Lean Phase of CLX

[MARIKA]

I can't take it!! It's just so freakin awkward. The moves just don't flow for me. Today is my last workout of the 2cd week & I want to quit. I always finish my rotations but this time I might not make it. Did anyone else feel this too? This must have been the reason I never did CLX again I loved Burn & Push but the lasting memeory of Lean must have scarred me!

[Melissa C]

Oh, yes indeed Marika--I LOVE Lean Circuit 3 but Lean Circuits 1 and 2 just never cranked my tractor at all. I was where you are two weeks ago, and just forced myself to bang out two more weeks so I could say I've done CLX twice.

I like compound movements and exercises, but the ones in the Lean Circuit require you to hold in your abs AND keep your back flat AND stay balanced. . .and--oh yeah--we're working two other body parts at the same time. Oh, heck, I say--let's make it really hard--why don't you just hand me a plate and a stick and say I have to keep it spinning at the same time?

Mercy me.

[desderata]

Lean is tough, mentally and physically You use all kinds of core muscle to balance while doing compound moves. For me, the hardest exercises are the ones that work on my weakenesses, and that was true for Lean. I just kept on telling myself I needed it and how good it was for me. Oh yeah, I swallowed my pride and lowered my weights to where I could use perfect form. It's really satisfying to finish a rotation, so keep going!

[PeakFitness]

Originally Posted by Melissa C

why don't you just hand me a plate and a stick and say I have to keep it spinning at the same time?

Mercy me.

Yeah, that's what I feel like I'm doing. I'm on week 1 of Lean for the firt time. I'm really not liking it. I'm making it a little easier on myself by using a lighter weight on purpose, so I don't tip over or something!

[Melissa C]

Now that I've done this program twice, I think the changes I would make if I were to do it again would be:

Add on an abdominal routine to the 3 Circuit workouts--what's "embedded" in the circuits wasn't enough to strengthen my back for the heavier weights, and the one ab-focused workout (Ab Burner or Extreme Abs) was only scheduled in the original program for one day.

Keep Burn Intervals in the schedule, but maybe do it on Day 2 and add a short stretch afterward since I would do abs on weight training days.

Probably ditch Burn it Off altogether since I have Turbo Fire workouts. if I wanted to do an interval workout I'd pick one of the HIITs and then follow it up with Fire 30. Or I might hunt down Energy Sprint on DVD (it's been YEARS but I'll bet it could challenge me again!)

[Debbie S.]

Originally Posted by desderata

Lean is tough, mentally and physically You use all kinds of core muscle to balance while doing compound moves. For me, the hardest exercises are the ones that work on my weakenesses, and that was true for Lean. I just kept on telling myself I needed it and how good it was for me. Oh yeah, I swallowed my pride and lowered my weights to where I could use perfect form. It's really satisfying to finish a rotation, so keep going!

You worded what the Lean phase is all about perfectly!

Even though you don't use very heavy weights during this phase, this phase was definitely the hardest strength circuits that I had ever done. Every single part of my being shook like crazy. I swear, it felt like I could feel neuron in my body ignite. Even the sweat that literally poured out of me felt different.

For me, I'm really glad that I did a test run with one of the workouts before I started the Lean phase. It's the workout that has you doing triceps extensions on your knees. This workout looked the weirdest for me. I'm so glad that I gave it a test run so I could get a feel for how this phase worked. Had I not done a test run, I most likely would have dropped out, something I never do.

I also had to modify a couple of the biceps/legs combinations. For me, the standing biceps curls with hamstring curls really aggravated my lower back, so I did wall squats and biceps curls. Talking about setting your lower body on fire. There was another combination that I modified, but I can't think of it at this moment.

I know I've said it before, but this phase was magic for me. I lost 6 lbs. in this phase alone. CLX also broke the long plateau that I had hit when I entered peri-menopause.

[MARIKA]

Wow, Thanks guys good to know it'a not just me. Desderato I think your exactly right in your description. The mental focus it takes plus the physical strength combine to make your brain want to burst. Today on 2 I used ankle weights instead of the band & it felt better. I will go on until completion. If it's hard I must need it! Just reminds me a few years ago when my DD's friend said to me " Sweating to the oldies Mrs. K!" I could have cross, jab & uppercut her! JK. This stuff is TOUGH! WE should really be so proud of ourselves. I never thought at 45 I'd be working out like this & losing sleep over Asylum!!

[icebergslim]

Damn, u gals making me want to pull that cc out and order CLX. I have been on the fence, but for the new year, I want a new rotation for the late winter/early spring to jump start summer. I just may have to get this. Thanks for all the input.

[F1mom]

Originally Posted by Debbie S.

Even though you don't use very heavy weights during this phase, this phase was definitely the hardest strength circuits that I had ever done. Every single part of my being shook like crazy. I swear, it felt like I could feel neuron in my body ignite. Even the sweat that literally poured out of me felt different.

Okay, that's it. I'm ordering CLX instead of P90X. I've been literally craving heavy weights after months of only using 1, 2 and 3 pound weights, and this sounds like what I've been looking for.

[ARTmethodfan]

Originally Posted by icebergslim

Damn, u gals making me want to pull that cc out and order CLX. I have been on the fence, but for the new year, I want a new rotation for the late winter/early spring to jump start summer. I just may have to get this. Thanks for all the input.

Ditto! I've been going back and forth about it for months. I talk myself out of the set when I think of the Push phase. But then I talk myself back into it with the Lean phase which sounds awesome to me.