Am I ready?

shobbsie

shobbsie

Cathlete
This is my first time posting here! I've been doing The Firm workouts for around 6 months, however, I'm hitting a plateau :(
I've lost 60 pounds, but have 15 more to go. I think I need to bump up my inensity. I purchased Basic Step/Body Fusion and love it. It doesn't seem too hard but really kicks me! I love the choreography as it takes my mind off of how hard I'm working.
I'm on the verge of buying the body blast series but am a little skeerd:) I'm 48. I know I shouldn't let age determine such things but wondered if there are many around my age that work out to Cathe videos on a regular basis?
BTW...I taught aeorbics from 1988 to 1995 and am almost certain I took a workshop in Kansas City, Missouri taught by Cathe.(would have been '91-'94) I lost the booklet, but we got a booklet of all the step patterns she taught us, there were a lot!!

Any help would be apprectiated regarding any other workouts to purchase. My Dietician loaned me power max and I liked that one also but returned it before I could get the whole workout down.

Thanks
Sharron:) :(
 
Hi Sharron! Welcome to Catheland, and CONGRATULATIONS on your weight loss! Short answer to your question: YES you are ready for the Body Blast Series, especially if you get the DVDs, rather than the VHS videos. The DVDs have a plethora of premixes on them that provide tons of options:

* you can make a workout quite easy, or very intense.
* you can choose your level of music (loud, regular, or vocals only)
* you can *easily* watch a segment repeatedly, so you can get the footwork down (some of the choreography is tricky)
* you can mix sections of different workouts together, providing for even more variety and intensity levels

I'd say Body Blast is the perfect series for those looking to venture into Catheland, because it is so versatile, and easily modified to different levels of intensity and experience.

By the way, I'm not part of the over 40 crowd yet, but a short while back there was an Open Discussion forum thread about this topic. You might want to go over to that forum and scan back a few pages.

Enjoy!
Sandra
 
You're ready if you've been regularly exercising for 6 months. I bought my first Cathe tapes after 6 months (Maximum Intensity Strength and Cardio). It took a few times through before I was able to keep up with the ladies in MIC (and I had my doubts that they were actually doing the workout straight through without a rest). The Firm is definitely a lot easier, but it won't take you too long to catch up.

You'll really dig the Body Blast series. It's SO MUCH FUN!!!! Wait until you do Step Blast. Wheeeeee! Any of the workouts are great. IMAX 2 is fun (really tough!). Rhythmic Step is also fun. Slow & Heavy...oh what the heck? Get them all!:7
 
Are we ever ready for Cathe??? Good question. It sound like you are there. I went from the Firm to Intensity series. That worked well for me! It seems easier to modify. There is always someone using dumbells instead of a barbell. And there is always someone doing ab modifications, in other words not using the stability ball. This is all IMHO of course!!!:) Renee
 
Re: Am I ready?

Congratulations on your weight loss (and improved fitness, I'm sure!).

After working out to Firm tapes for a couple of years, I felt I was ready for a more challenging workout, and I was very interested in DVD's which had multiple chapters. I'm 51 and got the Body Blast series last winter as my first Cathe workouts. I started out using the Timesaver workouts and then when I felt I could do those well, I began doing sections of the longer workouts. One of the best things for me about the Body Blast series is the abilty to use the workout blender to program in the warmup, do some of the sections of a workout, and then the cooldown and/or stretch. In this way, I can slowly increase the intensity and length of my workouts.

I did need to rewind and watch some of the step choreography in slow motion several times before I got some of the moves. I also started out using no risers, just the step for the step sections. The music is fun in the Body Blast series, too.

Have fun with whatever you decide to start with.

Yukonlea
 
Okay, I took the plunge (boy did I :7 ) I ordered all 4 body blast DVD's AND.....CTX. Also.....I bought the high step. Guess this is my Christmas!! I'm so anxious to get started.
Thank you Sandra, Donna, Renee and Yukonlea for your responses. I'm looking forward to adding Cathe into my rotation!!

Sharron
 
Hi Sharron...just wanted to say welcome! You're going to love the workouts you got. I basically went to Cathe from Karen Voight & Kathy Smith...never liked the Firm much...and sometimes thought I was going to just fall down & die!;-) You're probably more fit than I was, having done the Firm. Congratulations on your weight loss! Woohoo!
And yes, I'm older than youx( but I refuse to state my age AGAIN! LOL
Have fun,
Ruth:) :) :)
 
COOOOOOL!!! You have just bought yourself a workout gold-mine!!! Body Blast and CTX are super workouts for creating rotations with! They are very different from each other - you have great variety with these two series.

Two words: Leaner Legs }(

I see that Susan C.M. did something really helpful and dug up the postings of the chapters and premixes for many of the Body Blast workouts. I suggest you print those off now, before her post gets lost in the shuffle. Her post is called "Premixes for the IS and BB Series", or something like that. As of right now, it's a few messages below this one in this forum. These are extremly useful tables that should be included with the workouts, or at least posted alongside the dvd descriptions, but are not. You have to dig, dig, dig for them. Susan is terrific for doing the hard work for the rest of us!

Let us know how you like your new workouts!
Sandra
 
Hi - I'm 44 and also recently lost a lot of weight (54 lbs.:D ) I started out with Kathy Smith and went from there to The Firm. My first Cathe workout was MIS. The first time I tried it I thought it was really tough! Well actually I still think its really tough, lol, but I can get through the whole thing now without missing any reps.

I'm builing my Cathe collection, so I don't have as many as others on this board. I love Slow and Heavy and Body Max.

Julia
 
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