What a nice surprise to find this is a tough signature-Cathe workout, but it's NOT as tough as Body Max or Interval Max and it IS a lot of fun. Best of all, this is a workout that I look forward to doing. Dread Factor = ZERO. Circuit Max is definitely for experienced exercisers with a solid cardio base, but would be very easy to modify down to low-impact and lower-intensity. Background on me: I'm an advanced-level exerciser and a long time fan of Cathe's workouts.

Here's what I love about this workout: first, that you get an unbeatable cardio and toning total body workout with a great stretch at the end in 65 minutes; the variety of the cardio segments; that I don't have to drag out a bunch of different sized weights; seeing Cathe and her crew looking so psyched to be there; a really interesting new set. My big nitpick is that the warm-up and first hi/lo section take up a lot of floor space.

The 5 minute warm-up is a simple hi/lo routine with double grapevines and some "bob and weave" moves, easy kicks and punches. It uses a fair amount of floor space, but you can angle your grapevines and adapt it to the space you have available if your space is limited. The stretching is more dynamic than static. The music for most of the workout is instrumental -- this really dates me, but some of the music sounds like Herb Alpert (was that his name?) and the Tijuana Brass. The cast is made up of familiar faces (Rhonda, Lisa and Hope) and the addition of some new faces , two GUYS!

The workout is then divided into 6 circuits: each contains 5 minutes of cardio followed by 2 minutes of compound strength work, using light-to-medium-weight dumbbells. In my opinion, each cardio circuit got a little more intense and a little more complex in terms of choreography. The first 2 are hi/lo, next 2 are kickboxing and the final 2 are classic Cathe stepping.

The hi/lo is simple and athletic. The first hi/lo segment uses a lot of lateral space. Cathe includes some short power blasts to spice things up, such as a plyojack with 2 jumps pattern and a lot of side leaps. The second segment was more fun, with some up-and-backs and turns and ponies and twists. I found it a little more intense and it used less floor space.

Next come the 2 kickboxing circuits: one of the floor and one on the step. I think the workout starts to really liven up here -- a huge, welcome surprise, because I usually place kickboxing at the bottom of my fun list. There's a floor combo in here that's a blast, where you shuffle forward, cross-punch, and leap back. As soon as the kickboxing moves to the step, the intensity kicks-up a notch. There are power 7s with speedbag arms, alternating front kicks with a hopover the step, jumpropes onto the step, ("keep your feet on the grid!") I thought this part was hard.

The final 2 cardio segments are classic stepping. The first step segment has a lot of familiar moves: the long hopover the step from Power Max and the killer sequence of uneven squats over and over the step from MIC. Oh and plenty of power 7s and scissors too. The last circuit is probably the toughest (lots of swim forward lunges), but it's also the most entertaining, with a little tap dance on the step that's a riot, those beloved pendulum/squats, snake around the step, in-out-in repeater and the somewhat controversial "heel-jack- hopover and jack." (You love it or you hate it.)

After each of the 6 cardio segments, Cathe grabs a set of dumbbells for about 2 minutes of compound strength training. She uses 8s and 5s.. During one of the segments she says, "These 8s are kicking butt." You are usually either squatting or lunging while working shoulders, biceps or triceps. Cathe performs the reps quickly: the strength work is more about your heart rate, coordination and balance than gaining muscle. Cathe suggests that if you want to go heavier, just slow down your rep speed.

There's no traditional cooldown: instead you are cooling down during the final strength circuit. At the end, Cathe takes about 5 minutes to do strength work on the parts you missed during the circuit training. You do 2 sets of 1-armed lat rows, 2 sets of push-ups and 2 sets of plank work. During the plank work, I recommend distracting yourself from your quivering muscles by counting the number of sweat droplets that fall off your nose. I've done Circuit Max 3 times and my current highest droplet count is at 6.

There's a really nice stretch at the end. The music switches to really light, pretty piano and string music. And you're done. I clocked the whole workout at 65 minutes.

Instructor Notes: Cathe seems completely at home with the camera and her video audience. She talks TO us, not AT us. Lots of funny little Cathe-isms, along with a familiar sounding admonition to "Modify, Modify, Modify." As always, she is a delight: warm, inspiring and completely professional. And darned cute too.

Daphne M

09/14/2000