new girl on the block!

M

MicheleS

Member
Hi all!

I've been lurking on here for about a week, checking everything out and I absolutely love this forum! I'm hoping you all can give me some advice on how to use Cathe's tapes for great results.

I'm 5'5" and 125 pounds, small upper body that explodes at the waist! I have decent definition up top, but my butt and thighs really need some work. I just ordered the PS series, MIS, Interval Max and have several of Cathe's step tapes. I also have the 8-pack on order. (okay...my credit card and I went crazy once we got here!)

What would be a good rotation to build my upper body some more, but get my lower body under control?

Thanks, everyone! It's great to be here!

Michele

P.S. I live in the South Jersey area and wanted to get information on where Cathe's studio is and if she does any classes that are open to the public.
 
Hi Michele!

...and WELCOME!! We are glad to have you here. I guess we don't have to work at spending your $$ on tapes. Looks like you've had some practice already!! I will leave the rotation guide to Cathe or someone else who wants to jump in, but wanted to say "HI" and to tell you I am so jealous you live in Jersey!
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I would LOVE to attend a Cathe class, even if it was a couple hour road trip. Good Luck~Hope you are close to her. Look forward to reading your posts along with the rest of us vidiots!!
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DebbieH
 
Hi Michele!

Welcome to the forum. I'm glad that you are enjoying our site and finding it to be so helpful. BTW, the studio is located in Glassboro NJ, on RT 47. If you would like more specific directions to the studio plus a listing of my class schedule, please email me and I can get that out to you
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Wow, you have quite a few new videos coming your way. Do you workout regularly or are you just starting out?

If you are new to working out then I would suggest doing three cardio workouts(either video workouts or a brisk walk/light run outside) on non-consecutive days(ex: Mon/Wed/Fri). Then do MIS on a fourth day that week. Do this beginner rotation for eight weeks and then let me know how you are doing. Important Tips on the Beginner rotation: Ease into all of your workouts. For cardio, start with about 20 to 30 minutes and work your way up to 45 minutes. For MIS, try to complete the workout with very light weight for the first two weeks. Gradually increase your weight to an amount that you can safely handle with a challenge. Follow all of the form pointers in the workout.

If you are an advanced fitness enthusiast, then I would suggest the following rotation for the next 8 to 12 weeks.

Do each of the PS Series tapes one time on non-consecutive days. Thats a total of three days. After three weeks of this continue with it but add on MIS one time per week(ex: Mon/PS tape---Wed/PS tape---Fri/PS Tape---Sun/MIS tape---Tues/PS tape---Thurs/PS tape----Sat/PS tape---Mon/MIS tape...etc.). Do cardio on your non-strength days. You can also tack on a 30 minute cardio workout on the days that you do your PS upper body tapes. Do a total of four intense cardio workouts per week. Make one of those four workouts Interval Max if you can. Every other week you may want to throw in a fifth cardio workout to shake up your metabolism. When the new videos arrive, substitute the PS legs with the new one, LEANER LEGS, for a while. Also, you can substitute your cardio with any of the new cardio workouts. After 8 to 12 weeks, you'll want to again shake things up a bit. Important Tips on the Advanced rotation: Ease into all of your workouts, especially Interval Max. Allow at least one solid rest day per week. Take at least a day off whenever your body feels overtired or your legs feel like lead. Follow all of the form pointers on the tapes. Start with lighter weights for the first two weeks of the PS tapes and then increase accordingly. Stay focused and work hard!

Hope this is not too confusing! Good luck and have fun!
 
rotations

Hi Cathe,

I am also a new forum reader but have been lurking on it for about 4 months now. I have always been an avid exerciser since high school and am now 39 (really) with five kids raging from 5 - 12. My youngest is off to Kindergarten this year.

Over the years I have bought many of Cathe's tapes and use them quite often. I use MIS, MIC and StepWorks the most. I also like to walk, I use a Kathy Smith hour long tape that is motivating, and I like to play golf about two times a week (walking and carrying my clubs for 18 holes is actully a good work-out for me )I also do a Kari Anderson Lines and Curves tape that is a really good stretching routine.

My question is regarding the rotations and your answer to Michelle. The " rotations" idea is new to me but I may have been doing one without knowing it by variying my work-out routines using your tapes. Just over the last year I have seen some results but would like to see more. I am not very big, about 5'4", 115 lbs. I have pretty good upper body definition and not bad lower ( I tend to have the "bubble butt"). I would love to lean out my legs and am always working on my abs.

I have the eight pack on order but do you think I should get the PS series for variation purposes? Can you give me your idea of a rotation I could do to get the "cut" look we all love. One other question - I do not have a bar bell but use 15 lbs dumb bells when doing the MIS tape, would a bar- bell make a difference?

From reading the forum it looks like most work out for a long time. With my schedule, I like to work out early in the morning before everyone is up and so I realistically have about 1 hr 15 min. to do it all. The 4:45 am alarm just can't get any earlier.

Sorry this is so long-winded but I am excited to get the new tapes and am motivated to get some results soon and I finally got the nerve to join the forum in writing.

Thanks,

Lynn

BTW - you do look great Cathe! Speaking from experience it does take work, discipline, etc to get back in shape after babies but they are worth every drop of sweat
 
thanks, Cathe!

Cathe -

Thanks so much for taking the time to write out a rotation for me. I really appreciate it and can't wait to get started!

I have been working out regularly since February 2000 4-5 times a week, and before the birth of my son in August 1998 I was a workout nut! (Boy, the changes that babies make!) :)

I have several of your step tapes already and a whole library of FIRM tapes. I haven't seen the muscle definition that I was looking for with the FIRM and that's why I'm here, I guess!

Thanks again!
Michele

P.S. I e-mailed you with my name and address and can't wait to get the class schedule. I'm about 30 minutes from Glassboro!
 
LOVE your typo, Lynne!!

Oh my goodness you should see me laughing. I know you meant to say your kids RANGE in age from 5-12, but you typo'd that that they are "raging from 5-12". hehehe!! I LOLed and thought "my kids RAGE from 3 to 8, hehe!!" --truer words were never spoken. Do you suppose it was a Freudian slip??
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Welcome, by the way!!
 
so much for proof-reading

I guess it has been a long week. On Sunday we just got back from a two week vacation traveling over 3200 miles in a 37 foot Winnebego. Unfortunately, starting last Wednesday, the youngest has given the flu to every one of them. It wasn't a pretty picture here the last few days, but all are on the mend now. I am a little embarassed since it was my first attempt at posting on the forum.

Glad you got a laugh though.

Lynn
 
Hi Lynn

Gracious, don't ever feel bad about typos. We have some fun ones around here, hehe!! No grammar or spelling police allowed either!
 
Hi Lynn!

Welcome to the forum. Its nice to see you posting. Wow, FIVE kids ranging from 5 to 12. You are a very busy mama!

You already sound like you are in great shape and have a well rounded fitness routine. But yes, doing new rotations will continue to bring you improvements and results.

There are endless amounts of rotations that you can do. I will list one below that includes the tapes you have plus a few others. I will also list two rotations for when the new tapes arrive.

Before I do, let me say that I definitely think that you would greatly benefit from having a barbell. The main reason is because you are an avid exerciser and a barbell will bring diversity, balance, and more options to your fitness rotations. The other reason that I'm recommending a barbell is because I am going to strongly suggest that you also get the PS Series(in which the barbell plays an important role) since it targets all of the muscles in the upper and lower body very thoroughly and intensly. Also note that while it is not mandatory to have a barbell for MIS, it certainly will challenge your muscles in new ways.

Your workout availability is fantastic so planning a rotation will be fairly easy.

FITNESS ROTATION---12 WEEK PLAN!!!! Notice that you have a "week one", a "week two", and a "week three". Keep alternating week one, week two, and week three until the 12 weeks are up.

WEEK ONE:

Monday...Step Works plus 10 minutes of Abs

Tues.....PS Chest/Shoulders/Triceps

Wed......MIC Plus 5 minutes of Abs

Thurs....Angles/Lines/Curves

Fri......Brisk walk/light run for an hour(be sure to include warm up and cool down in that hour)

Sat.......PS Legs/Abs

Sun.......PS Back/Biceps/Abs PLUS 30 minute brisk walk/light run workout



WEEK TWO:

Monday...Day off

Tues.....Interval Max Plus 8 minutes of abs

Wed.....PS Chest/Shoulders/Triceps plus a 30 minute entire body stretch workout

Thurs....One Hour brisk walk/light run(with warm up and cool down included)..plus 8 minutes of abs

Fri.....PS Legs/abs

Sat.....Step Works

Sun....PS Back/Biceps/abs Plus a 30 minute brisk walk/light run workout


WEEK THREE:

Mon....off or Angles/Lines/Curves

Tues...MIS

Wed....Interval Max plus abs for 8 minutes

Thurs..MIC

Fri....Brisk walk/light run 60 minutes

Sat....MIS

Sun....Step Works or any other advanced cardio workout of your choice for 45 to 60 minutes plus 8 minutes abs




AFTER THE NEW TAPES COME:


Fitness Rotation for 4 weeks:

6 pack express series Monday through Saturday and Sunday off.



Another Fitness Rotation for 4 weeks:


Mon....Cardio Kicks

Tues...MIS

Wed....Brisk walk/light run 60 minutes plus 8 minute abs

Thurs...Circuit Max

Fri.....Step Works plus 8 minute abs

Sat.....MIS

Sun.....off
 
Thanks so much Cathe!

You sure respond quickly to everyone's questions. Thanks so much for your advice about the tapes and rotations, I am looking forward to starting them.

I have been thinking about getting the PS series for a while and you just convinced me that I would really benefit from them. The change in my routine will do me a lot of good and hopefully I'll notice somemore definition too. Thanks.

My next step is the on-line store! I might even get the BodyMax tape along with the Interval Max tape which I notice mentioned quite a bit. I will also have to check out the threads that mention the place to get the barbell. This sure is a good site to get so much information about all our exercise needs and ideas. I am sure glad you mention it at the end of your tapes or I probably would not have found it. Another big THANK YOU.

Hane a great week-end !

LynnW
 
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