Cathe Friedrich's Basic Step & Body Fusion DVD

You'll get two full workouts and three add-ons - pure step aerobics, step aero/tone intervals and targeted toning. They're all exceptionally well-designed and well-cued. Both step segments feature very smooth transitions and easy-to-follow combos (Cathe Friedrich gets her intensity from non-stop action and wide-ranging movements).

The all-step workout is very do-able - interesting variations of just two combos. The interval program alternates progressively-more-challenging step-aerobics with circuits of classic muscle toning (e.g. squats, bicep curls, push-ups). Finally, each of the toning sections target just one muscle group with varied routines done at varied tempos.

Requires at least three sets of dumbbells. A stability ball and X-ertube are used in the add on toning. ©2004.

This highly versatile DVD features 5 action-packed fitness workouts. The workouts included with the DVD are: A 30-minute step routine, a 50-minute body fusion workout, a 20-minute upper-body toning routine, a 20-minute lower-body toning routine and a 10-minute stability ball abdominal workout.

BASIC STEP is a 30-minute basic step routine that will hold the interest and truly challenge the beginner stepper for many workouts to come. While Cathe’s invigorating step combinations stimulate thought, she is careful to not overwhelm the beginner stepper. Here is the breakdown: Warm Up, some moves you will do in the warm up are basic steps, V-steps, alternating knees, repeaters, corner-to-corner moves, rock horse, L-steps, A-Steps, turn steps, leg extensions and Charleston kicks. — Combo #1: Since this first combination extends off of the warm up, Cathe spends more time teaching it. This helps to establish confidence in the beginner stepper. — Combo #2: This is a little more complex and will probably take the beginner a couple of attempts to master. Cathe introduces knees around the world, cha-cha’s and a rocking horse along with some other moves. After completing combo two, you will do a light cool down. This workout concludes with a relaxing stretch.

BODY FUSION: This 50-minute workout is formatted as follows: Warm Up. — Step Combo #1: Intermediate level stepping. — Weight Segment #1: Leg and shoulder work with weights — Step Combo #2: Intermediate level stepping — Weight Segment #2: Leg and bicep work with weights. — Step Combo #3: Intense intermediate level stepping. — Weight Segment #3: Legs, back, tricep and chest work with weights. This workout ends with a stretch.

UPPER BODY SCULPT: 20 minutes of pure upper-body conditioning — This workout will tone all of the major muscles in the upper body — back, chest, shoulders, triceps and biceps.

LOWER BODY CONDITIONING: This workout will tone all of the major muscles in the lower body — quadriceps, hamstrings, gluteal area, buttocks, outer/inner thighs and calves.

STABILITY BALL ABDOMINALS: This 10-minute workout focuses on strengthening the core and abdominal muscles through the use of a stability ball. If you have never used a stability ball before, you can follow the modifier and do the workout without the ball. Once you have mastered the workout without the ball, continue the program using the ball for optimal results.