I have not felt the love for cardio in while. Maybe it''s because I''ve been nursing some injuries or because I''m burnt out. Well, after doing this DVD, the love is back! Cathe has created a definite winner with CrossFire.The workout breakdown:
Warm up---6:30
CrossFire Fitness Blast---8:50
Firewalker Tabata---4:55
CrossFire Circuit Blast---22:45
CrossFire Plyo Tabata---5:20
Stretch---6:45
Bonus Core---9:10
Bonus Low Impact Cardio Tabata---4:40
The equipment you''ll need:
Firewalker loop
Pairs of 3, 5, 8 and 10 pound dumbbells
One 15 pound dumbbell
Set of slide and glide discs
Tubing for use as a marker.
CrossFire is non-stop cardio; you''ll do tabatas, plyometrics, and circuit training. A step is not used in this workout. In case you''re not familiar with tabata training, it''s 20 seconds of high intensity cardio, followed by 10 seconds of rest. This pattern is repeated. Tabata workouts typically last about 20 minutes.
Why I love, love, love this workout:
**The variety of cardio exercises from circuit training to plyometrics to tabatas. There were several places that I was "talking back" to Miss Cathe (and I was not saying nice things....), but before I knew it, that particular torture, I mean workout section, was over and we were on to something new.
**The Firewalker tabata that combines the infamous firewalkers with plyometrics. All I can say is ouch! (In a good way.)
**Yes, Cathe does it all high impact. I didn''t and my heart rate was still up at the high end of my aerobic range. I am an advanced exerciser and I am delighted to find a tough workout that really challenges me without stressing my joints.
**The fast-paced music. The music in this workout helped me get through the tough sections. Usually, I don''t care for Cathe''s taste in music, but the music here has a driving beat.
**The variety of premixes. There is something for everyone. I love working out for 60-75 minutes a day and by doing this workout, plus the two bonus sections (core and low impact cardio tabata), the workout came in at about 70 minutes. Most of the premixes are shorter and are various combinations of the workout sections. So those who want shorter but really intense workouts can do so.
**The premix mixtures. By doing shorter workouts, you can really give it your all during the super high intensity sections, but not be totally exhausted at the end of your workout.
**Cathe''s mention of modifications for a lot of the exercises. Cathe was especially thorough in giving alternative movements.
A few things to note about this workout:
**This is not a workout for beginners. Even though Cathe gives lots of modification suggestions throughout the workout, it''s still a tough routine. Beginners may just get frustrated and not want to do the workout. Heck, I''m an advanced exerciser and I feel that I have room to grow with this workout.
**For most of the core work, you''re on your wrists doing supine planks, side planks etc. If you have wrist issues, this may not be the core workout for you. Cathe kept mentioning that your wrists will get stronger with these exercises, but I could only see how they might aggravate your wrists.
In spite of this, I really loved this workout and highly recommend it to anyone wanting to spice up their cardio routines.
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