Advice on which DVD's to get

[GAtoME 2008]

I am just getting back to working out after a 2 year hiatus.
Currently my only exercise is hiking once every week or 2.
I am planning on hiking the Appalachian Trail starting in April of next year, so I have basically 4 months to get back in shape.

I am quite overweight and would like to get in shape and lose about 40 pounds before I start.

These are the ones I have picked out but not sure if they are the ones I need.

Drill Max
Hardcore Series: Gym Style: Back, Shoulders and Biceps
Hardcore Series: Gym Style Legs
Hardcore Series: Gym Style Chest & Triceps

I also have at home a treadmill for cardio.
I am not real good at all the step moves, I get confused real easy so figure I would stick to treadmill and hiking for my cardio.

Any advice is welcome.
Sorry for the long winded post

 

[LeanneM]

If you're planning on doing the treadmill and hiking for your cardio, then these Cathe DVD's are great to get! Drill Max does have cardio since it's a circuit workout (which alternates between cardio drills and weight segments), but it's a great calorie burner. The Gym Styles are also great weight workouts, and Cathe makes weight lifting so much fun to do!

As a bit of advice, though, you may not want to include Drill Max (or at least use really light weights) if you're focusing on using the GS series since the circuit workouts, as other Cathe forum members have told me, may be counterproductive to your lifting routine.

Hope that this helps!
Leanne

 

[lesliew]

What other Cathe workouts do you own? Since you're fitness goal is to get in shape for a four month hike I would think you'd want to focus on endurance. Then again, you'll need a strong upper body to carry all your gear. Circuit workouts are great for endurance and GS will certainly build muscle, but I was wondering if there's anything else you may have that you can add.

 

[GAtoME 2008]

I don't have any of the DVD's yet. I have a few episodes saved from FitTV.

Yes, endurance is key. I know I need to build up strength over all, especially legs.

 

[lesliew]

Well, if that's the case I would do the GS workouts twice a week, Drill Max once a week and long walks three times a week. Once a week I would do treadmill intervals where you walk for a few minutes as a warm up, then do an all out sprint for a minute (or at a pace you can tolerate, but it should get your heart rate up) then do a recovery walk for a couple of minutes to get your HR down. Repeat 4-5 times and add an extra interval as your tolerance builds up. That's a good way to shock your system to avoid plateaus and help with the weight loss. You may also want to take a break from GS after a couple of months and do an endurance based weight workout to shock your muscles. Cathe has a lot of those.

Oh yes, don't forget to devote extra time to stretching. It's very important esp. when you focus on heavy weight training.

 

[GAtoME 2008]

Leslie,

Thanks for all your help.

Does this sound like a good rotation to you, keeping in mind that I work retail and long hours are around the corner for the next month or so


Sun: GS:Back/Shoulders/Bi's + basic cardio on treadmill
Mon: Treadmill Intervals
Tues: GS:Legs
Wed: Mountain hike
Thur: GS:Chest and tri's + cardio on treadmill
Fri: Long walk
Sat: Drill Max


Thanks again

 

[lesliew]

Where's the rest day? You should take one day off and just stretch or do some gentle yoga. Don't forget, Drill Max has weight work in it too. You might want to place it between your Treadmill interval days and GS Legs. I don't like to work my shoulders two days in a row, which is what you'll be doing on Sat and Sun. with your current rotation. It also looks like you'll be getting six cardio days in a week. I don't know if you need that many. It may be too much this time of year with your long hours. You also don't want to burn out or develop this huge appetite, which I tend to do when I work out hard.

How about this:

Sun: GS Back/Shoulders/Bi's
Mon: Treadmill Intervals
Tues: GS Legs/yoga or stretch
Wed: Mountain Hike
Thur: GS C&T plus cardio
Fri: off
Sat: Drill Max
Sun: Long Walk

I know it's an eight day rotation, but who said you have to fit it all in in seven? Just rotate the workouts and don't feel bad about taking a day off now and then when you wake up tired.