/or highly trained personal trainer you won't know what your body mechanics will and will not allow for shoulder work. You might be able to do something 100x before having a problem, sometimes you can't even do it once. I never recommend KCM for people to use for weights unless you know your form is perfect and you can look away from her and not copycat. While I could modify, I don't want to that's not why I buy exercise DVDs. If I see someone using poor form, it's out of my collection regardless.

Artist...you have a way of putting it down. I've been lifting since I was a teenager, and I'm blessed to have an extensive gym in my home with several stand-alone leverage machines, plate-weight machines, a full rack of dumbells up to 100 pounds, several Olympic barbells, on and on... My husband at one time was professional. I'm not wanting to give a litany of the weight I lift, but when Cathe has 40 on the barbell for squats, I've got 120 on mine. That said, not to sound like a muscle bound idiot, form is everything and I've never injured myself (except while mountainbiking) and the first time was with KCM. Sorry, I liked her too, but her form is not what I consider good for me. I completely agree with Artist here. As I recall it was on one of the 30 minutes weight lifting that came out a few years ago and it was a shoulder injury. I was really surprised since I also do STS 6 times a week and have been told repeatedly I'll injure myself, yet I continue to do this type of training to this day and only become stronger. So it depends on what works for different folks of course. I'm not bashing Kelly, please don't think I am, I think she is a wonderful instructor, but her form doesn't work for me.

[Kathryn]

Originally Posted by bearcatfan

This is the best news of all!

ITA!~Those are getting tiresome.

[Shelbyfit]

Originally Posted by mtnmom

I just hope she learns to spell "plateau" before it's released.

Ha! I was going to say the same.