Are Strength tapes like the "Firm"?

[Lora]

Thank for all your suggestions with the "Dessert Island" choice. As I read what you all have to say I'm starting to think I should order either the MIS or PS tapes. It sounds like the leg workouts are done with a higher step and use allot of squats like the "Firm" does. I am tempted because I know this is VERY affective in toning legs and hips. Unfortunately the "Firm" tapes also damage my knee. I'M TRYING TO FIND OUT HOW MUCH OF THE LEG WORKOUT USES THIS METHOD AND IF IT WOULD BE WORTH IT TO ME TO BUY THESE TAPES EVEN IF I CAN'T USE A LARGE PORTION OF THE WORKOUT. Thanks again for your help. Lora

 

[Jessie]

Firm Vs. Cathe Strength tapes

Hi Lora,
While obviously not Cathe, I would say to give MIS or PS a try because in my opinion, Cathe is much more meticulous regarding proper form than any other Firm instructor (even Tracie Long!).

I have lots of Firm tapes and like them but I've just found this to be true.

Good luck!

 

[Stevie]

Personal opinion. I think Cathe's are much better

I like the tempo.. the way you can see Cathe sweat and how she works her muscles. I don't like the breaking up of the Firm videos that much.
I know there are lots of FIRM lovers out there, they are a great series, I think the PS series if for serious work.

 

[Lora]

Clarifying my question

Stevie,
You sound like you are familiar with the Firm. You see I have a knee that gives me fits sometimes. The FIRMS high steps and deep knee squats are really hard on it. After 1 1/2 years of being in constant pain I'm finally getting to the place where I can workout without much pain. Everyone raves about Cathe's strength Videos but I'm a bit afraid of buying them if they contain these same leg workout. It looks like they do and I guess I should just stick with her cardio and other body part tapes. Lora

 

[Irene]

knee problems

Lora,

First of all, two of Cathe's strength tapes are only upper body (Pure Strength back biceps/abs, and PS Chest/shoulders/triceps). These would be fine on your knee and I encourage you to get them!
Maximium Intensity Strength (MIS) is about 60% upper body. It is an whole body strength workout in one tape.

I do not have any Firm videos. From what I hear, they are slightly faster paced and use a "tall box". Again, I am speaking without direct experience, but this does not sound exactly great on the knees. From my knowledge, Cathe stresses proper form and joint safety a little more than the Firm. She uses only an 8 inch step in MIS. On her PS leg tape (strong legs and abs) she uses a slightly higher step for only a small portion of the workout. You could use an eight in step instead in order to prevent your knee from bending at a sharp angle. Cathe's strength tapes spend a good amount of time (especially her Pure Strength series) on each body part. She encourages you to go as heavy as you can handle properly and uses up to 25 pound weights for many sections, with a 35 pound barbell for the legs (I think). You could start much lighter, of course.

The only Cathe strength tape that I haven't mentioned is BodyMax. This workout is slightly more endurance and involves higher reps. After about 30 minutes of intense muscular step aerobics you alternate extremely brief, but intense, step sections with 8 to 24 reps of barbell squats, lunges etc. The last section has five brief, but thorough upper body sections that feel like a marathon because there is absolutely no rest. The finale is 10 minutes of ab crunches. Since this workout is way over an hour, many people do only one, or two sections at a time.

I hope this helps your decision!

Irene

 

[Lora]

Knee problem

Thanks Irene for your detailed response. This should help me decide. Muchly appreciated. Lora

 

[Jane P]

Here's what I do.

I also have knee problems. I do Cathe's Upper
Body PS tapes but I improvise for the lower body.
Sometime I go to the gym and use the machines, and
sometimes I do the lower body work from Charlene
Prickett's Serious Curves tape. In this tape, she
uses heavy ankle weights to work the legs and does
not do any squats and lunges at all. This is the
tape that taught me modifications to do instead
of squats and lunges. You might also find that
if you do your squats and lunges at a slower pace
than in the Firm tapes, it won't bother your knees
so much. I think the Firm just goes too fast, and
as others have said, they don't provide much form
advice. If you can't use PS legs, you can always
sell or exchange it.

 

[Stevie]

Not a FIRM expert here but I have done a few of their tapes

I don't object to the basic work out, what I find questionable for those of us with bad knees, hips, back, ankles or balance is the tall box which is QUITE tall. To get the maximum Butt lifter effect from the tape you need to use it. Speaking from a perspective of someone who is vertically challenged--meaning I am pretty short--that tall box is at least shin high and maybe a bit higher than that on me. So figure that I have to lift my body weight up onto a box that is almost up to my knee.
My orthopedic surgeon and PT friends would kill me if I did that. I modified the moves to a shorter step but the work out would not be as effective but it would be safer.

With Cathe's I have always found that she encourages you to modify within your own limits. The MIS is mostly upper body and the other Strength videos are upper body where women are the weakest.
What I would recommend is that you perhaps borrow one or go to VF and swap for one so that you are not out a lot of dinero for it.

I am not a personal trainer and I would highly recommend you ask Cathe what would be best for you.

 

[Bobbi]

Firm vs. Cathe

I have quite q number of Firm tapes and I am new to Cathe's but I think she's totally amazing and I like her better. She moves into lunges so slowly you are able to get set up with good form before the exercise begins. The Firm moves very quickly. And her form points are terrific. She makes it look so easy and yet you know she's giving it everything because she using a 35 pound barbell or 20 pound weights for chest presses!

 

[Sabrina]

Knee Problems

I have the firm tapes and I tend to find that because they are fast pace etc., they are harder on the knees. I have one knee that gives me trouble when doing lunges, and trying to keep up with the fast pace of the firm, I am not concentrating as well on my form. Hope this helps you.