So what is the verdict on ICE?

[isebelleg44]

I have done all the workouts except for the muscle meltdowns. Low Impact Sweat is surprisingly my favorite. I actually felt that the workout flew by, which is rare for a cardio workout for me. My least favorite is Rock'm Sock'm Kickbox, but that is no surprise for me, as I haven't enjoyed a Cathe kickbox workout in a long time. Although I did enjoy her latest live kickboxing workout.

I was a little disappointed in Chiseled lower body and prefer her two lower body workouts from RWH. Chiseled upper body was pretty good, but I also prefer Circuit upper body workout from RWH.

My two favorite blizzard blasts were from Chiseled lower body and Bootcamp circuit. I liked them all, but the one from Rock'm Sock'm.

I thought the core workouts were ok and prefer Icy Core 2.

The music was ok, although some of the cool down music gave me pause. Although I think CUB had great cool down music.

I am disappointed in Cathe's first attempt using a modifier. One of many examples, is Amanda used a step with three risers on Bootcamp!

I am looking forward to using the muscle meltdowns over the next several days.

So what did you think?

[Buzzer]

I'd love to hear "the verdict"! The other thread is so long, and even though I have bought the ICE series, I don't have the time to wade through it to find out what people think.

When I am ready to do an ICE rotation, I'd love a succinct thread to refer to.

I hope people chime in here!

[weener]

I'm happy with ICE - I still need to modify to what works for me. I was hoping to see a modifier doing more modifying. I haven't done any of the Blizzard Blasts.

I like the Muscle Meltdowns. Icy Core 2 I liked better than 1.

I also liked Rock'm Sock'm Kickbox - I get bored with arm drills and this one there was no boredom. I can't play this in my DVD player but it works in my computer.

I'm very happy with the series and I'm glad I got it.

[s2546]

I am very happy with ICE! The workouts are fun and i feel they are effective when I don't want an advanced workout. I have all of Cathe's DVDs and i really like these.

sue

[eyefit]

Originally Posted by isebelleg44

I have done all the workouts except for the muscle meltdowns. Low Impact Sweat is surprisingly my favorite. I actually felt that the workout flew by, which is rare for a cardio workout for me. My least favorite is Rock'm Sock'm Kickbox, but that is no surprise for me, as I haven't enjoyed a Cathe kickbox workout in a long time. Although I did enjoy her latest live kickboxing workout.

I was a little disappointed in Chiseled lower body and prefer her two lower body workouts from RWH. Chiseled upper body was pretty good, but I also prefer Circuit upper body workout from RWH.

My two favorite blizzard blasts were from Chiseled lower body and Bootcamp circuit. I liked them all, but the one from Rock'm Sock'm.

I thought the core workouts were ok and prefer Icy Core 2.

The music was ok, although some of the cool down music gave me pause. Although I think CUB had great cool down music.

I am disappointed in Cathe's first attempt using a modifier. One of many examples, is Amanda used a step with three risers on Bootcamp!

I am looking forward to using the muscle meltdowns over the next several days.

So what did you think?

We have many of the same thoughts! Especially the favorite and least favorite choices. I, too, haven't enjoyed any of Cathe's newer kickbox videos and yet I keep hoping the next one will click with me. I had the same disappointment with Hard Strikes and Rockout Knockout. LOVED Low Impact Sweat, though!

I totally agree about the inconsistent use with Amanda as a modifier. I'm hoping Cathe will learn from this experiment (this is her first time doing this after all) and try to incorporate a modifier going forward. I think it would be a really good idea with even her most advanced workouts. Sometimes even an advanced exerciser can't necessarily do all the moves in a given workout.

My order of favorite to least favorite:

1. Low Impact Sweat loved almost all of it including the Blizzard Blast

2. Metabolic Total Body wonderful total body workout! I felt so good when I was done with this one. I haven't yet tried the BB but I'm pretty sure I will love it. I'm a burpee fan.

3. Chiseled Upper Body I enjoyed this one a lot and was surprised by how much the core was worked throughout. It is the most different from all of Cathe's other UB workouts. It definitely isn't a strength workout, but perfect for an overall lighter upper body day. I really enjoyed it! I think this was the one that had the "discus" move that I wasn't a fan of, though. I liked this same move a lot in LIS when used as a cardio move without any weight. I may sub this move next time or just do it with no weight like I do in LIS next time. IIRC, there was another move toward the end involving child pose I didn't care for either, but the rest was really good.

4. To the Mat Legs and Glutes- This one I liked as much as CUB, except for the fact that CUB is a little more unique in Cathe's library so I put it above TTM. I am starting to appreciate mat work more and more lately. This one was a goodie, but I do like Linda Wooldridge a little better overall in this category. I will probably use this one occasionally but I have a feeling when I'm in the mood for mat work I will be more likely to do one of Linda's.

5. Bootcamp- I liked this one, but I did feel like it was a little disjointed. The cardio was a little more advanced then the weight work so it felt kind of unbalanced to me. It also annoyed me that she had Amanda doing the workout on the same number of risers as the rest of the crew. As the modifier, she should have TOTALLY been doing on 1 less riser. I really liked the Blizzard Blast a lot, though! Very challenging and FUN!

6. Chiseled Lower Body- The only reason this one is so low on the list is because of the excessive standard style jumping jacks. Me and my pelvic floor loathe regular jacks. I love other jack styles (plyometric type) but why do so many instructors consider regular jumping jacks an intermediate move? Do they not understand that MANY women who have had babies have this pelvic floor issue with regular jumping jacks?? Grrr. That said, I think once I try out the "no jacks" premix from this workout that it will rise on this list because I really did like a lot of the moves in the workout.

7. Rock'm Sock'm kickbox. I was so disappointed in this one. I guess I prefer my kickboxing to have combos of blended strong punching (not the fast shallow punches she mostly did here) and kicking. I don't like the format of alternating fast, shallow punch "combos" (that didn't really seem like combos to me?) with "leg blasts". The leg blasts weren't even anything that special to me. I didn't even like the warm up. I didn't feel very warmed up from it, especially in my lower body. Bummer.

I haven't done the Muscle Meltdowns yet so I can't comment on those. I agree with someone else who mentioned that they wished she had done a Lower Body Meltdown, too! A nice heavy weighted but short meltdown for lower body, maybe about 20 minutes or so, would have been sweet!

I can't comment on music either since I am almost never bothered by music in workout videos.

[NorthernStar]

It has been a busy week for me and I haven't worked out as much I would have liked to. So far, I've got around to Low Impact Sweat, Chiseled Upper Body and Metabolic. I haven't done any Blizzard Blasts or Muscle Meltdowns yet but I have done both core workouts.

So far, 3 for 3 I am loving these workouts. They are exactly what I have been wanting. I consider myself an intermediate exercised, maybe pushing high intermediate and there are right up my alley. They are not terribly challenging, but they're not easy either. I have really been burnt out on my tougher DVDs lately.

I was surprised how much I loved Low Impact Sweat. I never felt like I was dying but at the end of each drill, my heart rate was right up there. A great interval workout!

This weekend I will try some more and hopefully get through them all soon. I am loving all the premixes and how you can mix and match with the blasts and Muscle Meltdowns to create all kinds of different workouts.

[jenn38]

1. Rockem Sockem - I liked this workout and did all the punching combos using my heavy bag. This workout gave me nice DOMS in my oblique muscles.

2. Low Impact Sweat - I did the premix with the step and blasts and really enjoyed this workout.

3. Metabolic Total Body - I liked this workout but felt it was very shoulder heavy. I used lighter weights for most of the shoulder exercises because of the excessiveness.

4. Chiseled Upper Body - This was my favorite of the bunch. I thought it was Cathe's most creative workout in a while. I liked how it incorporated core work through out the workout. And really enjoyed the floor work exercises.

5. Bootcamp - The workout itself was good. I did it using one riser and will up it to two risers where Cathe ups to 3. But this workout really disappointed me in terms of a modifier. Cathe gave verbal modifications and Amanda showed some modifications but did the workout basically the same as everyone else. I thought she should have kept her step to one riser or on the floor the entire time. This workout could have really shined with modifications being shown but it didn't.

6. Chiseled Lower Body - I have to try again because I did some but wasn't in the mood to do anything. Again I was disappointed in the modifying aspect of this workout. Very little was modified. Amanda should have done jumping jacks as low impact modification.

7. To The Mat - I haven't done yet.

I still have to try the blizzard blasts, core work and meltdowns.

The only negative I have is Cathe failed with using a modifier to do low impact modifications. I think most of the modifications given were done verbally and what was shown wasn't really low impact. When I think of great modifiers I think of Lauren from KCM. She truly is one of the best in the business.

I like this set a lot and I'm glad I pre ordered it. The outfits are colorful and the ladies look beautiful like always. I considered my self a solid intermediate and I enjoy most to all of Cathe's offerings.

[isebelleg44]

I tacked on MM back to my main workout today. I was going to try to add chest, but back is the longest MM at 21 minutes so that was enough for me today. I enjoyed it, as it a no frills routine that uses dumbbells. Cathe goes lighter than usual and does 5 different exercises. She does 12 reps three times through. I liked that she included dead lifts to hit the lower back.

I will try chest tomorrow.

[Juliepie]

...you'll probably love Metabolic Total Body as much as I do!!

Almost all multi-muscle compound movements with a big-time cardio effect...and with no impact!

Throughout the whole thing I envisioned the old Firm casts doing the workout. Anna Benson could have totally choreographed it.

I'd love it if Cathe would make another workout like MTB!!

[lesia]

I love ICE! I really enjoy this series because it's like a 3 in 1 set of workouts.
Main Workout
Blizzard Blast
Muscle Meltdowns

I love working giant sets.

I didn't order Rock'm Sock'm nor To the Mat because I do not enjoy this type of format but my favorites are:

1. Lo Impact Sweat (both workouts)
2. Metabolic Total Body (loved the moves and basically no impact)
3. Chiseled Lower Body (fried my behind and I didn't even go heavy!)
4. Chiseled Upper Body (did this today and need to do again to get the weights right) I like the standing work, but the upper + floorwork is awkward to me. Maybe I'll get better. I just found myself doing the upper part because I couldn't get my legs in sync with the upper body movements.
5. Boot Camp Circuit - on tap for tomorrow....haven't done it yet, but I've got a feeling I'm going to love it.

The best part of ICE in my opinion is the Muscle Meltdown. I enjoy them because they are straightforward, easy to do, but tough.

I really wish that Cathe would have put those all on a separate disc or as a premix. I bought the downloads and put them on a flash drive to use in that way.

A+++ and I've done 95% of Cathe's workouts since she's began releasing workouts.

Lesia