Chalean Extreme or stick with Cathe?

C

Czechfan

Cathlete
I was wondering what any of you that have tried Chalene Extreme thought? I have STS, and all of Cathe's strength workouts and all but a couple of her workouts all together. So, my question is would Chalene be worth getting? Or would those workouts be less than what I'm used to with Cathe's always awesome workouts?

I look forward to reading your replies and suggestions, thanks in advance.

Nora
 
I know many people loved or at least liked CLX. But I thought STS was a much better program. I liked my results from STS and am looking forward to another rotation. I cannot say that about CLX. I felt I got "bulky" and didn't appreciate the way I looked after I completed the CLX rotation. Plus I got so bored with it. Chalene drives me nuts. I hated it every time she shouted "go heavy or go home". Plus I felt some of her exercises put a lot of strain on the lower back tho I did not get injured nor do I have back problems. I can do and enjoy all of Cathe's strength workouts over and over--GS, Pyramids, S&H etc--but not CLX. I forced myself to finish the rotation and I did but now it sits on the shelf. I am sure others will have a different opinion because I know it is a popular program but I don't think it comes anywhere near STS.
 
I think STS is a better program also. I love Chalene and Turbo Jam, and I'm dying to get Turbo Fire, but CLX just didn't click with me. I did love the fact that the CLX workouts were shorter, but there got to be a major bore factor. I quit in the middle of the second phase and put it on the shelf. I also felt like I was getting bulky, but I thought that was just me...:D

I got good results doing the 6-month STS rotation and I've recently started it again. I keep trying to like other instructors, but I keep coming back to Cathe!! Why mess with a good thing?!!!
 
STS is better

if you look for a serious program.

I just started CLX and I like that the workouts are under 40 minutes. The major selling factor was the workout time for me. CLX is also good for mixing things up, working out to a different instructor.

Is it necessary? Not at all. If one would follow the eating plan, one would lose fat doing nothing.

The workout that is effective is the workout you do. No system is THE MAGIC BULLET.
 
I have CLX and did it before trying any of Cathe's workouts. In fact, it was how I finally decided to give Cathe a try as I was looking for strength training workouts to use after. I have STS but haven't tried it yet (building up to it). I would agree with the other comments here about CLX. I love that the workouts are shorter but I think Cathe's strength training workouts (even non-STS ones) are just so much better and well rounded. I love Chalene - currently doing Turbo Fire and loving it - but I don't really see doing CLX again.
 
Personally I condsider Cathe's workouts a step up from Chalene Extreme. Both in quality and difficulty. I've completed Chalene Extreme three times and I'm getting ready to start STS next weekn (yippie yippie yippie!!!). After doing my 1RM tests and previewing the dvd's I KNOW i'm in for a much bigger challenge than Chalene Extreme. Nothing against CLX of course, I loved the program and it's gotten me far in my weight loss journey. But I know it's Cathe that's going to push me that extra mile to get to my ultimate goals.

So with that said CLX would be a good purchase if you are looking for some variety or would like a shorter weight workout.

Shelby
 
Another non-fan of CLX -- I just go so bored with it, and didn't really see any special results. If you're getting tired of STS, what about mixing it up in a different way? One thing I did recently that I LOVED was an abbreviated rotation of STS, substituting Tonique standing workouts for the leg work. The abbreviated part came in because I did two days intense, one day of yoga/stretching. It went like this:

Day 1: chest/shoulder/bi
Day 2: back/tri
Day 3: yoga
Day 4: tonique
Day 5: chest/shoulder/bi
Day 6: yoga
Day 7: back/tri
Day 8: tonique
Day 9: yoga

and so on. So, tonique was my cardio and my leg work. I really liked the feel of the way this rotation flowed.... the two days of really intense work and then the day of stretching. Just an idea.....

Another thought would be to break up STS into one body part a day combined with cardio -- I haven't tried that yet, but have been thinking about it.
 
Hi everyone,

Thank you for all your great comments and insights. I do believe I'll stick with using Cathe for Strength workouts. I'm currently doing Turbo Fire, and its lots of fun. I was just wondering about Chalene Extreme because there's a Schedule that was both Turbo Fire and Chalene Extreme sort of a hybrid rotation. I think I'll stick with using Cathe and substituting her workouts for Chalene Extreme. I love all of Cathe's workouts there isn't a bad one in her collection of dvd's. Cathe's da bomb, so if it ain't broke don't fix it. Thanks again for all your great insightful comments, you guys rock!

Have a happy fourth of July!!:D

Hugs!

Nora
 
I liked Chalene Extreme because I could do it, a short kettlebell workout and another one of my choice whether it be step, bosu, pilates, yoga, or weights. The same warm up did get boring but I love her get up and go.
 
I completed CLX a few months ago and have all of Cathe's strength workouts including STS, though right now my experience with STS is limited to the leg workouts in Fitnessfreak's Get Ready for Summer 2010 rotation.

I like Chalene much more for cardio - I reach for her workouts when I want a less structured, fun/good music workout that is step-free and easy to modify for low impact. I have even been swapping in some of her workouts for the step workouts in the rotation I am doing now because at 43, my feet/ankles/knees just can't deal with 3 days of step per week.

The weight work in CLX was okay but not as effective as Cathe's in my experience. I didn't get as much deep fiber recruitment like I get with, for example, the holy-cow paper plate exercises in STS. Some of the compound exercises in CLX were okay, and the overall structure was logical but just not as focused as Cathe.

I agree that CLX got boring and by the end I was really craving some warm-up and cool-down variety; her personality style also got irritating and I craved a "cues only" setting like P90X provides. I was also not a fan of the cardio/circuit workouts; Cathe's Drill Max and Shock Cardios are better structured IMO. I could see myself doing limited 1-month rotations using CLX and Turbo Fire in the future, but probably never more than a month at a time.
 
Hi everyone,

I've decided to stick with cathe and I'm now adding another round of STS to the mix of my workout. I still love my cathe dvd's but its nice to change up the cardio every now and then.

Thank you for shairing your thoughts and opinions on this with me. I appreciate it so much!;)


Hugs!;)

Nora
 
I like to mix things up to kind of shock my muscles, and for that reason, I really liked CLX. It was so different from Cathe workouts, that I enjoy having it in the mix. The Push phase is pretty challenging, if you go really heavy. And I lost a considerable amount of weight/inches doing it after my last pregnancy. I also gained a lot of definition. I'm thinking about doing it again in August, just for something new. Of course Cathe is my favorite. I adore her workouts and do them 90 percent of the time, but sometimes it's good to switch things up. Ya know? :)

I even dug out some of my old YBB dvds last week. I thought they would be wayyyyy tooo easy and not challenging. But I really enjoyed them and had some killer butt DOMS afterward. This week I'm back to Cathe. Switching it up keeps the workouts fun and fresh, IMO.
 
I just ordered TF and CLX. I am feeling in a Cathe rut which is odd because I REALLY like her but for some reason, it's just not what I'm craving. I know that in the end, I will go back to her when i realize that nothing is as good of quality, but for now I needed a change. And I also knew that it didn't matter how hard the WO was if I didn't do it. :)

So, I'm hoping just for a change of pace to get me out of this funk! We'll see how it goes.

Also, I really want to try STS but just don't have all the equip necessary so I have to wait until I move back to the States and can get a barbell and pull up bar and really do it to the max potential!

Anyway, I agree with someone else who said it's all about what workout will you actually DO and in being thankful that we have so much variety!
 
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