I'm thinking of selling some of my new dvds

mamads

mamads

Cathlete
I didn't realize how high the intensity was and I am thinking of selling 3 out of the 4 I ordered unopened. I wonder how much damage Cathe, her crew and anyone doing these leaping up onto a 14" step, etc. is going to affect their knees, etc. about 20 years down the road. I realize I am no spring chick at the age of 66 but I want to prevent any break downs in my body from doing things I don't think I should be doing?

I am going to preview them on Cathe's site after my son fixes my speakers and then I might change my mind and keep them if I figure out some other way to do them without damage.

What is your opinion on these high intensity dvds with all the leaping and high jumps, etc?
 
I just got mine yesterday so I haven't done any workouts yet, but I understand your concern.

Recently someone at VF commented that when she did some leaps onto the step from another workout (STS legs?), she built up by starting with a lower step (4") and worked up to the 14". I haven't tried it yet but do plan to - and when I do it will be with a lower step to start. Lots of people are doing similar high impact workouts (Insanity, for instance) and are working up to the higher impact but that doesn't mean you have to do it.

Remember there is no law or rule that says you have to do everything the same way Cathe or any other instructor does. Cathe primarily produces advanced workouts. The workouts can be modified down... just use some creativity and perhaps some of the ideas that others will post. If you have any Kelly Coffey-Meyer videos, she has some modifications shown by Lauren that I use in other videos when I just don't have it in me for high impact.

As Cathe says... make it work for you! I figure Cathe sets the bar pretty high and my goal is to get as close to it (or higher if that's ever possible) if I can! :)

Merry Christmas!
 
I could tell from the pictures that there was too much jumping for my knees, so I cancelled my presale order and only bought the step routines and travel fit. I am 63, so I don't have ambitions to become a super-athlete. I just want to stay in shape for as long as possible, and many of these routines IMO scream INJURY AHEAD! I also don't think they are reasonably modify-able from looking at the clips. Look at the clips, and if you think they are still possible for you, then keep them. If not, then sell.
 
I am 52 and my philosophy is that I like to have the high-impact high-intensity as a constant goal - and as I need to, I modify, modify and modify. For example I have done the cardio from Drill Max a lot and while I can't say I do everything the same way Cathe and crew do, I do a lot of it, and I have gotten much closer to what they do over time. I would much rather work out to DVDs that are harder than what I can do - and modify lower as needed - than do anything that is too easy and doesn't push me at all. Just my style, I know this may not work for everyone. I also make sure to strength train my legs often (e.g. Leaner Legs and similar) so that my feet, knees, hips etc. stay strong and can better handle the high impact cardio moves. I think it is pretty well known that no one should tackle plyo leg moves unless they are seriously strength training legs for a while beforehand. My shock cardio arrived today and I am going to do athletic step tomorrow, even if it's all on the floor :) I also want to avoid injury and I am quite cautious/realistic with any new workouts. If you think it would work for you, one approach is to start low, wherever you need to, and work very gradually to increase the intensity. Or stay low :)
 
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I am 52 also, and have found that doing interval type plyo work is actually kinder to my knees than steady state stepping for 45 minutes. Also you get huge benefits in the osteoporosis area from the high impact to your bones-really stimulates bone growth. And your cardio capacity increases tremendously compared with steady state. That said, I am certainly not able to jump onto a 14 inch step----yet! I've found that pushing myself harder than I ever thought I could do has greatly increased my fitness level and decreased body fat. All great for your health.
Beth
 
Also I want to add - there is a great book on working out with a lot of tips for the over-50 crowd - "Ready, Set, Go Synergy Fitness" by Phil Campbell, and this book emphasizes doing plyo as you get older, instead of giving it up. He also gives many of the reasons why, some of which Bethi just wrote about. There are plenty of photos in the book of people over 60 doing high impact high intensity plyo work. But - keep in mind the author also points out you need to work your way up to that - very gradually - and do weights too to support this kind of activity. I would highly recommend the book for anyone who thinks "it's all over" at age 40 or that high intensity injury will just ruin anyone over 30. Now please don't flame me, it's Christmas :)
 
I'm only 5' tall and 4 risers is just to much for me to jump. I started with only 2 risers doing plyo legs and then went to 3 risers. I can't see myself going any higher because of my short legs.;) I still get a good WO.
 
I'm going to keep all the DVD's, and I have very bad knees. I'm 53.
I just don't jump as high(tuck jumps, frog jumps), and don't put my risers
4 high like she does on the box jumps. I can do it with 2 risers, and can go to 3, I believe. If my knees hurt when I do an exercise, I just back off.
I think Cathe has made many parts very modifiable (she mentions modifications sometimes), but if she doesn't, you just make the decision to do the exercise less vigorously, slower. You don't have to always run in place either--that would get boring!
There seem to be many new and creative twists on these exercises that make these workouts so fun and motivating.

I've done Step Moves, Cardio Blast, MMA Boxing, & MMA Kickbox so far, and I've been able to do them all with minor modifications and am enjoying those very much! They've all been a blast! Tomorrow I'll try Athletic Step.

Hope these are words of encouragement, but, only you can decide what's best for you. Good luck to you!
 
You all are impressing me. I have great respect for anyone using Cathe's workouts, but for those of you in their 50s and 60s: WOW. I'm 44 and you all are giving me much motivation to modify and keep pushing myself while listening and obeying my body.

I've also kept my step at 10in for some work in Circuit Blast and purposely miss a few reps of some of the higher impact stuff. I want to improve my endurance, but a little improvement at a time works for me. Also as I drop weight, the cardio gets easier.

I'll also second the comment of doing strength training on legs to improve endurance for the aerobic items.
 
I will keep them all even if I can't do all the moves! I love my Cathe workouts, but I modify with reckless abandon! I still get a great workout!
 
Ditto to what everyone says. I am 48 and have been doing this type of stuff for years and running as well. I don't plan to give any of it up soon. However, I do monitor my body well. My chiropractor says I am one of the most in tune with my body people she has ever met. She is always amazed when I walk in and say such and such is out of kilter, or not a thing is wrong today, and I am always right. This comes from listening to your body. I also weight train, weight train, weight train. Nothing beats a strong, strong body as you age!
 
DITTO........I completely agree. I am not even 40, although I don't do EVERYTHING Cathe does for every workout. The point is to really pay attention to your body and what you are feeling like - EVERY day and EVERY workout. Some days I work like a madwoman and make all the reps, do all the jumps, use extra weight (yup...even more than Cathe sometimes :)), and push myself to the limit. However, other days "just showing up" is enough. You do your best and get stronger slowly. I also find it much more motivating to do a workout that is slightly above my fitness level. For example, I have several workout CD's with great music that I have had to modify to the point where you wouldn't even recognize the workout, including adding hand weights, leg weights, high impact jumps, etc. Again, the point is that you are doing this "FOR YOU" and should find your happy medium.

Merry X-mas everyone!!

Mistic
 
I may not even use a step on some of the higher impact stuff. I am not always the most graceful or coordinated person! I can just see me missing, and falling off. You can still work out hard without going to the extreme.
 
I turned 41 last month and just received the entire shock cardio series. Today I did 30/30 and it was tough. As far as jumping on to a 14" step in some of the other DVDs, that's not going to happen here. Not so much because I physically couldn't do it, but for a couple of other reasons. 1. I don't have "The Step" and mine slides across the floor when I try to add the height adjustment piece that came with it (which only adds a few inches anyway). 2. I work out in the basement (good pad and carpet) and if I did have a step that high I would hit my head on the ceiling! :) I didn't realize any of these DVDs would require a step with so many risers, so I will just use my short step and not get the most out of those particular work outs.

You need to listen to your body and not do anything that hurts.
 
There is way too much impact for me and I feel many moves are just too risky. I will be modifying a lot.
 
One word: trampoline....not for the step dvd's, but for any "jumping" moves. It's easier on the knee's and you just do it in place instead of going all over the floor. You can get a good sweat, and just practice so you know how much room you have ahead of time.
That's my advise. Autumn.
 
Autumn, a trampoline would be fun but I can hear DH complaining about any more equipment in "my sewing, computing, exercising, office, etc" room now if I even mentioned I was going to buy one. Darlene
 
Hi Elaine,

I'm also a mere 5' and do the same thing as far as the risers. My husband is 6'2 so we look like Mutt and Jeff. Also, my son who is almost seven years old is already up to my collar bone!!

Petite gals rule!! Yeah baby!

Pam:)
 
I did Circuit Blast today and only used 2 risers to start out with (this is one of the 'high jump' DVDs :)) and was challenged with that. Not super challenged, but I will feel it tomorrow..I have never been a fan of plyo, tuck or froggy jumps, so I modify those already. I have been very bad with working out for the last few weeks, so I wanted to work back up to things without shocking my knees too much - I'm 47 and have 1 knee that has issues already if I don't keep up with the weight training.
 
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