Hi Lori,
I have both High Step Circuit and High Step Training. Here are my thoughts about your question.
First, I have to say that I love both of these workouts. If you do High Step Circuit as is, it's a great intermediate level workout. The cardio combos are easy on the joints and the weight work is to the point and thorough. However, if you want to kick it up a notch, here's the modifications I would make.
1) Cathe does the cardio on a 6 inch high step. You could go up to 8 inches. You could choose to power up some the moves also.
2) Cathe does leg presses with no weight. You could make it tougher by holding dumbells.
3) Cathe does leg presses on a 12 inch high step. You could go up to 14 or 16. Warning, there is one leg segment called the 'running man' where you are stepping on the high step with a kick, then off the high step with a rear lunge. This might be too hard on a higher step.
4) Cathe uses a light resistance tubing and 3 pound dumbells for the weight work. You could use a higher resistance tubing (I use a medium for the tricep section and my arms are quaking) and heavier dumbells.
5) Cathe does a leg sculpting drill (sculpt 7's while holding the upper body still) that is just brutal if you add ankle weights!
I think there's a lot of flexibility with this workout. It's not nearly as intense as High Step Training, and this okay for me. BTW, I like how it includes core work into the circuits whereas HST doesn't have any specific core work.
Andrea- I like the ab section of the High Step Circuit. It uses the stability ball for almost every exercise. While there aren't any pikes or roll ins, it's a solid high intermediate ab workout. Some moves are standard and some are more intense and require a good foundation in core training. Once again, you can make it more intense in some places by using a dumbell or ankle weight to add more resistance.
HTH!
