I used to hate machine cardio. I now do 80% of my cardio on treadmill/elliptical since I discovered CC and iTread. At first I thought it was because these were new to me. But its been almost three years now, I really find I have developed an enduring love for machine cardio with these workouts.
I love Cardio Coach more. I have every workout Sean has made. But I love iTrain a lot too.
I think the suggestion to get one of each is best. Some people settle for one or the other, but most end up getting more from both.
Here are some differences:
- Both are interval cardio. You do bursts of high intensity - hills or sprints and then recover. Some workouts are more hilly, some are flat and fast, some are a good mix of both - this is true of the CC library and the iTread library. iTreads coached by Grace give you specific speed/incline recommendations. Cardio Coach has an easy 4 level scale of exertion. Based on your fitness, you set the speed/incline.
I like both approaches. With Grace's style, you face the challange of maintaining a specific setting for the duration os each interval. With Cardio Coach, you see how you improve. You witness how you are able to accomplish the same workout with more aggressive settings as you repeat the workout.
- A Cardio Coach workout will work on any cardio machine. If you are in a gym someday, you can use your CC on a spin bike, elliptical or stationary cycle. A lot of people use it outdoors to walk/run and some even use it on the rebounder. iTread has specific workouts for treadmill/elliptical/cycle.
- Music. iTrain has a wide library of upbeat high-energy songs. A lot of them have vocals. The style ranges from pop to rock to hip/hop. In each workout they use a mix of songs from their library. Cardio Coach has music that was developed specifically for the workout. Sean designs the workout first and then has the muic composed to match. So the tempo, and mood will change based on what you are supposed to be doing. It is trance/world music with a strong emphasis on beat. Both are excellently produced, but CC has more drama and mood. I find myself singing along with some of the iTrain songs - they are as good as "real songs".
- Coaching style. Both are great. This really boils down to personal preference because they both excel. Sean O Malley has a sincerity and passion that touches people beyond cardio coaching. Grace has energy that is hard not to get caught up in. Sean's voice is his gift. The modulation and accentuation is remarkable.
If you like itread, I strongly recommend the one coached by Nick too after you try Grace. He is different from both Grace and Sean! His 35 minute iTread is very well designed and is a lot of fun. You will walk a steep hill, run, side step - never repeating anything, and before you know it will be done and feel satisfyingly worked out.
If I consider ROI, I have re-used my CC and itrains far more than any DVD. For some reason, the life of these workouts / repeatability is high. I think mainly it has to do with not platauing as quickly. As you get better, you can still find a way to improve your settings.
~* Vrinda *~
