Just coming to Cathe from The Firm

When I say "Hollywood" body, I mean like the natural, toned, lean, body, that of course, not all of them have, but many do (Diane Lane, Sheryl Crow being a couple of examples)....maybe "fitness model" body is a better way to describe it.

I eat about 75-95% clean, and go at about 1400-1600 calories per day.

I'm glad some one brought up being scared about dividing weight lifting and cardio. I guess the Firm has scared me into believing that the only way to get the body I want is to do AWT. And AWT has worked VERY well for me.....except now, as you all seem to be reporting about yourselves, it also has "stopped working" for me. The scale no longer moves (I am 5'2 and hover in and out of 125lbs)....which I am starting to believe it where it's going to stay, as I've been 115 my whole life, then went up to 138 and the Firm got me down to 125. BUT, when I was 115, it was with ABSOLUTELY ZERO muscle...so I beleive that 125 is really my normal 115, plus 10 lbs of much needed and much valued muscle! So I'm happy with the weight.

What I am no longer happy with is the inner-thigh, tricep, and ab flab. Also, I'd like my arms and legs to be a little bit more defined. So I would love it if anyone else had more info on switching from AWT to separate cardio and sculpt. With me, I actually can go heavier on AWT, because there is less reps and less consecutive reps on any one mody part. When I do straight sculpt, I have to go lighter because the body parts get overkilled!

Also, I've really gotten used to the effeciency of AWT. I can get it all in 1 hr....I DO NOT want or need to be doing 1 hr of cardio and then another hr of weights right after that. Also, for me 20-30 min of sculpting is fine for me....I can't imagine doing a 75 min workout that is strictly a sculpt workout like I see some of the Cathe workouts are. Not trying to criticize...just wanted to voice my hesitations to see what others have to say about it. :) Plus, I have a "cortisol type" body, which means I do not benefit from stressful exercise of exercise that is too intense...if I go to intense with the exercise, my body actually conserves and produces fat! Another reason I hesitate to try Cathe. But again, my dilemma is that I'm afraid the only way to get the "fitess model" body IS to ramp it up! Catch 22!!!

But that's not to say that all I do is AWT. I do AWT about 2x per week, and then 2 days of cardio, and 1 day of sculpt. With about 3-5 days of yoga and stretching included with that.

I don't have FitTV, and Cathe is not available on Netflix...otherwise, I would have a way to test it out before buying.
 
I agree that you can get results from circuits but they will only get you so far. Like another poster said, it's difficult to get that lean, muscular (yet still feminine) look doing so much cardio...and circuits are cardio.

I couldn't imagine doing more than a half hour of weight training as well (a lot of people feel this way coming from the firm). When I first started doing Cathe's full body workouts, I opted for the shorter premixes because I didn't think I could last that long and I thought I would get bored. Eventually I worked up to doing the entire workout and loving every minute of it. Now I feel like if my workouts are 45 minutes or less, they are WAY to short. :)

Getting leaner will take some devotion. The body will adapt to whatever you give it, especially if you constantly do the same thing. If you constantly do the same circuit workouts, the body will adapt and results will slow or stop (as you've noticed). It's the same with weight workouts. You need to change up what you do (how fast you lift, how heavy, how long, specific exercises, etc) or results will slow or stop.

But I think it's a good idea to start slowly as well. Get used to the idea and then change it up when you're ready. Oh, and not all of her weight workouts are 75 minutes. I did Pyramid Upper Body yesterday and I think it was a little under an hour. Some are under an hour but most are around an hour, which I think is perfectly reasonable. And don't forget there are shorter premixes as well.

I'm not saying you should do an hour of cardio AND an hour of weight. I'm saying forgo (gasp) a cardio day or 2 for a pure weight workout day. Track your results and you might be amazed. Tracking your results is invaluable, especially if you feel you gain weight from intense workouts (I've never heard of this BTW). If you see a change that you don't like, then you can change things up right away. There's no way to know how your body will react until you try it. It's a lot of trial and error but once you start seeing results, it's all worth it.

Do you know anyone who has FitTV? Maybe even in another state? Maybe they can tape a workout for you. Also, Cathe.com might have a return policy if you're unhappy (I've never returned anything so I'm not to sure - maybe someone else will chime in).

Carolyn
 
I don't know about Cathe.com but on collage you can do returns if you don't like a DVD. I returned an Amy Bento not too long ago.
LD
 
I believe that changing up your routine, and dividing your weights and cardio days up will help you tone up those last stubborn areas. It isn't always a reflection of the scale, but rather how you feel and fit in your clothing. HTH:)
 
Thanks so much everyone for all the info!

And while Cathe.com is GREAT in that it's free shipping, I never knew Collage took returns even after you opened the package!

In terms of foregoing cardio days for Sculpt days....again, the Firm is always going on about how you need straight cardio to burn the fat layers so you can see the muscles you are getting from sculpting. Is this just another fintess myth? Can you really get the results from 3 pure sculpt days and 2 pure cardio?
 
Greetings!

If you are intersted in trying a split-routine, but are hesitant about the 70-plus minute workouts, start with the Pure Strength series. It's one of Cathe's older series', but it's a great place to start with a split routine. It is a three-way split, and the workouts are shorter in length (40-60 min.) I saw real changes in my muscles doing this series.

If you don't want to do three days of pure sculpting, you could try doing just two days of a split-routine workout, and one day of AWT or circuit training.

I don't know what cardio you are doing now, but adding in some interval training... like the IMAX's, or Gin Miller's Intense Moves (if you aren't already) will also help you start seeing results faster.

Good luck!
 
Again, not trying to criticize anything, just trying to understand where I am at and where I should be going next.

I feel that the Firm gives lots of options to mix it up, as they have so many different and varying workout DVDs....also, you can ramp it up howveer you like to add intensity, whether you go high-impact on aerobics, use light weights during aerobics, heavy up during sculpting, etc.

Also, in terms of cardio, it's all about heart rate, no? So wheter you get it up through cycling, rowing, aerobics, step...should it matter what the exercise is, as long as the heart rate is up? And with the Firm, I feel you get extra benefits from cardio because you work the legs so much on the incline step, with squats during cardio, etc.

Again, the Firm has worked SO well for my, like nothing else ever has before, and I am just afraid to spend money to change things and find out a new program does not work as well for me. It's only been a month since I have moved away from weight loss and into really leaning out, so perhaps I should not be quick to say that the Firm failed me in this new venture...perhaps I have not given it enough time yet?
 
Hello,

I too started with The Firm, but the old style firm.
I do agree that Cathe is a natural progression....just some random comments that I hope will ease your mind about spendiing a little money on Cathe DVD's

1) first of all, she's a lovely instructor with a wonderful personality. That alone makes it worth it for me. But to be practical....

2) there are lots of similarities to the FIRM in her 'circuit' style training...only they are harder and will push you more, and are more motivating. And yes, they ALL will work your legs like no tomorrow.

3) I also had to progress from the circuit type to dividing my weight workouts (although sadly I'm back down to 'circuits' again as I sart up!) It does work! I can't speak to what a cortisol type is, but I'm a VERY hour-glass shape, and some sites classify that as having 'endomorphic' tendencies. Maybe we are similar? Anyway, working on heavier weights and separating the cardio worked for me. I was at the leanest and most defined in my life.

I know it's hard to leave what worked and what you like...it sounds like you're going to have some separation anxiety...but I can guarantee it's worth it. :)

Good luck!
 
The only way I can go heavy on weights is if it alternates upper and lower body. It seems Cathe's workouts are either all upper or all lower. When I do an all upper or all lower, I actually have to use lighter weights because my muscles get too exhausted....even if I am moving from bicep to chest to shoulder to back in that sequence.....because for some reason, more than just my target muscle gets engaged. For example, my biceps will be engaged on chest work, so even if I move from chest work to bicep work, by biceps are already slightly worked from the chest exercise, hence my need to go lighter througout the entire upper-only workout.

My god, I sound like such a drag! "But" "wait" "if", etc. Again, just trying to understand as much as I can....
 
I think the chest is one of the hardest muscles to isolate.
But, 'heavy' is a relative term. If you are consistently engaging much more than the target muscle on several exercises, then perhaps you need to lower the weights? Are you trying to match what Cathe and crew does right away? :) Perhaps it's a question of building up endurance.
 
I wouldn't start with the heaviest weight. You will actually have to go through the workouts to figure out what you can lift safely and effectively first. After a few workouts you will find a comfortable weight, but you will have to adjust this weight as you gain strength. Also, alternating uppers and lowers is great for circuits, but pushing through using the same muscle groups will help you gain much more strength than a circuit. You may not be able to go as heavy, and you probably won't get through all of the reps, but that is okay. You shouldn't be able to jump in to Cathe's workouts and do everything completely 100 percent and not feel like you haven't worked. Time, consistency, and clean eating habits will optimize your results. You will have to break some of your prior habits, as they may have kept you in a plateau. Anyway, I don't think there is anything wrong with circuits or the Firm. The Firm got me started and now I have progressed to Cathe. I still do some of Cathe's circuits, but I try to mix things up now. Good luck with everything:)
 
Fitgoddess,

Perhaps you should buy one of Cathe's videos from Collage and give it a try. If you don't like it, then send it back. I'm not trying to sound rude, but it sounds like you're either not wanting or not ready to try something new (I could be wrong, that's just my impression). If that's the case, then maybe you should stick with what you know and like. No harm done.:)

Carolyn
 
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