The Imax's Revisited....

Runcrazy

Runcrazy

Cathlete
Okay, so now that I've "settled in" to Imax 3 - I've now done it 3 times, I think that Imax is still the hardest. I am really loving Imax 3 and of course I really really love Imax 2 and I love in a love-hate way Imax. They are all fantastic workouts! With Imax 3 I am struggling the most on Interval 4 where you jump around the step. I don't know why, but my body does not want to cooperate on jumping that far around. I'm good on jumping straight up or jumping up and off the step, but for some reason, my body does not want to go around the step! What's up with that???

Anyway, I'm definitely loving Imax 3! :) :) :)

Jo:+
 
Bounding jumps a la Interval 4 are indeed different to those of us who are used to jumps in place; I did I-Max 3 Blast Only this morning, and I noticed my glutes, hams and quads in a whole new way. The propulsion that comes from the glutes and hams, coupled with the landing and stopping of forward momentum that come from the quads, are very very different. That tells me it's a valuable interval to keep in, if it makes the body work differently.

For me it's a challenge because I'm only 5'3" tall, so I don't have as much lever length working for me. My saving grace is that (don't laugh) the step that I use is a shorter "Buns Of Steel" step that I got about a million years ago, rather than the Original Step (which I have and only use as an ersatz weight bench).

A-Jock
 
hahahahaha! Oh A-jock, you said "don't laugh!" Just kidding. Yes, you're right it's that forward momentum. I'm 5'4" so that extra inch I have over you doesn't really add alot! I have a Reebok step and I know it's about 4 inches shorter then the club step but that's still too far! I'm going to keep at it! Each time I've done that interval I've done a little better! :) :)

Jo
 
You know, I think I am the wierdo in the group but I think I know why.

To me Imax is not very tough at all. The blasts are pretty easy for me. Imax 2 kicked my butt the first few times I did it and I did Imax 3 the other day but still did not find it as hard as Imax 2. So I analyzed the situation and I think I figured it out. Imax has all of the blasts on the floor and Imax 3 has quite a few on the floor. Well, the floor blasts are so much easier for me than the blasts that are done fully/partially on the step. I can do plyo jumps, tuck jumps, etc. for days and be fine. But put me on the step jumping on and off of it...whew I feel it! So that is why Imax is not a big challenge to me. All of the blasts are on the floor.

Well at least I figured it out. I thought I was the only "crazy" person in the Imax world!}(Any other "crazy" people out there like me?

Rhonda
 
Oh Thank You for Helping me not fear IMAX 3 so much.

I did just the cardio segments for the first time today -- twice in order to get them down before attemting the blasts.

I already know that I love the music a lot and the cardio a lot.

As it stands now, it will be a tie between IMAX 2 and IMAX 3 as to which I like best....
 
Oh Thank You for Helping me not fear IMAX 3 so much.

I did just the cardio segments for the first time today -- twice in order to get them down before attemting the blasts.

I already know that I love the music a lot and the cardio a lot.

As it stands now, it will be a tie between IMAX 2 and IMAX 3 as to which I like best....
 
Hi!

I did IMAX 3 last night for the third time. It was a lot of fun now that I got all the moves down and could really get into the blasts. I think it is a little tougher than IMAX 2 because the recoveries are not as long. IMAX intervals are probably still the toughest in my opinion. IMAX 2 and 3 are so much fun...

Beverly
 
Hi!

I did IMAX 3 last night for the third time. It was a lot of fun now that I got all the moves down and could really get into the blasts. I think it is a little tougher than IMAX 2 because the recoveries are not as long. IMAX intervals are probably still the toughest in my opinion. IMAX 2 and 3 are so much fun...

Beverly
 
Jo - I can't do those jumps either x( I would probably crack up if I saw myself on video TRYING! Yesterday in the hotel I saw myself doing kickmax in the mirror in my tiny room and I busted out laughing!

I think I agree w/Rhonda. I find Imax not as hard as Imax2 use to be. However, if I am in the mood for Imax 1 I get a good workout. Imax2 use to kick my butt but since I did it 1,000,000 times b/c it was my favorite video of all times, I think my body must have adjusted to the moves? I absolutely LOVE the music in Imax 2. Imax3 is a blast and kicks my butt but I still think I like Rhonda, like the moves that are both on the step and the floor the best!

I LOVE the Imax series and hope there are more to come! I would love to see another one like Imax2 but with NEW moves! :+
 
I agree with you on Imax 3 being tougher. I was about to cry the first time. I was thinking what did we do to Cathe to make her so mean. But it is an excellent workout. Still working on getting all the moves straight. It is back in rotation for next Tuesday morning.


Karen
 
I love the choreograhpy in Imax 3 but what has been hard getting used to (as an instructor) is the jumping *off* of the step during the interval blasts. In step training, we are taught that propulsion is always onto the step so to jump down feels very unnatural, even though I realize it is specific to the blasts only and Cathe would never incorporate jumping down into traditional stepping. Once I can get my brain to acknowledge the fact that jumping down from the step is okay during the blasts, it will be that much more fun and do-able!

-Roe
 
Wow!!!
I definately found Imax 3 harder for me! I love Imax 2 and just tolerate Imax 1. ( 2 is so much fun) I have done Imax 3 three times now and I'm always blown away with the first interval. I remember the very first time I did it I said "HOLY $%IT!! If the rest are harder than this I'm in trouble!!!! Luckily I made it through....but my heart rate is way up there and I feel the step portions are recovery for the intervals. Also I'm 5'8" I can jump along the step but my body doesn't want to jump sideways going around the step....
I'm loving all the workouts!!!!!!
Jen
 
I did IMAX 3 last night and this morning my left knee is so sore I can barely walk!! I only used a 4 inch step. There is SO much jumping and those tuck jumps are very hard on my body (although I think they are fun). I even used puzzle mats. Now I am afraid to do this workout again!
 
Fitnut I am glad you understand. Jumping up and down on the floor is such a different experience from jumping up and down off of the step. Back in the day (early to late 90's) when I took boxing classes in a boxing gym, our instructor would make us do plyo/jacks/tuck/jump rope for 20 or 30 mins. at a time. I am wondering if this is why jumping on the floor doesn't get to me like jumping off of a step? Who knows. I will try Imax 3 again this week and see if it gets any harder.

I guess this proves how we all respond differently to different exercises. Good thing there is a wonderful selection of workouts out there to satisfy all of our various needs:)

Rhonda
 
IMAX3 has become my favorite interval workout. The new combination of step moves is so much fun that even though blasts are super tough, I know there is a fun step routine coming up. I am particularly endeared to the music in step routine 7 and it comes at a good time when my legs are beat, at least I can be distracvted with great music! Over all the fun factor is so great that the time just flies by in this workout.

PS I find the long jumps in interval 4 a challenge too. I'm sure my form is not great, but I do get to the end of The Step.

Judy
AKA "Likes2bfit"
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I always feel so uncoordinated the first time I do a new Cathe step workout. Am I the only one? I previewed Imax 3 two nights ago (I'm not very good at the previewing thing - I like to get right into it) and tried it for the first time last night. I'm embarrassed to admit that at one point, I tripped and just about wiped out the TV!

I know from previous experience that I'll get it, but it's frustrating. Still, I have to admit I loved it!
 
If you have an extra step platform at home that is 4" high, you might want to set it up and do some of the blasts on it, especially the ones that involve jumping down from the step. I am still having so much trouble with those at 6" and here I am, an instructor with an over abundance of cardiovascular/muscular strength and endurance. I'm pretty much built like Cathe with a gymnastics background like her. But no matter how softly I land, the jumps off the step are very taxing at higher elevations (sounds like I'm jumping off a mountain, LOL!). Having the 4" platform handy really helps.

It is really just a matter of the body getting used to the new movement patterns. Once accomplished, we will all be doing Imax 3 as effortlessly as Cathe and her crew!

-Roe
 
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