Cathe Friedrich: Ripped with HiiT - HiiT Circuit Upper Body

I loved this workout! I'm an advanced intermediate exerciser but found this to be do-able and with no dread factor. I prefer moves focusing on the upper body so this fit the bill perfectly; nothing was too much for me but anything that increases metabolically active muscle is fine by me (I think I'll be adjusting the weights as some that Cathe used were either too heavy or light). I'm not a big fan of HIIT but didn't think the intervals here were overly intense - I appreciate that Cathe gives you a bit of a break between some sets since longer periods of HIIT can be too exerting. My heart rate was elevated the entire time but I wasn't hitting the pause button (well, I had to once). I did modify a few higher impact exercises but kept up pretty well and was a sweaty mess at the end. Another reviewer mentioned calorie burn - I've been doing Flex Train, Super Cuts, Ripped With HIIT One & Two, etc., and burned more calories with THIS DVD than those I listed. I of course realize that Cathe has workouts that really are challenging so everything has to be taken in context.I started with a few of Cathe's ICE series DVDs about a month ago and was so impressed with the results that I decided to give her tougher videos a try. Some are still way too difficult (Afterburn, namely) but I'm amazed at how strong I've become in so little time. I've had to raid my boyfriend's weight set since the weights I had that I struggled with are now too easy (I'm doing rows with 25 pounds... never would have thought that was possible!). I love her cheery personality and the satisfaction of being able to actually complete any routine she puts out! This probably is a snap for advanced exercisers but I highly recommend it for those whose fitness is improving but not ready for increased impact yet.

I own most of Cathe's DVDs, and this one disappointed me. While it's still a good workout, I can't recommend it as highly as some (most) of her others. First, what I liked1. Really challenges me, and I can usually keep up with Cathe. I use the same weights that she uses on most of her DVDs, and usually keep up with all her jumping around. This one requires me to rest a couple of times after the more intense cardio intervals.2. Nice mix of exercises. Like her other HiiT workouts, this one has short bursts of activities so you don't get bored with any single thing. There are a couple of exercises I hate (like the high butt kicks), so I just substitute one of the other interval exercises.3. Functional movement. There's less isolation work and more compound activity that works, for example, core, arms, shoulders, and legs. I like that the core rotations are mixed throughout as well as in the two bonus ab sections, since I feel like functional core work is more effective than just doing crunches.4. Decent weight work. Using the weights Cathe recommends, I get a nice burn during the isolation segments. I don't find that the weights do much for the leg work (like marching Sumos or squat presses), but they at least help elevate the heart rate.5. Good pre-mix selection. There are timesavers, challenges, and ab add-on's. Very good (as per usual for Cathe) for giving you lots of options on one DVD.Now what I don't like so much:1. Shoulders are over-worked, other groups under-worked. There are far too many shoulder exercises, many of which don't work other muscle groups. It's not that the weights are too heavy, but that the segments are way off balance. For example, there are only two back exercises, neither of which really works to exhaustion, ditto triceps. Chest is some pushups and seated flies - again not to exhaustion. But shoulders have squat presses, W presses, side lunge woodchop, upright row with snatch, bent arm lat raise, regular lat raise... I end up replacing some of the shoulder work with chest, back, and/or tricep exercises to stay balanced.2. Production values or poor. These new HiiT workouts seem to have cheaper production values than Cathe's older DVDs. The music overpowers her voice no matter what I do to balance the channels, and the music choices are much less enjoyable than older workouts (yeah, that's a matter of taste). What's worse, the music track is just slightly off from the beat of her movements. If I follow the music, I end up getting off from her action and vice versa. That's mostly when she's actually following the beat. Which leads to the final con...3. Cathe doesn't follow the music. I'm not sure why the music mixer couldn't slow down or speed up the tracks to let you workout to the beat more than you do. Cathe has to keep saying "ignore the beat" or "work off tempo" or "race the beat" instead of actually using the music like her older workouts do. At least there's a voice-only track so I can turn on Pandora (and thumbs down the tracks that aren't to my taste).Overall, I pull out this workout occasionally for variety, but I'm disappointed that I bought it. I recommend trying  Cathe Friedrich: Ripped with HiiT - Low Impact HiiT , Cathe Friedrich: Flex Train , Cathe Friedrich's Low Impact Series: Athletic Training , Cathe Friedrich: CrossFire , or even  Cathe Friedrich: X10  instead.

Really loved this dvd-I did tone down a few of the cardio moves due to my sensitive knees&feet but still got a great sweat on and loved the strength moves-I have rediscovered Cathe workouts after trying several older ones years ago and finding them too long and requiring too much space and ecquipment.I now have about 7 of her newer dvds and 4 of her older ones and have really been hoping to get in amazing shape.I am close in age to Cathe and find that despite healthy eating and daily workouts,just can't get the scale to budge.I look forward to trying the other 3 Ripped with Hiit dvds that I received.

Sound and picture perfect.

Love it. Hiit workout are hard anyway but Cathe always takes them to the next level.

Just awesome!!!!

Love all of her workouts. She works you out hard but you feel great after.

Effective and Intense!

I have a few Cathe dvds, this is up there for me as one of the best. Once the warm up is done it’s straight in with a weights move then a cardio hiit. No mobe is repealed so it doesn’t get boring. Cathe workouts are a little more expensive but definitely worth it.I always YouTube them so I know I won’t be disappointed.

Very effective workouts