transfirmer vs cathe?

D

desertbriez

Banned
g'morning!

i bought the transfirmer yesterday afternoon (after seeing the informercial yesterday morning.. talk about impluse! the only thing that would have been more impulse would have been to order it online from goodtimes! lol!) but i digress!

i picked it up from target.. but haven't opened it yet.. cuz i'm concerned that like all other workouts (except p90x) NONE are as intense as cathe... so i don't do them cuz they end up being to easy for my fitness level (thanx to cathe!) i've been doing cathe exclusively for well over a year now (with the 3 month break for p90x).... well.. i've tried a few like slim series.. but don't do then again cuz they aren't intense enough...

soooooooooooooooooooo am i going to like the transfirmer? or should i just return it and get my money back.. and keep doing what i love: cathe! (i have a set of old firms i got off QVC a while back.. did a couple of them once and did like them.... but i didn't think they were as intense as cathe.. other than that.. that's my sold experience with the firm!

thanx fellow cathe-ho's! :)

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cute work out clothes are good for AT LEAST an additional 10-15 calories burned!
 
They are no where as tough as CAthe.
Slower.No where near the poundage. Jiggle free abs i hate.
I was afirmer for years.
There is no comparison.
I have had so many more strength and muscle gaina with cathe.
To me it is like going a step back.
The old original firms were much better and harder. When Anna Benson designed them.
Susan Harris was my favorite.
The firm is more like cathe's cardio with weights, but to me easier.
You decide.
Anne
http://www.picturetrail.com/gallery/view?p=999&gid=8227804&uid=3969941
 
I have to agree. I was a firmie for years and although they are great to start out with they are no where as intense as Cathe. I never saw the same results.
 
The intensity is WAY lower than Cathe. If you like simple choreography, it has that going for it. As far the weight training, they go too fast to heavy up on the weights. I would return it.

Lori
 
hmmmmm ok.... sounds like i need to just return them and save myself 60 wasted bucks!

thank you!!!!!


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cute work out clothes are good for AT LEAST an additional 10-15 calories burned!
 
Okay, I'm going to jump in here in defense of the Transfirmer. I do Cathe, Firm and WHFN workouts. I know people can get very loyal to one program and talk down about the others. I understand where they are at with that; but, I can see the value in all of them. I like variety.

The Transfirmer is a great workout step. I especially like Aerobic Body Shaping with Allie Delrio. The choreography may not be complicated but it is by no means boring. And, it does get your heart rate up into the target zone and beyond. You can make it as easy or tough as you wish.

The choreography is more complicated in Pam's Super Charged Sculpting tape. I haven't even gotten through that one yet. The move called the Hot Cross Buns is tough.

Then, there is Stephanie's Ultimate Calorie Blaster. If you are not sucking wind on this cardio tape then I bow down to you in awe. It's shorter but really intense.

As far as Jiggle Free Abs is concerned, I was surprised by this workout. I've been working out regularly for about 2 1/2 years. It really works the abs in ways I never knew possible. The workout targets the obliques and you have to really think about execution. My sides ached the next day after this one. And to be honest, Allie is just too darn cute for words.

JMHO
 
thanx, brenda....

what i'd really like to do is try them... but i'm not sure target will take the set back if i open the dvd's and then don't like them..

i guess maybe i asked my question wrong... maybe i don't mean intensity???? i do want to be challenged (and from what you've said i will be)... i don't care if the choreography is challenging.. that's not what makes a good workout! but it does need to give me a good workout!

i didn't get jiggle free abs with my set (only the other three you mentioned) :(

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cute work out clothes are good for AT LEAST an additional 10-15 calories burned!
 
Target WILL take it back even if you open it. One of my friends bought BSS2 not knowing you need the fanny lifter from BSS1. She didn't want to have to buy both sets in case she didn't like it, so she returned BSS2, no ?s asked, and bought BSS1. She did have her receipt though and she hadn't had it long.

I hope this helps :)
 
I get a great workout. Cathe workouts get my heart rate higher and longer. But, I don't think that's always the best measure of a workout. I like interval training which most of the Firm's are.

I'm sort of new to Cathe and so far I have found them to be very difficult mostly because the sets are longer. The Firm workouts don't do more than 16 of anything at a time. You can let your heart rate fall with the next set just to push it back up again. This may be why some people think they are easier. Truth is, it's just a different training technique.

I would try them out. I think Target has a no questions asked return policy. But, read the policy first on the receipt. I'm betting you could take it back and say it isn't what you expected and you don't want it. They may give you store credit instead of a refund but it's still a refund.

If you decide to try them, I would love to hear what you think. They are different from Cathe but still good.
 
It's always good to have some easier workouts on hand, as you can't always do Cathe's intensity day in and day out. I'm mean you probably could, but it would probably benefit you more to vary your training a bit. Why don't you take them back and get your money and you can Pre-order the entire set on CD Universe like I did for $39? It won't ship until the beginning of December, but you would have saved some money.

Just a thought.
 
I have been doing Cathe for over 10 years. I own everyone of her workouts. I consider myself very advanced with her workouts. I can do two of her leg workouts in succession - just an example - I can do Step Blast, then Leaner Legs and the Legs & Glutes. Cathe is very intense and great.

But I must say the Transfirmer I bought back in July has challenged me in a much different way. I absolutely love these workouts! I was extremely sore in my butt and my hamstring area the first week I did them. Since the step is in the incline position. I admit some of the low impact parts can be like "Oh brother!" But I just spruce it up.

When they do step on the 6" part of the step, I use my 8" club step. I also use hand weights during some of the incline stepping. As one other poster stated the Ultimate Cardio Burner one drenches me - I was really amazed, but all the tall box climbing on a 14" step with the hand weights really gets the heat rate up and also the sweat factor.

I do like variety - even though Cathe is my favorite. I remember one of your posts on the new Master 90 DVD's and I agree with you. I did like the P90X series - but the new core DVD is no different than the other P90X - even the PLYO LEGS seems to be in a lesser intensity than the LEGS & BACK and alot less intense than the plyometrics of the P90X series.

If you try the Transfirmer, do not let the warm ups fool you - it does get more intense.

Cheryl
 
Though I enjoy the workouts, I rarely reach for them -- I personally have had a hard time figuring out how to make them as intense as I'd like. I love the box itself, though, and I do plan some day to give the workouts a sustained chance! You might check "video fitness" forum, the bargain section, many people are getting this system online for around $40.00. However, I don't think it's available yet. Still, might be worth your wait.
 
Hi there!
I'm a Firmie too. I don't say former because somedays I have to use the Firm. On the days I feel a little tired and I know my body is telling me it's time to pull back a little, I definitely use my Firms. Anytime I get sick and have to workout after not working out for a few days I use my Firms to build my endurance back up. I also like to use the set's because contrary to the old Firms they don't lift weight as fast and you can actually get a good weight workout in. However, when I'm looking for intensity especially in the way of cardio, and I want to build endurance, I definitely reach for Cathe's step. None of the Firms cardio can rival it if you are looking for improved cardio endurance. But like I said, somedays I'm just not in the mood for real high intensity and the Firms fill in nicely. I like them too, because their queing (sp?) is really good, just like Cathe's and there is nothing worse than being thrown off when you are in the swing of things because the instructor can't cue. With that said, I'd rate the the new sets in this order as far as intensity. BSS3, BSS2, BSS4, and BSS1. HTH.
http://www.3fatchicks.com/weight-tracker/img/bar08/slider-scale/lb/0/81/26/.png[/img][/url]
 
Now as far as the Transfirmer step I love it, and I can use it with anything, and I can use the dvd's anytime I want, if I want something light.

Its really up too you, although I am big on Cathe, I like others too and need some variety.

To each their own..... Rhonda
 
Hello. I too have most of Cathe's workouts but like variety so I use Turbo Jams, Firms, WHFNs... I was skeptical about the Transfirmer series but really like it. The Transfirmer is great and, as stated earlier, you can always find a way to make a workout harder. Even with the WHFNs I add plyos, higher impact drills, heavier weights, etc.

Cheri
 
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