Cross Train Express: 10-10-10

Cathe Friedrich
Year Released: 2000

Categories: Boxing/Kickboxing/Martial Arts , Step Aerobics


I absolutely love the CTX series, and I pretty much love any Cathe Friedrich video, but after about 4 or 5 times doing this video, I can honestly say I don't like this one. I think it's mostly because I'm not crazy about hi/lo. I haven't actually timed it, but the hi/lo seems longer than the kickboxing and step portions. But it's probably just my imagination, since I don't like hi/lo. I tend to modify hi/lo to make it low impact, and with the hi/lo in this particular video, modifying it to low impact makes it incredibly boring (to me) and not very aerobic at all. I enjoy the warm-up and kickboxing portions. Those are pretty similar in style to the other CTX videos. The step section of the video is okay -- not Cathe's most interesting choreography, in my opinion. I do like the mambo on the step, but the double ricochets are way too high impact for me. The step choreography in Step & Intervals and All Step are more to my liking.

The tricep work in this video is quite effective. It includes close-grip bench presses, french presses, overhead tricep presses, and tricep pushups. The only thing that feels a little weird to me is the overhead tricep press. I modify the move so that the palm of my hand faces the opposite side, and I drop the weight toward the back instead of the sort of side-to-side motion that Cathe uses. My arms just feel better moving this way instead.

If you enjoy hi/lo and don't mind the high impact, you might like this video more than I do! However, I think the hi/lo choreography in Power Circuit is more interesting. I'll still keep this video, but I probably won't be using the cardio portion of it very much.

Instructor Comments:
As always, Cathe gives excellent form pointers during the strength work. Cuing is good in the hi/lo and step sections, but not as good in the kickboxing section. The choreography is okay, but not Cathe's most interesting.

Lynn Lounsbury

11/13/2000