Cathe Friedrich's Intensity Series: Pyramid Upper & Pyramid Lower Body DVD

by Cathe Friedrich

Product Features

• This DVD contains two workouts: Pyramid Upper Body and Pyramid Lower Body
• Designed to increase lean muscle mass
• Both workouts are advanced level
• Led by fitness guru Cathe Friedrich

Product Description

Pyramid Upper Body: Designed to increase lean muscle mass, shape, and sculpt the upper body, this upper body workout focuses on the full pyramid system as well as super sets to maximize your potential. As an added bonus, a mix of traditional and non-traditional ab and core work is included with the stability ball to promote better posture and help decrease common back pain associated with poor posture. Pyramid Upper Body Format: warm-up (3 1/2 min.), upper body weight training (41 min.), Stability Ball (8-min.), Stretch (4 min.) Total = 56 1/2 min. Pyramid Lower Body: Designed to increase lean muscle mass, shape, and sculpt your legs, this lower body weight training program focuses on the full pyramid system as well as super sets to maximize your potential. As an added bonus, the workout is divided into two parts (standing work and floorwork) which conveniently lends itself to be done on different days if preferred. Also, the floorwork will incorporate the use of a stability ball and ankle weights to uniquely challenge your muscles in new ways. Pyramid Lower Body Format: warm-up (4 1/2 min.), lower body weight training (28 min.), Stability Ball- Legs & Glutes (13 min.), Stretch (4 min.) Total = 49 1/2 min

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 7.5 x 5.5 x 0.5 inches ; 4 ounces
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• ASIN: B000812R20
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #9,744 in Sports & Outdoors (See Top 100 in Sports & Outdoors)
  • #88 in Sports & Outdoors > Exercise & Fitness > Exercise Videos

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

35 of 35 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars My favorite Cathe strength series...., March 18, 2006

By 

Teedums (Minnesota) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Cathe Friedrich's Intensity Series: Pyramid Upper & Pyramid Lower Body DVD (DVD)

This was one of the first Cathe DVD's I bought, and it was a great choice. The strength work is tough but doable and you can tailor the workout to your level. I really like the pyramid system, it might seem like a lots of reps, but the sets are fairly short (12 reps light weight, 10 reps medium weight, 8 reps heavy weight,10 reps medium weight, and 12 reps light weight) and you get a brief rest in between. The lower body workout includes leg presses, static lunges, traditional and plie squats, deadlifts and some calf work. There is also a section of lower body floor work using a stability ball which is challenging, if the standing work doesn't burn the floor work is bound to for sure.

The upper body workout uses the same format, exercises include bench presses and pec flies for chest (no pushups yay!), pullovers and double arms rows for back, front, side and rear deltoid lifts for shoulders, french presses and kickbacks for triceps, and traditional and hammer curls for biceps. There is also an abdominal section, again using the stability ball.

This DVD is well chaptered, you can mix and match different segments, plus there are premixes, each workout has an option to just go up the pyramid or just go down the pyramid. There is also a bonus combo which includes segments from both the upper and lower body workout.

Cathe is a tremendous instructor, she demonstrates excellent form, has a great personality and is fun to workout with. She is also very good at music selection, the music she has chosen for this workout is great and is among my favorite in all the workouts I have by her. All in all this is an excellent workout DVD, Cathe's best series in my opinion. Highly recommended.

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A solid gym-style pyramid workout that I go back to frequently., May 11, 2007

By 

A Busy Reader - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Cathe Friedrich's Intensity Series: Pyramid Upper & Pyramid Lower Body DVD (DVD)

There is something to be said to shaking up your workout routine and trying something different, but the pyramid lifting routine is a solid go-to workout that will increase your strength. You have 5 sets of exercises per body part , but if you are short on time there are the premix options of pyramid up or down only. Both the upperbody and lowerbody pyrmaids are solid workouts that will improve your fitness. Don't be afraid to try them out if you are new to lifting. Cathe gives good form pointers for the new, and you can choose your weights to work into your own level of fitness, but it will help to have a set of 3 dumbbells to pick from: light, medium, and heavy. Experienced lifters will appreciate Cathe's no-nonsense and down-to-business approach.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A fun and effective way to mix up your strength training, July 21, 2010

By 

Nancy Loderick "Internet strategist" (Boston, MA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Cathe Friedrich's Intensity Series: Pyramid Upper & Pyramid Lower Body DVD (DVD)

These pyramid workouts are a great way to change up your strength training routines. There are two workouts on this DVD, a lower body and an upper body. There are also several premixes.

For each set, you lift progressively heavier weights. You start with 12 reps, then 10 reps then 8 reps. You then go back down the pyramid and lift lighter weights with more reps, e.g. 10 reps and then 12 reps. I categorize this more as an endurance workout than a pure strength training one.

I love lifting heavy since this gives me the best results. But if I want to continue getting stronger and leaner, it's important to periodically change the routine. It's hard to switch things up though if you're enjoying what you do. This DVD has such fun exercises; it makes it easier to make that switch.

What I especially liked about these workouts:

**Cathe and crew change weights on screen, so you have enough time to do the same. My biggest pet peeve with other workout DVDs is that they don't allow you enough time to change weights, so you're having to constantly pause the DVD to do so.

**Cathe tells you what weights she's using. This is a helpful.

**Cathe is upbeat, encouraging and enthusiastic. I can't help but smile when watching her.

**You can easily substitute dumbbells for the barbell. I do this sometimes to further mix things up.

On those days that I'm feeling especially energetic, I will make the workouts more intense by adding a few sets to the pyramid, e.g. instead of doing 12 reps, 10 reps, 8 reps, 10 reps, 12 reps, I will do 12 reps, 10 reps, 8 reps, 6 reps, 8 reps, 10 reps, 12 reps. I will also increase my weights with each decrease in reps.

The Lower Body workout clocks in at about 50 minutes and the Upper Body one at about 57 minutes. If you're short on time, you can always try one of the premixes. Or, with the Lower Body workout, just do the pyramid section and save the floor leg exercises on the stability ball for another time.

I highly recommend this DVD to anyone wanting a new twist on their strength training.