Maximum Intensity Strength

Cathe Friedrich
Year Released: 1998

Categories: Total Body Workouts


Type of Workout - Total Body Strength Training
Instructor - Cathe Friedrich
Level - Intermediate to Advanced
Length - 75 minutes
Equipment Used - barbell, dumbbells, step

This is a total body strength workout created back in the 90s, but it's still a very useful, tough workout today. The DVD starts off with a great step workout warm up. During the actual workout, she uses a 35 lb. barbell and dumbells ranging from 8-20 pounds. Although she uses a barbell in many of her exercises, you could probably substitute for dummbbells.

She does about 8-16 reps per set, depending on the exercise. Each body part has its own section and there are form pointers given before each section starts. That gives you a little time to set up. There are also form pointers given throughout the workouts.

This is one TOUGH workout. I must admit, I did not make it all the way through the abs section. I was sweating and tired. Funny, but when I do Cathe's workouts, I sweat as though I'm working out at the gym. I don't normally sweat in weight workouts, so I was surprised and pleased. Cathe is very encouraging and offers many form pointers throughout.

CONS: Small things: the music sounds a lot like elevator music. Maybe I've been spoiled by Christi Taylor, but I didn't like the muisc at all. I like something with a faster beat to it, even for strength training. Or at least something with a little bass. I prefer Jari Love's music selections over this DVD's LOL!

I also did not like switching up between so much equipment or so many exercises. One would swtich from bar to dummbells to bench and back again. It seemed like I was always up and down. I don't mind setting up an exercise in the beginning of a section, but having to do it in the middle of a section was a little tedious. I guess I will get used to it.

As for switching up between so many exercises, it was like she would do only one set of something and then switch immediately to doing two sets of something else. For instance, she did two sets of nosecrackers, followed by one set of French presses, and then went immediately to a standing exercise. The exercises just didn't really seem to flow in some parts. Also, the length of the DVD made it boring for me. It did not go by fast for me, like a Jari DVD.

All in all, I would recommend this DVD for someone that doesn't mind dated looks or bad music. It's extremely effective and I see myself using it in my rotation a bit. As for the length, it can be easily broken up over two days.

Rating: B-

Instructor Comments:
Cathe cues great and was a professional.

bubbles76

02/17/2011