Pure Strength Series: any good???

crazystepr

Cathlete
Cathe's May rotation calls for two weeks of the PS series. I don't currently own it and I'm wondering if it's worth the investment. I have the Gym Styles series, PUB/PLB, 4DS, Slow and Heavy, Leaner Legs, hmmmmm....that's about it for my favorite strength building workouts. Should I get PS? I'm not too crazy about the dated look. Should I just sub some of my other workouts for it or do you think it's really great to have?.... TIA!!!

Allison

http://www.picturetrail.com/allisonj90
 
Honestly, you could go either way on this. I have all of the same workouts and I do use them all. I'm actually doing Pure Strength this week (although I'm doing Butts and Gutts tonight). It does have a dated look at this point, but it's still a really good workout. My arms were trembling after the triceps work this work. I just like having the added variety. The additional nice thing about Pure Strenght is that the workouts are each about 45 minutes in length (the legs is 56). It's quick and really effective. I like having it. It's not the most used of my workouts, but I definitely reach for it every other month for a full week, at least, or when I'm time crunched. I say go for it - with Cathe, you can't really have too many, can you?
 
I like PS. Yes, you have to get past the dated look, but the workout itself is effective. Cathe has some excersises (sp?) in PS that she doesn't have elsewhere. I actually prefer PS to GS. It is short, effective and to the point. Cathe does 8-10 reps as opposed to GS which is 12-15 reps. I also like the way Cathe did the PS split: chest, tri, shoulders is one workout, back and biceps is another, and legs and abs is the third. IMHO, PS is worth the money.

Deanie
 
I agree that PS is a great workout, but you can easily sub with the workouts you have. If you want to add to your Cathe collection, then by all means get it. I agree with Deanie that it has some exercises you won't find on Cathe's other workouts, but S&H or the 4DS will work perfectly for Cathe's May rotation. ;)
 
PS does have a bit dated look (can you say "sweat band"), but several months ago, I got mine out again after several years of not using it, and I was pleasantly surprised at how good a workout it is. The pace allows for heavier lifting, and there are actually good breaks between exercises (on some workouts, I have to pause between exercises because I feel there's not enough recovery between sets). The exercises are pretty straight forward.

If you can get past the somewhat dated look (think of it as "retro", LOL!) it's an excellent 3-day split, IMO.

It's too bad SNM doesn't drop its prices on the more dated workouts (like pretty much everyone else does).
 
> I also like the way
>Cathe did the PS split: chest, tri, shoulders is one workout,
>back and biceps is another, and legs and abs is the third.

I forgot about that. Another plus for the series, I personally think that's one of the best splits, since it works one large muscle group (chest, back, legs) each workout, so you hit large muscles 3x a week, which gives a boost to human growth hormone production and metabolism.
 
I agree with the others. It is a good workout that has stuff not found in other Cathe stuff. Sometimes, I have problems with workouts that look dated but it is nice to mix things up. Once I do them (older workout), I think, "why don't I pull this one out more?"

I haven't done it in a while but am planning to do the May rotation and am looking forward to it.
 
I forgot about the change in the standard combinations of muscle groups. That's one of my favorite aspects of these workouts. (chest, tris, shoulders and then back and bis). What I don't mind about the dated look is seeing where Cathe, and the rest of the ladies still around were, physically, and where they are now. It's amazing to see there progress and is essentially proof positive that Cathe's workouts deliver!!
 
I got this out again last year and loved it. The dated look doesn't bother me and I think the w/o is really good. For some reason this really gets my legs like no other. It is that floor work with the body bar. I had it on VHS so hadn't used it in a long time but I traded for the DVD and now get it out regularly. It has sort of become a "go to" for me when I can't decide. Feel that way about Power Hour also.
 
Okay I am thisclose to getting the PS series; after all these years being on the fence about this set of workouts.

I have noticed Cathe does include the series often in her rotations and well do I really want them?

I mean I have all of her workouts minus this set and for some crazy reason the dated look is what throws me off every time.

LOL maybe I need to stick with S&H as subs for PS when it comes up during this month's rotation.
 
>I mean I have all of her workouts minus this set and for some
>crazy reason the dated look is what throws me off every time.

This is my exact problem! I have almost all of her workouts except for this series but I just can't get myself to order it because of the dated look! x( Plus, I don't have a body bar....

I think I'm trying to convince myself that I don't NEED it. I just love having variety in my workouts, though, and this series does comes up a lot in Cathe's rotations, like the above poster said.

Decisions, decisions....

Allison

http://www.picturetrail.com/allisonj90
 
>>I mean I have all of her workouts minus this set and for
>some
>>crazy reason the dated look is what throws me off every
>time.
>
>This is my exact problem! I have almost all of her workouts
>except for this series but I just can't get myself to order it
>because of the dated look! x( Plus, I don't have a body
>bar....
>
> I think I'm trying to convince myself that I don't NEED it. I
>just love having variety in my workouts, though, and this
>series does comes up a lot in Cathe's rotations, like the
>above poster said.
>
>Decisions, decisions....
>
>Allison


Allison; LMBO Ayup - I feel your pain !

Everytime Cathe puts this series in one of her rotations the same question always comes up as to whether I should invest that money for that dvd.

A few years back (perhaps 2003 or 04)I posed a question on the forums here on which to get - The Slow & Heavy series or The Pure Strength series.... after a nice response from plenty of folks I ended up buying the S&H series instead.

So once again I will reach for S&H when the PS series are due on the rotation. Esp. since I just viewed the demos and once again PS didn't call me to purchase them.

I think I'll take the 50 dollars and buy myself new workout pants (which I really could use instead lol)

Plus with STS around the corner I'm sure I'll be working my muscles anyhows *grins brightly* }(
 
It's not that dated looking. She wears workout shorts and tank. When you're on your back doing chest work, you're not looking at what they're wearing anyway (I hope - your form would be compromised). I always get DOMS from this leg workout, too.
 
You know, I found the PS series in my local library (VHS), and that's how I tried them. I actually like these workouts a lot, even the music (it's fun to work out to ZZ Top's song Legs during PS Legs :) ). I liked them enough after trying them that I bought the DVD and do them when my time is short.


Check out your library if you don't want to commit to buying them just yet, and I want to put in a word for PS Legs. It was my first legs workout and still a very good one.

have a great day!
Dawn
 

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