need help choosing cathe workouts - need expert advise

T

twosquared

Cathlete
Really looking for some help from all you guys. You have been so very helpful in the past.

I want to take advantage of the vhs sale as a way to increase my cathe collection which right now consists of cardio and weights and a lot of shows taped from FIT TV.

I would probably consider myself an advanced intermediate excerciser. Cathe's step rountines are a little complex on the footwork, but through cardio and weights and lomax-fittv version I am starting to catch on!! I also do Cathe's weight workouts, not as heavy as her - can anyone do as heavy as her - lol

Right now, I try to work out 5 days a week.
sunday - cardio and upper body
monday - cardio
tuesday - lower body
wed - off
thurs - cardio
fri - total body
sat - off

For cardio, I try to get to the gym once a week to do either the elliptical or treadmill. The other two days I do cathe cardio, right now either kpc (fittv version) or cardio & weights, step only. I have done lomax (fittv version) and love it!!!! Please note, I try not to do much high impact as I'm unsure of my knees, and I workout on carpet over concrete.

Anyway, for cardio, this is what I was thinking of buying
KPC - dvd
cardio kicks - vhs
kickboxing - vhs
lomax - dvd

I was also thinking of getting low impact step, but after previewing it, it looks like a compiliation of step combinations from cardio and weights and lomax. Does anyone have this dvd and is it worth getting??? If not, can you recommend another low impact step routine, or one that modifies easily.

Also, I do the weight workouts from Fit-tv also, and want to supplement that with one really good workout. I was thinking of getting muscle max, as it is a total body workout, but also has premixes of an upper only and a lower only.

I also know that I will probably buy the new low impact workout when it comes out, but am not doing the presale.

Please all you Cathe experts out there please critique my rotation, as well as my choices. I have previewed everything on the website and am getting myself sooooo confused.

Note, I'm looking to spend $100 to get the free shipping and want the most bang for my buck. Also note, that except for the weekend, my workouts are limited to 45 minutes - 1 hour - that depends on if I can get out of bed by 5:00 am or not to exercise. x(

As far as equipment goes, I have a club size step with a total of 4 risers, dumbells and a stability ball. I do not yet own a barbell, and usually substitute the dumbells for any exercise using a barbell. For the high step, I use a foot stool right now that is approx 8 or 10 inches off the ground.

Thanks so much!!!!


:) :) :) :) :)
 
RE: need help choosing cathe workouts - need expert adv...

Hello -

Your routine looks pretty well rounded. As for the titles you are considering getting, I can only attest to Cardio Kicks, it is a pretty tough routine that starts out low impact then goes up to high impact for about 20 minutes, so your knees might not like it.

I have Hardcore Extreme DVD, which is a compilation of the Hardcore Series, including Low Max. I love the portions from Low Max so much, that I actually considered buying it separately. You might enjoy that one, the intervals are pretty tough. Good luck in making your decision.
 
Hi firstoff I think your rotation is great, but as with all rotations you need to change things up a bit every so weeks.

I'm not quite sure from your post if you're interested in primarily VHS or DVD or maybe it doesnt matter. My advice would be to spend the money on the VHS workouts that on DVD don't really have premixes. Her earlier step routines can all be easily modified as low impact by just taking the jumps/impact out of the moves. For some, the dated look of her older workouts bothers them, for me it doesnt. Older step routines to consider getting on VHS would be Power Max, Step Heap, Step Jam, Step Works, Mega Step Blast, and Step Max, Step FIt. Of those I'd say Step Works is the toughest, Step Jam seems to the longest, Power Max seems to have the most fun factor, and the others are just good, solid routines.

I don't believe Cardio Kicks on dvd has premixes so that would be a good option too as VHS. I have bad knees and do CK with no problem.

I'd definitely get Muscle Max, it's a great workout, if you want the premix option then go for it on dvd. Another solid, straight forward total body workout is Maximum Intensity Strength. This would be a good option for VHS.

The pyramids dvd though it has premixes, I almost always do this workout as is, so getting this one on VHS might be a great option for you as well.

While supplies last I'd definitely get the CTX Upper Body VHS. It's awesome and only available otherwise as part of the entire CTX Series, it's not sold separately on dvd right now. I ordered a new one my other one got so worn out from using it all the time!

Cathe's later workouts, namely the Intensity Series and the Body Blast series have so many great premixes that I'd get them on dvd, with the exception of the pyramids as I had already mentioned.

Did I just confuse you more, lol??

Good Luck!!
 
RE: need help choosing cathe workouts - need expert adv...

>Anyway, for cardio, this is what I was thinking of buying
>KPC - dvd
>cardio kicks - vhs
>kickboxing - vhs
>lomax - dvd


Hi, my votes go toward "KPC" and "Cardio Kicks". I don't have "Kickboxing" from CTX, but the video clip looks good. I'm not a stepper, so I can't comment on LoMax. I really love "KPC"---it's my favorite kickboxing workout. It's fun, the music's great and it's mostly pure kickboxing choreography (has a few jumping jacks, rope jumping movements and stationary jogs here and there). I also love "Cardio Kicks"---it's so much fun for me! "Cardio Kicks" is kickboxing flavored floor aerobics---there are kickboxing drills and hi/lo, athletic movements. I really get a great cardio workout out of it!
 
RE: need help choosing cathe workouts - need expert adv...

"Anyway, for cardio, this is what I was thinking of buying
KPC - dvd
cardio kicks - vhs
kickboxing - vhs
lomax - dvd"

Yes to all of the above, but Kickbox is only about 30 minutes of kickboxing. Then you do biceps only, then abs & stretch and you're done. So if you are looking for more of a total body on one workout, you may not want this one. The kickboxing is really fun, though...I did it today after Leaner Legs. Now, I would absolutely recommend it if you were getting the whole CTX series.....

KPC on DVD is a great choice....wonderful pre-mixes with the Legs & Glutes. Low Max will fry your legs, too, without burning out your knees.

Muscle Max is great, but if you go DVD, I would get BootCamp/Muscle Endurance. Boot Camp has some high impact (Plyos, airbornes) but is easily modified, and it has a great pre-mix on it with Muscle Endurance that I really like.

I have to agree with the other poster who said the Pyramids would be fine on VHS. I always do these just as they are. PUB uses only the equipment you already have, and PLB can be done easily with 'bells. I just fix my barbell for my medium weight, and use dumbbells for my heavier and lighter. You can get great results from these.

HTH and doesn't confuse you more......BTW, I workout on carpet over concrete as well without difficulty on any of these workouts, but my knees don't trouble me (anymore).

Julie
 
RE: need help choosing cathe workouts - need expert adv...

>"Anyway, for cardio, this is what I was thinking of buying
>KPC - dvd
>cardio kicks - vhs
>kickboxing - vhs
>lomax - dvd"
>
>Yes to all of the above, but Kickbox is only about 30 minutes
>of kickboxing. Then you do biceps only, then abs & stretch and
>you're done. So if you are looking for more of a total body on
>one workout, you may not want this one. The kickboxing is
>really fun, though...I did it today after Leaner Legs. Now, I
>would absolutely recommend it if you were getting the whole
>CTX series.....
>
>KPC on DVD is a great choice....wonderful pre-mixes with the
>Legs & Glutes. Low Max will fry your legs, too, without
>burning out your knees.
>
>Muscle Max is great, but if you go DVD, I would get
>BootCamp/Muscle Endurance. Boot Camp has some high impact
>(Plyos, airbornes) but is easily modified, and it has a great
>pre-mix on it with Muscle Endurance that I really like.
>
>I have to agree with the other poster who said the Pyramids
>would be fine on VHS. I always do these just as they are. PUB
>uses only the equipment you already have, and PLB can be done
>easily with 'bells. I just fix my barbell for my medium
>weight, and use dumbbells for my heavier and lighter. You can
>get great results from these.
>
>HTH and doesn't confuse you more......BTW, I workout on carpet
>over concrete as well without difficulty on any of these
>workouts, but my knees don't trouble me (anymore).
>
> Julie


Thank you all for your responses.
I like bootcamp - I've done the fittv version, but am never quite sure how to fit in since I alternated cardio one day and weights another. I am definately going to look at the bootcamp/me dvd before I make my final decision. Thanks for the suggestion!!!
 
I would recommend for cardio:

KPC, IMAX 2 and Interval Max, Kickbox and definately LowMax (DVD). Also, Bootcamp, C&W and Circuit Max for Interval training

You have a good start in equipment and I am glad that you are getting the real tapes/DVD, as FitTV, though I love it and found Cathe there is a really trimmed down version of her workouts.

As you improve cardio and endurance wise, you may want to start a more vigorous strength training. A very good total body endurance workout is PH (Power Hour) and ME (Muscle Endurance). I started with the Firm in weight/body workouts, but ME picked my butt of the floor, if you know what I mean.

Hope this helps.
 
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