Your opinions please - older Cardio DVDs

lilmo

lilmo

Cathlete
I just finished cataloging my workout DVDs to make it easier to modify/create rotations. Between Cathe and The Firm, I have quite a few sculpt and cardio/sculpt videos, but I'm a little light on pure cardio. Most of the cardios I do have are only 30-40 minutes long. So, I've been looking at Cathe's older cardios and they look challenging and fun. The ones I'm looking at right now are:

Cardio Hits
The Classics Vol. 1
Rhythmic Step/IMAX/MIC

For background, I've been doing Cathe for about 6 mos now and this is my only experience with step aerobics (not counting The Firm, which I've been doing for about 2 years now). I am LOVING stepping! Hi-Lo, too! I currently have CTX, the Hardcore series, the Intensity Series, and Pure Strength. I have about 99% of the steps down, so choreography doesn't seem to be an issue (haven't done IMAX 3 yet, though). Endurance wise, I can get through circuit work like High Step Challenge, Bootcamp, and Power Circuit, but have to pause IMAX 2 after intervals 7 and 9. Also, 10-10-10 = done-done-done, but Step & Intervals usually gets a brief pause after interval 2.

So, your opinions, please. Should I get all of them, a couple of them, or something else entirely?

Thanks,
Mona
 
i personally do not have any of the ones you mentioned to buy. i do however want to order Rythemic Step. It looks great. One of the older ones I can recommend is Power Max. Just love it. It is not as hard as Imax2 or bootcamp but it is straight stepping and including the warm up is a good 53 min. workout. Hope this helps. Karen
 
I have Cardio Hits and Rhythmic Step/IMAX/MIC and I would say both are indespensible. Cardio Hits was my intro to Cathe in 2000 and I still love it. The workouts on each DVD are approx. 1 hour, with MIC being a bit longer. Both of those disks would give you some good variety to your collection.

Hope this helps
 
The only one I have out of what you mentioned is the cardio hits dvd and I love it. I'd say it's certainly a worth while addition to your collection! 3 solid cardio work outs!

Have a great work out!

~Wendy~

I smoked my last cigarette on March 17, 2004 at 10:00 pm!

http://www.picturetrail.com/gallery/view?WENDYMIN

http://lilypie.com/days/050519/1/0/1/-5/.png[/img][/url]
 
I would personally plump for Rhythmic Step / I-Max / MIC, but then again I don't have the others. I-Max The Original is kind of the Giant Ape of interval workouts, Cathe or otherwise, and IMHO it still stands alone as the single most intense cardio workout Cathe has ever produced. MIC is wonderful as well for hi-lo lovers, and Rhythmic Step is for the choreographically gifted.

I would suggest starting with that one, and then add in Cardio Hits then Classics Vol. 1 as your sheckles re-accumulate in your checking account. Or . . . buy all three and save yourself a few pennies on shipping.

A-Jock
 
Hi Mona,

Any of those three dvds will serve you very well; all of Cathe's older cardios still hold up very well. But my favourite cardio dvd of Cathe's is the Step Blast/ Step, Jump & Pump dvd. It is pure fun, and with so many premixes that you won't get bored too quickly.

Cheers,
Sandra
 
Another vote for Step Blast, Rhythmic Step, then the DVD which has Step Works, Power max and another step routine. These are Cathe's best pure cardio workouts.

The Imaxes fall into a different category because they are all interval workouts, which has a different flavour altogether. Of these, Imax 2 is the best because the music rocks and so do the moves.


Clare
 
I have Cardio Hits and really enjoy it! The choreography is fun and should be easy for you to catch on to after a try or two or three. All of the hour-long workouts are steady-state cardio with mixed impact.

The Rhythmic Step+ DVD has what I consider to be, the mother of all choreo workouts (Rhythmic Step), and the mother of all interval workouts (IMAX). Each would be something that would take quite some time to master. I don't know anything about MIC to comment.

Diane
 
Thanks everyone for your thoughts! I'm going to go with Rhythmic Step/IMAX/MIC and The Classics for now. The Body Blast series is planned for this summer, in hopes of resisting the new Firm BSS when it comes out. Too many gadgets.

Any thoughts on Step N Motion 1? I'm a sucker for nostalgia, so I picked it up too. I think I had those lace bike shorts back in my Jazzercise days. :+

Mona
 
Step N Motion is definitely dated, the hair, those outfits! The choreo is basically up down up down, with a few power drills added. As I recall the music was a little new wavey too. I haven't done it in awhile. I do remember that the intensity is a step down from her usual stuff. If you like nostalgic videos (like me, I still do some of my old Jane Fonda's just for nostalgic reasons) then you'll like this workout. But don't expect to be challenged.
 
I'd get Imax or the DVD with Imax as part of the workouts. As you really should have some interval training in your cardio it will push you to the max, and allow your endurance to grow and you'll last longr in all your cardio workout adventures. Most people have a hate/love relationship with Intervals, but they are really a huge asset if you do them on a regular basis, they help with the latic acid problem when your sculpting, so you don't have the soreness as much. They help with the the latic acid with the cardio as well. They really help your strengthen your lungs and your heart. So since your lacking and looking for another workout I'd recommend one that has some intervals,you would only need to do Imax once or twice a week. Twice is really is max, but the other workouts on the DVD you can fit in on your other cardio days.

Kit
 
Thanks, Kit! I ordered the DVD with IMAX and 2 other workouts. The shipping notice arrived yesterday so I should have it soon. I hadn't heard about the lactic acid benefits. That is great to know!

Mona
 
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