I am a loyal and faithful Cathlete, and will continue to be. But I believe in honesty. This series is for beginners. "If it does not challenge you, it does not change you". Ie. Cathe's old Intensity Upper and Lower Body Pyramid series/videos are much more challenging. Instead of calling it Lite, I believe it should have referenced "Beginners". Please don't jump on me for my honest opinion. Some people on this forum tend to be to defensive towards any opinions that aren't all praise.
Series for beginners.
- Thread starter roxynut
- Start date
Trixoo
Cathlete
I’m not jumping on you, I just disagree. I used to be able to do any Cathe cardio workout with ease and lifted heavier than Cathe in her strength training workouts. Life interfered and I now find myself in a different place and am working to regain the level of fitness I had previously. I didn’t stop working out, I just didn’t have the luxury of working out as much or as consistently as I wanted, so over time I had to drop intensity and, combined with the drop in frequency, my fitness level declined.
I’ve been working on rebuilding my fitness level for a few months now. These are solidly intermediate workouts. Some are easier than others, but none that I’ve tried or previewed are beginner level.
I do think that perspective is important. There are much, much easier workouts out there than these...they are beginner. Beginners can struggle to climb a set of stairs without breathing heavily or even having to stop. I think the average person who doesn’t work out would have a very difficult time keeping up with these and would be sucking wind, assuming they could finish...and they’d sure be sore the next day.
Most Catheletes have worked hard and are wonderfully fit as a result, so I can see how these workouts must seem ridiculously easy. What a great place to be in. But I don’t think it’s would be accurate to label these workouts as beginner.
[email protected]
Cathlete
I appreciate your perspective too, but more curious about what workouts you are referring to? I just started the 30-day rotation today, so have only done the Cardio Party. I did it wearing weighted gloves, and admittedly did a bit more high-impact moves than she showed, plus the Cardio Crush (on 2 risers) and Abs 1.
I can do quite a few difficult Cathe workouts without modification (but for sure have never attempted X77), so I feel pretty good about my fitness level. I found the workout I did this morning in the middle. Nothing like Basic Step or the other beginner Cathe workouts I've tried.
Curious as to which workouts you tried, and did you attempt to modify to fit your fitness level?
I can do quite a few difficult Cathe workouts without modification (but for sure have never attempted X77), so I feel pretty good about my fitness level. I found the workout I did this morning in the middle. Nothing like Basic Step or the other beginner Cathe workouts I've tried.
Curious as to which workouts you tried, and did you attempt to modify to fit your fitness level?
kathydaffy
Cathlete
So far I love this series but I can see how seasoned Catheletes would find some of the workouts easier than Cathe's older videos; I think that was the intention, though, as LITE was originally going to be ICE 2 (I believe?). Pyramid Pump is definitely not as challenging as Pyramid Upper Body but it is adaptable to higher fitness levels by going up in weights. I personally couldn't lift as heavy as I normally can due to the pacing but I thought it was solidly intermediate (same goes for Stacked Upper Body). Both Stacked Upper Body and Pyramid Pump Upper seemed tougher than ICE Chiseled Upper Body - again, just my opinion! I would guess that almost everything could be modified to up the intensity (weighted gloves, adding more high impact, etc.,) so I can't really say I'd call this a beginner series. I know when I was a complete beginner I couldn't lift more than five or eight pounds (I started with Jessica Smith's walking workouts) so LITE seems to be a nice fit for intermediate exercisers or low advanced, depending on modifications?
jodijodi
Cathlete
I consider myself to be a high-intermediate to low-advanced exerciser, which varies somewhat depending on my injuries and time constraints. While some of these workouts as-is are a bit on the easier side for me, I would definitely not call them beginner. Especially once the CCs are added in. Once I modify with heavier weights and jumps, they are a good level for me. And I don't consider myself a beginner by any means.
I appreciate your opinion. I’m amazed that you find these for beginners. You must be at a high advanced level. I’m usually at an advanced level for cardio but for weights, I’m definitely an intermediate to advanced intermediate. I feel like these workouts can be adjusted based on your level. The weight workouts are perfect for me. But the cardio I just add weighted gloves, intensify my moves or add a riser to the step to increase the cardio factor. I also realized as I’ve gotten older that I can’t be doing crazy intense routines daily. It’s nice to have a lighter day to recover. Love the variety that Cathe offers.
mjw1967
Member
I agree with ChelePA. I think that a seasoned Cathlete would know how to adapt these workouts to their own fitness level - simply a case of using heavier weights and choosing to leave the floor. Personally, the workouts I've done so far have been exactly what I've been looking for. I'm getting to that age where a week full of lifting heavy and Hiiting it are just getting to be too much. I think these workouts take her long-time audience into consideration. If it's not challenging enough, she has so many other workouts that are.
I consider myself at an intermediate to advanced intermediate level - I am 66 so I limit high impact moves to save the wear and tear on my joints. The LITE Metabolic plus the Calorie Crush was a little easier than some of the Cathe Live Metabolic workouts I normally do, but it didn’t feel beginner to me. The weights were lighter (although you could always lift heavier!) but the number of reps were much higher on most of the sets. I definitely felt “the burn.” I am glad that Cathe provides a range of options for advanced and intermediate levels. I mostly do her live workouts, which are all fairly challenging, so I was looking forward to the LITE series as something new and different. So far, I am not disappointed.
Interesting range of opinions here, which I appreciate because I was on the fence about preordering right to the very end. I ended up not buying, and the OP helped me feel like I made the right decision. When I was previewing the clips, the thing that struck me was how much more slowly everyone was moving, slower than ICE in comparison. When I watched the Cardio Party clip, for example, I thought to myself- this looks like a "boosted" Leslie Sansone walk, and Metabolic Blast looked like a slower Firm workout. It's hard for me to know, though without actually doing the workouts. Honest feedback like this helps people like me who are on the fence on pick one way or another.
mrsctoo
Cathlete
I agree. I love all things Cathe and will adapt them (using heavier weights, higher step, etc.), but will use this series for easy or recovery days. These are beginner workouts.
katie lee
Cathlete
Well said Trixoo!
gratefuldog
Cathlete
Wow. I feel like a light weight.
I have only done Stacked UB and LB so far. Speaking from those, I would not call these beginner. I went heavier than Cathe and crew on LB yesterday, and was gasping for air. I found it moved very quickly.
Today with UB, I either did her same weight, or a little heavier. My shoulders are toast!!
I have been hoping for a beginner series to give my sister. I want so badly to get her into lifting weights. If I gave her this set, she would not be able to handle it. It’s meant for people who have some experience lifting weights.
I love it so far. We Cathletes knowhow to up the intensity if needed. Beginners would be running scared.
I have only done Stacked UB and LB so far. Speaking from those, I would not call these beginner. I went heavier than Cathe and crew on LB yesterday, and was gasping for air. I found it moved very quickly.
Today with UB, I either did her same weight, or a little heavier. My shoulders are toast!!
I have been hoping for a beginner series to give my sister. I want so badly to get her into lifting weights. If I gave her this set, she would not be able to handle it. It’s meant for people who have some experience lifting weights.
I love it so far. We Cathletes knowhow to up the intensity if needed. Beginners would be running scared.
You ladies must really be in shape! I would never think beginner for these. But you’re right, very adaptable!!!
irongrl
Cathlete
This is exactly how I feel. There is no way that this is a beginner series.
Michelleaguilaraasted
New Member
Is there a rotation guide anywhere?
Hi Michelle, we haven't posted the LITE User's Guide yet, but hope to do so later this week.
I reserved my comments until I actually did one of the workouts since clips can be deceiving.
This morning was Cardio Party with the Calorie Crush from Metabolic Blast plus Abs #2. There is no way a beginner could have done workout.
I have been working out for 35 plus years of which 25 have been Cathe workouts and my heart rate was up.
Great job once again Cathe and crew!!
This morning was Cardio Party with the Calorie Crush from Metabolic Blast plus Abs #2. There is no way a beginner could have done workout.
I have been working out for 35 plus years of which 25 have been Cathe workouts and my heart rate was up.
Great job once again Cathe and crew!!