I really started in earnest when my son was born (31 years ago). I walked with the stoller and bought tapes! (yep, shows my age). I was a stay-at-home mom so that was the best way for me to achieve my exercise. As the years passed, I got my exercise by walking my son to and from school until he was old enough to be embarassed walking with his mom!!
My husband and I then joined a gym for a couple of years, but found it worked much better for us to buy the weights, the bench, and a Nordic Track. With the equipment in the basement, we could work out together, not wait for our “turn”, listen to the music we wanted and watched Bodyshaping on ESPN. This worked really well for us for a good number of years and we eventually added a Pacific Fitness workout station to our “studio”.
We both felt that we definitely felt better, looked better as long as we stuck to it!
As we’ve aged (Wow, I really hate to admit that!), we find that it was getting tougher and tougher to keep off the pounds and inches. Enter the treadmill with the preprogrammed speeds and inclines that has definitely upped our aerobic and cardiovascular capacity.
This appeared to be working well for us UNTIL age 60 was on my horizon. I was definitely not happy with my “doughy” physique so I needed a new routine to “kick it up a notch”.
From time to time I caught a few shows on FitTV but many of the routines didn’t suit me.
THEN…I started watching Cathe Freidich’s workouts. Unfortunately, the cardio is a bit too much for the back and knees, but the weightlifting routines have been a godsend for me – just what I was hoping for. So far I’ve bought as many DVD’s and equipment as is affordable and have a wonderful variety of weightlifting programs to rotate. I never thought at 60 I’d go out and buy a barbell and weights, but I did and I am so glad I did.
I’m so appreciative to have the opportunity to thank Cathe properly for her instructional expertise – the way she stresses form and safety is outstanding. Hopefully, I can afford to buy more in the future!
Thanks again for giving me the chance to sincerely thank Cathe for her help, instruction, humor, and dedication to her mission. She’s helped me immensely toward my entering my 6th decade healthier, stronger and more fit than ever!!
Wonderful! I have aged with Cathe also…been using her DVDs/tapes since I was in my early 40s…now as I am approaching 54 am wondering how long I will be able to keep up with her and her workouts…sometimes, I have to modify the high impact stuff and to rotate long and shorter workouts, and as I get older am relying more on the weights to keep me strong. Keep it up and you are an inspiration to me as I see the years creep by very fast.
I too am a 50 something who has kept in physical shape by using Cathe’s workout videos. Six years ago I was looking at moving up from a size 12 to a 14 and decided that it was not going to happen. After years of going to the gym and attending classes and not seeing any real change I bought a couple of Cathe dvd’s and have never looked back. I have maintained a healthy and consistent weight for the past 6 years reshaping my body so I now wear a size 4/6.
I am coming up on my 58th birthday and as I get older I find some of the high intensity cardio’s to be a bit strenuous. I am comfortable altering the work out to suit my limitations as I get older. However, the weight workouts are second to none, especially the STS program. I have completed the full STS program once and my plan is to begin my second round in the new year so that I am in tip top shape by spring.
My goal is to get my husband started on the STS program once he retires and has time to do workouts on a regular basis. He is a distance runner who has always believed that running is the only workout to keep you in shape. After completing the STS program he has seen the improvement in my muscle definition he has certainly changed his mind.
I never get bored and continue to stay motivated using Cathe’s workouts.
Fantastic! I too am in my mid fifties and trying to find a way to get this weight off. I need to lose about 20 pounds. I have been working with a bunch of DVD’s that stress weight lifting and not crazy cardio as I cannot do steps or jumpy things. I have not yet ordered any of Cathe’s routines, but I will soon. I am looking for 60 minute ones I can follow 3 days a week and another for the other 3 days. Taking one day off a week.