Cross Train Express
Cathe Friedrich
This is a spirited defense of Cathe's Cross Train Express. I've heard some
criticisms of the series and find them largely unfair.
Cathe has put together a challenging, perfectly integrated advanced, week
long total body cardio and muscle training workout that can be done in
under an hour a day. I don't know anyone else who's done anything this
ambitious. I think it took a fair amount of guts.
Please note that I'm not a classic Cathe fan. I like very dancey,
complicated choreography, have no background or interest in sports-type
athletics, and I don't like high impact, plyos etc. Nonetheless, the
positives of this series far outweigh the inconvenience of having to modify
some of the moves, or the lack of a choreography high that Christi Taylor
or Franny Benedetto might provide.
The cardio portions of CTX are professional, interesting and entertaining
enough to allow me to raise my target heart rate for 35 minutes without
staring at the clock. While this may not be Nirvana, it's alot more than
many tapes can boast. The programs always start with a good warm up. They
are well cued and safe. Because they're diverse, I don't get bored. They
are followed by a tough strength training segment that completely cooks a
specific body part, and, when done in series, CTX provides a highly
effective total body workout. I don't know of any other tapes that give as
thorough a weight training segment, and the fact that they can be done as
part of an hour long program is nothing short of remarkable.
Cathe does an abs segment every day, and always does a nice stretch.
(please note: the All Step program and Leaner Legs vary from this routine
but fit into the overall six day under an hour philosophy)
That lady packs one heck of a workout into an hour. No time wasted *at
all*. Her cueing is impeccable. Her thoughtfulness about what needs to be
done to get a good, enjoyable workout is evident throughout. She is
pleasant, thorough and highly respectful of her audience (so many tapes are
condescending in tone, Cory Get Hard for instance). Cathe's respectfulness,
alone, is worth the price of the series.
I've read comments criticizing the fact that she sold the set as a series.
Well, frankly, it *is* a series, and doesn't especially make sense on the
level of individual tapes. It took some guts to produce a product that
would cost more than video exercisers are used to paying. I think the
decision stemmed from the nature of the product (i.e., an advanced total
body/cardio workout that could be done in under of an hour) than any desire
to get people to buy more tapes then they wanted to buy. The price for the
series, while certainly a chunk out of one's monthly disposable spending
budget, is really quite fair.
(Generally, I object to grousing about the cost of videos. It takes money
to produce a quality workout program that is geared to a smaller niche
market. I feel I'm blessed that quality videos continue to be produced and
I don't mind instructors making some money from them. I don't think
anybody's financing a villa from selling exercise tapes!)
I've also heard criticism regarding the choreography. I wonder whether
these people have actually done the tapes. The time moves pretty quickly
and they are, I think, more fun to do then they are to watch.
The only fault I would find is the use of high impact moves. I'd note that,
again, the programs are not as high impact to *do* as they look like when
observed, and are easy to modify for a seasoned exerciser. But I'd join in
the ranks of people who wish Cathe would consider some low impact programs.
I like the music, I'm ok with the set, and I like the basic black and blue
outfits and overall "cool blue" atmosphere.
Mostly, I like how I feel after I've completed a program - I've managed to
fit in a serious, effective workout into sixty minutes or less. Thanks Cathe!
Jane C.
altroute66@yahoo.com