Cathe Friedrich Reviews

A Review of Cathe Friedrich’s Crossfire Workout

December 21, 2016

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Crossfire doesn’t take a ton of fancy neuron work (the choreography is easy), but every muscle fiber in your body will have to do its part to survive this routine.

Crossfire will challenge you and ranks high on my fun-o-meter. 

You won’t need an aerobic step for this routine but you’ll need a few other pieces of equipment.

Here’s what Crossfire looks like:

Keep reading to find out exactly what you need and what you’ll be doing in Crossfire.

This post may contain Amazon (or other) affiliate links which won’t change your price but will share some commission. You can get more information about that here.

Instructor-Cathe Friedrich

Category-Cardio+

Equipment

exercise loop

dumbbells (Cathe uses 3, 5, 8, 10, and 15 lbs.)

pair of discs

exercise tubing*

*This is only used as a marker, so you can use a shoestring, a grout line in your tile, a piece of tape on the floor, etc.

Length-55 minutes

HRM -420 calories

Choreography-Simple

Read more about my choreography rating here.  This rating refers to how complex the choreography is, not how intense it is.  The Crossfire routine is very intense.

My rating- A

TIP-Good dumbbells matter.  Read A Woman’s Guide to Buying Dumbbells if you’re still deciding what kind to purchase.

Important Stuff about Crossfire with Cathe Friedrich

There are several premix workouts on the Crossfire video including CrossFire Extreme (73 minutes), and 10 other premix workouts that are less than an hour long.

I’ve posted a review of one of the premix routines, Crossfire + Core.

If you have a membership to Cathe on Demand then you can find this routine on the app or under the My Videos tab if you sign on to your account using Cathe.com.  I love my Cathe on Demand membership.

You can read about the Cathe Live and Cathe on Demand Memberships.

Crossfire parent
Cathe On Demand Access to Crossfire

There’s no complex choreography in Crossfire but the routine is very intense.  Anyone can do this workout but it’ll take some time to get good at it.

There’s a lot of jumping in this program.  Some days I don’t feel like jumping, so if this is one of those days for you then you can either modify this routine to be low-impact or you might want to pick another workout for today.

The main routine on Crossfire doesn’t have an ab section but you’ll get a good core workout with all the other moves you’ll be doing.

If you really wanted to do some crunches today then do the Crossfire + Core premix.

There are 4 circuits in the main routine on Crossfire: Crossfire Fitness Blast, Firewalker Tabata, Crossfire Circuit Blast and Crossfire Plyo Tabata.  I’ll let you know what equipment you’ll need for each section.

There are a lot of compound moves in this program but they fit together beautifully.  You’re going to be getting stronger while you’re doing this cardio workout.  (That’s an explanation of my Cardio+ rating.  This routine is a little more than just cardio).

Remember to read to the end of this post for links to a few places you can compare prices on this video as well as tips and advice for mastering each exercise.

Warm-Up

The warm-up is about 6 ½ minutes long.  You won’t need any equipment to conquer it.  Get ready to pump some blood into your legs.

Main Workout (The Exercises on Crossfire)

Crossfire Fitness Blast (Circuit One) 

You won’t need any equipment for this circuit.

This section is about 8 ½ minutes.

There are 4 exercises you do for 20-30 seconds two times in a row, and then repeat them all one more time.  The exercises:

Lateral Scoots with a floor tap.  There are 2 sets.

180 degree turns (12 per side)

Squat Digs-2 sets of 32 reps

Suicide Runs (2 sets)

Repeat all four moves for one more set

Firewalker Tabata (Circuit Two)

You’ll need the closed loop band for this section (Cathe’s product is called a Firewalker band).

This section is only about 5 minutes long but it’s the hardest one for me.

Put the band around your ankles.  You’ll be doing each exercise for 20 seconds followed by a 10 second rest.

I’ll tell you how many reps the team does in each set.  Try to stay with them.

You’ll do all the exercises one time through and then come back for the second set.

Get ready for a bunch of jumping.

The exercises:

Plié Jacks (remember the band is around your ankles)

27 reps (set one), 23 reps (set two)

3 Jumping Jacks and a Tuck Jump

6 reps in both sets

Air Jacks

22 reps in set one

20 reps in the second set

High/Low Squat Jumps

17 reps in set one

16 reps in set two

Crossfire Circuit Blast (Circuit Three)

You’ll need the firewalker loop, 5 lb. (or 3 lb.) and 10 lb. DB’s, one 15 lb. DB, your tubing or band (to use as a marker), and the pair of discs to do this section.

You’ll be doing groupings of 2 exercises.  The first move (in each grouping) is cardio focused and the second move is focused on strengthening.  You repeat each pair of moves twice.

There are six groupings in this circuit.

Grouping One

Scissor/scissor tuck jump

Lateral walking plié squats with 10 lb. DB’s

Repeat Both

Grouping Two

You need your firewalker band (a closed loop).  Put it around your ankles for a set of 32 low-end jumping jacks

The strengthening exercise is a squat into a leg abduction with an overhead press.

You’ll need your 10 lb. DB’s.  There are 16 reps.

Repeat Both

Grouping Three

The cardio exercise is a lateral skate holding light weights (3 or 5 lb. DB’s, I use my 5’s).

The sculpting move is a low end front and back lunge.  You don’t need any equipment.

Don’t be confused by this exercise.  One leg moves and the other one stays put.

Repeat Both

Grouping Four

High knee runs is the cardio move

Get your 5 lb. DB’s for the weight move.

You do a side lunge into a leg abduction, then another side lunge into a cross back lunge.

There are 8 reps (each pair is one rep) on each side.

Repeat Both Exercises

Grouping Five

You need your discs for this circuit.

The first exercise is 16 push-up jacks (with your toes on the discs).  These are tough…and there’s a second set.

Next are warrior lunges.  You do 16 reps on each side.  Keep your torso tall and your arms parallel to the floor.  No slouching or saggy arms.

Repeat

Grouping Six

This is when you use whatever equipment you pulled out to use as a marker.

You’ll be doing a jump with a half turnYour feet will swap positions over the marker with every turn. 

There are 32 reps.

Your sculpting move is a wood chop with one 15 lb. DB.

You must keep your core tight when you do this exercise.  If you hit your leg with the weight you’re doing it wrong.

There are 16 reps in each set.

Repeat

You’re 42 minutes into the workout.  You’re awesome!  Only one more section to go!

Crossfire Plyo Tabata (Circuit Four)

Each exercise in this circuit is done for 20 seconds followed by a 10 second rest (just like the Firewalker Tabata section but you won’t need your loop this time).

This section comes in second place for the hardest out of the four circuits.

You’ll do four exercises and then repeat them all again in the same order.

You’ll need your 5 lb. DB’s for this circuit.

There’s no time between exercises but this is the last cardio section.  Really go for it.  You can do this.

You’re a strong badass (and this section is only about 5 minutes…you can do anything for 5 minutes, right?).

The moves:

Turning lunges

Alternating scissor jumps with the 5 lb. DB’s (holding a weight makes this a whole new exercise)

2-feet side jump with a vertical baby jump holding your 5 lb. DB’s

12 Wide tuck jumps (she does 14 reps in the second set)

Repeat all 4 exercises

Cool Down/Stretch

The stretch is about 7 minutes.  Not every video has a good stretch.  This one does.  Don’t skip it.  Your body needs this.

Now What?

Everytime I pull out Crossfire and do it again I think, ‘I forgot how freaking hard that was!’  If you’re looking for a new challenge then invest in this workout.

You can find Crossfire on:

Amazon

Cathe’s site

With a membership to Cathe On Demand

Collage Video

Thanks for reading!

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