Spicing Up My At-Home Workouts

I learned my love for exercise at an early age. One of my earliest memories of exercising takes me back to my old family room in Michigan, with a Richard Simmons VHS tape, and my mom and sister (Molly wasn’t even born yet) by my side. Richard Simmons was a classic during the early nineties, and my sisters and I would participate right alongside my mom. Or we’d try — we were only four and two, after all.

You could say that my mom got me hooked on exercise videos, because to this day, I am still a huge fan. You can only imagine how I excited I was when I was given the opportunity, through FitFluential, to try Cathe Friedrich’s XTrain DVDs.

Though Cathe has many workout DVDs available on her website, this particular DVD set includes nine discs full of over one hundred complete workout options, and a User’s Guide, which explains all of the exercises shown on the DVDs. The User’s Guide also provides an outline for four different workout programs, ranging from 30 to 90 days long.

Since I am currently training for a half marathon, I decided to use these DVDs for cross training rather than following a specific workout program, at least at the moment.

When I first received the DVDs,  I immediately tried the All Out Low Impact HIIT (high intensity interval training) workout. I love full body workouts that target every muscle group, and this one did just that. Though the workout was extremely challenging and left me feeling sore for a couple of days afterwards (always a good thing, in my book), I love how relatable Cathe is when she’s teaching. You almost feel as if she’s right there in your living room with you — she’s encouraging the whole way through.

According to the Cathe.com website:

“Before there was Zumba, Tae Bo, Spinning or even Step Aerobics, fitness video pioneer Cathe Friedrich recognized the need to provide a simple, flexible, affordable and motivating way for Americans to exercise and stay fit. Nearly thirty years and over 190 DVDs later, thousands of people have credited Cathe Friedrich for helping them to transform their bodies and their lives with her videos and TV appearances.”

Perhaps this is why I relate to Cathe so much — her workouts aren’t fancy fads, but they will leave you dripping in sweat, which makes them perfect for all types of exercisers, from the beginner to the most elite athlete.

One thing that concerned me when I received the DVDs, is the list of equipment needed.

I belong to a gym and normally use the equipment there, so at home, I only own one set of dumbbells and some medium resistance tubing.

Thankfully, my concerns were short-lived, because I quickly learned that all of Cathe’s workouts can be completed without the equipment listed above. I tried the HIIT workout without a step and assumed that I wouldn’t have to work as hard, but I was so wrong!  It’s very simple to improvise while continuing to build strength and burn calories.

Another XTrain workout that I’ve been incorporating into my exercise routine every few days? The bonus workouts (found on several of the discs), Core Workouts 1 & 2. Each workout ranges from 10 to 13 minutes, and leaves my abs feeling like they’re on fire. Remember how I said that I don’t like training my core? Well, this workout from Cathe makes the time fly by, and I feel so good afterwards!

Though I haven’t had a chance to try all of the DVDs yet, I know that these will quickly become a part of my weekly workout routine. In fact, they already have. Last night, I completed one of the Tabata Premixes — Tabata 1 + Burn Back Set, and I was pleasantly surprised by how fun a challenging tabata workout can be!

The premix options on the DVDs are a great way for me to add some variety to my workouts, and it allows me to choose an option that fits best within my busy schedule!

If you’re looking for a fun, challenging, non-intimidating way to workout at home, I encourage you to try Cathe’s DVDs. And a note to my future kids — don’t be surprised you grow up with Cathe, just as I grew up with Richard Simmons .

Do you enjoy doing workout videos at home?

Have you ever tried Cathe’s DVDs?

Though I was not compensated for this post,  I did receive Cathe’s XTrain DVDs free of charge. All opinions are my own.