Steady state cardio

[Braille]

I'm sorry I'm pestering everybody again. Some of you helped me figure out how to get back into strength training again with Cathe DVDs (so I wouldn't have to buy more workouts). I'm doing well, and thanks to Cathe's recent sales, I was even able to replace the workouts that had been taken from my collection (nasty divorce lol). Progress has been slow, but I'm making it. I still REALLY struggle with the lower body, though, because I have a panic attack when my heart rate goes up. It's a mental thing that has to do with some bad experiences I survived in my former marriage, and I am determined to overcome it. So... I have a plan. I KNOW I can have an elevated heart rate when I'm distracted and having fun. I dance and play pickleball. So, my plan is to bring cardio into my fitness plan, even though I'm not wear I want to be strength-wise yet. I checked, and I can do Basic Step with no panic, so I know I'm capable of it. I tried Fusion... and the part where you do the lunges kicked me into panic attack mode. It looks like steady state cardio is going to be what I need. I want to try to desensitize my mind to the elevated heart rate, hoping I can then transfer that feeling of being "safe" to leg day so that I can work my lower body as thoroughly as my upper body. Crazy plan, I know, but I've come a long way and met a lot of goals in other areas of my life with my strange "thinking outside of the box" ideas.

I'm asking for your help again. It's been over two years since I've touched my cardio collection. I'm asking for suggestions on intermediate steady state Cathe DVDs that don't have blasts. Because I'm fairly active, Basic Step isn't enough for me, but I can't handle sudden spikes or rapid breathing yet (mentally). I am now comfortable using Cathe's premixes (a treasure I'd been missing out on for years). I'd prefer to not have to use "skip" on the DVD player/remote, because the time it takes can allow my heart rate to go down, which defeats the purpose.

I'm going to try Low Impact Step. I'm thinking Cardio Party might also be appropriate? My memory isn't what it used to be. lol So, I can't remember if it had blasts? There was a short 20 minute (I think) step workout as a bonus or something on one of her DVDs, but I can't remember which one. I thought she had a boxing DVD that wasn't as intense as some of her MMA ones? After those 4... I'm out of ideas. I'd really appreciate some help with this. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

I do have quite a few Jessica workouts, and I've been some of her walking videos, but I'm looking for the "fun factor" that Cathe brings so that I'll push myself and not think about my body's response to that (like when I'm dancing - I'm aware, but not scared/hyper-focused on it).

I want to try this for a month (or more, if that's what my body and mind say I need) along with the strength training I'm currently working on. After that... I'm going to back and try Fusion. If I can handle it... I'll be ready for blasts/short bursts of anaerobic cardio intermixed with mostly steady state. Hopefully that will retrain me to accept the heavier breathing and higher heart rate that comes with a lot of lower body strength training. Hope all that makes sense. lol

 

[aqua girl]

There was a short 20 minute (I think) step workout as a bonus or something on one of her DVDs, but I can't remember which one.

Hi Braille, you might be thinking about the short immediate step workout on the Step Sync dvd. I think that
one is about 20-ish minutes and is a less intense shorter version of the full Step Sync workout.

 

[Debinmi]

@Braille,

First, you may be already doing this, but you might try some anti-anxiety breathing techniques practiced on a daily basis to help with the anxiety; or Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PMR), or some other relaxing Imagery or Meditation to help with anxiety. I find "Block Breathing" to be very effective myself. Easy to do whenever, and the PMR helps me fall asleep at night.

Here's some more Cathe ideas. Some of the older step workouts don't have premixes, so you might just try doing them by the combos. You might have to keep your remote handy to skip some higher intensity stuff as some of the editing still included some, or just sub in a move

The Classics Step: Step Heat, Step Jam; Step Max

Cardio Hits: Step Fit; Step Works

Step Jump & Punch Step only premix

Step Blast Combos only premix

4DS: Kickbox only

4DS: LI Step only

ICE Low Impact Sweat timesavers

ICE Rock'm Sock'm - Punching combos only Premix

LITE Cardio Party - TS 3: HI/Lo 23 min

LITE Cardio Party - TS 4: Boxing 25 min

LITE Rev'd Up Rumble - Timesavers

LMR: LI Cardio 15 min

Step Boss - Step Sync: Intermediate Step Bonus 21 min

Step Boss - Step Sync: Timesaver Premixes

Kick Punch & Crunch - premixes that leave out the drills and blasts

Kick Max Low Impact timesavers

Cardio & Weights - step cardio only premix

FitSplit's Kickbox Bootcamp

 

[Debinmi]

I do have quite a few Jessica workouts, and I've been some of her walking videos, but I'm looking for the "fun factor" that Cathe brings so that I'll push myself and not think about my body's response to that (like when I'm dancing - I'm aware, but not scared/hyper-focused on it).

@Braille,
there's a Jessica dvd that's different from her usual "walking" dvds but rather fun: Barre Fitness. It has two segments that incorporate cardio but have that dance flavor.

 

[Debinmi]

@Braille ,
One more thing - In the Workout Manager, you can get an estimate as to the workout's intensity by checking the MET value given in the "Step 2 Edit Basic Info" box. This is provided for every workout and for every premix. On the right side of the page is a box that shows the chapters used in each Premix also. It's not an exact science, but it is relative. So Basic Step has a MET of 5.5 for reference. Low Impact Step is 6.0. Cardio Fusion is rated 6.5 as is the LI Cardio bonus on LMR1. You can use this to help you choose a workout for progression.

 

[aqua girl]

Jessica also has a little step workout called Step & Stride. she uses a high step platform --maybe a riser or 2,
(I just use the platform top) and it's been awhile, but what I remember, it's pretty basic and probably around
30 min.

 

[aqua girl]

Actually I think it's called Stride & Step and it's on the dvd Burn Fat & Have Fun. Like I mentioned, she uses
a high step, but I have seen where others use the long end of the regular step if you don't have a high step,
and it'll work just the same.

 

[Debinmi]

Oh, and @Braille, I think you once mentioned you have some Kelly Coffey-Meyer dvds. She has some fun cardio too.

 

[aqua girl]

you have some Kelly Coffey-Meyer dvds. She has some fun cardio too.

Yes, that's right.......one of my favorite little cardio workouts she has is on her Start Here dvd. There is a
premix called Aerobic Cardio which is 19 min and is the warmup, the aerobic cardio section and stretch.
It's mainly low impact, but Kelly has excellent modifiers in most of her workouts.

 

[Debinmi]

A newer KCM is Cardio Quick Fix, it has a low impact segment. Some other newer ones are BoxFit and Cardio Fit.My favorite is the 30MTF Kickboxing, the 1st one. But I like all her kickboxing lol, and her circuits. Love her step-box too.

 

[Kellyro77]

Debinmi listed a bunch of great options. She hit on what I was going to suggest, which is to check your current cardio DVD library for timesaver premixes, as, yes, Cathe tends to include blasts in most of her cardio, but she often includes premixes that exclude the blasts.

Couple other suggestions I didn't see:

Hardcore Series Low Max - Step Combos only premix (this one is super easy, IMO)
Step Boss IMax 4 - Combos only premix

The following don't have blasts, per se, but I would categorize them as more intense and choreographically challenging (so might not fit what you're looking for):
Shock Cardio Step Sync
Party Rockin' Step 1 & 2

Honorable mention to Shock Cardio MMA Boxing - it doesn't have premixes, though, and she does include blasts, but you could also just fast-forward through them and do the punching combos only.

 

[Hazlady]

Some good recommendations here. You could also check out Christina Dorner, CDornerFitness on YouTube. She has a lot of short approx. 30-minute cardio workouts. Some are step aerobics, and some are more dance style. I've been using her cardio workouts quite a bit lately because of my sore hip. She gives lots of modifications if you can't jump or do high intensity. I do her step workouts on the floor without a step. She may have some workouts that would suit what you are looking for and give you more variety.