Lifetiquing Reviews

Equipment needed: a mat (but you could also just use a towel or two)

Level: Advanced

Bottom line: I wish I could give this thoroughly fun and efficacious workout 6 stars for challenging me without torturing me.

I am writing this review after having done this workout for the second time- in one day. No, this does not reflect a newfound exercise fetish or some sort of masochistic crusade; one workout a day is plenty for me, thank you very much.  It just happened that a) my DVD player skipped through the entire first run through this one and b) I enjoyed it so much anyway that I had to try again later.  Boys and girls, coming from me, this is a revelation.

Need I even say that I absolutely loved this workout? It was perfect on so many levels. First, the drills and exercises are so functional, working your entire body and core, which maximizes their effectiveness and intensity. There are also some new and innovative exercises, such as two in which you roll backward on your mat, that I found refreshing and fun to do. Second, every moment in this relatively short workout is filled- there are no boring sets of filler moves like jumping jacks. Third, the moves are simple, athletic and easy to follow. At the same time, there is very little repetition. I found that I didn’t have time to become bored by one drill before we were on to the next, and that’s really saying something coming from me, the original attention-deficit exerciser. Fourth, no equipment is really needed and the workout can be done in a small place- score for travel! Finally, I even found that the short length was a plus. Because the drills were intense, the short length made it easier to make it through mentally, and I felt afterwards as though I had done a complete workout.

Don’t be daunted by online reviews saying that this is Cathe’s hardest to date- far from it. Sure, it’s advanced and intense, but I think it doesn’t even come close to Imax 3, for example. For me, there are only two factors that could prevent me from adding it to my regular rotation: it’s extremely high impact, and it’s a tad short to fulfill my cardio needs.

Overall: This athletic workout for advanced exercisers is highly functional, innovative, fast-paced and effective. I loved the short sets and lack of repetition, and I felt challenged without feeling tortured. It’s also perfect for travel due to its short length and lack of equipment.