Cathe Friedrich Xtrain or STS or JNL Fusion

STS is purely a strength training program working with heavy weights, aiming to increase endurance, muscle mass and strength over the three month program.

Xtrain is a cross training program which includes strength training and cardio. I haven't done it myself but as it's Cathe I would expect the strength training to involve heavy weights and the cardio is likely to largely be HIIT.

I hadn't heard of JNL Fusion before but I've looked it up and it looks like a cross training program (i.e. strength and cardio) but the strength work is light weights and bodyweight only so no heavy lifting. Wikipedia states the following:

4 training sessions of 45 minutes each per week. The workout method is targeted to women.

The workout method includes:

Strength training using lighter weights and body weight
Plyometrics and jump roping
Cardio intervals of about 30 seconds
Advertised attempt to target the "cardio fat burning zone"

So it depends what you're after really. I love STS as I would rather be lifting heavy and I get enough cardio from everyday life so I don't really need a cross training program.

Cathes Xtrain isn't all Hiit there is some Low Impact HiiT work and Tabata and Kickboxing it has been alot of fun. I don't own STS so I can't comment on that one.

If t helps I really like Xtrain and I think it has done wonders for my body.

I've never done any of Cathe's stuff but when I heard about STS and looked at the equipment requirements, I said, "Yikes, this is probably for an advanced exerciser!" One system with 40 DVDs, Wow! I'd go with JNL but I heard she doesn't have a warm up or cool down with these DVDs.

The equipment needed for STS is a bench or step, a weight adjustable barbell, a wide variety of dumbbells, a stability ball, a resistance band, paper plates, and good focus. Other pieces of equipment are totally optional such as a pull up bar (or tubing), weighted vest, ankle weights, micro load weighted gloves, and slanted risers.

Try some of Zuzka's ZWOW workouts that are free on YouTube or download them to your laptop/desktop or you can buy her cardio DVD for $20 including shipping. The free ZWOWs are mostly cardio but have some abs and arm work.
Cheaper that JNL Fusion by using the YouTube workouts or the $20 DVD. If you buy the Zcut DVD from Amazon, make sure the seller is Watch It Now Entertainment. They are the distributors for the DVD.

Zuzka YouTube workouts (ZWOWs)
http://www.youtube.com/user/ZuzkaLight

Zuzka Zcut DVD
http://www.amazon.com/ZCUT-Power-Cardio-Series-Dvd/dp/B00AY5JB92/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1362842430&sr=8-1&keywords=zcut

http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/B00AY5JB92/ref=dp_olp_new?ie=UTF8&condition=new

Watch It Now Entertainment
http://www.watchitnowentertainment.com/production.html

I am doing JNL Fusion at the moment and can't recommend it enough. It is the best programme so far. I tried Chalean Extreme, P90X, Turbo Fire, Insanity and Body Revolution in the past but JNL Fusion works best for me. It swaps 30s strengths and 30s cardio. It is fast moving and you can start to increase the weight of dumbbells if you want. I can persuade myself that I can do anything, no matter how hard it is, for 30s My heart rate usually goes to over 170 beats per minute so it is pretty intensive.

Another vote for JNL! Been doing it since December 31st, and my results are AMAZING! And it's not super hardcore or exhausting.

I have X Train Fit and I like it when I can get in the mood to do it and has helped me lose inches.

If you have done basic workouts...there is nothing she is doing on the screen that you probably haven't done or seen before. I actually got one of those $5 Target behind the door mirrors, that I prop up on a side table against the wall when i am working out and have the mirror straight ahead of me at like 12 o'clock, then my tv is to the side at like 2 o'clock. I focus on my form and stuff instead of watching them. Funny, my "high knees" were not nearly as high as i thought they were till i started using the mirror. Also, iI can see changes week after week and it really gives me extra fire to do the workouts, cause I know it's working!

Good Luck!!

Hello,

JNL fusion the best workout what I have tried so far. This amazing interval training program targets all the muscle groups we ladies needs to work on. Burns plenty of calories and tone up the body at the same time and the programme does not take longer than 30 minutes.

The variation of exercise are endless so it will never be boring. I love JNL fusion workout I can recommend to anyone who doesn't have hours a day to workout and wants a great result.

If you push yourself to your maximum with this workout you will see result in only a week. Whenever I feel out of shape or my fitness level is low, I do this workout for a week and I feel I got myself back.

Tips: check JNL fusion short ( 9 min ) videos on youtube. Jennifer demonstrate what to do and how to do. She has a video also on youtube with all her Fusion cardio part. Practice and learn them and you can make your own workout then.

Brilliant workout.

I haven't used the other 2 but I'm in my 5th week of JNL fusion and can honestly say It's a great workout program and I really love it!

I did a round of insanity and lost around 31 lbs of fat then started JNL and have so far lost another 12 lbs or so, I've only got a little bit more left to lose now probably another 7 lbs, but boy has JNL shaped my body!

After insanity I did have some leg tone and my cardiovascular system was crazy fit but I generally felt like my body was the same just smaller. JNL has shaped my arms, I have biceps and triceps and shoulders now! They feel taunt even when I'm not flexing, my waist has whittled down and my obliques are now hard and chiselled and my stomach is almost flat (you dont build 'out' a six pack with this program but pull in and tighten your core drastically), my butt, hips, thighs and calves have slimmed down amazingly and feel firm and have shape and tone, everything has lifted and toned. My chest has become broader and lifted and my back is scooped out and toned!! Although I've lost less weight according to the scales with this workout, I've packed on a lot of lean muscle mass and lost a lot of fat so it shows in how my clothes fit rather than the scales and this week I fit into a size 10 UK jeans!

All you need is a set of dumbells for this workout, cordless jump ropes are optional (I have them and though you might feel silly using them they do increase the intensity of the workout) I would mention that I lift HEAVY with this workout, its only 30 mins long so in order to maximise the benefit I get from it I don't pick up light weights. I have a set of adjustable power block weights and have steadily been increasing the weight as the weeks have gone by, I just lift heavy for 6-8 reps to the point of failure within the alloted 30 seconds and it REALLY works! (don't be afraid of bulking up - women don't have enough testosterone for that, go as heavy as you can to see the biggest changes!) The cardio is mostly short bursts of high intensity and I always drip with sweat throughout the workouts. Insanity was definitely harder but then I like lifting weights and I hate cardio and Insanity was mainly pure cardio!

I like JNL she motivates me, I don't find her annoying at all and listening to her is a welcome distraction from working out at high intensity in silence counting down the seconds! with her talking us through the 30 seconds fly by!

There are enough different workouts that you won't get bored, I actually look forward to doing these workouts. If you are new to weights then watch the workouts through and get your form down before starting as there isn't much instruction and it would be easy to injure yourself, JNL just jumps right into it but after you have done a workout for the 10th time you will be grateful for this!! who wants to stand around while each move is painstakingly demonstrated?

Like others have mentioned there's no warm up or cool down. I usually go on youtube and follow a jillian michaels warmup but I've been super lax with cool downs and have barely done one since the first week!

I don't follow the JNL diet plan but I am already eating clean and that works for me so I've stuck to it. Don't expect to eat like a pig and get good results with this workout, you will probably see results but in order to really see your muscle tone you need to lower your body fat percentage and you need to eat well to feed your muscles. So don't go hungry but lay off the simple carbs like white rice, white bread, sugar etc and obviously junk/processed foods and stick to good proteins, good fats and complex carbs.

JNL fusion is short and challenging without being a killer like insanity, the after-burn is amazing if I work out at night I still feel it when I wake up the next day! it makes you feel strong and empowered and building lean muscle mass can only be a good thing not to mention you are building bone density. I can't recommend it enough - and I'm living proof that it works!

there's a music louder option so you can drown it all out if you want on the DVDS but tbh you just get used to it and don't really hear it anymore once you get into the moves. For me it distracted me from the burn I was feeling and kept me going when I probably otherwise would have stopped before the end of the 30 seconds had I just been listening to silence or huffing and puffing!