New to Cathe workouts need opinions

Cafelattee

Cafelattee

Cathlete
My current workouts are Chalean Weights only and Turbo Fire for cardio. I've been doing these for over a year and bored. I also do my version of low impact on the Turbo Fire. Oh and before doing DVD workout I was a jog/walk/run interval person but needed to go lower impact per my dr.
I do more than the moderator but not as high impact as the full workout.

So I guess I would consider myself intermediate with weights. I've done Chalean workouts for a year. I would consider myself intermediate/advance doing turbofire but I'm just not sure from what the clips of cathe video. They all look tougher LOL. I want to get stronger but all those push up on some of the video look scary LOL

I would like to start with Low Impact Circuit and Muscle Max. I will keep doing the heavy weights with chalean for now and work on endurance.

Do you think I'm up for them or would they be to advance? Thanks
 
Hi! I'm relatively new to Cathe, too--I discovered how awesome her workouts are about 4-5 months ago. I have also been doing Chalene for years--Chalean Extreme, TurboFire--I've also done P90X and Insanity.

My personal opinion is that most of Cathe's straight strength workouts (the ones I've done at least) are more advanced than ChaLean Extreme. Her cardio varies. It's very different from TurboFire. I burned myself out on TurboFire I loved it so much--so coming to Cathe it is new and fresh and I adore it. I will probably burn myself out on it, too. Some of Cathe's workouts are more challenging (CrossFire, To the Max, Kick Max, Cardio Core Circuit), others are just as challenging, but very different--like her HIITs (which if you like HIITs, like I do, you'll love the difference, for varieties sake).

The biggest difference between Cathe and Chalene is choreography--and this is in reference to Cathe's step workouts. Much more complex. TurboFire was easy, choreography-wise. Cathe's step workouts are not. So you might want to keep that in mind if you get Low Impact Circuit. I don't have that one, so I don't know the complexity of it. I love Muscle Max.

If you're looking for low impact, I have some from her Low Impact Series--Afterburn, Athletic Training and Cardio Supersets and I love all three. Easy choreography and great workouts--the strength work is more of the endurance/metabolic weight training (rather than heavy lifting) in those. So not the same as ChaLean Extreme. But Cathe has lots you can go heavy on that are more challenging (IMHO) than Chalene Extreme.

From someone who has been doing a lot of Beachbody workouts for years--I have found Cathe so refreshing, challenging and fun. I'll be honest, I don't want to do any other workouts anymore other than my Cathe's. So I will probably burn myself out on those, too, eventually! But I am loving them!
 
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I also have done beach body DVDs loving chalean extreme and turbo fire...a friend told me about cathe and I'm loving the workouts...I LOVE kick, punch & crunch... Love all her strength training..and currently am on meso 2 of STS. The best way I have found her DVDs I wanted was look them up on collage video, u tube and look at reviews on amazon...then wait for the deal of the day. Good luck and have fun!
 
It sounds to me like you would definitely be up to doing Low Impact Circuit and Muscle Max. I would just start them slowly, that is, modify them both and start with really light weight until you see what your body needs.

Best wishes.
 
thanks for the reply, i'm gonna go for it. i love the clips and music for both i am one of those that music makes the workout for me

so my 3 workout that I want to try

Low Impact Circuit, Muscle Max and would love to work up to Body Max 2 (i've got to learn step moves first) LOL

I like the looks of the Low Impact series but the lack of voice music - i know i just wouldn't stick with it
 
You will never burn out on Cathe!! I've been doing her workouts for 18 years and there is no one like her. I have never once thought "man, I'm so sick of doing Cathe workouts" And I, too have done many BeachBody workouts. She has a ton of low impact to choose from and her workouts are often easy to modify as well. No matter which workout you choose, you won't be disappointed.
 
I've personally burned out on Cathe a few times, it happens to the best of them. That being said however, LIC and MM are great choices!

Here are some other ones that I think you would enjoy and they would be easily modified as well:

The Hardcore Series- Kick Max, Gym Styles, and High Step Challenge (you can use a regular bench if you have one)

STS Cardio Series- MMA Workouts and Travel Fit

Low Impact Series- Trisets, Turbo Barre, Slide n Glide, Cardio Super Sets (although I didn't like this one)

Misc-
* Push/Pull and Super Sets (considered a less intense lifting workout but it's unique and it really does give the body something different; a nice shake up both in intensity and type of total body workout).
* STS Total Body is a nice circuit-style workout although it's a weight circuit not cardio/weight circuit.
* High Reps- is a nice endurance workout if that's something you are leaning towards.
 
I think you're good to go :D.

I discovered Cathe May 2011, and at the time I was doing Jillian, Bob & Jari workouts exclusively. At first I was overwhelmed at her extensive library, but that soon faded once I started my collection :D. Cathe workouts are like a bag of chips, once you start you can't stop! **WARNING** This forum is DANGEROUS! Professional enabler's just waiting for fragile prey like yourself :D.

I would suggest you look at her video clips and see what interests you. Circuits, step, hiit, kickbox, weight training, Cathe is THE QUEEN of variety :eek:. May I also suggest High Reps as a must for your weight training collection. One of my favorite total body workouts :D.

Happy collecting ;)

Natasha
 
4DS

How about 4DS? 4DS has two step workouts, a kickboxing workout, and a boot camp workout as well as various weight work. This is a great set to get a sample of Cathe's workouts and her style. I will warn you that the step workouts can be a little tricky. They are shorter workouts so Cathe doesn't break down the moves as much as she does in other workouts but they are very fun.

For weight work, I personally love the Pure Strength DVD. It's an older Cathe video so the workout clothes are old school but they fantastic IMO. Another nice thing about them is that I see the DVD on ebay often for a very good price.
 
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I will recommend you do the MM DVD 2x a week for a few weeks. Use light weights and get your form right. Then as you become more familiar with the workout, increase your weights. You could also do the LIC premix that is a timesaver cardio workout 2x a week at the same time.

MM was my first Cathe DVD . It is great !
I did that DVD 2x a week for 3 YEARS before I got bored with it and started buying more Cathe DVDs ! ( I know , not a great "muscle confusion" strategy-but I love that workout ! ) you can just keep increasing your weight , then you'll be back to Cathes web site deciding what to buy next!

If you find the step choreography in LIC to be too much, then buy Basic Step, get that down and then try LIC again.

Have fun! I think you are starting with two great DVDs . Both have great premixes too !
 
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