Hard Strikes Review

Trixoo

Trixoo

Cathlete
Hi All -

I did Hard Strikes this morning...it was a lot of fun! HS is heavily featured in the 90 day rotation (about once a week), and I can see why. It's good cardio that won't burn your legs and arms too much (of course that's what I'm saying today...we'll see what I'm saying 24-48 hours from now). I intentionally picked HS because I did both lower and upper body yesterday, have some doms, and I thought this was a workout I could probably do.

For those of you who love MMA Boxing (I do), I think you'll love HS, too. For those of you who did not like MMA Boxing, I think you'll like HS. For those of you who love athletic-type workouts, I think you'll like HS. For those of you who prefer more choreography, I think you'll also like HS!

Okay, here's why I think petty much everybody will like HS: although it's been a while since I did MMA Boxing, I think the cardio here is a bit more intense and a bit more steady state. There are fewer boxing drills, but the choreography is simple, yet somewhat dancy feeling...almost like the aerobics of yore. I don't mean to imply it feels "old", since it feels very fresh and new, but that it has that dancy "every movement has a purpose" feeling and is to the beat, yet it's athletic at the same time. Seriously, this workout seems like it will have very broad appeal. And, like I mentioned, it's good when you have DOMS.

I should mention that I didn't do the entire workout...and I think that also happens in much of he 90 day rotation. Te workout is structured with about 30-35 minutes of cardio followed by conditioning drills. The drills aren't leg focused like Kick Max, but ...okay app won't let me see what I'm typing, so I'll do a part 2....


Music

Loved boxing gloves
 
Part 2.

Okay, about the drills, they're upper body and core focused. The upper body drills seem to use hi reps and low weights...I didn't do them because I have DOMS and also plan to do Burn Sets Chest, Back and Shoulders tonight or tomorrow, but I did do the core drills, one of which are those sets of 5 sit ups immediately followed by push-ups that we saw in the clip SNM shared last week...wow, how do they do them so fast? I'm in awe...something to strive for...I couldn't get more than 4 for their 5! Phew!

This was just a fun, great workout that went by quickly. I'm looking forward to doing it again! One of my favorite things about Cathe's workouts is her pacing...just when (okay, perhaps shortly after) I start thinking I need a break or to stop using a certain muscle group, bam, she gives us a rest or changes muscle groups. I swear it's like she's reading my mind (or can hear me....sometimes I tell her what I need).

A few more thoughts. I loved using the boxing gloves and wish I'd thought of that long ago. It's much nicer feeling than using weighted gloves. The weight is just part of your hand, versus having that - for lack of a better word - sloshing feeling you get when using something with a weight in it. They added to the intensity and for me, I especially felt it when doing jumping jacks (FYI, there are a lot of jumping jacks, but done with fun choreography).

With regard to the music, it's just fabulous. The songs are even closer to the originals than in CF and TRM. :)

Finally, and perhaps I should have mentioned this earlier, I don't do boxing or kickboxing often. I don't dislike it, I just prefer other cardio more. For that reason I can't offer comparisons to Kick Max, KPC, etc, since I hardly ever do them. I could...ugh...in top art 3
 
Part 3:

I could give somewhat of a comparison to MMA Boxing since I've done that one plenty of times although not recently. I can't wait to hear what you kickbox/boxing fans think of HS! Please post your reviews!
 
Part 4 - I forgot to add a few thoughts about the boxing gloves. First, I found that one slide on and off pretty easily, wich is great if you want to, oh, take a sip of water
 
I'm so sorry for all these posts! Yes, I blame the app again...

Anyway, you can't do anything other than the workout with the gloves on. Even getting a towel to wipe your brow might be a challenge. :) as I mentioned, I was pleased of find mine slip off so easily, but they feel very secure as I'm punching...no slippage at all. The ones I have are the pink everlast ones like Cathe and crew are using....got them from Amazon. They have a slightly different trim at the wrist, but are 12 oz like theirs.

The only down sides to the gloves are (1) they smell, but I mentioned that in another post a while back. After over a month sitting out in my garage they still smell but much less, so there's hope. (2) my hands got really sweaty in them. I tend to sweat a lot when I work out, so maybe it's just me. It wasn't awful feeling though and I loved working out with the gloves so much that these two negatives are minor irritants.

Okay, that's my final post...happy boxing!
 
Thanks for the detailed review. I like all of Cathe's kickbox DVDs but didn't care much for MMA boxing. I think I just like kicking, lol. Anyway, your review made me think I might like this more than I had expected. Thanks for the great reviews. I'm enjoying them until I get my DVDs. :cool:
 
Thanks so much for the reviews! Anxiously waiting for mine to get here. Hoping for a Saturday delivery. :)
 
I'm glad you don't mind them. :) What really makes me nuts is that editing is so hard. Thanks to autocorrect and my failure to hit the "b" "g" "t" and "n" keys there's always some problem with my messages, but sheesh, I do know how to conjugate verbs!

Unless somebody else posts one, I'll be doing Burn Sets Chest, Back and Shoulders tomorrow night and will write a review. Should be challenging, since I spin with my (former military trainer) instructor in the morning...she always wipes me out, but I just can't stop Xtraining....it's awesome and Burn Sets is soooooo up my alley: heavy weighs to failure!
 
I think you having to do the review in parts... And saying wait a sec for part to ads to the, suspense and cuteness in listening to you! Makes us smile.. At least it does me.
And btw i cant type or spell. Lol
 
Trixoo said:
Part 3:

I could give somewhat of a comparison to MMA Boxing since I've done that one plenty of times although not recently. I can't wait to hear what you kickbox/boxing fans think of HS! Please post your reviews!
Click to expand...

I will post my review here once I get a "valid" coupon code and start downloading. SNM sent one, but of course with my luck, it did not work :mad:.

I like boxing and kickboxing, and I'm super excited to test out HS! Oh heck, I'm super excited to try them all :D.

In your opinion Pam, do the gloves add significant intensity to the workout? I don't have a pair...yet ;).
 
Natasha -


Ugh, sorry to hear you still don't have your workouts yet. :-(

I think you'll still get a great workout workout the gloves. To me the real trick of these types of workouts is really punching with force instead of just throwing the arm out there...the gloves were fun, but not a necessity.

Do you normally use anything when you do Cathe's other boxing or kickboxing workouts? If so, I'd just use that. I have a pair of 1 LB gloves I used to use, but never liked the way they felt...it seemed like the weight moved a fraction of a second "off beat" of my hand. If I didn't have the boxing gloves, though, I'd still use those.

Hope you get a working code soon!
 
Trixoo said:
Natasha -


Ugh, sorry to hear you still don't have your workouts yet. :-(

I think you'll still get a great workout workout the gloves. To me the real trick of these types of workouts is really punching with force instead of just throwing the arm out there...the gloves were fun, but not a necessity.

Do you normally use anything when you do Cathe's other boxing or kickboxing workouts? If so, I'd just use that. I have a pair of 1 LB gloves I used to use, but never liked the way they felt...it seemed like the weight moved a fraction of a second "off beat" of my hand. If I didn't have the boxing gloves, though, I'd still use those.

Hope you get a working code soon!
Click to expand...

No, I don't like using weighted gloves while boxing/kickboxing. They just don't "feel" right, I can't really explain it. I know once I get those Everlast gloves, my DH will do a :rolleyes: and ask me if I'm training to be a boxer or something. Perhaps I could just hold 1lbs sand bags from my ankle weights. I shall see...

It's moments like these that my patience is tested (referring to waiting for my valid code). I believe every now again life throws these "tests" just to keep me on my toes. Luckily for me this time, it's only a matter of workout downloads, and not an emergency (although for a Cathlete is sure does feel that way!). I will have these workouts for a long time, so what's a few more days? I'm scheduled for STS M2 chest, shoulder's and tri's today anyway :eek:.

Thanks Pam! Keep those reviews coming!
 
Natasha
Im so sorry u dont have ur workouts! What a bummer!
I cant feel ur frustration with you.
I love to hear your reviews as well as trixoo. But i also can hear ur excitement in ur posts when u do a new wo. But have not heard that in awhile, so i was hoping to hear ur happiness lol i hope u get them today! Good luck!
 
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