Is STS Shock Cardio for Beginners?!?!

jatbdp

jatbdp

Cathlete
Hi, I am new to Cathe and just purchased and received today her Basic Step & Body Fusion to get a feel for her workouts even though I have heard and read a lot of great things about her workouts. I am just getting back into working out and getting into shape after allowing myself to fall out of shape over the past several years and having back surgery to fuse my lower spine, which allows me to only life a maximum of 50 pounds.

I have a chance to purchase the entire STS Shock Cardio series at a reduced price from a friend who purchased them new and then found out she had some medical conditions that prevented her from using the DVDs. While the series would be at a reduced rate, it is still a chunk of change and I want to make sure that if I cannot readily do them now that I will eventually be able to do them as I shed some of my extra baggage and also with my limitations on the amount of weights I can lift. As a "newbie", can anyone please give me more insight into this series and help me calm my panic of spending a lot of money on something I know very little about?!?!

Thanks,
Jennifer
 
From reading what you wrote, I would honestly have to say I think you would be disappointed and frustrated in Shock Cardio as an entire series. I am an avid Cathlete, but as someone with back problems as well, I find some of the moves in HiiT, MMA Fusion, and Cardio Core Circuit undoable and verging on ridiculous. I find myself often saying, "Yeah, I'm not doin' that move" then the workout is over and I don't feel like I did anything because I modified or omitted half of the content.

Will your friend let you pick and choose and she can put the rest on eBay? I would recommend Step Moves and Althetic Step if you like Basic Step and Body Fusion. Maybe MMA Kickboxing. Cathe's DVDs throughout time are a progression. For you to go from BS and BF to Shock Cardio is quite extreme and may discourage you. You might want to build up your library in the order in which the DVD's were released. I would buy Low Impact Step next, actually. Then maybe Step Blast, Low Impact Circuit, Body Max 2
 
I agree! I had back surgery several years ago and while I love Cathe, I have to be careful with some of the workouts. The only workout I would add to the previous post is Low Max - that is another great back friendly workout.

I think the high impact of Shock Cardio would be tough for your back as well. Stick to the lower impact recommendations for at least 6 months before trying to advance to some of the other workouts. You should be able to build your strength and endurance to eventually do some of the other workouts but you have to take it slow to avoid injury. Good luck!
 
Thanks for the Info

LucyFan and Lisa 7691,

Thanks so much for your response to my question concerning Shock Cardio. All of the information you provided sounds reasonable and I will definitely check out the suggested DVDs on Cathe's site. At this stage of my life, I definitely DO NOT want to get discouraged! I will check with my friend and see if she will let me pick and choose the DVDs in the series that you recommend to add to my library. :D
 
the only STS chock cardio i like is HiiT. i am trying to sell the other ones. i was pretty disappointed in them. they are very similar to her other workouts as far as i'm concerned. and, if i do too many hi-impact w/outs of hers, my feet kill me. i do love her w/outs, but don't need shock cardio.
 
Hi Jennifer,

I would go with Step Moves out of all of them. Athletic Step is a bit more advanced in my opinion. Other good step workouts but not from Shock Cardio for a beginner would be Low Impact Step, The Classics, and perhaps LowMax. In LowMax I would learn the step portions in the premix before tackling the blasts. Just a thought. Wish all the best.

!Renee~~~~~~~~
 
I have to say that I love this series. When the series was released I had just spent almost an entire month in the hospital with pancreatitis. I was very weak when I got out. I felt like I was starting over with my workouts. After the doctor told me I could resume my workouts I started very slow with just walking on the treadmill. After two weeks of that I just had to try my new workouts - STS Cardio. I just did what I could and modified any moves that were to difficult. I am now able to do all the workouts and I credit them with getting me back on track. There are some new moves in the workouts that I thought I would not be able to do. I am surprised that I have gradually been able to do them. That is part of the challenge of the workouts. I am sure that I don't look as graceful as Cathe when I am doing them but I am doing them and I love the feeling of accomplishment afterwards. That is why I love Cathe's workouts - she is always able to challenge me to do something that I never thought I could do.
 
So far, I have only purchased HIIT but I am loving what I see of Circuit Blast on you tube.

In my personal opinion, any workout can be modified for a beginner. You just have to learn the format first, then take it slowly until your cardio endurance is at its ultimate.

Set a goal. If you push yourself out of your comfort zone then there is no reason why you cannot start jumping as high as the ladies on the DVD within 3 months (less if you ask me but I don't want to scare you!) :eek:
 
Hi Jennifer -

I would definitely try Low Impact Step before moving to STS cardio (and also recommend Low Max and Low Impact Circuit. I absolutely love all of the STS cardio workouts, but if you're starting out, some are easier than others. If you get a chance to get the whole set at once at a discount, I would! You can work up to the harder workouts. Start out with MMA Kickbox, Step Moves, and Travel Fit in the first month. Then you can graduate to MMA Boxing, Athletic Step, and MMA Fusion in the second month. And finally you can try Cardio Core Circuit, Circuit Blast and HIIT in the third month. All STS cardio are not alike, so start out with the easier ones and you'll be amazed at your progress. You can always modify. I use two risers when Cathe uses four and one riser when she uses two for STS cardio, but I still get a great workout. I used to have to pause during HIIT workouts, now I can make it all the way through.
4 risers. Its really fun to see yourself improve. If you don't go for the tougher workouts, you won't know what you can do.
 
Hi Cheryl, I agree with your advise. As a newbie for my 1st order I ordered Cardio Core Circuit along with Muscle Max, Body Max II, Ab Circuit and Core Max. After previewing them all I concentrated with getting MM & BMII down then started with CCC. OMG! after 3 months yesterday I was able to complete the entire workout and I still need to take longer rests between exercises than Cathe & Crew but my core strength improves every time I put this disc in! I've lost 18lbs! I used to hate anything Cardio but this is growing on me. Huff & Puff & Sweat!
 
jatbdp said:
Hi, I am new to Cathe and just purchased and received today her Basic Step & Body Fusion to get a feel for her workouts even though I have heard and read a lot of great things about her workouts. I am just getting back into working out and getting into shape after allowing myself to fall out of shape over the past several years and having back surgery to fuse my lower spine, which allows me to only life a maximum of 50 pounds.

I have a chance to purchase the entire STS Shock Cardio series at a reduced price from a friend who purchased them new and then found out she had some medical conditions that prevented her from using the DVDs. While the series would be at a reduced rate, it is still a chunk of change and I want to make sure that if I cannot readily do them now that I will eventually be able to do them as I shed some of my extra baggage and also with my limitations on the amount of weights I can lift. As a "newbie", can anyone please give me more insight into this series and help me calm my panic of spending a lot of money on something I know very little about?!?!

Thanks,
Jennifer
Click to expand...

Hi Jennifer,

I don't think Shock Cardio is a good series for you at this time. No matter what some say about not getting their heartrate up, it is a tough series and it sure does spike my heartrate.

HIIT and Cardio Core Circuit are extremely demanding and the two step videos are no walk in the park. Step Moves has complex choreography and Athletic Step is very dynamic with more impact.

To kick things up a notch, try Low Max using a 6 inch riser.

Also Cathe's Step Blast and Step Max can help you learn Cathe's more advanced moves.
 
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