Impact questions: IMAX & new videos

P

pepino

Member
Hello Everyone!

This is my first time here & have been researching & reading many of your posts this morning! This is in anticipation of purchasing Cathe's new set of six videos :) So, I am fishing for some advice here.

The only Cathe workout I've done is MIS. I like Cathe a lot but have avoided her other tapes because I cannot do high-impact. I can do complex choreography with no problem (Christi, for instance) but my knees hurt from high-impact...plyos and higher step than 4". I would love to get Cathe's new pyramid videos and now I am tempted to try some (many!!) of her other workouts, as well (the remaining 4 new ones, Power Hour, IMAX, & Rythmic Step). In some of your posts here, I get the idea that IMAX can be modified to low-impact and the cardio can even be done on a rebounder. Any opinions? Also, will Cathe's new videos have low-impact moves or all high (I've been told by quite a few people that Cardio Kicks, for instance, is high-impact...I have a lot of other kickboxing tapes that I love so I don't feel I need to get Cardio Kicks if I have to modify).

I guess my main question is: which Cathes are easy to modify to low-impact ("easy" meaning that low-impact variations are actually shown on the tape most of the time or the rebounder can be easily used)? I don't care to modify videos too much with my own moves as I'd rather just follow along.

Hope this wasn't too confusing, thanks to all in advance!

pepino
 
Although I don't have IMAX, I do have Rhythmic Step. I do it on a 4" step and I modify it to almost entirely low impact. I feel I still get a good, intense workout, even staying grounded, and I love the music and choreography in RS! My heart rate stays in my target zone, no problem.

I also encourage you to get Power Hour! I love this workout! It completely fries my muscles, but I think it's a lot of fun!

Kat
 
Aside from Rhythmic Step, I think the answer is none.

However, Power Hour will give you a lot of bang for your buck. It is a total body weight training tape but it goes quickly and when I do it it affects me very much like cardio.

I can do impact all right, but I would love to see more choices available to people like you who can't.

Another option (more weight tapes) is CTX Upper Body Split and Leaner Legs. Neither one has impact, but both will do nice things for you.

Have you tried bicycle riding? How do your knees react?

In the book, Peak Performance Fitness by Jennifer Rhodes, knee problems are addressed in detail and some of them are greatly helped by orthotics and by changing habitual body mechanics. Also bt strengthening various components of the knees, so there is even hope to get to impact. Also, Health and Fitness in Plain English by Jolie Bookspan addresses knee problems.

But I bet you can realize your goals handily by working around it. Having obstacles sometimes makes a task more interesting- it awakens our inborn stubborn streak and makes us more determined than ever.

Please keep us posted on what starts to work for you!
-Connie
 
[font size="1" color="#FF0000"]LAST EDITED ON Nov-29-02 AT 08:49AM (Est)[/font][p]Thanks, Kat & Connie! RS & Power hour are "must haves", I guess! I will add the new CTX upper body tape to these. I've read the Rhodes book, BTW, & thought it was interesting. You have a good point, Connie, about helping my knees by working them properly...stepping and tall box work (for me it is a 10" box because I am very short) have both greatly strengthened my knees. Anyway, right now I am in pretty good shape so I feel that I don't need or want to pound my body (read "knees") since I am in my early 40's and my knees are okay (I've never done high-impact) and I want to keep them that way. Maybe most of Cathe's tapes are just not a good match for me. I'm sure the new pyramids will be good...I just was hoping to have more tapes that use my fitness toys (medicine ball & stability ball...and rebounder if I have to) and get more interval routines.

When Cathe posted her request for input on the new series, I read a lot of requests for low-impact modification but I haven't found any info on whether Cathe incorporated lower-impact into these tapes. Has anyone info on this?

Thanks again, I appreciate the advice & opinions! pepino
 
Hi Pepino:

Have you thought of swimming? It's completely low impact, works all muscle groups, serves as both cardio and strength becuase you exert force against water, and it does fabulous things for knees.

You can certainly incorporate intervals into swimming also, two lengths slower pace, one length all out speed, two more recovery, another all out at different style, etc, etc

I know that Charlene Prickett does some good low impact tapes.

Also, how about power walking? It's low impact and you can certainly burn some calories, also listening to your favourite choice of music, not some instructor's choice, which may not always stimulate you to go all-out aerobically. You can incorporate intervals and even some circuit work, if you stop every five minutes and drop and push out 20 push ups, squat thrusts, sit ups, whatever.

Hope some of this helps

Clare
 
Thank you very much for the suggestions, Clare...swimming would be a great & easy way to get the interval cycles! I have considered Charlene but I get bored very easily so I'm shy of investing in her tapes. pepino
 
Hi,
My knees were bugging me as well, so I continue to do Cathe cardio(I could never give it up!) and run, but I also swim once a week, and spin once a week. I just bought a bike trainer and a Spinervals video. I am soooo impressed with my ability to get a high intensity interval workout with virtually NO impact on my knees. If you want to get more info, the videofitness site has many Spinerval threads with an abundance of advice, opinions, etc.. My knees feel so much better now that I have cut my impact days down to 2 or 3 times a week. Have a great day. Janet
 
Hi Pepino!

I haven't heard anything either, about low-impact modifications.

I was having knee trouble while doing IMax yesterday till I looked down and noticed that one foot was facing out (this was during the up-lunge interval). The other foot was facing in a little like pigeon-toed and it was fine. The out-facing foot had the knee pain so I just made it land just like the other one and the pain instantly disappeared.

It took a little more effort though. The reason I was doing it was probably to save just a bit of effort.

Well I am 43 so I know what you mean about not wanting knee problems. Furthermore I have banged my knee a few times lately on this and that, and each time I wonder "Is this it? The injury to send me to the sidelines!" but it has always been okay.
 
Thanks, for your suggestions, Janet & Connie! Of course, I broke down & pre-ordered Cathe's new videos...I was afraid I'd lose the pre-sale deal before I found out about low-impact variations. I am a vidiot, from VF so you can understand! There is always the exchange if some workouts don't suit. Maybe I'll be trading for Rythmic Step in the near future. For some reason, I have been immune to the spinerval threads. I always assume I'd get bored...but then again, I could watch TV, right? Anyway, I am going to be able to swim next summer which will be nice.

Thanks again, everyone, this is a vert helpful forum community. Good luck with your knees, everyone! pepino
 
I only wanted to say that I remember Lou Monte's Pepino the Italian Mouse! Is that where you get your username? (I'm Italian).

If egged on, I can still sing the whole thing in Italian.

Rose
 
I'm 44 and have a problem with my left knee. It's been made better by weight training, wearing a knee brace when I work out and almost always using a 4 inch step to do Cathe step videos. All of Cathe's step video's can be done on a 4 inch step so please take heart, they are doable at a lower level. The lower step makes a huge difference take my word for it.

I also ice my knee right after I workout for 20 minutes. I have pretty much zero to very minimal problems with it now days as a result of the steps I've taken. And, when the knee does get stiff or sore I take a day off and it's fine again.

Don't be scared away from Cathe's step tapes because you feel they have to be done on a high step. The plyo moves can be downgraded to lower impact moves and that step can be lowered.
 
pepino - just wanted to let you know that I also do not do a lot of high-impact, due to my weight. I have done Step Jam, Step Heat and Step Works, and those are tons of fun. Step Heat is very easy to modify to low impact. Step Jam is moderately easy to modify to low impact. I would say Step Works starts to get harder to modify, but of course it's still possible.

Those are still great workouts and tons of fun even at low-impact. I'm glad you found Cathe, I'm so glad I found her too! I don't know how I could get through an hour-long workout with anyone else.
 
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