Need recomendations for videos please

[Roxiegirl]

Hello, everyone! I have recently dicovered Cathe on Fit TV. She is amazing! I hurt for two and a half days after doing Kick, Punch, and Crunch (the good kind of hurt)! The only things frustrating about doing them from Fit TV, of course is...one, I have to do it on the channel's schedule and two, the commercials. Sooooo, I would greatly appreciate some advice from some you seasoned veterans on the best available videos I can start with.
I have consistantly enjoyed working out for about three years now and inconsistantly for about ten. Last summer I really started realizing a significant change in my body shape(very exciting). I love both cardio and weight training.
I'm about 5'8" and kind of lanky so it's been a challenge to gain the noticible cut in muscle definition that I want SOOOO much. I'm definatly getting there but not nearly to the potential I think I could. I also tend to gain most of my fat around my middle. I usually work out anywhere from 40 min. to an hour & a half five days a week depending on what I do. Is this enough?
Finally,(I promise)what are your oppinions on how many times a certain muscle group should be worked on per week?
Thank you for your time,
Johna

 

[Logos]

Depending on how much you want to spend. I would highly recomend the Gym Style Series, that is the three day split, and you have to add cardio and abs.

You would need:
Gym Styles legs
Gym Style Chest & Triceps
Gym Style Back, shoulders & biceps
and I would recommend Core max for the abs.
For cardio, KPC, low max and at least one of the Imaxes.

Or you can buy the entire Intensity Series for $159.00 it all depends on how much you want to spend.

I specially love the three day split, a week would look something like this:
Days:
1 GS C&T, 1 CM
2 Cardio
3 GS BS&B, 1 CM
4 Cardio
5 GS Legs, 1 CM
6 Cardio
7 Rest

 

[CatieFIT]

Hi Johna,

Welcome to the Cathe forums and a wonderfully healthy addiction! Hopefully I can be of some help with your questions...here are my suggestions. From your description, it sounds as if you are an intermediate/advanced exerciser and might be ready to go to the next level. Also, based on your workout times mentioned, 40 - 80 min 5 times a week (which sounds like plenty to me!) and the goals you had in mind such as muscle definition, strength gains, and the fact that you like cardio...it sounds like THE INTENSITY SERIES might be an excellent place to start. Now I'm not sure what your budget is but this set of 3 DVDs includes the following programs - IMAX2/Cardio & Weights, Pyramid Upper/Lower Body, and Muscle Endurance/Boot Camp - rings in at $125 plus s/h. The programs get verrrry high praise among Cathe lovers. They are versatile, motivating, challenging, offer loads of Cathe's famous premix options to keep the routines fresh, and I personally feel like there is a ton of room to grow with these workouts (really, same for all of Cathe's workouts). Always just keep in mind it is totally accecptable to modify where needed, that is to a lower or even HIGHER intensity! I myself have found excellent results with this series, PUB/PLB are fabulous strength workouts, cardio & weights is a super fun cross training circuit workout, boot camp is an experience even the most seasoned exerciser needs to have, muscle endurance is a versatile workout to really tax the muscles, and imax2 will take your breath away (literally, but in a totally good way ;-) ). Also, the core/ab work included in this series will really work your back and abdominals since that seems to be an area of concern for you. (word of wisdom: don't get discouraged with the core work...if you can muster up some diligence, and not force yourself to complete the side rotational planks all at once the first time if you can't, you will be SOOOO surprised how quickly you will gain strength and definition in your core. as always though, stick to that cardio and clean diet). Finally (and sorry I'm dragging this post out forever) but I wanted to offer you a sample rotation of how my program looks per week (I do cardio 5 days a week, one day of upper body, one of lower, one total body, and then a verrrry light day as part of a circuit workout (even though cathe goes heavy one her circuit workouts, i usually significantly decrease the weight for that type of program)):

Monday - Cardio/Upper Body (walk/run, Pyramid Upper Body)
Tuesday - Cardio/Lower Body (1st 5 int. IMAX2, Pyramid Lower Body)
Wednesday - Cardio (2nd 5 intervals IMAX2)
Thursday - Muscle Endurance
Friday - Cardio (walk/run)
Saturday - Circuit (Boot Camp, or Cardio & Weights)
Sunday - Rest (perhaps some light stretching yoga pilates...will also tack a stretch like workout on another day or two during the week time allowing)

Ok, hope I gave you some reasonable suggestions! Congrats on your progress so far and I look forward to seeing you around the forums, let us know if you have other questions, there are many people out there who would love to share their experiences.

Catie

 

[stayfit]

Hi Johna, the execise suggestions you have received are great but clean eating is the most important thing if you want to see definition in your body.I usually exercise hard and now I am seeing results because I am eating as clean as possible (of course I am working out too).You can work your abs hard but if you have fat in your belly nobody will see your hard work.






Mariángeles a spanish terminator junkie.

 

[Roxiegirl]

RE: Thank you!!

Thank you, Logos, CatieFit, & Stayfit for your detailed responses! I think they will be very helpful and am very much looking forward to getting started! I guess breaking the plateu means breaking the boredom and now I have two great options to get started on! By the way, Catie, when you do your cardio five days a week, how long do you go for each time? Or does it just vary?
Thanks again! Johna