This is an older Cathe Friedrich tape. It was overall on the low end of OK. Cathe actually looked pudgier to me, especially in the hips and face. The production quality of the tape was OK. None of the steppers were the same ones as in her later videos. I don't think one of them changed expression throughout the entire thing.

It started up with a warm-up and stretch, then went into some low impact aerobics. I really didn't care much for this section, and it was the only part of the tape I had a hard time following. A little too dancy for my tastes. Next was some fast high impact aerobics. I had a ball with this section - I hadn't done those in years, and I was really breathing hard at the end.

Next was step. It was pretty easy to follow, nothing complex and fancy like, say, Step Jam. It ended on a pretty intense combo - lunges off the end of the step like in section 3 of Step Max, then low impact touches to the sides, then high impact lunges moving forward and back along the bench,then lunges off the end, etc.

Then there was step with weights. The moves were very basic - just basic and V's. I started out with 5 pound weights and downloaded to 3's;she does a lot of reps. First was upright rows, then lats, delts, and Ithink another section that I can't remember now. Then we picked up the 5 pounders and did forward lunges on the bench. Then she doubled the weights (2 5's in one hand) and did bicep curls. There was also some tricep work on the bench, then pushups using the bench, then you lie with your chest on the bench and work the rhomboids.

The ab section was good. I really felt my obliques in this one. She does them in a bit of an unusual way. You put your ankle on your knee,but intead of lifting your opposite shoulder to the opposite knee, you lift your elbow on the same side to that lifted knee.

I've only done this tape twice, and will not use it on a regular basis. It's just not as fun and challenging as her newer tapes, and it's got some of that "corniness" that I so hate - dancy/funky moves (low impact section),and just a bit of annoying class input.

Debby Kenny

11/30/-0001