Cathe Friedrich: XTrain Tabatacise

Never has 20 seconds felt so long!
This is one of the toughest DVDs from Cathe Friedrich's Xtrain series. Tabata is a form of high intensity interval training. Each set is usually 4 minutes long with 20 seconds of very intense training, 10 seconds of rest, done for 8 rounds. If you do Tabatas 1 -5, plus warm-up and cool down, the workout is about 45 minutes.

I have yet to do any of Cathe's Xtrain rotations, since I'm in the midst of an Insanity rotation, but I was dying to try the Xtrains, so I've incorporated them into my latest rotation. Even after 2 months of Insanity, this workout was hard for me.

A step with two risers is the only equipment you'll need.

Why I enjoyed this workout:

* The versatility. Not only can you do 1 to 5 of the Tabata routines, but there are also lots of premixes to choose from. My favorite is Tabatas 1-5, Burn Sets Back and Core #2. This workout clocks in at about 70 minutes. All I can say is ouch! (In a good way, of course.)

*...

I was really surprised
I've worked out for the last 10 years rather consistently. I've done most of the Beachbody programs, step aerobics, elliptical, and I jog occasionally. I was looking for a new program because I could tell that I wasn't challenged the way I should be. I was getting through really difficult workouts without feeling it much. Enter Xtrain Tabatacise: The first day I tried it, I thought I was coming down with the flu or something because I couldn't make it through the first one let alone 5 of them. I had to take breaks and I had to stop before she reached the count of 20 and try to catch up on the next set. Then I realized that this was going to be hard. I mean really hard. I'm happy to say, I am now up to 3 tabatas at a time, but it took time. I plan to try to incorporate the 4th soon, as I can't hide from it any longer. I really feel a sense of accomplishment with this set. I can honestly say, it's the most challenging thing I've ever done, and that alone makes it worth the money...

I would give it six stars if I could
This is one tough workout. I love Cathe's HIIT style workouts, and this one is one of the best. It's a serious calorie burner. I am sucking wind all the way through. And, I love how you can customize it to your level of fitness by adjusting how many rounds of the tabatas you do. Once again, a fabulous workout from Cathe! It's a must have to add to your Cathe/fitness DVD collection.

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