Help with Step DVD Purchase

princessbear

princessbear

Cathlete
Hi all. I attempted Step Blast today for the second time... the first time was after I got it about 3 months ago and I threw my hands up in disgust, shut it off and got on the treadmill after about 20 minutes. Just to complicated for me. Well, after going back to Basic Step for a bit, I pulled out SB again and sort of made it through most of Combos 1 and 2...having to rewind a few times. By the 3rd combo I was shaking my head again. So, that being said, I guess I'm getting a little better at Step - but in no way ready for SB or any of Cathe's more advanced step DVDs.... But I also think I am past Basic Step. I was thinking of LowMax or LIC (or both) and am looking for "reviews" from others. I am dying to get Imax 2 but I think that may be way to complicated.

So..... opinions on Intermediate step dvds are desperately wanted as I try to shake up my cardio routine ... I'm getting sick of the treadmill and am still not able to do kickboxing or high impact, arm flailing cardio until my shoulder heals after surgery.

Thanks all!
 
Do another workout 1st, then for the last 15 minutes or so of your alotted workout time pull out Step Blast and focus on just learning 1 combo at a time. This works well with Rythmic Step and also with Low Max and Imax2 too.
Use your rewind button and slow motion button as much as you need in that last 15 minutes. It gets easier.

LOL, I didn't even realize my dvd player HAD a slow motion button so I, for a long time, paused it frame by frame through any complicated foot work. Boy was that tedious:rolleyes:



6449927_bodyshot_175x233.gif
 
I feel your frustration. I attempted RS and Step Blast when it was on FitTV, thinking that it looked fun. I then realized that since I had absolutely no step experience at all, I would start from the beginning. So, I started with the Basic Step video and then moved to the step portion of Cardio and Weights. It's a circuit workout, but I found that the step portions were just the right level for me.

Imax 2 is on the same disk as Cardio and Weights, so I tried that step workout next. I found that after taking each combo slowly, I could finally put them all together. I still can't get the step portion from the 4DS, and honestly, don't really care to. I am fine at my current level of step knowledge, especially since step workouts seem to be evil to my aging knees.

The step portion of LIC is also a good one.

Hope my rambling helps!
 
Mary, I'm a head shaker during complicated step routines from way back. I shy away from the complicated stuff, and I love Imax 2, Lowmax, LIC, BM2. They all have pretty straight foward choreography. Out of those I probably use Imax 2 the most. You can't go wrong with any of them. Imax 2 really isn't terribly complicated, but can be very challenging.

HTH
 
Imax 2 is physically challenging with the blasts and all. But you can skip the blasts and just focus on the combos. There are 10 mini combos in all.
Once you learn all those combos these moves are repeated in other workouts too so Imax is a good choice but you will still have to break it down, use your rewind and slow motion button.

6449927_bodyshot_175x233.gif
 
Thanks everyone! I'm going to get Imax2 & C&W to start (since I'm also looking for another weight workout)...and maybe LowMax... and maybe... gosh ... maybe all of them!!!
 
Ya know what? Now that I have most of Cathe's workouts I wish now that I had just ordered the bundle value package of all 66 workouts for $1000.00+- instead of buying them 1 or 2 at a time over the past few years. It would have saved a lot of $$. But it is a lot of money to spend all at once and I didn't know then if I would 'mesh' with Cathe. Hind site is 20/20.

6449927_bodyshot_175x233.gif
 
Last edited:
Tamrahan said:
Ya know what? Now that I have most of Cathe's workouts I wish now that I had just ordered the bundle value package of all 66 workouts for $1000.00+- instead of buying them 1 or 2 at a time over the past few years. It would have saved a lot of $$. But it is a lot of money to spend all at once and I didn't know then if I would 'mesh' with Cathe. Hind site is 20/20.
Click to expand...

don't think I haven't thought about this too, but unfortunatley the ones i do have are smack dab in the middle of one of the bundles, no matter which ones I choose, so even as low in the DVD count as I am, I would still have a lot of duplicates if I did the bundle thing... woulda shoulda coulda! :)
 
Step Blast feels more complex than Cathe's other routines. Rhythmic Step and Step Works are also some of the most complex.

Low Impact Step or Cardio & Weights is officially recommended for those who advance from Basic Step/Body Fusion. I think Low Impact Circuit is very straight-forward. Body Max 2 is also athletic, non-dancy but may take a few tries to master.

If you can tolerate dated-looking workouts, Classics Volume 1 contains old Cathe steady state step workouts and may help you with getting familiarized with her style. Step Heat is very good for intermediates and is one of my favorites when I don't want to think very much. :D

Hope this helps some.
 
I just went and ordered 8 DVD's using my 20% discount from buying Cathe's calendar. $241.54 spent but I did save $60.38. :D Oh and I did take advantage of the STS preorder too so that's helps.


6449927_bodyshot_175x233.gif
 
Thanks! It's not so much the steps I have trouble with - it's the choreographes stuff and the triple steps, etc. around the step ... I'm sure i'll get it eventually!
 
Definitely recommend LIC and Cardio and Weights next. LIC was awesome for learning some of the tougher transitions and steps (like triples around) that I never thought I would get in the more advanced workouts. I find it to be solidly intermediate and it was great for me when I was moving beyond the basic step phase because there was no dread factor, it's so much fun, great music, etc. Cardio and Weights also is super fun and solidly intermediate choreography. And after LIC and C&W I think you could go with Low Max.

Have fun!
 
Thanks bostonwendy... do you by any chance live in Massachusetts? Just going by your name. I was born, raised and still live in Mass.
 
Princessbear...

I have one bit of advice for you: Stay awaaaaaay from Amy Bento's step videos! No matter how many great things you hear about them ("Fun! Interesting! Love them!"), don't be tempted by the hype!

Her choreography is so incredibly complicated that I don't know how anybody ever learns them! Or maybe I'm just so uncoordinated ... but I always find myself on the wrong side of the step, going the wrong way, facing the wrong way, saying, "What was that?" and rewinding like crazy.

Don't be afraid of Cathe's IMAX videos (because of choreography, I mean). She repeats each step routine six times, so they're short enough that you can get them after a couple of tries. And the interval blasts are usually very basic choreography, but challenging to sustain. And you can make them easier or harder by changing your step height.

How about trying DrillMax? The drills aren't so complicated to do but they give you quite a workout. And you can use the premixes to modify (no weights, extra cardio, etc.).

You might also want to try one of the circuit workouts because the cardio is more basic in those. Again, modify with the premixes if you want to do cardio-only.

But if you want less-complicated choreography, just say "no" to Amy Bento!
 
I agree on Amy Bento. I can usually pick up Cathe's choreography without any problems but Amy's made my head spin. :eek:
 
I'm strictly CATHE right now - I read how other people like to "mix it up" and incorporate other people's workouts in but for some reason I am not ever bored by Cathe and crew - so no worries about Amy Bento - I hear she is great, but I'm not planning on straying from Cathe for the time being - but i'm relatively new to Cathe so that may change (or it may not)
 
So, yesterday I did Combo 1 of Step Blast twice and got that one pretty much down - and then started on Combo 2 before giving up. I then hopped on treadmill for 40 min and did my shoulder PT exercises after that - so felt like I got a good workout. This morning I am going to try Combo 2 and then treadmill and abs... Hoping to get this one down and am still going to order the other "intermediate" dvds but something keeps making me TRY Step Blast...

Is there any downside of doing a little bit of step (30 min) on consecutive days until I learn this? I'm trying to mix things up for cardio and can't do kickbox yet until my physical therapist gives me the okay after shoulder surgery
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Our Newsletter

Get awesome content delivered straight to your inbox.

Top