Honest discussion abotu Cathe, CLX, and Jillian - Page 3

obrn · 06-10-09, 10:30 AM

I have 30 DS and while I like the concept, whenever I do it, I hate it! It just seems . . . . . hectic? to me. that experience has kept me from purchasing any other Jillian workouts.

I have a lot of Cathe's, including hardcore and 4 day split, which I have never done and really probably never will and should sell them. when she announced STS I knew it wasn't for me. She's very bright and engaging, but I can't deal w/ hour plus overkill anymore.

I'm really loving CLX and Chalene. I don't find her chatter annoying and the exercises are great.

Rhonda · 06-10-09, 10:42 AM

Hi Lisa (woodie)

Cathe - can't stand her step workouts, her strength workouts are too long and too many reps for certain body parts. I will pull out kick, punch and crunch and do that one. Otherwise just don't get into her much anymore. She is quite serious is in her new workouts. I have STS and finished 3 weeks of Meso 1, got an injury and never went back to them. Not sure what I will be doing with them.

CLX - couldn't stand Chalene. She drove me nuts after a couple of weeks and the workouts just didn't seem safe to me. Some moves felt awkward to me. Sold the set.

Jillian - I like her two newest workouts the best. NMTZ and banish fat. I have her 30DS and her 5 workout series which are all goo to me. I think she gets better as each workout comes out. I haven't done a rotation of Jillian even though I keep thinking about it. Then again not sure if I can handle her everyday as her workouts are high impact. My knees cannot take all that high impact day in and day out.

So ranking them would be Jillian, Cathe, Chalene

Rhonda

VioletShrinking · 06-10-09, 11:21 AM

Hi woodie,

I think I tend to like the same types of work outs that you do. I like the Squeezes and I'm starting to like Jillian too. I have 30 Day Shred and I just got her 2 new workouts. I look forward to trying them. I've been listening to Jillian's podcasts recently and that has drawn me to her workouts more. I do have some weight to lose and she obviously knows a lot about that.

I've never tried Cathe or CLX. I am comparatively new here, and I honestly had never heard of them before I began reading this board. They just don't appeal to me, at least not right now.

I also don't like workouts that involve buying gadgets. I won't buy something that involves more than a mat and a few weights. Yes, I did buy a cheap play ball for Squeeze, but that's it! I'm going through a big anti-clutter phase. I also prefer workouts that utilize body weight a lot.

lfcjasp · 06-10-09, 11:28 AM

I've never done Jillian, but her short, total body concept speaks to me. I'm not sure I'd "get along with" her

Tried CLX, loved the basic moves of Push and low reps and the nice short workouts, however...one day I just couldn't face Chalene and her "winner" buddies and went right back to SS, Jari and Margaret. I guess Chalene was fine for a little while, but then I just got tired of her. Kind of dreaded the workouts, too, which kind of surprises me. They're so short and over quickly

ETA: I was trying to go as heavy as Chalene seemed to want us to go and my form was never what it should have been...so I didn't get that much out of it. I may try it again and just go lighter, no matter what, and make sure my form is perfect and see how that goes...

Now I love Cathe's on-screen persona (which is apparently how she is IRL), the production is always top-notch, and I love Cedie and the whole gang. I liked her CTX and Power Hour/Rhythmic Step enough to hang on to those when I was selling off her stuff to get CLX...should be obvious by now that I don't care for splits...one of the downsides to CLX, STS, 4DS...yes CTX is loaded with splits, but you can do it upper/lower body splits...

All the equipment changes Cathe seems to be getting into do not impress me...please, keep it SIMPLE!!! If Cathe had done CLX, and kept it SHORT, instead of Chalene, I might still be CLXing happily...who knows...

Helen S · 06-10-09, 11:39 AM

Chalene - I love Turbo Kick. It's unique since it combines kickboxing with shaking (dancing). I did a CLX rotation and I think it's very good. I did modify it by adding pull-ups to back day, chin-ups to bicep day, and short kettlebell wos to shoulder day. I removed some of the iso shoulder work like lateral raises but kept the presses. I like how time efficient it is and I like how the Lean Phase works the core too.

Cathe - After doing CLX, I started STS and couldn't finish it. I only did Meso 1 but I wasn't excited about it so I have no desire to do Meso 2 or 3. I will try Meso 3 Plyo Legs since those wos looked good. I liked the Meso 1 leg wos and some of the exercises like pull-ups & push-ups. But as others have mentioned, the workouts are too long and I didn't see the need to do a bazillion iso exercises.

Jillian - I like her three newest workouts. They are time efficient. Some of the exercises are similar to some of the CLX exercises. She just does more reps and the pace of the reps is faster. I like that she does a lot of core exercises like planks in her wos. As somebody else mentioned, she has grown as an instructor. Her Shape Up and Maximize workouts were decent but the warm-ups were insufficient and I think the pace was a little too hectic. I also think there is more core work in her newer wos.

lreidgreen · 06-10-09, 11:41 AM

I used to love Cathe and do her workouts alot. I did Butts and Guts, KPC, Muscle Max, Muscle Endurance and her Body Fusion step workout alot at one time. Now the only thing I reach for of hers is KPC. I just can't stand the thought of taking out my barbell and doing lots of isolation work since I started working out with kettlebells. However, I have a kind of nostalgia for her workouts and probably will never get rid of them. Never even thought about buying STS but I did preorder her Shock Cardio series.

Never tried CLX - didn't care for Chalene in Turbo Jam and was just not interested in the series.

Jillian- I loved her 30 day shred but have grown tired of it. I don't like that she drops to the ground to do ab work right after elevating the heart rate during the cardio. But it is a quick get it done no nonsense workout that I will probably do again at some point. I have NMTZ and haven't clicked with it yet. Tried BFBM through Netflix but didn't give it a chance. I am planning to try it again soon subbing kettlebell swings for some of the high impact moves.

These days I am liking Kelly Coffey Meyer better than all of the above. Her latest workouts involve minimal equipment and she has a modifier for most if not all of the high impact moves.
Regarding Tracy Effinger: Today I was doing David Kirsch's Ultimate NY body Plan and during the leg/butt workout I was thinking I would get a better burn just by doing Squeeze. I rarely do Squeeze-for me its a love/hate thing.

kat999 · 06-10-09, 02:51 PM

Have not done CLS or Cathe, but I'm a total Jillian fan. I love her radio show, I love all the workouts I've done of hers so far, and I think she's got a good philosophy.

She actually reminds me of Jo on "The Facts of Life," which I used to adore when I was in junior high, and I guess I respond to that "take no cr@p" attitude that's laced with an undercurrent of desire to help people.

I will say she's a lot more "I'm here to nurture you! Feel good about yourself! Go you!" on her radio show than on her w/o videos. On those, she does come off a little more like a drill sergeant.

JackieB · 06-10-09, 04:55 PM

I think it's funny how it's different strokes for different folks! Honestly, what grates on one person and not on another is very interesting.

I can't stand Jillian. She seems snobby, snide and condenscending. Cathe scares me; I like her but she is very serious and hard core. Her workouts are also too long for my life. CLX length wise was great for me and I loved Chalene. She seemed so honest, sweet, and sincere.

Now dh bought P90X and I am wondering if I can do Tony for 90 straight days?

Jackie

VioletShrinking · 06-10-09, 08:28 PM

I've only caught a few of the Biggest Loser shows, and Jillian seemed really abrasive to me. I didn't think I would like her. At all. It was only after I started to listen to her radio show that I found her to be very nurturing and caring. Not only that, I feel like she really knows her stuff. I don't mean to imply that Cathe and Chalean are not as knowledgeable - I wouldn't know since I've never followed their programs. However, I have listened to Tracy Anderson's claims, and my goodness, there is no comparison when it comes to fitness knowledge!

goldenphoenix · 06-11-09, 12:04 AM

Cathe - I love her cardio because it has good music and the choreography is easy to follow. However, I was never crazy about her strength wos because they requires too much equipment. I haven't done a strength wo from her for years. I'm very happy with the upcoming cardio series.

Jillian - I did 30 Day Shred and BFBM but didn't click with either of them. Bad music and snotty attitude. I don't think I'll buy a wo from her again.

CLX - I like Chalean short strength workouts and her personality is fine with me, but I'm not crazy for her cardio. Unlike some of you, I don't care for the Lean Phase because I don't like compound moves that much.

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06-10-09, 10:30 AM
obrn Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Orange County, NY	I have 30 DS and while I like the concept, whenever I do it, I hate it! It just seems . . . . . hectic? to me. that experience has kept me from purchasing any other Jillian workouts. I have a lot of Cathe's, including hardcore and 4 day split, which I have never done and really probably never will and should sell them. when she announced STS I knew it wasn't for me. She's very bright and engaging, but I can't deal w/ hour plus overkill anymore. I'm really loving CLX and Chalene. I don't find her chatter annoying and the exercises are great. __________________ Valerie

06-10-09, 10:42 AM
Rhonda Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: MI	Hi Lisa (woodie) Cathe - can't stand her step workouts, her strength workouts are too long and too many reps for certain body parts. I will pull out kick, punch and crunch and do that one. Otherwise just don't get into her much anymore. She is quite serious is in her new workouts. I have STS and finished 3 weeks of Meso 1, got an injury and never went back to them. Not sure what I will be doing with them. CLX - couldn't stand Chalene. She drove me nuts after a couple of weeks and the workouts just didn't seem safe to me. Some moves felt awkward to me. Sold the set. Jillian - I like her two newest workouts the best. NMTZ and banish fat. I have her 30DS and her 5 workout series which are all goo to me. I think she gets better as each workout comes out. I haven't done a rotation of Jillian even though I keep thinking about it. Then again not sure if I can handle her everyday as her workouts are high impact. My knees cannot take all that high impact day in and day out. So ranking them would be Jillian, Cathe, Chalene Rhonda

06-10-09, 11:21 AM
VioletShrinking Join Date: Jan 2009	Hi woodie, I think I tend to like the same types of work outs that you do. I like the Squeezes and I'm starting to like Jillian too. I have 30 Day Shred and I just got her 2 new workouts. I look forward to trying them. I've been listening to Jillian's podcasts recently and that has drawn me to her workouts more. I do have some weight to lose and she obviously knows a lot about that. I've never tried Cathe or CLX. I am comparatively new here, and I honestly had never heard of them before I began reading this board. They just don't appeal to me, at least not right now. I also don't like workouts that involve buying gadgets. I won't buy something that involves more than a mat and a few weights. Yes, I did buy a cheap play ball for Squeeze, but that's it! I'm going through a big anti-clutter phase. I also prefer workouts that utilize body weight a lot. __________________ violet Last edited by VioletShrinking; 06-10-09 at 12:48 PM. Reason: Edited to add more information

06-10-09, 11:28 AM
lfcjasp Exchange Moderator Join Date: May 2003 Location: Hampton Roads, VA	Good thread, Lisa! I've never done Jillian, but her short, total body concept speaks to me. I'm not sure I'd "get along with" her Tried CLX, loved the basic moves of Push and low reps and the nice short workouts, however...one day I just couldn't face Chalene and her "winner" buddies and went right back to SS, Jari and Margaret. I guess Chalene was fine for a little while, but then I just got tired of her. Kind of dreaded the workouts, too, which kind of surprises me. They're so short and over quickly ETA: I was trying to go as heavy as Chalene seemed to want us to go and my form was never what it should have been...so I didn't get that much out of it. I may try it again and just go lighter, no matter what, and make sure my form is perfect and see how that goes... Now I love Cathe's on-screen persona (which is apparently how she is IRL), the production is always top-notch, and I love Cedie and the whole gang. I liked her CTX and Power Hour/Rhythmic Step enough to hang on to those when I was selling off her stuff to get CLX...should be obvious by now that I don't care for splits...one of the downsides to CLX, STS, 4DS...yes CTX is loaded with splits, but you can do it upper/lower body splits... All the equipment changes Cathe seems to be getting into do not impress me...please, keep it SIMPLE!!! If Cathe had done CLX, and kept it SHORT, instead of Chalene, I might still be CLXing happily...who knows... __________________ Lydia

06-10-09, 11:39 AM
Helen S VF Supporter Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Utah	Chalene - I love Turbo Kick. It's unique since it combines kickboxing with shaking (dancing). I did a CLX rotation and I think it's very good. I did modify it by adding pull-ups to back day, chin-ups to bicep day, and short kettlebell wos to shoulder day. I removed some of the iso shoulder work like lateral raises but kept the presses. I like how time efficient it is and I like how the Lean Phase works the core too. Cathe - After doing CLX, I started STS and couldn't finish it. I only did Meso 1 but I wasn't excited about it so I have no desire to do Meso 2 or 3. I will try Meso 3 Plyo Legs since those wos looked good. I liked the Meso 1 leg wos and some of the exercises like pull-ups & push-ups. But as others have mentioned, the workouts are too long and I didn't see the need to do a bazillion iso exercises. Jillian - I like her three newest workouts. They are time efficient. Some of the exercises are similar to some of the CLX exercises. She just does more reps and the pace of the reps is faster. I like that she does a lot of core exercises like planks in her wos. As somebody else mentioned, she has grown as an instructor. Her Shape Up and Maximize workouts were decent but the warm-ups were insufficient and I think the pace was a little too hectic. I also think there is more core work in her newer wos. __________________ Disclosure: I have appeared as a cast member for several workouts. Please see my profile for details.

06-10-09, 11:41 AM
lreidgreen VF Supporter Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: New Jersey	I used to love Cathe and do her workouts alot. I did Butts and Guts, KPC, Muscle Max, Muscle Endurance and her Body Fusion step workout alot at one time. Now the only thing I reach for of hers is KPC. I just can't stand the thought of taking out my barbell and doing lots of isolation work since I started working out with kettlebells. However, I have a kind of nostalgia for her workouts and probably will never get rid of them. Never even thought about buying STS but I did preorder her Shock Cardio series. Never tried CLX - didn't care for Chalene in Turbo Jam and was just not interested in the series. Jillian- I loved her 30 day shred but have grown tired of it. I don't like that she drops to the ground to do ab work right after elevating the heart rate during the cardio. But it is a quick get it done no nonsense workout that I will probably do again at some point. I have NMTZ and haven't clicked with it yet. Tried BFBM through Netflix but didn't give it a chance. I am planning to try it again soon subbing kettlebell swings for some of the high impact moves. These days I am liking Kelly Coffey Meyer better than all of the above. Her latest workouts involve minimal equipment and she has a modifier for most if not all of the high impact moves. Regarding Tracy Effinger: Today I was doing David Kirsch's Ultimate NY body Plan and during the leg/butt workout I was thinking I would get a better burn just by doing Squeeze. I rarely do Squeeze-for me its a love/hate thing.

06-10-09, 02:51 PM
kat999 Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Ohio	Have not done CLS or Cathe, but I'm a total Jillian fan. I love her radio show, I love all the workouts I've done of hers so far, and I think she's got a good philosophy. She actually reminds me of Jo on "The Facts of Life," which I used to adore when I was in junior high, and I guess I respond to that "take no cr@p" attitude that's laced with an undercurrent of desire to help people. I will say she's a lot more "I'm here to nurture you! Feel good about yourself! Go you!" on her radio show than on her w/o videos. On those, she does come off a little more like a drill sergeant. __________________ peace.tranquility.calmness.serenity

06-10-09, 04:55 PM
JackieB VF Supporter Join Date: May 2005 Location: Minnesota	I think it's funny how it's different strokes for different folks! Honestly, what grates on one person and not on another is very interesting. I can't stand Jillian. She seems snobby, snide and condenscending. Cathe scares me; I like her but she is very serious and hard core. Her workouts are also too long for my life. CLX length wise was great for me and I loved Chalene. She seemed so honest, sweet, and sincere. Now dh bought P90X and I am wondering if I can do Tony for 90 straight days? Jackie

06-10-09, 08:28 PM
VioletShrinking Join Date: Jan 2009	I've only caught a few of the Biggest Loser shows, and Jillian seemed really abrasive to me. I didn't think I would like her. At all. It was only after I started to listen to her radio show that I found her to be very nurturing and caring. Not only that, I feel like she really knows her stuff. I don't mean to imply that Cathe and Chalean are not as knowledgeable - I wouldn't know since I've never followed their programs. However, I have listened to Tracy Anderson's claims, and my goodness, there is no comparison when it comes to fitness knowledge! __________________ violet

06-11-09, 12:04 AM
goldenphoenix Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Northern CA	Cathe - I love her cardio because it has good music and the choreography is easy to follow. However, I was never crazy about her strength wos because they requires too much equipment. I haven't done a strength wo from her for years. I'm very happy with the upcoming cardio series. Jillian - I did 30 Day Shred and BFBM but didn't click with either of them. Bad music and snotty attitude. I don't think I'll buy a wo from her again. CLX - I like Chalean short strength workouts and her personality is fine with me, but I'm not crazy for her cardio. Unlike some of you, I don't care for the Lean Phase because I don't like compound moves that much. __________________ Kim