Any Cathe Friedrich Fans Out There???

Love her! I wish I had the all the equipment they have on the show, so I could really get her total workout. She is really good!

I only have 3 of her step DVDs, but I really like them. I need to get more of her other stuff too.

What are your faves?

I'm a really big fan of Cathe Friedrich. I've been working out with her DVDs for over 10 years, and I pretty much own everything she's ever released (minus her beginner DVDs). I just completed her STS series (did a six month rotation), and can honestly say that I've never done a series of workouts that have transformed my body so completely as that series did. Not only did I lose 40 pounds doing the series, but I lost 7 inches off my hips and 4 inches off my waist. At 44, my waist is the same size it was when I was 18! :drinker:

Outside of STS, my favorite DVDs are: BodyMax2, Butts and Guts, Kick/Punch/Crunch, Drill Max, Imax3, and the Gym Style weightlifting series. But, quite honestly, there are very few of Cathe's workouts I don't enjoy. :happy:

For those of you that have done or are planning on doing STS, I realize the focus is on lifting weights, but is there also room to do step workouts on cardio days? Or is the plan for lighter days of cardio?

There is definitely room for step workouts. I actually found as I worked my way through STS that my cardio fitness improved significantly, so by the end, I wasn't doing anything that I would consider to be 'lighter' cardio. :happy:

Just in case you aren't aware, Cathe is getting ready to film a new cardio series called 'STS Shock Cardio' which can be used alone but is also meant to be used in conjunction with STS. This cardio series (I think it is 11 DVDs) will include step aerobics, HIIT, and some MMA (mixed marial arts). I can't wait! These DVDs are supposed to be released by the end of the year, and I plan on doing STS again (for six months) early next year with these new cardio DVDs.

But the beautiful thing about STS is you can do whatever cardio you want on the cardio days (three days a week), so if that is running or cycling or gym classes or whatever, you can continue to do those things while doing STS.

crumpgirl, yes, I joined MFP about three weeks or so before starting STS.

During the first phase of STS (the first 8 weeks for me since I was doing the six month rotation), I kept my calories at about 1300 a day. I'm short and middle-aged, so I used exercise to create a calorie deficit, which is contrary to MFPs recommendation to eat exercise calories. But the only way I could/can achieve a 500-calorie-a-day deficit is primarily through exercise.

I lost the first 20 pounds by the end of the first cycle (which was my first goal). I then upped my calories during the second eight weeks to my maintenance calories (per MFP), and lost the next 10 pounds strictly through exercise. That was when I reached my ultimate goal weight.

I then moved into maintenance, upping my calories by 100 a week, during the third cycle....but I kept losing weight! I lost the final ten pounds upping my calories and doing the third cycle of STS.

In other words, STS completely changed my metabolism. I cleaned up my diet as well (of course), but I can honestly say I never dreamed I would be able to eat as much as I did during the third cycle and still lose weight! I am currently 5'2", 100 pounds (which is 10 below my ultimate goal), and I've been maintaining my weight eating about 2000-2200 calories a day (which is way higher than anything MFP recommends I should eat...including my exercise calories per my HRM). I'm 44 years old.

I can't possibly say enough good things about STS, and for all those who can afford it and have the time to do it, I highly recommend it. I just started a rotation of P90X this week because I wanted to see how it compared to STS. I can honestly say, even though I'm very early in my P90X rotation, that I much prefer STS to P90X if for no other reason than there is so much variety to STS (and, of course, the freedom to do whatever cardio I want). In addition, the science behind the STS program (the progression of weights, the changing of exercises, the different cycles) really made my body respond. I was walking around the house the other day in my exercise shorts and tank top and my husband looked at me and said 'Did you ever dream that your arms and legs would look like they do?' It surprised me that he asked that because I don't honestly spend that much time looking in mirrors. But he got me thinking, and while I've been working out hard for years, I can truthfully say that I never dreamed I would be in the best shape of my life at 44, and I totally credit STS for that.

If you (or anybody) has any other questions about STS, please feel free to ask or send me a PM. And, no, I am not paid by Cathe Friedrich! :laugh:

Stiring,
That is very inspiring as I'm 44 also. I'm taller at 5'6" and right now I'm at 210 (ugh) lbs. I did a around of P90X 2 years ago and have toyed with doing another round of that. I had pretty good results with it (lost 24 lbs down to 194) but never was able to start it back up after a surgery and gained most of it back. I've tried to start it again but even after two years of not being on the program I still can pop in a dvd and quote Tony almost word for word! I just don't think I could go through another 12 weeks. At 210 lbs I'm still pretty fit although cardio is my weak spot. MFP is giving me a calorie count of just under 1400 which seems low if you are doing an intense program like P90X or STS. Seeing that you had to increase your calories over the six months just to maintain your lowest weight, do you feel like maybe you should have eaten some of your activity calories? And did at anytime during the program did you feel you hit a plateau until you upped your calories?
I'm a mail carrier so I have a pretty physical job but realize that diet is my biggest problem. I just hate feeling like I'm hungry all the time. While on the X, I kind of stuck with the Eating for Life program by Bill Phillips (Body for Life). I averaged 1500 -1600 calories per day with a free day/free meal each week.
Congratulations at doing so well with the program. I know first hand how hard it is to accomplish such a fantastic transformation at our "age." As the old saying goes, if I would have known then what I know now, I would have never let myself get this fat!!!!!:laugh:
Karen

SW, Thanks for your story, STS sounds awesome! How much time do you need to set aside every day for the workouts, and did you use a squat rack or do the other version?

Also, does the set include cardio workouts or do you need to sub in some of your own?

Did you use the protein, fat and carb ratio that is pre set in MFP or does Cathe make other reccomendations?

Thanks for the info, I have four weeks left til I am finished with P90X and it looks like I have found my next workout.

Thanks to Hubby being a former football coach, I already have a ton of free weights so I think I will just need to buy the program and maybe some plate mates. I live 45 minutes away from the nearest decent gym so being able to really change your body at home is hard without the right program. P90X has been good, but I am really excited about STS, it looks like the real deal.:bigsmile:

Me me me I love her i was wondering shy i havnt seen any one on here who has tried her. I hear about 30 day shred iv tried and turbo jam ive tried and turbo fire I saw one video of it and i liked but none is as exciting as cathe videos to me!! the first one i tried i did low max andi was mad because i thought now that is rediculous all these turns so fast buti did it again and agian and i am so hooked on her. I have about 6 dvds of hers now. I love hers. My whole head is sweating after I do the worlouts and i love the premixes on my days i work i do the 45 mintues timesavers monday tuesday and wed the tues thurs, fri sat and sun i do the entire dvd I am loving her way much.

Me me me I love her i was wondering shy i havnt seen any one on here who has tried her. I hear about 30 day shred iv tried and turbo jam ive tried and turbo fire I saw one video of it and i liked but none is as exciting as cathe videos to me!! the first one i tried i did low max andi was mad because i thought now that is rediculous all these turns so fast buti did it again and agian and i am so hooked on her. I have about 6 dvds of hers now. I love hers. My whole head is sweating after I do the worlouts and i love the premixes on my days i work i do the 45 mintues timesavers monday tuesday and wed the tues thurs, fri sat and sun i do the entire dvd I am loving her way much.

Edithrenee-I recently discovered Cathe, but couldn't decide which one to start with? I don't want to fork out a ton of money right off the bat, so I was going to try one or two of them first and see how I like them. I love JM and I am currently finishing up with Supreme 90. What would you suggest I start with? Thanks!

Me me me I love her i was wondering shy i havnt seen any one on here who has tried her. I hear about 30 day shred iv tried and turbo jam ive tried and turbo fire I saw one video of it and i liked but none is as exciting as cathe videos to me!! the first one i tried i did low max andi was mad because i thought now that is rediculous all these turns so fast buti did it again and agian and i am so hooked on her. I have about 6 dvds of hers now. I love hers. My whole head is sweating after I do the worlouts and i love the premixes on my days i work i do the 45 mintues timesavers monday tuesday and wed the tues thurs, fri sat and sun i do the entire dvd I am loving her way much.

Edithrenee-I recently discovered Cathe, but couldn't decide which one to start with? I don't want to fork out a ton of money right off the bat, so I was going to try one or two of them first and see how I like them. I love JM and I am currently finishing up with Supreme 90. What would you suggest I start with? Thanks!

I love the low max to start with it is intense yet it is something to start with it is 63 minutes long but there is a premix on it you can do for 45 minutes.
Also the low impact circuit it great to it is step aerobics with intrevals of weights. It also has a premix of just cardio. If you are really new to any step then you should start with basic step/body fusion, it is more slower paced and gets you to understand how she calls out the moves.
If you want one with no step cardio core circut is good but i cannot do it very well because of so many plyos, hopefully wheni lose more weight i will be able to do it without hurting my knees.
You can go to cathe friedrich.com and look up the ones i just mentioned and it will give you a clip of what it is like or youtube. then go to amazon.con they are a little cheaper if you get them used. Good luck i cant wait to hear how you like it. You will sweat guarenteed!!