Pathological need for variety

[sarahg]

Cathe's DVDs are my all-time favourites -- and I am about to order STS and some of her even more recent workout DVDs. The trouble is, I have a pathological need for variety when it comes to workouts. My rotations tend to involve a huge variety of DVDs and/or parts thereof, around the basic idea of trying to push for strength gains, endurance and plyo power and intensity. I am looking for suggestions for non-Cathe DVDs, but I am only interested in hearing from those who LOVE Cathe's stuff. I am heartily sick of the stealth marketing that Beachbody appears to be involved in, judging from what I get when I google "Chalean Extreme reviews". The fact that there are so many thinly disguised ads masquerading as independent reviews really makes me wonder if perhaps I should NOT order that one. If it is so good, why is it so hard to find an actual real review by a real person? If there are any genuine Cathe lovers who really like it, I'd like to hear the pros and cons of it.

I've tried P90X -- and loved PlyoX, AbRipperX and the leg work, but couldn't stand the Kenpo or the cardio parts of it. I quite liked the Yoga part, but the chest and back parts did not suit me because I still can't do even one pull-up so I ended up having to add Cathe bits to get any kind of upper back workout. I can't really imagine myself ever sticking to an entire 90-day program, because if I don't like it I won't do it. The one I might stick to is Cathe's STS, because it very much fits in with the way I like to train, hence my decision to order it.

I've tried Get Ripped 1000 and some of the others in that series and liked them as a replacement for cardio but all the long pauses for stretching really annoy me, even with the ability to skip the stretches.

I am quite keen on some of the 'encyclopedia of body-weight conditioning - Steve Cotter' DVD set but again, I don't have the strength to do several of the exercises. This is a general problem for me when I do men's workouts, but I positively hate dumbed down women's workout DVDs using Barbie weights so I am always uneasy about buying any workouts aimed at women unless I have seen the workouts and know they are not aimed at fragile flowers (which is why I LOVE Cathe's stuff -- no barbie weights and useless wasting time in HER workouts!) or if someone I trust has given me a glowing recommendation. Actually in the case of Cathe's stuff, I first started watching her workouts on FitTV when a friend told me she dislikes Cathe's workouts because they are too hard, and prefers someone whose stuff felt like an annoying waste of time to me, it was so easy. That was music to my ears and I was not disappointed.

But anyway, given that I love Cathe's hardcore style, and in the gym I can leg press the maximum number of those huge weights the leg press machine will hold (i.e., more than many men) BUT I have had shoulder surgery and have lost much upper body strength, does any Cathephile think Chalean Extreme is worth a try? And what about if I mix it with Cathe and selected parts of P90X, etc etc? And are there any other hardcore workout DVD series you recommend, given my pathological need for hundreds and hundreds of different workouts to avoid boredom? I don't really like boxing-related moves that seem very popular now, and I don't like (because I can't follow) intricate choreography. I am more of a man-style exerciser. I like hardcore athletics and super-heavy weight training.

Cathe's is what I come back to over and over and over again -- I just want to add more stuff to the mix. And please, if you are a Beachbody marketer I really don't want to hear from you, even if you think you are unbiased.

 

[workout]

Hi Sarahg, I am definitely a Cathlete, she comes first in any fitness DVD I order. I have done ChaLean Extreme and it is fantastic. The workouts are shorter and Chalene Johnson is pretty enthusiastic, gives great instruction and I definitely saw results I got more muscle definition. The package includes 12 DVDs and it's also a 3-month program, there are three different phases, a Burn, Push and Lean phase each one has a different goal. I found them challenging, many exercises were new to me and the variety was pretty good. Even though, in each phase, you keep doing the same exercises for 4 weeks, then you switch to the next one. I truly enjoyed it - I did it 7 times, that's how much I enjoyed it. I love STS but the workouts are just a little bit too long for me. So I highly recommend ChaLean Extreme and I have never had an issue with Beachbody, I found them to be extremely attentive to my needs, got my products promptly. I've ordered other programs from them with no issues whatsoever.

I hope this helps you decide what to do next. Take care.

 

[112toGuru]

Sarahg, come up with anything?

I can't say I've done Cathe workouts for as long as some but from Oct. 2009 to Jan. 2011, I did full Cathe rotations of mostly my own design, they worked extremely well, I lost weight, gained strength, & confidence. I also visited this site for new and interesting information on workouts and the industry. My boyfriend asked once why Cathe? After a few specifics, the answer I managed to spit out was "she's the best" It's true, if you want a better catalog to pick from, good luck finding one.

So, that's true but after reading your post I found I had myself searched for an alternative and the other programs offered in the past few years started to look kinda the same. My continuing interest in strength, flexibility, cardio endurance, balance always seemed to be things I still would want to improve.

These are some of the things I came up with.

Weight Lifting the Starting Strength way (Mark Rippetoe) I just got the book out of the library & set up a basic program. I decided that this one and Strong lifts 5x5 are the ones I would use for strength training if I committed to that for several months. It's simple, effective, and just plain feels cool.

Mobility, went with Tracy Anderson Method, Omni Metamorphosis (got that at the bargain price when it came out, I wouldn't have tried it otherwise) I also have her 30-Day book, it's extremely inexpensive and effective. Will improve overall mobility and body strength, if your diet is good you'll lose weight too, can't beat that. (saw my balance improve here, big time)

third, enter the Kangoo Jumps. Found these on a forum, either VF or here, didn't pay much attention then but I was searching something else (I had been rebounding a lot since Jan.) and it came up again. Needless to say best decision ever for cardio. I may be sucked into training for road running & races after a few months on these. God help me. didn't see that comin'.

Lastly, again with the mobility. Scott Sonnon's Intuflow. There's the Beginner series free on Youtube. I've used it both as warm up - cool down and overall stretching balance. Surprisingly similar in some ways to Tracy Anderson's Method (her's is more progressive and extensive). Sonnon also has the Flowfit Series I, II. looks promising and he works with clubbells.

That would be the other thing I'll try this year, probably Indian clubs though not clubbells, the one with Ed Thomas. this is upper body mobility vs. Clubbells mobility & strength. (you might be interested in this for the shoulders, with light clubs) You can read the comparison on Dave Drapers site.

If you want hardcore, and free or ridiculously inexpensive, you can do Strong Lifts 5x5, train for a marathon, and get all the stretching-balance-flexibility you want with TA (book). The Kangoo's would cost you but that's really the best thing I ever did, so far. (ridiculously quick at improving the VO2)

The overall message that you get through Cathe workouts is you will learn, it's an educated crowd, and you will want to learn more. Can't beat that with a stick. I do like the repetitious kind of rotations & programs, that's how I started with Cathe and it worked so well for me, for these programs it works really well too.

Linda

 

[DebbieH]

As someone who has tried many diff workouts and was sooo disappointed I spent the money, you will not be sorry with STS! It is the first program I received such great results...leaning, major inch loss and I/ we never dreaded doing it. It is so amazing STILL to me how fast you fly thru the WHOLE set. There is no "girlie" feel to it at all either. My DH can attest to that as he loves it, if POSSIBLE, more then me! (not really, we both love it!) Glad you decided to order it...let me know what you think after you get started!

 

[112toGuru]

Now that's where DebbieH & I would disagree, the price on STS was discounted heavily at the beginning of the year, but STS is rather specifically designed, it is well thought out, no doubt about that.

For me it was, how many times am I going to want to do this program? The answer was, once? or do I even want to do this once?

What is lost on DebbieH it seems and everyone else that puts STS in every sentence is that once you develop your own fitness level to a certain point, your needs will become more & more specific. STS does fill that need and I would imagine that it was a natural progression of Cathe's style.

The other programs out on video follow sometimes in lock step, STS did not do that it offered something no one else offers. That said, it just wasn't the step I needed to take. Some of the programs I mentioned are not hardcore typically male type programs, some are. There are way more things out there beyond the BB packages. Body weight exercises can be very very challenging.

As far as girlie stuff, I found Janis Saffel to be very girlie, and really strong!
Remember her? I want to be very fit and strong and I want to look dynamite in a dress!

 

[DebbieH]

Now that's where DebbieH & I would disagree, the price on STS was discounted heavily at the beginning of the year, but STS is rather specifically designed, it is well thought out, no doubt about that.

For me it was, how many times am I going to want to do this program? The answer was, once? or do I even want to do this once?

What is lost on DebbieH it seems and everyone else that puts STS in every sentence is that once you develop your own fitness level to a certain point, your needs will become more & more specific. STS does fill that need and I would imagine that it was a natural progression of Cathe's style.

The other programs out on video follow sometimes in lock step, STS did not do that it offered something no one else offers. That said, it just wasn't the step I needed to take. Some of the programs I mentioned are not hardcore typically male type programs, some are. There are way more things out there beyond the BB packages. Body weight exercises can be very very challenging.

As far as girlie stuff, I found Janis Saffel to be very girlie, and really strong!
Remember her? I want to be very fit and strong and I want to look dynamite in a dress!

I'm not sure I'm following you? First, I wasn't meaning that there aren't other programs that work for others. I just noticed she mention she was going to order STS and I just wanted to say she wouldn't be disappointed. Did you do STS? It def can be done lots more then once. And, when I said girlie, I just meant no girlie, Barbie weights. I am all for looking feminine and dresses. It is a program you can use over and over, even if you decide to only use it once a year. I am someone that works very, very hard when it comes to fitness and STS is the very FIRST program that gave me unbelievable results so I just wanted to share. Basically, I was just happy to hear she decided to get STS.

 

[112toGuru]

Right, Deb, sure.

 

[kathryn]

I need variety as well (as can be attested to by the hundreds of workout DVDs I have ).

I've tried several "systems" :

P90x :the first system I tried and stuck with through the whole time period, though subbing some Cathe cardio for P90X cardio after a while. "Shoulders and Arms" is still one of my favorite upper-body workouts of all time.

CLX : got through the first two "phases" and got quite a bit stronger (didn't see much outward change, though, as I had with P90X), but some of the moves that have one leaning over in a lunge and doing a slow row can be hard on the back. I started the third phase and it just didn't appeal to me. Aside from the workouts that combine cardio and weights (one from the regular set, one from the deluxe, IIRC), I don't see redoing any of these workouts again.

STS: I bought it during the presale, and could never get past 2 1/2-3 weeks of it. Too much time, too much equipment for what I'm looking for. I thought Meso 1 would be my favorite, as I like the circuit-style set up of weight training, similar to P90X, but I only kept the plyo legs workouts (that I think fit my needs the best, after previewing all the workouts in they system), and just sold off the rest.

From what people have been saying about it, it definitely will take you to a higher state of fitness and do great things for your body...if you do it!

S90 (Supreme 90 day): I still consider myself as currently doing this one, even though I haven't gotten past the first 3 weeks yet because my walking season started and I otherwise didn't find time for it. IMO, this is an excellent, time-efficient program (with some negatives that I can deal with, especially given the price point : $19.95 for 10 DVDs!)

The Chest/Back workout (first in the rotation) goes way too fast, but I just rewind to 'catch up' (no chaptering within the main workout is another negative, but again, I can deal with it for the price).

It's a well-rounded program with weight training (a nice selection of exercises, with some I haven't seen before on DVD, but don't feel like they're there just to have 'something different'. The lower-body workout is, for me, more effective than the P90X lower-body workout was, which left me with glutes in need of a 'butt boosting' Firm/Cathe rotation after I was done), Tabata, core (I LOVE/hate Ultimate Ball--though some people who must have really strong cores have said they didn't think it challenged them). The only missing element is a good stretch/recovery workout (though the warm-up dynamic stretches have been helpful for some lower back and IT-band problems I've been having).

I'm definitely going to get back into it this summer, as part of my training.

Again, for $19.95 (and some are finding it for less, as some Walgreens and other places that carry it are already putting it on sale), if you like even two of the workouts, it's worth it.

Rushfit is another system I haven't yet gotten into, except for the excellent joint mobility/stretch workout, that I use the day before a 5k.

You can find nice clips of some of these workouts and others at either www.collagevideo.com or www.totalfitnessdvds.com to help you decide if they appeal to you.

HTH!

 

[DixieGirl]

I did a full round of CLX a few months ago and really enjoyed it. I REALLY liked that she challenges her students to go heavy and especially in the Push phase to go heavier, so heavy that you should fail by rep 6-8. I would highly recommend it. I got some good results.

Another good option that would only put you out $20 is Supreme 90...again it's another 90 day program & the workouts are 30-40 min long. For the money it's a GREAT program and I'm seeing amazing results w/ this one. It's what I'm doing right now.

I also like switching things up and finding diff trainer's programs although Cathe is by far my fav. I'm keeping my fingers crossed I'll be getting STS for Mother's Day this weekend....been hinting to DH for awhile.