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More Workout Goodness from Cathe: DVD Reviews

Wow, I think I got off easy with this cold. Monday I felt miserable, but yesterday I already felt better. I mostly just have a headache and stuffy nose. Today I feel almost completely back to normal. Nothing compared to what Adam has (and still has after a solid 2 weeks!). So far I have not had to cut any workouts or miss work, thank goodness! This was possibly the shortest cold I've ever had!

So...today is Workout Wednesday here on the blog.

Ya know how ads for stuff you're into kinda just magically pops up on your Facebook feed? Here's a shocker, I get a lot of ads for healthy food and fitness products. Though these stalker ads totally creep me out, I got sucked in a few weeks ago. Cathe has some new DVDs launching soon and there was a special offer to preorder. The new series is called Strong and Sweaty. Hey, I'm strong and sweaty! Sounds like a good fit for me!!

As if that wasn't enough, while I was ordering the new set, I couldn't resist picking up a few more of her DVDs that sounded appealing.  After all, the Strong and Sweaty series won't actually be available until late fall! Also, I thought I might need some inspiration for my bedroom workouts during our renos.

I got her To the Max, Cardio Core Circuit, and Timesaver.


To the Max is a circuit workout that is just under an hour. Like her other workouts I already have, this one requires a lot of small equipment like a leg band, step, dumbbells and gliding discs. I enjoy this workout and its really challenging. The whole thing is done on the step, but its all intensity focused rather than choreography focused, which is just how I like it. It uses real songs with lyrics, or remakes of, that you may recognize. Its got some tabatas and a nice little core workout at the end.


Cardio Core Circuit is fun and requires no equipment. Its 50 minutes and has several rounds of simple but intense cardio drills with a set of functional core work in between each. I really like this workout and its a great one if you don't want to buy any equipment to have at home. Its mostly high impact and plyo exercises so if you can't do this type of workout, you will have to modify a lot.


Timesaver is definitely a good buy. It has 5 full workouts on it, all under 50 minutes. Each one is about 30 minutes warm-up/cardio and then strength training, except one which is all lower body strength work.  The first 3 are on the step and really push me in terms of choreography. They aren't ridiculous like the ones I recently reviewed (which, to me, seem impossible unless you are a Dancing with the Stars winner), but they are still more than I want to deal with at 5am. The other cardio one is kickboxing and I LOVE THIS ONE. The moves are very easy to follow and fun. Since I skip the weight training at the end, it makes it a perfect warm up for days when I have a longer strength training workout of my own to do. The legs one is really good too. I think its better than Jillian Michael's Killer Buns and Thighs. I still won't use it too often as I prefer to do my own weight routines, but I definitely give it high marks for level of difficulty (depending on how much weight you use, of course).

One thing to note, is all the Timesaver workouts seem to use a barbell for the strength component. Not a real one, but one like you use in Bodypump/Power, or whatever the f*ck they call those Les Mills classes now. I don't have one, but its pretty easy to do the workouts with dumbbells instead.

Overall, the To the Max and Cardio Core Circuit are my favorites. The Timesaver isn't as great a value for me as I'd hoped, since I may only regularly use one of the workouts, but its still worth it, because I really like that one workout.

I can't wait to get my hands on Strong and Sweaty! Cathe's workouts are among my very favs, and I love that she offers so much variety. If you work out at home, I definitely encourage you to try her out. If you think you cannot work at home because you don't have space, you're wrong!

Listen, if I can lift and pull and push and jump and roll and leap in my lil ol bedroom, then that is evidence that you can exercise anywhere. Get to it!

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