YES! Exactly, that's how I feel when I'm doing HC regularly! I just feel and looked so much more "pulled in" doing these! I just did July Hardcore on Tuesday and was just amazed at how creative Sandra is with her moves. I've done so many of these (I have all volumes1-4, bootcamp, and year 1 Hardcores and 101's), and yet she still managed to have some new moves in July that I hadn't seen yet. LOVE it!
ETA: I do want to remind folks that the production values in the hardcores and 101's are not great when compared to Cathe's polished style. They are DVD-R's and in the Hardcores she is basically taping one of her classes. The workouts are so tough and good though, that you won't notice as soon as you start sweating bullets!
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You ladies are amazing! I'm just working with Getting Started since I have no abs to speak of. It will take me some time to feel ready to move on. But that's ok. I'm just doing the first one through two times per session. Room to grow for sure!
For those of you with a body bar....how many of her workouts call for it? I'm also perfectly happy to justify any fitness purchase....
Hi loneswaneast! You definitely picked a good one with July Hardcore! She has this one move in that one where right after she says "feel that in the intercostals?" and oh boy I had DOMS all up my rib cage the next day from that! It's fantastic!
If you're looking at the hardcores, I'd say January, February and October have some awesome, effective moves in them. August Hardcore is another one that had me DOMS'ing big time the next day. That is similar to Bootcamp where she alternates between plyometric work and horizontal moves on the ball. HTH!
I only got Volume 1 and was bummed about the fact her body bar is only 9 lbs. I think. Mine is 18. So I substituted a 7-8 lb weight for the exercises in a plank position. For the exercise you sit on the step and put the weight over your feet and lift - I did 5 lb. only and couldnt do them all.
I want to order more dvds, but don't dare add to my collection right now
I try to take a back off week every 6 weeks and often I'll forget and wind up going 7-8 weeks before I do it and then I can definitely feel the effects of overtraining...not just with HC but with all my Cathe workouts I tend to really go intense most days of the week. Bob Harper and even the wonderful Travis Eliot doesn't mirror cue and it is SO frustrating! I especially don't understand why Travis doesn't do it since he obviously went through a lot of effort to produce a highly polished dvd set. When I do workouts like that, I just try really hard to be consistent with myself as I do it. I either automatically think in my head as they say "right" I do "left" and think of right as left ...or if it's a workout where I can't see the tv a lot I just listen to the cues verbally and keep in mind when I do look up that they will be on the opposite side. I definitely get mixed up sometimes, though. 
