Muscle Max with Cathe Friedrich (Hardcore Series workout)

I don't know why I hesitated to buy this DVD because I love all of Cathe's strength training workouts but now that I've tried Muscle Max I'm kicking myself for waiting so long! This is a great total body workout that hits every inch of your body pretty hard (not counting the calves). I'm glad I waited to write a review because I didn't think it was as tough as others have indicated; I was able to match Cathe's weights on all the exercises without being spent so I figured it wasn't as effective as some of her others. Two days later and major DOMS say otherwise! The time flew by and while it doesn't seem that she targets the legs all that much mine are feeling the burn. Cathe varies the speeds of many of the moves (2:2 count, 2:4 count, etc.) and that apparently is enough to make basic squats/pulsing squats/plie squats and lunges/pulsing lunges do the trick in a minimal amount of time. She also incorporates a resistance band and step for a few exercises; I didn't feel anything when I was doing them but I do now! The upper body gets the majority of the focus and although there again aren't a lot of moves for the chest, shoulders, back, biceps and triceps the ones she does do their job and then some. The grand finale is a series that targets the core and although it was short it too did what it was supposed to do (i.e. wipe you out). There are breaks in order to change equipment but that didn't bother me and neither did the music; I was too focused on form and what I was doing to be annoyed by anything in the background. I'll be reaching for this video repeatedly due to how efficient it is and the results it offers. And Cathe as usual is pleasant and professional rather than being a drill sergeant (hello, Jillian!). A definite must-have for Cathe fans!

I've had this on VHS for years, it's an awesome workout!

I usually love Cathe's DVDs. This one is a good total body weight training session and she does a great job of explaining which muscles you're using and why each exercise is done as performed. My initial reaction was that the production value is clearly outdated, but after using the DVD a number of times, it's easy to ignore. It's a good workout and in a regular rotation with my other strength DVDs.

She throws a few moves in there that I hadn't done before, which is awesome. And she doesn't mess around either - I definitely feel that I'm working! I have several of Kathe's videos and I think she's pretty great. This video is no exception and is a great way to mix up your strength training!

I bought this because I generally like Cathe (though I don't love everything she puts out) and the reviews were great. I was mostly interested in a Les Mills Body Pump or a P90X style workout. This isn't quite that. In the end, I didn't keep it. I found it was too dated (I can't say WHY the hair and scene and music got to me, it just did), too slow, required too much changing between weights, and needed heavier weights than I have. It's more of a heavy lifting DVD and it's great for what it is; it just turns out that I don't care for this kind of workout. I generally like some kind of cardio or metabolic segment to my strength training. Personal preference.

excellent full body workout.i would actually rate this 4.5 stars, knocking .5 star off due to lack of dedicated calf work. no big deal, i just finish the workout off with my own sets of calf raises. it's my opinion that calves should not be ignored (which they are definitely NOT in her Gym Legs dvd!!! yow! haha).i have several of the dvds from her Hardcore series and really enjoy each of them, including this one. they are tough. i always wonder if i'll ever be able to work up to the same number of reps with the same weights Cathe uses. she is phenomenal.this type of workout is fun for me. there's no "cardio" sprinkled in, it's all weight work. you can get a bit of a cardio response however, depending on how heavy your weights are and how hard you're working to keep up with Cathe and still complete the reps with perfect form. good luck with that! lol.overall, i highly recommend this workout to anyone who wants to work really really hard. this is not a program for beginners.

This is a super cool workout, but I'm not on that level yet.Working my way to it.I'm on Cathe's beginner series, and I can tell you that even her beginner stuff is smoking and gets you results. It makes you stronger and able to do more.But I really dig Muscle Max. It blows my mind to just watch. And I can't wait until I've hit that level. I suspect that I'll be ready in a few months.But this isn't a workout I can see any possibility of outgrowing.No matter how advanced you are, Muscle Max will Max you out.But you need some equipment to do it. A barbell, dumbbells, a step board, stretch bands, a stability ball.I tried the Fire Walk part of it though. Whoo! Boy, do I feel it big time in my hips and buns. Big time! That Fire Walk is something else!I'm building up my Cathe collection. I have six of her DVD's so far. And I'll be getting like 6 more at leaet. I decided to stick with Cathe for life. Word!

This is my favorite full body workout. Well balanced. Tough! I've done this workout for about a year and I have developed well defined muscles in my arms, legs, and abs. My weight has stayed the same (I began at a good weight), but my clothes fit better and I love wearing sleeveless shirts and getting comments on my muscular arms and back. I am 46 years old and feel that if I continue to do this workout I will avoid the weak upper body most women my age develop and I will avoid back problems because my core is so strong. At 46 I can now do 20 consecutive military pushups and 7 chin ups. I couldn't even do that in high school! Buy this workout. You won't be disappointed.