Why so many negatives with this series?/Just starting them

sme702

Cathlete
I understand that many people out there are disappointed with these videos, but I needed some new workouts and new motivation so I got them. (Besides, it's Cathe -- really, people not every video out there can be rated at 5 stars!)

Anyway, I just got my STS Shock Cardio videos and plan to do them 3-4 days a week starting tomorrow (Monday).

Any suggestions on which one to start with?

Sheryl
 
Hello,

It depends what you like. This whole set of videos has really grown on me and I really like them. And you are right, they are Cathe videos and they are good!

If you want to start with a bang, Cardio core circuit is a killer and harder than the Hiits in a way. A lot of people have been doubling up the Hiits to have a slightly harder workout. But 40/20 Hiit by itself is hard to master. It's one tough workout if you go all out. Athletic Step is a fantastic high impact step routine.

If you want to start with lower intensity, Step moves is fun and more of a regular old step routine. The MMAs really are lower intensity as well but they are fun and if you add weighted gloves, they are a good workout and you can really up the intensity.

I haven't done travel fit yet but I have hear good things about it as well.

If you want to do several during the week, you can also look at the STS rotation in the workout manager since SC is used 3 days a week with strength STS.

I think these have a different feel from the other videos Cathe usually does, but they have really grown on me and I like them just as well and some are making it up to my favorite Cathe list. Glad you took the plunge!
 
I really have come to like this series. My least favorite is Travel Fit, my favorites are MMA Boxing and Athletic Step. My heart rate gets up there, I sweat, I breathe hard...I'm working hard, and that's the important thing. I can always add more intensity by using weighted gloves. I have recently really started doing MMA Fusion, and it's more fun than I thought it would be. I'm getting better and better at doing those rolls and going into a push-up, or jumping up to my feet. I couldn't do that before. I'm getting ready to start the STS/SC rotation tomorrow.

As for where to start, I say just pick one and go!!!
 
I really like this series too! Cardio Core is my favorite core workout of all time - usually I hate core work, but this one is terrific! Travel Fit is excellent for maintaining strength when I travel, along with my TRX - it is a little cardio, a little strength, and about the right length for doing in the hotel room after a long day of meetings. The only thing about that one is that my bands are too short to use well for the lower body workouts, but it is not hard to modify. It is less intense, but that's what I need when I'm dealing with a three hour time change ... MMA Boxing is great fun. I do the Double Wave when I want a good workout that's intense and short. I'm saving MMA Fusion unopened, as a treat for later, because I have a feeling it will become one of my favorites :)
 
After completing MMA Kickboxing this morning in hopes of liking it, I can say that, once again, I was disappointed with it. The guy in the back (Rob, Greg... whatever) seriously needs some form pointers. He's always a 1/2 beat off from the others and it's VERY distracting (at least for me). Even in the STS series the guys have terrible form. In Meso 2, chest, shoulders, triceps, one of them swings his arms way up around his ears when doing the lateral raises. Again, really distracting and really not safe. I am shocked (maybe that's the reason for the name of the series!) that Cathe would allow this poor form in her workouts.

For all the hype, I was hoping for something like the Intensity or Body Blast series.
 
I think you have to allow for all comments...the positives along with the negatives. I've been with Cathe a long time and for me, the price increase along with shorter content, along with little to no premixes and no CD to speak of are negatives. That being said, this series has grown on me as well and I use HiiT, MMA, and the step workouts a lot. What would have made this series perfection, in my opinion, would be to have all the MMA workouts on one DVD with several awesome premixes as well as having the step workouts on one DVD with several awesome premixes. Despite the negatives I'm getting a lot of use out of this series and I'm currently using this more than other cardio DVDs right now.
 
Speaking for myself, I was a little disappointed at first because some of the intensity was not what I was expecting. But I have truly come to appreciate the workouts as designed--they complement STS Strength perfectly. Doing the complete STS rotation has given me insight into the wisdom of varying intensity. I think it's a wonderful thing for your mind and body.

I'm not much help on the question of which workout to do first. They are all different with different emphasis. See what your mind and body are in the "mood" for.;)
 
I think you have to allow for all comments...the positives along with the negatives. I've been with Cathe a long time and for me, the price increase along with shorter content, along with little to no premixes and no CD to speak of are negatives. That being said, this series has grown on me as well and I use HiiT, MMA, and the step workouts a lot. What would have made this series perfection, in my opinion, would be to have all the MMA workouts on one DVD with several awesome premixes as well as having the step workouts on one DVD with several awesome premixes. Despite the negatives I'm getting a lot of use out of this series and I'm currently using this more than other cardio DVDs right now.

I totally agree with you! I was just thinking the same thing the other day re: having all MMAs together & both step together to allow for premixes options,which I greatly miss.

Liking the series, but not loving it yet...as with all series, there are positives & negatives. Hard to please everyone though.
 
After completing MMA Kickboxing this morning in hopes of liking it, I can say that, once again, I was disappointed with it. The guy in the back (Rob, Greg... whatever) seriously needs some form pointers. He's always a 1/2 beat off from the others and it's VERY distracting (at least for me).

I wouldn't miss a good workout because of this. I like the variety of workouts and the different levels of intensity in this series of dvds.
 
Last edited:
If I'm not mistaken the reason the DVD's in the cardio series is shorter and intensity blasts is prevent catabolizing the muscle tissue we are trying to build up with STS muscle work. I'm quite happy with the new series.
 
That is one of the reasons I remember reading about while Cardio STS was on Pre-Sale. Traditional Cathe Cardio would inhibit muscle growth hense the shorter length and HIIT DVDs.
 
I understand that many people out there are disappointed with these videos, but I needed some new workouts and new motivation so I got them. (Besides, it's Cathe -- really, people not every video out there can be rated at 5 stars!)

Anyway, I just got my STS Shock Cardio videos and plan to do them 3-4 days a week starting tomorrow (Monday).

Any suggestions on which one to start with?

Sheryl

I began by doing HIIT. Other than 40/20 I can pretty much keep up with Cathe and the girls.

I have no idea why anyone could dislike any of the Shock Cardio workouts.

This is the best Cathe cardio series I've ever owned and I have done almost every Cathe workout since Mega Step Blast.

Step Moves and Athletic Step are my favorites because I love dancy moves and I've always loved step cardio.

I am rather obsessed with Athletic right now. I don't want to do any other cardio workout.
 
Last edited:
After completing MMA Kickboxing this morning in hopes of liking it, I can say that, once again, I was disappointed with it. The guy in the back (Rob, Greg... whatever) seriously needs some form pointers. He's always a 1/2 beat off from the others and it's VERY distracting (at least for me).

The guy all the way in the back was an annoying distraction at first but now i find it comical. It's like they put a gun to his head and told him you must do this! I remember someone saying that the girls smile too much, but this guy never cracked a smile...like he was being tortured or something and at one point he looked like he was doing some sort of strange dance. I just laugh all the time through this video. I liked the other guy, I thought his form was good and he seemed to throw good punches (at least to me). Don't miss a good workout because of this...try to see the humor of it all. :)

Are you girls referring to Rob from the original STS series?

I agree his form is bad.

I focus on Cathe and Lorraine when I do the workouts.

I miss Jai because she and Lorraine are fantastic at kickbox type of workouts.

Lorraine is fantastic!
 
Last edited:
Are you girls referring to Rob from the original STS series?

I agree his form is bad.

I focus on Cathe and Lorraine when I do the workouts.

I miss Jai because she and Lorraine are fantastic at kickbox type of workouts.

Lorraine is fantastic!


yes, i believe it's rob. generally, i think women tend to put more effort into form than men do. doesn't bother me at all...just a little distracting sometimes.
 
ITA with myputer and mrsprincess that for me, STS if given all out effort makes me very tired. In fact, the first time around I was too tired to do much cardio at all.

This time around I am doing the 3 month STS/Shock Cardio rotation and I am enjoying the shorter cardio, the longer step and the HiiT. The workouts still make my heart pump and get me sweaty enough to feel like I have had a good cardio workout.

The more I do some of those that may not be my "favs", the more I see that they completely round out my workout routine. I enjoy having a fun factor in my workouts but sometimes I like the fact that even if it is not "fun" in my book, the benefit of the workout improves my health and fitness level as well as balancing out my physique.

Thanks Cathe and crew !
 

Our Newsletter

Get awesome content delivered straight to your inbox.

Top