Body Fusion, ball abs & yoga

June 2, 2008

Today's workout was Body Fusion, a 50 minute circuit workout from Cathe's Basic Step + Body Fusion DVD. This was my first time doing it and I was a bit intimidated because on the introduction she says that the step intervals are intermediate level and that you should have mastered the Basic Step workout before doing this one. I've done Basic Step one time and while I did pretty good with it I cannot claim to have mastered it at all but of course, I didn't let that stop me from trying Body Fusion!

This workout has 3 stepping intervals and sculpting in between each one plus a warm-up, cool-down and stretch. I amazed myself and was able to keep up with more of the step routines than I thought I would. She builds a new combination in each interval and then takes it from the top a couple of times before going to the sculpting so with most of them, by the time she was taking it from the top the 2nd time I was mostly with her and where I wasn't I just faked it really good! I didn't use any risers on my step because I wanted to work on the choreography more so than the intensity and that was a good move because it was intense enough for me just like this (especially since I added a lot of extra over the tops and other high intensity moves out of sequence!) :-)

I picked up 3 lb. weights for the sculpting because my heart rate was way up as each cardio interval ended and as it turned out that's what Cathe was using too (I was thinking these are just right for me, they're probably feathers to her). The sculpting parts were pretty good. I'm not positive how much I like the circuit style workouts because I have to use lower weights when I do them and I'm not sure if I'm getting as much out of it as I would a straight weights workout. I haven't done many yet though so I'll keep trying them for now. I knew this was a beginner/intermediate level Cathe when she did knee pushups for the first set and then offered toe pushups (and another beginner modification) later! I did the first set of 8 on my toes and the other 2 on my knees. I'm thinking about starting a new pushup challenge for this month, do as many on my toes as I can at least 5 days a week. I had to stop not too far into my other challenge because of DH's hospitalization and illness.

I burned about 260 calories doing Body Fusion and of course, being that close to 300 (I love my HRM) I HAD to add on! I finished inflating my new ball this morning and wanted to try it out so, since there was a 10 minute abs with ball add on workout on this disc I figured I'd give that a try too. It was very good! I haven't done many ball workouts so I can't compare it (plus I was using a much too big for me ball before) but I enjoyed it and felt like I got a good workout and best of all, I could do all the exercises with my 55 cm ball! I have 10 Minute Solution Fitness Ball Workouts ( Spreen) here from netflix and can't wait to use it too!

After that the abs, which didn't have a stretch, I wanted more stretch so I decided to do some yoga. I'm really enjoying Yoga Complete for Every Body lately and chose a new to me routine, Open and Strong Heart (or something close to that) for 25 minutes from the Beginner menu. This seemed more challenging than other practices but it could also be something to do with having done an hour of Cathe Friedrich before that. I really liked it a lot though. When I finished that I had burned 375 calories and, since I also vacuumed and did other housework today, I figured I burned at least another 25 for at least 400 calories today. I love it!

Tomorrow is Cathe's How to Get in Shape for Your Wedding step workout. That one is 50 minutes long and I'm thinking I might add on one of the 10 Minute Solution ball workouts with it. I doubt I'll make time for yoga though because I also want to do some quick grocery shopping before I have to be at work before noon.

I loved my workout today! I hope everyone else had happy fitness days too!

June 3, 2008

Great job!I guess you will be leaving me behind since I'm a non-Cathe person huh??? LOL, Jennancydewolf wrote: Today's workout was Body Fusion, a 50 minute circuit workout from Cathe's Basic Step + Body Fusion DVD. This was my first time doing it and I was a bit intimidated because on the introduction she says that the step intervals are intermediate level and that you should have mastered the Basic Step workout before doing this one. I've done Basic Step one time and while I did pretty good with it I cannot claim to have mastered it at all but of course, I didn't let that stop me from trying Body Fusion! This workout has 3 stepping intervals and sculpting in between each one plus a warm-up, cool-down and stretch. I amazed myself and was able to keep up with more of the step routines than I thought I would. She builds a new combination in each interval and then takes it from the top a couple of times before going to the sculpting so with most of them, by the time she was taking it from the top the 2nd time I was mostly with her and where I wasn't I just faked it

really good! I didn't use any risers on my step because I wanted to work on the choreography more so than the intensity and that was a good move because it was intense enough for me just like this (especially since I added a lot of extra over the tops and other high intensity moves out of sequence!) :-) I picked up 3 lb. weights for the sculpting because my heart rate was way up as each cardio interval ended and as it turned out that's what Cathe was using too (I was thinking these are just right for me, they're probably feathers to her). The sculpting parts were pretty good. I'm not positive how much I like the circuit style workouts because I have to use lower weights when I do them and I'm not sure if I'm getting as much out of it as I would a straight weights workout. I haven't done many yet though so I'll keep trying them for now. I knew this was a

beginner/intermediate level Cathe when she did knee pushups for the first set and then offered toe pushups (and another beginner modification) later! I did the first set of 8 on my toes and the other 2 on my knees. I'm thinking about starting a new pushup challenge for this month, do as many on my toes as I can at least 5 days a week. I had to stop not too far into my other challenge because of DH's hospitalization and illness. I burned about 260 calories doing Body Fusion and of course, being that close to 300 (I love my HRM) I HAD to add on! I finished inflating my new ball this morning and wanted to try it out so, since there was a 10 minute abs with ball add on workout on this disc I figured I'd give that a try too. It was very good! I haven't done many ball workouts so I can't compare it (plus I was using a much too big for me ball before) but I

enjoyed it and felt like I got a good workout and best of all, I could do all the exercises with my 55 cm ball! I have 10 Minute Solution Fitness Ball Workouts ( Spreen) here from netflix and can't wait to use it too! After that the abs, which didn't have a stretch, I wanted more stretch so I decided to do some yoga. I'm really enjoying Yoga Complete for Every Body lately and chose a new to me routine, Open and Strong Heart (or something close to that) for 25 minutes from the Beginner menu. This seemed more challenging than other practices but it could also be something to do with having done an hour of Cathe Friedrich before that. I really liked it a lot though. When I finished that I had burned 375 calories and, since I also vacuumed and did other housework today, I figured I burned at least another 25 for at least 400 calories today. I love

it! Tomorrow is Cathe's How to Get in Shape for Your Wedding step workout. That one is 50 minutes long and I'm thinking I might add on one of the 10 Minute Solution ball workouts with it. I doubt I'll make time for yoga though because I also want to do some quick grocery shopping before I have to be at work before noon. I loved my workout today! I hope everyone else had happy fitness days too!

June 3, 2008

Thanks Jen!

You can try Cathe and join me!

Re: Body Fusion, ball abs & yoga

Great job!I guess you will be leaving me behind since I'm a non-Cathe person huh??? LOL, Jennancydewolf <nancydewolfsbcglobal (DOT) net> wrote:

Today's workout was Body Fusion, a 50 minute circuit workout from Cathe's Basic Step + Body Fusion DVD. This was my first time doing it and I was a bit intimidated because on the introduction she says that the step intervals are intermediate level and that you should have mastered the Basic Step workout before doing this one. I've done Basic Step one time and while I did pretty good with it I cannot claim to have mastered it at all but of course, I didn't let that stop me from trying Body Fusion!

This workout has 3 stepping intervals and sculpting in between each one plus a warm-up, cool-down and stretch. I amazed myself and was able to keep up with more of the step routines than I thought I would. She builds a new combination in each interval and then takes it from the top a couple of times before going to the sculpting so with most of them, by the time she was taking it from the top the 2nd time I was mostly with her and where I wasn't I just faked it really good! I didn't use any risers on my step because I wanted to work on the choreography more so than the intensity and that was a good move because it was intense enough for me just like this (especially since I added a lot of extra over the tops and other high intensity moves out of sequence!) :-)

I picked up 3 lb. weights for the sculpting because my heart rate was way up as each cardio interval ended and as it turned out that's what Cathe was using too (I was thinking these are just right for me, they're probably feathers to her). The sculpting parts were pretty good. I'm not positive how much I like the circuit style workouts because I have to use lower weights when I do them and I'm not sure if I'm getting as much out of it as I would a straight weights workout. I haven't done many yet though so I'll keep trying them for now. I knew this was a beginner/intermediate level Cathe when she did knee pushups for the first set and then offered toe pushups (and another beginner modification) later! I did the first set of 8 on my toes and the other 2 on my knees. I'm thinking about starting a new pushup challenge for this month, do as many on my toes as I can at least 5 days a week. I had to stop not too far into my other challenge because of DH's hospitalization and illness.

I burned about 260 calories doing Body Fusion and of course, being that close to 300 (I love my HRM) I HAD to add on! I finished inflating my new ball this morning and wanted to try it out so, since there was a 10 minute abs with ball add on workout on this disc I figured I'd give that a try too. It was very good! I haven't done many ball workouts so I can't compare it (plus I was using a much too big for me ball before) but I enjoyed it and felt like I got a good workout and best of all, I could do all the exercises with my 55 cm ball! I have 10 Minute Solution Fitness Ball Workouts ( Spreen) here from netflix and can't wait to use it too!

After that the abs, which didn't have a stretch, I wanted more stretch so I decided to do some yoga. I'm really enjoying Yoga Complete for Every Body lately and chose a new to me routine, Open and Strong Heart (or something close to that) for 25 minutes from the Beginner menu. This seemed more challenging than other practices but it could also be something to do with having done an hour of Cathe Friedrich before that. I really liked it a lot though. When I finished that I had burned 375 calories and, since I also vacuumed and did other housework today, I figured I burned at least another 25 for at least 400 calories today. I love it!

Tomorrow is Cathe's How to Get in Shape for Your Wedding step workout. That one is 50 minutes long and I'm thinking I might add on one of the 10 Minute Solution ball workouts with it. I doubt I'll make time for yoga though because I also want to do some quick grocery shopping before I have to be at work before noon.

I loved my workout today! I hope everyone else had happy fitness days too!

June 3, 2008

Great job, ! I actually have this one (received in a trade) but I haven't done it yet. I think I might do it soon.

Glad you had such a great workout -and awesome calorie burn, too.

Donna

Subject: Body Fusion, ball abs & yogaTo: exercisevideos Date: Monday, June 2, 2008, 8:37 PM

Today's workout was Body Fusion, a 50 minute circuit workout from Cathe's Basic Step + Body Fusion DVD. This was my first time doing it and I was a bit intimidated because on the introduction she says that the step intervals are intermediate level and that you should have mastered the Basic Step workout before doing this one. I've done Basic Step one time and while I did pretty good with it I cannot claim to have mastered it at all but of course, I didn't let that stop me from trying Body Fusion!

This workout has 3 stepping intervals and sculpting in between each one plus a warm-up, cool-down and stretch. I amazed myself and was able to keep up with more of the step routines than I thought I would. She builds a new combination in each interval and then takes it from the top a couple of times before going to the sculpting so with most of them, by the time she was taking it from the top the 2nd time I was mostly with her and where I wasn't I just faked it really good! I didn't use any risers on my step because I wanted to work on the choreography more so than the intensity and that was a good move because it was intense enough for me just like this (especially since I added a lot of extra over the tops and other high intensity moves out of sequence!) :-)

I picked up 3 lb. weights for the sculpting because my heart rate was way up as each cardio interval ended and as it turned out that's what Cathe was using too (I was thinking these are just right for me, they're probably feathers to her). The sculpting parts were pretty good. I'm not positive how much I like the circuit style workouts because I have to use lower weights when I do them and I'm not sure if I'm getting as much out of it as I would a straight weights workout. I haven't done many yet though so I'll keep trying them for now. I knew this was a beginner/intermedia te level Cathe when she did knee pushups for the first set and then offered toe pushups (and another beginner modification) later! I did the first set of 8 on my toes and the other 2 on my knees. I'm thinking about starting a new pushup challenge for this month, do as many on my toes as I can at least 5 days a week. I had to stop not too far into my

other challenge because of DH's hospitalization and illness.

I burned about 260 calories doing Body Fusion and of course, being that close to 300 (I love my HRM) I HAD to add on! I finished inflating my new ball this morning and wanted to try it out so, since there was a 10 minute abs with ball add on workout on this disc I figured I'd give that a try too. It was very good! I haven't done many ball workouts so I can't compare it (plus I was using a much too big for me ball before) but I enjoyed it and felt like I got a good workout and best of all, I could do all the exercises with my 55 cm ball! I have 10 Minute Solution Fitness Ball Workouts ( Spreen) here from netflix and can't wait to use it too!

After that the abs, which didn't have a stretch, I wanted more stretch so I decided to do some yoga. I'm really enjoying Yoga Complete for Every Body lately and chose a new to me routine, Open and Strong Heart (or something close to that) for 25 minutes from the Beginner menu. This seemed more challenging than other practices but it could also be something to do with having done an hour of Cathe Friedrich before that. I really liked it a lot though. When I finished that I had burned 375 calories and, since I also vacuumed and did other housework today, I figured I burned at least another 25 for at least 400 calories today. I love it!

Tomorrow is Cathe's How to Get in Shape for Your Wedding step workout. That one is 50 minutes long and I'm thinking I might add on one of the 10 Minute Solution ball workouts with it. I doubt I'll make time for yoga though because I also want to do some quick grocery shopping before I have to be at work before noon.

I loved my workout today! I hope everyone else had happy fitness days too!

June 3, 2008

I have a Cathe Phobia!LOL, Jennancydewolf wrote: Thanks Jen! You can try Cathe and join me! Re: Body Fusion, ball abs & yoga Great job!I guess you will be leaving me behind since I'm a non-Cathe person huh??? LOL, Jennancydewolf <nancydewolfsbcglobal (DOT) net> wrote: Today's workout was Body Fusion, a 50 minute circuit workout from Cathe's Basic Step + Body Fusion DVD. This was my first time doing it and I was a bit intimidated because on the introduction she says that the step intervals are intermediate level and that you should have mastered the Basic Step workout before doing this one. I've done Basic Step one time and while I did pretty good with it I cannot claim to have mastered it at all but of course, I didn't let that stop me from trying Body Fusion! This workout has 3 stepping intervals and sculpting in between each one plus a warm-up, cool-down and stretch. I amazed myself and was able to keep up with more of the step routines than I thought I would. She builds a new combination in each interval and then takes it from the top a couple of times before going to the sculpting so with most of them, by the time she was taking it from the top the 2nd time I was mostly with her and where I wasn't I just faked it really good! I didn't use any risers on my step because I wanted to work on the choreography more so than the intensity and that was a good move because it was intense enough for me just like this (especially since I added a lot of extra over the tops and other high intensity moves out of

sequence!) :-) I picked up 3 lb. weights for the sculpting because my heart rate was way up as each cardio interval ended and as it turned out that's what Cathe was using too (I was thinking these are just right for me, they're probably feathers to her). The sculpting parts were pretty good. I'm not positive how much I like the circuit style workouts because I have to use lower weights when I do them and I'm not sure if I'm getting as much out of it as I would a straight weights workout. I haven't done many yet though so I'll keep trying them for now. I knew this was a beginner/intermediate level Cathe when she did knee pushups for the first set and then offered toe pushups (and another beginner modification) later! I did the first set of 8 on my toes and the other 2 on my knees. I'm thinking about starting a new pushup

challenge for this month, do as many on my toes as I can at least 5 days a week. I had to stop not too far into my other challenge because of DH's hospitalization and illness. I burned about 260 calories doing Body Fusion and of course, being that close to 300 (I love my HRM) I HAD to add on! I finished inflating my new ball this morning and wanted to try it out so, since there was a 10 minute abs with ball add on workout on this disc I figured I'd give that a try too. It was very good! I haven't done many ball workouts so I can't compare it (plus I was using a much too big for me ball before) but I enjoyed it and felt like I got a good workout and best of all, I could do all the exercises with my 55 cm ball! I have 10 Minute Solution Fitness Ball Workouts ( Spreen) here from netflix and can't wait to use it too! After that the abs, which didn't have a stretch, I wanted more stretch so I decided to do some yoga. I'm really enjoying Yoga Complete for Every Body lately and chose a new to me routine, Open and Strong Heart (or something close to that) for 25 minutes from the Beginner menu. This seemed more challenging than other practices but it could also be something to do with having done an hour of Cathe Friedrich before that. I really liked it a lot though. When I finished that I had burned 375 calories and, since I also vacuumed and did other housework today, I figured I burned at least another 25 for at least 400 calories today. I love it! Tomorrow is Cathe's How to Get in Shape for Your Wedding step workout. That one is 50 minutes long and I'm thinking I might add

on one of the 10 Minute Solution ball workouts with it. I doubt I'll make time for yoga though because I also want to do some quick grocery shopping before I have to be at work before noon. I loved my workout today! I hope everyone else had happy fitness days too!

June 3, 2008

I did too but am finding I really like her a lot as an instructor and Basic Step really is basic. I think by starting slow and gaining confidence (like I am) the workouts (at least some, not all) become less intimidating. I'm glad I'm trying them!