My REVIEW of "Finding your core"

R

RWattier

Cathlete
Just to forewarn everyone - I did not like this dvd. I bought it because it got such good reviews on this forum, but I was incredibly disappointed......IMO!!!

the negatives first.......IMO!!!
1. The video/dvd was shorter in length than I thought it was -(

2. If I am going to work my TOTAL body - I like to work it evenly.....which is NOT the case in this dvd!!!

3. I thought it really lacked solid core/ab work - (it had more balance work for the body which works your core in a different way)

4. I thought some of the moves were not safe in form!!! (Just like in Susan Harris's first dvd The Firm Vol 1 - - ) I kept a slower count on one of them and then redid that section using a light weight and I still didn't like it........

5. The dvd lacked focus and cueing - when I buy a dvd I like to be able to find a purpose for it in my rotation - I like the concept behind functional training and can see where it would be beneficial but then what is the point of throwing in lat pulls on each side without a challenging weight or to failure??

6. I can work balance and functional fitness by taking any of Cathe's videos and doing them on a stability ball and standing on leg and so forth and get a much more well rounded workout.......

The positives.......

1. I did feel my glutes engage alot - but like I said I would rather do a LEG workout for that....plus Cathe does those hamstring pulls in GS Legs and also in PLB..

2.THe concept is great :) I like functional training and balance but I do yoga for balance and pilates for stretching, so it would be nice to have Cathe do a functional training dvd :)

Just my opinion but thought I would put it out there for everyone.....
 
RE: My REVIEW of

I also bought Susan Harris Finding Your Core. I preview it on Collage video and thought I would give it a try. I agree some moves seem unsafe and I just don't really care for it either. I am spoiled by Cathe. I use it as an add on after I do a Cathe DVD and I have taken out some of the moves that I feel I may end up in traction.
I don't seem to care for other instructors workouts. I did order Turbo Jam the newer series it hasn't arrived yet. I hope I am not to disappointed.
Susan
 
RE: My REVIEW of

I think with the TLT's if you were familiar with The Firm workouts...you had a better idea of what these workouts would be like. The Firm was never known for 'great' workouts such as Cathe workouts. I did the Firm years ago when they first came out and continued to do them for years after but I was also running alot back then.

My expectation's for the TLT's were not 'high'. I expected Firm-like workouts and that is what they are. I bought all of the new TLT's, did them a couple of times but now they sit on the shelf, along with all the other Firm library of vhs that I have. I have taken some of the TLT moves and made up my own routine so I did get some value that way...and seeing Susan Harris back in action after all these years was worth the price too.:)
 
RE: My REVIEW of

Well, I have to admit that the first time I did it I did not like it either. But the more I do it and become familar with the way the moves are supposed to be performed, the more I like it.
 
RE: My REVIEW of

Hmm, I bought this one but haven't tried it yet. I did really like BBBB, though, but it is Tracie Long and she is an excellent cue-er (is that a word? cuer?). No one else is Cathe, of course, but I thought BBBB was a great intermediate workout and hit the body in some interesting and different ways. I'll definitely have to check out FYC now... we did preview it and my SO commented on how out of breath Susan Harris was throughout. Interesting!

Marie
 
RE: My REVIEW of

And I think that is just it in a nutshell. Some people just prefer Cathe. However, I like the video. One must realize that this is a entirely different ball game than traditional work and that it is really unfair to compare it to a Cathe workout. It's like comparing apples with oranges. After doing years of one type of training, it may be hard to switch immediately and just "love" another type of training. I think the TLT's grew on me with more and more practice! By the way, many of the moves are faster and not controlled because functional fitness is patterned after real life. In real life, I'll pick up a baby, balance sideways, to reach something in a cabinet, and then turn around while doing all of that to speak to someone that may be saying something to me. I don't do all of that at a controlled rep and speed. Doing functional fitness trains your body to mimic some of the more "odd" movements we do daily which actually decreases the chance of me injuring myself in regular life from day to day. How many times have we stood on tippy toes on one leg reaching for something at the very top of the cabinet. How many times have people pulled a muscle from doing some type of weird movement like that. These videos just help you work on muscles that are not often worked just for that reason. There's just an added benefit of calorie burn and small muscle development. By the way, traditional work has it's pitfalls too. Take for instance bicep curls, I benefit from this move because I usually just lift the grocery bags from the car into the house. I don't, however, step back with one leg and do sixteen reps with the grocery bags, and then step in and do sixteen more. I don't need endurance to lift the grocery bag. So endurance isn't really helping me in that regard. But just the same, I realize I do need to challenge the muscle so that my muscle is strong enough to lift the grocery bag.

I just feel that both of these trainings have their places. Just another viewpoint on them. Perhaps you could try them for 3 months and see if they grow on you. However, if they are going to sit on the shelf, it's just not the exercise for you, and there is nothing wrong with that! :+

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RE: My REVIEW of

Well said Christi! I absolutely agree with you. Especially the part that says if you don't like them - that's fine, too. It's all whatever works for YOU...
 
RE: My REVIEW of

I am just spoiled by Cathe workouts :) I exchanged it for Core Max through Collage Video...........the firm just sits on my shelf and has not been used for a year since I found Cathe :)

I really really would like cathe to put out a functional fitness dvd - she would rock - she just knows how to maximize everything :)

Like you guys said - its whatever works for you :)
 
RE: My REVIEW of

Wow! I have always really liked the Firm's pre Goodtimes DVDs and I know many others feel the same (although maybe not the people of this forum). I really like Cathe but I cannot work with the same instructor, whether it's the Firm, Jazzercise, Cathe, Tracie Long, day in and day out. All of them work my muscles in different ways and add variety to cardio and the variety keeps my knees from killing me.
 
RE: My REVIEW of

FYC is actually on my agenda for tonight's workout, which is going to be much later than I wanted it to be. I love all the TLT's and that surprises me b/c I've been looking for other workouts to cross train with Cathe and could not find anything I liked until the TLT's. I am finding the more I do them the "harder" they are in the sense that I'm feeling the many muscles being worked especially as I become more familiar with the moves. I used to do the Firm also, and I find the TLT's a lot different from the Firm workouts. I think there is a lot of emphasis on balance, posture, and proper form in the TLT workouts and for some reason they just click with me. As far as Susan being out of breath, I remember her as being a "breathy" instructor from her Firm workouts... Anyhoo....I am ready to get back to a Cathe rotation and once the newness of the TLT's wears off I will maybe alternate a Cathe week with a TLT/Yoga/Pilates focus week. Brother, did I blab or what????
Angela:p
 
RE: My REVIEW of

Angela, I like it when you "blab". :+ You always give lots of great information. Please.......blab on, lol! :p
 
RE: My REVIEW of

Christi, you just nailed it on the head...the beauty and need for workouts like the TLT's! Great explanation of how they work, what to expect from them and why they are so helpful for so many of us.
 
RE: My REVIEW of

I think those that forego all other workouts to the tune of one instructor are doing themselves a disservice. Whether it be all Cathe, or all Firm or all TLT or all anything.

This is just my personal opinion and what I've experienced, but having enough different videos to mix it up, is what gives me the best results. I'm not focused on one instructor/video type to the exclusion of all else and it gives my body a "jump start" with each different one I do.

It always amazes me when someone says that they discovered Cathe (or the Firm, or SS or anybody) and sold all their other workouts. Variety is the spice of life! :D

Having expressed that, I just ordered FYC. I am looking forward to it, anxious to see what the hype is about. I'm not expecting anything traditional, so it'll be nice to see how it's different in a functional fitness way. Thanks for the review! :)
 
RE: My REVIEW of

For those who like the TLT's, I would suggest you check out Janis Saffell video clips over at Collage; 'Brand New Butt And More' and 'Brand New Butt Plus Pilates' are good workouts. Like the TLT's though...I find the JS workouts not long enough so I will pause the dvds and do extra reps. Now that is just me and before I started doing that I was still feeling some DOMS the next day in my butt and quads.

Or I shouldn't say 'not long enough'...but rather I prefer to do more reps of certain moves to 'feel' completely worked in that area. Anyway, just a couple of suggestion's you might want to look at. :)
 
RE: My REVIEW of

>4. I thought some of the moves were not safe in form!!! (Just
>like in Susan Harris's first dvd The Firm Vol 1 - - ) I kept a
>slower count on one of them and then redid that section using
>a light weight and I still didn't like it........

Just curious: what moves did you think were unsafe?
 
RE: My REVIEW of

Actually this was the one TLT I did keep BUT I like stability ball work. The only move I thought was unsafe for my knees was where Susan squats and stands part way up and pushes the stability ball out to the side. I tried it with the ball but my knees HURT afterwards so I know my form suffered alot with this particular move I now use the gliding plates for this one move and it works great for me.

Kim
 
RE: My REVIEW of

The more often I do this one the more sore I get. When I listen to Susan's cuing carefully and heed every word I find myself make small adjustmenets that make a difference in form and how I feel the next day. I now find myself squeezing my glutes the entire workout and sucking in my abs, tilting my pelvis etc like she instructs.

I also do not put my foot on the ball, andI use a rag for the moving leg. I noticed she said to keep your knee slightly forward, but I am not ready to try that on the ball yet!
 
RE: My REVIEW of

>The more often I do this one the more sore I get. When I
>listen to Susan's cuing carefully and heed every word I find
>myself make small adjustmenets that make a difference in form
>and how I feel the next day. I now find myself squeezing my
>glutes the entire workout and sucking in my abs, tilting my
>pelvis etc like she instructs.
>
>I also do not put my foot on the ball, andI use a rag for the
>moving leg. I noticed she said to keep your knee slightly
>forward, but I am not ready to try that on the ball yet!

Oh...good idea...I'm going to do it with the rag next time. I have difficulty doing that move on my ball. I also agree with everything you said about the TLT's!
Angela:7
 
RE: My REVIEW of

>Angela, I like it when you "blab". :+ You always give lots
>of great information. Please.......blab on, lol! :p

Oh...thanks Bam! I find myself blabbing a lot lately!
Angela:7
 
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