Not Cathe, obviously, but I can relate. I started back working out hard a year ago after 2 years of treatment for breast cancer. My body was very weak and out of shape!! I actually started out with the easier Firm workouts - I still have the classic Firms and many others. They are not easy - but they are easier than Cathe!!
The thing is - and this is just my opinion - you have to kind of take the leap to the higher levels when you don't think you are ready. It's scary - I really know. But nothing can truly prepare you for going to the next level. No matter what, it's a little painful. And not painful in a bad way - just body soreness and some difficult workouts that you just don't like with lactic acid buildup that makes you want to scream - and you only have done a few reps
. LOL!
For me - once I did BS and BF for awhile along with my Firms, I went to ME. I used LIGHT weights - often no more than 3 lb dumbbells throughout. And I only did half the exercises at first. I did it once a week with lots of modifications. I added the Pyramid series also because I could use whatever weights worked for me. I highly recommend these workouts because they are SO straightforward - and start with just the Pyramid UP - don't try to do both UP and DOWN at first.
Regarding step - I am the clutz queen - but I decided that if I wanted to capitalize on Cathe, I needed to try to learn step. So I got Cardio and Weights and IMAX2 - yes that sounds crazy. But I would do only segments at first - and I would just hit the slow motion button and do it over and over again until I could get it. I can do them now. And you know, when I was learning them, I got a good intermediate workout by having to repeat the same segments with lots of breaks as I learned step. I would only be able to get through a few of the segments - not the whole DVD at first.
I am now able to complete ME and Pyramids (up and down) and BootCamp (when I dare). I can do IMAX2 and can manage stepping in ways I didn't think I could. I think my point is that, like I tell my students at the university, learning is painful when you are trying to go to the next level of education. There is no easy way to advance. I think it's the same thing with advancing to the next level of fitness. And really - I think that it isn't your body that is the issue - I think it's MENTAL TOUGHNESS. It's truly our MINDS that get our bodies to do what we want them to do.
YOU CAN DO IT!! And of course, all of the above is just my opinion - to be ignored if desired LOL!!
Lisa
