CardioKicks intensity comparison?

Aquajock

Aquajock

Cathlete
Hi, all! For those who have a wide variety of Cathe cardio workouts, how would you rank CardioKicks in The Sweat Factor? I have: Interval Max (of course), Body Max, MIC, CTX, Rhythmic Step and Circuit Max; and Intense Moves from The Other Girl. {:)}

I-Max certainly is the most intense workout, but I'm wanting to branch out a bit (am bringing hi-impact back into the mix, for example), and I'd like your input as to how challenging CK is for the heart, legs and upper body systems. Any responses or directions to other threads would be appreciated!

Thanks!

Annette
 
CardioKicks is a fairly recent purchase for me, and I bought it based on several comments here about it being a really challenging workout--"puddle of sweat" is how I remember someone characterizing her final moment. I think it's somewhere between Rhythmic Step and IMax in terms of intensity, which may seem odd, but let me explain. I think it starts out really very gradually and slowly moves toward high intensity, high impact, in the first half. Just when I think I can't do anymore high impact moves, Cathe puts the whole thing together, going back to easier moves, and that feels great--both a relief and a sense of being able to return to the higher impact moves and finish the whole routine. The second half reminds me of IMax, because it's drills that she teaches first (you can breathe easily), and then she moves into 50% and 100% intensity so it feels like an interval. Overall, I think this is the easiest tape to learn--nothing very tricky or complicated like Rhythmic Step--so I had no trouble doing it the first time, with very few missteps. I like it a lot, and it's nice not to pull out tons of equipment. Hope this helps.
 
Hey Annette, I really would rank CardioKicks up there, intensity-wise, with those you have mentioned. I think you'll love it. It's fun, but it makes you feel really tough! Cathe is a complete machine in this video, her form is just unbelievable. When youre done, you really feel like youve gotten a total body workout. Great for the forearms too! Judy
 
RE: More questions re CardioKicks:

A few sub-routines I really like of Cathe's that are kick-box oriented include the Power 7 and speed-bag arm drill and the power-squat-jumps plus "ice-breaker" arms from CTX Power Circuit, the power-squat-hops forward and back from CTX Kickbox, and the speed-bag arm drills plus 4-knee-lifts AND the jump onto step plus angled heel kick with a hold from Circuit Max. Does Cardio Kicks have intervals or subroutines that include those or similar ones?

Thanks!

Annette
 
RE: More questions re CardioKicks:

There's no step in CardioKicks (so no power 7's or speedbag around the step), but a ton of power squat jumps forward and jumping jacks back. And she does the speedbag forward on the floor rt then lft then both legs back. Lots of arm drills-icebreakers, and the punch down 3, jump, and hooks and just a lot of them. At the beginning of the drills, second half of the tape, there are some incredible jump kicks where you lift one knee as you kick as high as you can go with the other. I have definitely improved on these as I have repeated them. I am pretty certain you will like this tape--from reading some of your other messages. It's easy to learn and really gives you a good workout in the upperbody and abs (which is where I really felt it)plus lots of lower body stuff, too.
 
RE: More questions re CardioKicks:

Hi!

I have this tape and do it twice a week. It's a fun tape,but the intensity is what you put into it. It's hard not to get into it though, she's great. I also like the fact that there's no equipment. Just pop in the tape and get after it. CK is one of my favorites. :)
 
Hi Annette :)

I agree that CardioKicks is an intense kickboxing video! if you are putting your "all" into each jab/punch/kick then you'll be drenched in sweat half way through this one! :) Even Cathe has to wipe sweat from her nose at one point during a kicking drill!

Slightly off topic, but because I try to make wise video purchases, I can also recommend a second kickboxing video that I find just as intense, maybe slightly more intense than CardioKicks. It's Powerstrike's Millenium 2 video. There is a Millenium 1 and 2, but at $22. each, after reading the differences between the two, most recommendations were that if I could only purchase one, then go with Millenium 2, it was a little more intense than the first. I kid you not when I tell you I literally sweat from every pore on my body! Even my ankles are sweating by the end of the 1 hour! As I said, it is $22., plus with s & h it comes out to like $30., but it is without a doubt a worthwhile purchase, the video will work you out!
Listen, part of the warm up alone is push ups on your knuckles! I thought to myself, "what the hell have I gotten myself into now?" But I panted through it, swiped sweat, and at the end I felt like I'd been rode hard and put away wet, but "what a workout!"
So there's 2 that I give my personal thumbs up to: CardioKicks and powerstrike's Millenium 2 (which you can find at www.powerstrike.com)
Donna
 
Hi,
Unfortunatly, I really didn't fall in love with Cardiokicks. I'm not a huge kickboxing fan to begin with though. It really wasn't that intense for me (I did try!). If I did get my HR up, it'd just go down again. I did like the end where she does kickboxing interval things. So I felt like I was getting a moderate intesity workout- nothing too tough- maybe it's because I can push myself more easily on step tapes.
 
[font size="1" color="#FF0000"]LAST EDITED ON Mar-29-02 AT 06:47PM (Est)[/font][p]I for one thought that this video was high in intensity. I would compare it to the step portion of Body Max - not tough choreography, but intense when you put effort into it. When I previewed this workout, it looked easy, but oh I was I mistaken! You are constantly moving in this video; boxers' shuffles, punching, kicking, jabbing, hooking (not the Pretty Woman variety), uppercutting, it is a great workout! If you give it 100% as Cathe requests you to do, then you really do feel it! I personally feel this workout in my ribs and lats for two days! And FYI Annette, this video has a speed bag with a knee repeater travelling at a diagonal that is really fun. I love the CTX kickbox video and this is just a longer version of that (no power scissors though) it has power hops, ice breakers, lots of jacks, it is great! And when Cathe says "You got it, you got it, you go!" I always feel motivated to punch harder, jump higher, etc. I literally have sweat dripping off me after this video! I love it! (The other girl) you are too funny!
 
Hey Jillybean, Your post made me chuckle, first, I loved the "hooking" comment, and secondly, I LOVE when Cathe says "you got it, you got it, you GO!" too!! One of my favorite "Catheisms", another one is on Step Jam (I THIINK its Step Jam) when she calls us a "tootsie pop" , (I cant remember the exact line) but it makes me crack up everytime!! Judy
 
Oh I love the tootsie pop commment too! And do you have Step Fit? That contains my favorite line ever! When she goes, "Yeeaaahhhh," and then follows it up with "Was that a sheep?" I always lose my form after that one because it's hard to move across your step when you're bent over laughing! As my husband says, "Man, she's cute!" Although, I think my husband's idea of cute is a tad different than mine!
 
Hey Jillybean, we are obviously on the computer at the same time! I thought of another one, God, now I cant think of the tape, but she tells us to pick a point and focus on it and then says "quit starin' at me at home!" and she laughs, I LOVE it, she's so darn cute, and what a great sense of humor! Judy
 
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