Comparing Muscle Max to Cathe's other weight workouts

[andreasue]

Muscle Max obviously seems to be a crowd favorite. I'm wondering how it compares to Power Hour, Muscle Endurance and Max. Instensity Strength. Is it more similar to one of these workouts than another? How does it differ? What makes it worth buying if you already own these others?
Thanks for any info.!

 

[jbliff]

Power Hour and Muscle Endurance are both high-rep, low-weight workouts, whereas Muscle Max uses heavier weights with fewer reps. Cathe also uses the band in Muscle Max, which really adds to the "burn". I just did Muscle Max tonight as a matter of fact. It's a really good, fun workout. Maximum Intensity Strength is more comparable to Muscle Max, and a lot of people like it, but I prefer Muscle Max. I enjoy doing it more, and I really like the upper body premixes it has.

HTH.

 

[putz168]

I'm a huge fan of Muscle Max and Muscle Endurance for exactly the reasons HTH indicates. If you don't have them, you'll want them!

Beth

 

[crazystepr]

I thought MM was a pretty high rep workout--I've only done it once, though. (I just got it for x-mas). Maybe I should try it again! It was killer, imo. Much harder that ME.

Allison

http://www.picturetrail.com/allisonj90

 

[bitmover]

RE: Comparing Muscle Max to Cathe's other weight workou...

I sure wish more people would chime in here -- I'm trying to decide whether to get MM, GS, or S&H. What do you all think? thanks!

[email protected]

 

[marcy]

RE: Comparing Muscle Max to Cathe's other weight workou...

I would compare Muscle Max to Maximum Intensity Strength - you can use moderate to heavy weight here. Power Hour and Muscle Endurance are light weight, high rep, total body workouts. All of these are total body workouts. GS and S&H are split workouts where you work more on each body part. S&H only has 8 reps per exercise with longer rests in between and you should go as heavy as you can. GS has a nice variety where she varies the rep count. It's usually about 10-12 reps and she uses the resistance band which gives an extra burn. S&H would be for pure muscle building; GS is a mixture of muscle building/endurance using moderate to heavy weights and band work.

HTH.

Marcy

 

[Amy Steppe]

RE: Comparing Muscle Max to Cathe's other weight workou...

Muscle Max makes use of the resistance band and has some innovative weight work. For example plie' squats while passing a barbell.

You do not need a high step to do Muscle Max.

The music is great and highly motivating.

I do, however, find it a bit light in the lower body work in comparison to Power Hour or Muscle Endurance.

Maximum Intensity Strength is the oldest of the lot, but it is a good, solid all over strength workout. The moves are traditional and you do not need a high step.

Power Hour is very good. You work each muscle group to a differet song. You do not use the high step in this workout, so if you do not have a high step either this one or Maximum Intensity Strength are good options.

Muscle Endurance uses a plate and the high step for leg presses. Personally, I find Muscle Endurance to be a bit more difficult than the others.

Any of these is a great choice.

I would have a hard time choosing the one I like best -- because they are all really, really good workouts!

Cheers!

Amy

 

[Amy Steppe]

RE: Comparing Muscle Max to Cathe's other weight workou...

GYM STYLE WITHOUT ANY DOUBT!

This series did wonders for my strength and definition.

I have all these workouts and the Gym Styles are my favs!

 

[andreasue]

RE: Comparing Muscle Max to Cathe's other weight workou...

Thanks to everyone who replied to this question. It sounds like I'm okay with the weight workouts I have now. I'll put Muscle Max on my "wish list for the future" to add variety to my total body weight workouts.

 

[nancy324]

To me, Muscle Max is worth having because it's fun. There are fewer sets of each exercise, so it doesn't get dull. I also think Power Hour is fun. To me, Muscle Endurance has a certain dread factor to it because of the seemingly endless step-ups. I never really got into MIS, but it was one of Cathe's first strength training vidoes, maybe THE first, so I just think of it as a bit of an antique.

Muscle Max is just a fun all-over body workout with medium weights, not light and not heavy, with good premixes and no dread factor. I recommend it very highly!

 

[andreasue]

Thanks for your input, Nancy. I did MIS the other day and felt like I had the flu for the next two days, I was that sore. It was just too much for me. I really like Power Hour, so if Muscle Max is like that (with its own fun factor) then I think it will be a good workout for me. The good thing is that if it's fun then I know I will do it!