I have a few questions - hoping the answers will help me get back in to working out.

[Braille]

I love that - " thriver". Thank you Debinmi. That gives me something to strive for. I am hoping I'm on my way to that, because I recently met a woman that had just gotten herself out of a bad situation. I've been trying to do for her what my friends did for me. I wasn't strong enough at the beginning to be of any use or value to someone else - now... I am. My past no longer causes me pain, so I'm able to help someone in the way I was helped. I finally feel like I'm standing on solid ground. Life is good - I've built a calm/stable, peaceful, fulfilling, and happy life for my son and I. I dance to get rid of pent-up energy and clear my head, and now I'm getting back into Tai Chi for that sense of mental "calmness". I couldn't afford therapy, so I kind of used what I knew about health to guide me, along with the support of friends and family. My one goal now is physical fitness - perhaps once I get farther along with that, I'll be on the road to thriving - doing something for myself that's not related to recovery.

 

[Debinmi]

I love that - " thriver". Thank you Debinmi. That gives me something to strive for. I am hoping I'm on my way to that, because I recently met a woman that had just gotten herself out of a bad situation. I've been trying to do for her what my friends did for me. I wasn't strong enough at the beginning to be of any use or value to someone else - now... I am. My past no longer causes me pain, so I'm able to help someone in the way I was helped. I finally feel like I'm standing on solid ground. Life is good - I've built a calm/stable, peaceful, fulfilling, and happy life for my son and I. I dance to get rid of pent-up energy and clear my head, and now I'm getting back into Tai Chi for that sense of mental "calmness". I couldn't afford therapy, so I kind of used what I knew about health to guide me, along with the support of friends and family. My one goal now is physical fitness - perhaps once I get farther along with that, I'll be on the road to thriving - doing something for myself that's not related to recovery.

I think you are well on your way!

Therapy isn't always needed for recovery, however, supportive people are extremely valuable & it sounds like you have found them. And bringing the ugliness of the situation that used to be kept hidden due to shame and embarrassment to light helps remove that from your heart and soul. A burden shared is a burden lightened. It takes courage to share the story; not sharing it allows it to continue to hurt in the silence. You are amazing!

 

[nickisteen]

I worked out regularly - most of my life. Almost 2 years ago, something really bad interfered with my ability to do so. A couple of months ago, things got safer and more stable for me. I had assumed that I would be able to get back into it after things settled down, because exercise had always been an important part of my life. I was wrong. I've done a couple of Cathe's beginner workouts (ex. Basic step and her intro/basic strength workouts), but honestly... my lack of strength and endurance frustrated me, and I can't seem to get motivated. I'll try one here and there - not be able to complete it and I give up, then try again in a couple of weeks. I dance regularly (even work up a sweat), so I wasn't expecting to be THIS weak! I'm mid 50s and small framed, so without exercise, I'm weak and I have to admit that I don't have much energy. I KNOW exercise (I was able to return to "clean" eating about 9 months ago) will help. I am planning on making myself get regular with the Basic/beginner workouts - I started today (again!), and I'm going to force myself to do them until I'm strong and healthy enough to actually enjoy them, rather than suffer through them. BUT... what comes next? I've always been a high intermediate to advanced exercise and now I'm below beginner. lol I own LITE, ICE, and the Lift, Move, Restore. I have never done LMR, but today I finally opened it and took a peek-see. I've never done a rotation before, because I have my own "system" that I used for years that worked better for me, and I was excellent at determining my own needs and accomplishing the goals I'd set for myself. Now, however... not so much, so I'm thinking I need to pick 1 (any more would be complicated for me, as I've never done a predesigned rotation before) and stick to it. Which one do you feel (in it's entirety) is the easiest - LITE, ICE, or LMR? I'm not overweight (although none of my weight is where I'd like it to be lol) - so my goal right now is to get strong enough to enjoy working out again. My goals will be more specific (lose my pouch, muscle definition, gain more strength and endurance, etc.) later. Right now... I just don't want to work hard to be able to survive beginner workouts and then jump to something that sets me back mentally. I've done Cathe for decades, so I know how to adapt and modify to my abilities - I'm just really frustrated with myself right now for my lack of abilities, and have been for months and waiting until I'm in the "right mind frame" doesn't seem to be accomplishing anything. lol I've never had to "start over" before, because until this... I'd never stopped. So, what's my next step after Cathe's Basic workouts? The situation that "set me back" left me safer physically and mentally, but not financially... so, spending money on another instructor's videos to "bridge the gap" isn't an option, and while the TV and DVD player work for videos... they are old hand-be-downs (not smart) and will not allow me to "cast", stream, or anything like that, so I need to stick with the Cathe DVDs that I have, which is most everything except for her cycling workouts. The stress of what I went through that interfered with my working out took a toll on my health, so I'm currently only able to do about 10 minutes of Cathe's Basic workouts before needing a break, which I don't understand, because I can dance for 2 hours. I'm hoping a lot of it is my mind (lol), but I won't be moving to the next "level" until I'm able to complete her basic workouts in their entirety, but I'm wanting to have the next "step" in place as a goal to work towards, so your opinions on where to go after Beginner's workouts would be appreciated.

LMR

 

[nckfitheart2009]

MIRROR: Getting a workout mirror really helps me while I am at my strongest and when I am recovering. In my mind, I am going deep into the squats, jumping sky-high, keeping a straight back during push-ups, etc. But when I glance in the mirror, I see my squats are nowhere near 90 degrees (or whatever), I am barely 1" off the

Just keep on pushing throughout strength training and you will suddenly be amazed with your ability later.

When you get even stronger and more flexible, you will squat below ninety degree.
Once you get there it is a great powerful feeling
When It happened to me out of the blue in the middle of cathe workout executing at the same speed, I was in the awe with myself lol

While we are in the topic here the latest cathe blog on strength. This newletter is getting me inspired for upcoming personal challenge. Take care!

​ Can You Really Get Stronger Without Lifting Heavier Weights? Here's the Truth​

​

​ When most people think of getting stronger, they think of one thing: Lifting heavier.​ More weight on the bar. Bigger dumbbells. Personal records. And while progressive overload—gradually increasing the challenge—is essential for strength gains, it’s not the only way to get stronger. In fact, lifting heavier isn’t always better. And for some people, it’s not even necessary. Here’s the truth:​ You can get stronger without constantly increasing the weight. You just have to be smart about how you train. First, What Does "Stronger" Mean?​ Strength isn't just about how much you can bench press or deadlift. It also means: Having more control over your body Moving with better form and stability Reducing injury risk Being able to do daily tasks more easily Performing more reps or more challenging versions of exercises All of these improvements are signs of functional strength—and you don’t always need heavier weights to get there. 5 Ways to Build Strength Without Going Heavier​ 1. Slow Down the Tempo Controlling the speed of each rep, especially the lowering (eccentric) phase, increases time under tension—a key driver of strength and muscle growth. Try lowering for 3–5 seconds per rep. 2. Add Pauses Holding a position (like pausing at the bottom of a squat) challenges your muscles in a new way, builds control, and removes momentum—all of which lead to strength gains. 3. Use Unilateral (One-Sided) Exercises Training one side at a time (think single-leg squats, one-arm presses) builds balance and exposes weak points. These moves often require less weight but offer more challenge. 4. Improve Range of Motion Going deeper into a movement—while maintaining good form—engages more muscle fibers. A full-depth squat with lighter weight can be more effective than a heavy partial rep. 5. Increase Reps or Reduce Rest More reps with good form still builds strength, especially for endurance and stabilizing muscles. Shorter rest periods can also challenge your system in a new way. What Cathe Recommends​ If you’ve trained with Cathe—especially through programs like LITE, Lift, Move & Restore, or STS 2.0—you’ve already seen this in action. Cathe often emphasizes tempo, form, balance, and muscle engagement over simply going heavier. Many of her workouts prove that you can feel the burn, build real strength, and make visible progress without always reaching for heavier dumbbells. This approach is especially valuable for: Beginners building a strong foundation Those recovering from injury Anyone over 40 looking to protect joints while staying strong People training at home with limited equipment ​ Final Thoughts​ Yes, progressive overload is real. But that doesn’t always mean lifting heavier weights. You can get stronger by lifting smarter. Slow it down. Control your movement. Focus on form. Try new challenges. Your body—and your strength—will thank you.

ETA:

 

[nickisteen]

I love that - " thriver". Thank you Debinmi. That gives me something to strive for. I am hoping I'm on my way to that, because I recently met a woman that had just gotten herself out of a bad situation. I've been trying to do for her what my friends did for me. I wasn't strong enough at the beginning to be of any use or value to someone else - now... I am. My past no longer causes me pain, so I'm able to help someone in the way I was helped. I finally feel like I'm standing on solid ground. Life is good - I've built a calm/stable, peaceful, fulfilling, and happy life for my son and I. I dance to get rid of pent-up energy and clear my head, and now I'm getting back into Tai Chi for that sense of mental "calmness". I couldn't afford therapy, so I kind of used what I knew about health to guide me, along with the support of friends and family. My one goal now is physical fitness - perhaps once I get farther along with that, I'll be on the road to thriving - doing something for myself that's not related to recovery.

Braille, pulling for you, girl!!