Seeking Reviews of Maximun Intensity Cardio

WRITER

Cathlete
This is one of the Cathe workouts I still don't have, and I want to know what you all think. I love Circuit Max, it's probably my current favorite. Is MIC like CM (without weights, of course)? Several threads have mentioned that MIC is intense, is it more intense than MIC? What about the fun factor? What about choreography complexity? Thanks.
 
I love the MIC hi/lo segment; the step segment I find a little moderate, although after 35 minutes of hi/lo maybe you need a bit o' lighter.

There is a floor warm-up, low-impact, medium-impact and then all-out hi-impact development in the first 35 minutes. The high impact portion (approximately 15 minutes long, beginning about 18:35 minutes into the workout), is replete with jumps, high kicks, hi-knee lifts, plyo jacks, plyo heel digs (which I've never mastered; I substitute power scissors / explosive lunges) and my beloved high-knee runs.

The step segment has well-cued and well-built-up choreography that she pulls together into these long strings (having given you plenty of practice time), and ends with a mini-interval blast.

I think there's certainly a place for it in your library. The high-low doesn't vault you into the stratosphere as quickly as Circuit Max does, but it's well worth it.

A-Jock
 
I'm probably in the minority here but I thought I might offer a different perspective on this workout.

If what you are after is intensity, this will satisfy you. If, however, you are looking for a little more challenge with the choreography, this will probably not do it for you. I personally find MIC very boring.
 
I concur with Stargazer. I like the Hi/low part, but the step is very repetitive and boring. Even the blasts are boring. I seldom so the step portion. I usually combine the hi/low of MIC with the hi/low circuit from SJP. This is alot of fun.
 
I agree with what everyone else has said. It's a great high intensity workout with some of Cathe's simpler choreography.

One really nice thing about it is that it's easy to split it into two nice 1/2 hour cardio workouts if you're short on time or doing some mish-moshing.

IMHO, it's a Cathe cardio "must-have".
 
Hi-

If you need an intense, "pick me up off the floor when I am done" workout this one done in its entirety will be the ticket. The choreography is moderate, nothing too fancy esp if you are used to doing step workouts w/ Cathe.

The ability to split it into two workouts is a definite plus as well.

However, IMHO, I kind of think its a bit boring. I find that I don't do it nearly as much as her other workouts, esp. the step portion.

However,if you are looking to round out your collection, I would think its worthy of the purchase. It will definitely challenge you cardiovascularly.

Take care, Lynn M.
 
If you want to work on your cardiovascular endurance, this would be a good choice. I think what makes this seem so intense is that it is long and the moves are nonstop. I like the hi/lo better than the step portion and the choreography is pretty basic.

JJ
 
LOVE MIC. You know, there are some days when you get up early in the morning to work out, & your brain isn't fully functional yet, & you just feel like sweating without having to think about it--those are the days for MIC.

In fact, I'm hoping someday there will be an MIC2.........
 
Thanks for all the reviews. Although I am picking up Cathe's choreography, I'm still a little challenged by complexity, but I love intensity, so maybe this is a good one for when I need to rest my tired brain! Step Blast takes so much concentration!
 
MIC isn't my favority cathe cardio.. but it burns the calories!

i did it several times while on my end of year vacation.. i'd start with MIS then do MIC! (yes.. both in the same day.. since i wasn't working i had plenty of time to spend doing both!)

i couldn't do that too often though strictly cuz the fun factor of the cardio workout isn't there!
 
WOW Desertbriez...

When you were on "Vacation" you were doing MIS and MIC?? We all know that those are two great workouts that go great together...but on the same day?? Not much of a Vacation for your body!! I must applaud you for both your dedication and your fitness level.

Do you like doing full-body weight training...like MIS, or split by body part? I personally find MIS to be a very challenging strength and endurance (and even aerobic) workout by itself, with appropriate weight. Do you find that "same day" weight training limits the intensity of additional "hard" cardio sessions like MIC? Do you begin by limiting or reducing the amount of weight lifted in MIS or what? On a good day, what are normal MIS weights for you, and do you lighten up when planning intense cardio? Thank you.
 
I have a love/hate relationship with MIC. I can't do it as often anymore because it kills my feet but boy does it burn the calories.
 
I love this workout!!! The hi-lo is so fun sometimes I do it twice. Now that I have it on DVD, I'm going to try to mix it up some more.

You must get it.Your library will not be complete. A lot of people say its boring but it's a good solid, calorie burning workout.

Marla:)
 
This is intense, but not that much fun - IMO. The Hi/Lo isn't fun (because I hate Hi/Lo). I have to do it tonight. Bleah.
 
I think it's boring too, but it burns a lot of calories. I like using it when I am not in the mood to think. I have plenty of dancey complex stuff. Sometimes it's nice to have something a little easier in complexity that just burns a ton of calories.

Aila:)
 
it was a vacation from work! i had intended to do a LOT of bike riding but the weather didn't cooperate a lot of that time... so i made up for it by doing cathe.. and a lot of it!

normally i don't do that much.. i've done the occasional PLB/PUB both on the same day on a weekend... but normally only have time for one workout before leaving for work! and weekends usually end up being for looooong bike rides.. unless the weather is bad... if i ride shorter.. i'll do a longer workout i can't fit in on weekday mornings!

i actually like both full body and split.. as in splitting between upper and lower (i.e. PUB and PLB or legs and glutes. it really depends on my mood... i haven't followed rotations yet... i keep saying i'm going to....then something comes up! i don't like the way pure strength splits... i have only done that doing both upper body workouts one day and the lower body another day... (i just recently bought them) i haven't even done slow and heavy yet cuz i can't motivate myself to do it.. i think cuz i know i'll have to do the split if i find the correct weights... plus i like PUB too much.. i'm bad!

i actually did the MIS/MIC one the same day two different times during my vacation time.... the first time i did it, i was fine for the cardio... however the second time that i did it.. i got up... and was messing around on the computer instead of getting right to my workout... i don't eat before working out... so by the time i got to MIS.... i should have finished that.. then eaten my breakfast.. well.. being hard-headed i didn't... when i got to the step portion.. i thought about quitting cuz i was hungry by then!!! but i stuck it out... i still burned a lot of calories and had my heart rate up there.. but i know it wasn't as good a workout.. cuz i was hungry!

i'll have to look at my white board at home to see what weights i use... i think that's one where i use what cathe uses.. but probably not on biceps.. i have weak biceps x( i think there's only one or two of her workouts i can match the biceps.. and that's where she only uses a 20 or 25 pound barbell... can't remember which workouts though...

on the days i did double.. i didn't do any less weight... didn't think about doing that cuz i was looking for intensity and a good, hard workout (to replace the bike that day)

for me.. i'm happy with my fitness level.... i know there are a lot of people out there that can do more weight than i can.. but i also read a lot where people find workouts to be undoable that i find.. not easy... but not difficult (can't think of how to describe it)... (i.e. bootcamp and terminator... two of my favorite workouts!)

i'll check my board and get back to you with my weight selections!
 
I have a dread factor with this one also, but I had to do it today for the January rotation. Once I got into it the time did go by rather quickly, but the choreography in the hi/lo section is a little dated and repititious, imo.
 
I also love this MIC. Probably because it was one of my first purchases, along with MIS and Bodymax. I'm always so exhausted at the end of the Hi/Lo-thinking when will this be over so I can start the step portion. It's a nice long cardio challenging, fat burning workout. It's very basic as far as choreography goes. I would definitely recommend it.

Diana
 
How can I put this without sounding silly . . . . I enjoy MIC, but I don't love it. I'm one of those rare individuals who can do step all day, but have two left feet on Hi/Lo. Some folks say the step portion is boring, but I think it's just athletic, which is fine with me (not so good on dance-y choreography). Any day now, I'm expecting an epiphany that will get me through the Hi/Lo without stopping and trying to figure out why my feet just won't cooperate.

ang :D
 

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