Bummed about my two left feet!!

S

smarge117

Member
I’m completely bummed out about this… I’ve done the cardio from the Cathe “wedding” video a few times and thought it was great!!!

I tried “step-fit” for the first time last night and couldn’t keep up to save my life—it seems very “fast” to me. I got through the warm-up fine, but bailed on the first section after a while.

Does Cathe have any other videos that might be a little slower, more basic and “klutz-oriented” for those of us with two left feet?

Thanks
Margaret
 
I just want to give you a bit of encouragement. I too started w/Cathe's Wedding video and then went to Step Fit and thought - OHMYGOD! I'll NEVER get this choreography -- well, after I did it two or three more times I had it down -- and it's a great workout too! I can only say to stick with it and you will get it. BELIEVE ME -- I am NOT exactly miss coordination so if I can do it -- I dare say you can as well.

Good luck and Happy stepping!
 
Hi Margaret,


I am also not the most coordinated person and I've found that Mega Step Blast and Step Heat are some of the easiest to learn after the Wedding Video. I just wanted to encourage you not to give up. It seemed for a while every time I tried a new video I would get so frustrated x( but after only doing it 3-4 times I really felt so much more comfortable. :) Also, it really helps me to just watch and kind of walk thru the hard moves in a new video before I actually use it for a workout.

I just wanted to encourage you not to give up! I know there are lots of others out there who have gone through the same thing. The best part is once you actually get the hang of a hard move or a new video you feel so accomplished and unstoppable! :-jumpy

Let us know what you pick next and how you are doing.


Alison
 
Thanks you guys. I really needed that. I was almost in tears
:'( last night I was so frusterated.

I'm going to try to pick up the two other tapes suggested, but in the meantime I'll keep plugging along.

I'll just move the furniture farther out of the way for when I go sailing into it!! :)
 
I agree with the others' encouragement and advice on tapes. You might also want to try Cardio Step Challenge. It's also low-impact.
 
Hi Margaret,
I have 2 left feet also and I know how you feel. I have shed some tears myself after some videos due to frustration. I agree with the above recommendations to try Mega Step Blast or Step Heat next. I haven't got Cardio Step Challenge but since it's one of Cathe's older videos, it probably would be much less complicated. Please don't give up. Let's make a promise to each other to keep trying, okay???? Believe me, you are not alone.

Lisa
 
Step Fit huh? It's still on my to be done list. I started with the Wedding Tape then went on to Step Jam. I found that one easier than Step Heat. Take your time. Do one session at a time. Your ability to learn choreography will increase, maybe slowly, as you do more. Try listening to Cathe's cueing instead of watching & see if that helps. Sometimes it helps me especially if I've tried watching several times but I still don't get it.
Good luck! You can do it!
Kay
 
Hi Margaret,
Please...if anything I have 3 left feet! I'm telling the truth - I still can't do a floor aerobic workout, & I have tried many times! But I can do step, even Cathe's, as long as I preview the tape a couple of times, then let myself screw it up for 2 or 3 times...I may even learn it first without using the step. If a section just completely eludes me, I will sit there & run it over & over, memorizing exactly what is done, until I get it.

I agree with the video picks here, but I have also always thought Step Max was a lot of fun & pretty easy to learn.

Don't give up! I know this sounds cliche, but if I can do it, I'll bet you can too! :)

Good Luck,
Ruth
 
Thank you all so much for all of the great support. I'm becoming addicted to fitness forums (at work, not such a good thing—LOL)!!

Ruth,
I still can't do floor aerobics!! I've always had a better/easier time with step aerobics--even some more complicated moves (from when I belonged to a gym). I've been doing FIRM tapes for a little while and had gotten and gotten rid of most of their "pure cardio" tapes because of the danciness (is that a word?). I learned of Cathe from that forum and thought I'd give it a whirl. I love the wedding video, (the tricep dips on the weight work-out just kill me) and I thought that this (the step portion) isn't "that" bad (although I'm dripping by the time I finish). I think I got ahead of myself with Step Fit. I should have been warned by Cathe herself at the beginning of the tape when she tells us that it's an advanced work-out!

I WILL keep up with it, and I'll keep on posting!!!

Margaret
 
I just wanted to add that when I first started Cathe videos I would make mental notes to myself such as "that turn goes to the back of the room" or "I turn to the outside of my knee" These things really helped me stay mentally organized so that I didn't get wrong-footed. It's important so you can avoid torqueing your knee joints. You may find this helps you a lot if you can think of some mental reminders to help when difficult choreography comes up. Good luck. It is so worth it to learn choreography. It's an exhilarating feeling when you are just flying over that step! Nothing can compare.

Best wishes, Cyndie
 
Cyndie, excellent advice. I'm always very aware of where & how I'm placing my foot in relation to my knees.
Margaret, isn't it odd how we klutzes can do step but not floor? I've never quite understood that...my hb says he thinks the step gives a focal point which klutzes need! :)
So glad I tried it...almost didn't!
Ruth
 
Hi Margaret. I only started with Cathe a few months ago and what really helps me learn the moves is to preview the tape first and when one of those really tough sections comes up, I can put VCR on slow motion and it really helps to see what's going on better. It really helps me to learn the moves. Cathe does move really fast and sometimes I'm just thinking to myself, what the heck did she just do. That slow motion button has been what has really helped me. Another thing that helps me is that I just found out recently that when you are watching the video, it is supposed to be like a mirror reflection. I'm sure most people know this, but that really helped me too. Hang in there, you will get it. Mary
 
I agree totally about being a klutz and being able to do step while floor work is a mystery! I think it is because we have something to orient ourselves with. "OK, here is the step and I should turn outward.." or stuff like that. I always feel "lost in space" when I try floor work. I remember when I started doing tapes I couldn't even do a grapevine! And now I sail (well, maybe puff is a better word) my way through Step Works. Don't give up!!


Marcia, freezing in northern Sweden
 
Another good tip

Cathe is excellent at telling you which side of the step she is on when she does those moves that end up closer to the TV...the stuff that always confused me at first because I would have trouble mirroring and not able to tell what side I should have been on.

Inside of the step is the normal postion we all start from. If she says "out side of the step" then you know you should be closer to the TV with you standing on the other side..once I realized I had to get over there...somehow it helped to understand how the heck she got there;O).


Stick with it..it will all come to you and once you tackle those first couple of tapes...they all will be much easier.


http://members.aol.com/_ht_a/naconfer/images/summervfnut.gif
 
RE: Another good tip

Hi Margaret,
Today I previewed Step Fit for the first time & I can certainly see why you would have trouble with it at first. I fully expect this one to take me awhile to get it right.
However, I can also see it is going to be one of my favourites! Worth the effort, I think. :)
Ruth
 
I definitely am one of those people who think that hi/lo is more confusing then step. With step once I get the moves down I tend to do fine with it...with hi/lo I feel like Im tripping all over myself!

Hey Margaret here is one other idea. If you want a very tough workout in terms of intensity but more basic choreography get Interval Max. It's also relatively easy to modify the intensity on it if you need to. It's one of my favorites.

Im glad to hear you aren't giving up! So many of us are in the same boat and it's so nice to be able to post here and find friends to help and cheer you on! :-jumpy

Alison
 
[font size="1" color="#FF0000"]LAST EDITED ON Jun-30-01 AT 09:15PM (Est)[/font][p]Hi Alison & Marcia,

SO nice to know there are more step-ok, floor-no klutzes out there! I honestly thought for a long time it was just me. The first time I ever did a step workout straight through I started crying from the exhilaration of it! My HB stood by & cheered. I think he was almost as excited as I was! :)


Hi Margaret,

Another thing about Step Fit...it was obviously the birthplace of the dreaded POWER SCISSORS! :-tired

Oh well, it still looks like a lot of fun!
Ruth
 
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