new user!! help with ideas.

[sweatsuit12]

Hi I am an advanced exerciser who has reunited her love for step aerobics after a 6 year hiatus due to boredome burnout etc.
Which of cathe tapes do you think are the best/worst. I liked bodymax but really wasn't impressed all that much.. so I don't know how much I will do it again.. I want to get lean and cut..I am 5'8 and 135 but my muscles don't show at all..(sob sob) I want them to show like Cathe's!!!

 

[wendyloo]

Hi. What didn't impress you about BodyMax? Was it not challenging enough cardio-wise, or was the choreography too simple, or what? It will be easier to reccomend videos if you tell us what you are looking for in a video.
If you are looking for challenging choreography, then I can see being a bit disappointed in BodyMax. Although it is one of Cathe's toughest overall workouts IMO, and I really like it, it is not one with the most challenging choreography. Of those videos of Cathe's which I own, I would say I like StepWorks the best for challenging myself both choreographically AND cardiovascularly. It was my first Cathe after TWV, which I don't really enjoy. (The Wedding Video)
After that I would say Rhythmic Step is satisfying for pretty complicated choreography, but not AS challenging to the lungs and heart (still tough though!)
If you just want a healthy chunk of tough aerobic conditioning, with relatively simple choreography, I would say Imax, PowerMax and any of the CTX series would fit the bill.
StepFit would be last on my list (again, just out of the ones I own). It's fun, but has a bit too much whooping for me.
If you want to branch off from Step a bit, I would reccommend Cardio Kicks as a real toughy--again, not complex moves, but you will be sweating buckets if you give it your all.

Of course, as you know, stepping isn't going to give you muscles, and 5'8" and 135 pounds is certainly lean enough!! If you are looking to develop strength look no further than this site, where you will find the best strength training tapes available!!

Hope this helps,
Wendy

Hope this helps somewhat
Wendy

 

[sweatsuit12]

HI wendyloo thank you so much for your response.. I would think I would have to do more cardio if my muscles don't show right even though you think I am lean enough my bodyfat% is 22!! too high for me. I will look in to your suggestions I will definitely up the weights for strength.

 

[jaypea]

I'm agree with Wendy about Cardio Kicks, Rhythmic Step, any of the videos in the CTX series and Step Works as being tough ones to try. I haven't tried IMax or PowerMax. Max. Int. Cardio(MIC) is a bit longer than the other ones, and it really tough. Another cardio workout to try is Circuit Max (it makes me sweat buckets each time I do it). If you want your muscles to show, you'll have to do strength training. Cathe has some wonderful tapes that do just that....Her Slow and Heavy series consists of 3 videos that target only 2 muscle groups in each hour long workout-these are very, very, very tough (but fun-IMO). I have not tried her Pure Strength series, but it focuses on targeted muscles as well. For a full-body strength training workout, try Max. Int. Strength (MIS)-it complements MIC and is a tough workout. Power Hour, from what I hear, is a good one too. But, IMO, you can't go wrong with any workout from Cathe!!!!!!!!
I hope this helped!!!
-Jen

 

[SteppingFool]

I think interval training is great - gets you in shape faster and burns more calories. You might want to try Imax. You'll feel accomplished after you're done, but boy, it IS tough!

I also always enjoy Rhythmic Step and Power Max. I will always try to do them once a week. I think they are both very intense and FUN!

Another tough workout is MIC although it is not pure step. I think the hi/lo part is very advanced. The step routine follows -- hard to do after all that jumping previously. I am trying to acquire Cardio Kicks as I heard a lot of good stuff about it. The way I understand it, it's sort of hi/lo with kick-boxing.

Good Luck!
Haslina