Cathe Friedrichs Hardcore Series Imax 3 DVD

Cathe Friedrichs Hardcore Series Imax 3 DVD

Keeping with the tradition of Cathe's first two Interval Max workouts, the 32 count step combos will each be repeated 6 times before moving into the intensity blasts.

Each blast consists of a combination of about 2 to 3 intense moves (per blast) that repeats itself about 4 times (per blast) and gradually brings you to your lactate threshold. You will find that all the blasts vary in length and intensity keeping your muscles challenged and inspired. To really up the overall challenge, the recovery time between some of the "milder" intervals has been reduced. A cool down will follow the last blast, and a relaxing stretch will complete the workout.

User Ratings and Reviews

4 Stars my first Cathe workout was this one 🙂 became a diehard fan instantly!
I was looking for a good workout video for the days when work keeps you from making the gym, and I was so encouraged by the high ratings for Cathe Friedrich, I gave 3 of her dvds a try.

This workout is MERCILESSLY hard core…I am recovering from a back injury, hence I modify it a bit (especially parts which involve standing jumps or travelling standing jumps with a turn!) but still, it is one heckuva workout. Definitely one you want to do when you have slept well, have had your coffee, and have not done a high-impact exercise the day before. Nice long full workout. Every interval seems doable no matter how insane it is because of the fun breaks you get in the medium-complex choreography in the step routine segments. (No breakdown. Those who don't like choreography will probably find this hard–I have been taking step for years and am a dancer and found I needed a good 3-4 tries to get it right. I love complicated choreography! Keeps me from thinking about how hard I'm working out! ;))

I give it 4/5 since it is a bit too high impact for my tastes (I prefer Imax 2 a bit more, it felt ~70% as intense without being as jarring to the back and knees). However, those without a back injury would probably be fine.

4 Stars Good Stuff, but super hard
If you are not an expert at step, this is a hardcore work out. But once you get it, it is an awesome workout!

3 Stars You can really work up a sweat….
I absolutely love the 10 Blasts that are in this workout. I REALLY worked up a sweat! However, I found the step aerobics way too intricate for my tastes. I prefer a Bootcamp style workout and am not interested in learning complicated dance steps.

5 Stars One Tough Workout
This is the third, and by far the hardest of Cathe's I-Max workouts – beginners are encouraged to start with the first Interval Max and work up from there. If you're familiar with Cathe's workouts generally and these in particular, you will not be surprised by the level of intensity on the blasts, however, the recovery times are much shorter, and the blast segments – there are ten – start out challenging and escalate from there. How hard is it really, you ask? I thought it was my imagination, but the Ultimate Guide on Cathe's Web site – a survey completed by users – ranks the intensity of this workout at 9.5 (on a 10-point scale), the highest intensity score for any of the workouts ranked. Complexity is ranked at 7.8, and Enjoyment 8, which is one point less than the 9 awarded to I-Max 2. I can't argue with either of those numbers; Cathe herself admits her team found this one very challenging. As always, you will feel a huge sense of accomplishment, and this is one instance where you will be very grateful for the pre-mixes, which allow you to separate the workout into two manageable 5-blast segments. Enjoy!

5 Stars Challenging cardio!
If you're looking for something to boost your heart rate and keep it up there, this is the one to get. Sometimes I get so winded I feel like I need to call the paramedics. Well, not really. Just to give you an idea how tough it can be at times. The whole time your heart is working, but during the blasts you can really tire yourself out fast! You can modify the moves though and not push yourself to hard in the beginning. Learn the routines before doing the workout though. They are fun, but can be fustrating to learn. I imagine this workout will take you to the next level of fitness as far as endurance goes.

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