In need of advice on a step DVD to begin with.............

LizLyon65

Member
I am an advanced exerciser BUT I am totally uncoordinated and find step challenging. Is there a workout you could recommend that is basic in choreography but advanced in difficulty so I can get a good workout and learn step basics at the same time? Thanks in advance for your help! On average, how many attempts at doing a DVD does it take everyone before you get the "hang" of it? I'm just trying to gauge if I am really uncoordinated or just too hard on myself. Thanks for your help!:)
 
I'm also a fairly advanced exerciser but did my very first step workout yesterday. I did Basic Step, that came with my step. It was only 30 minutes or so long, but I was able to learn the basic steps. I got most of it and think it will only take 1 or 2 more times to get all the moves down. I shudder to think of how long it will take me to learn the moves in Low Max (just ordered that one), but that's what makes it fun...I can grow with it!
 
RE: In need of advice on a step DVD to begin with.........

Hello,

1. This is a bit long, but several choices come to mind.
Low Impact Step is said to be a good workout to learn Cathe's style of step choreography. I don't have that workout myself. I can give suggestions through experience about the following workouts:
-Cardio and Weights has easier choreography than some of Cathe's other step workouts.

-IMax2, which is on the same DVD as Cardio and Weights, has a few tricky moves, but most of the choreography is not real complicated. This workout is definitely challenging cardio wise. It has a lot of impact moves, but they are not difficult to modify if you don't want as much impact.

-Low Impact Curcuit is one that is less complex, too. There are a few moves in this one that took me a few tries to master.

2. I know that some people say they don't want to spend time trying to learn choreography, but I have found it very worthwhile to watch the parts I am having trouble with in slow-motion and follow along several times slowly. When doing this, I work on a small portion that I am finding harder to do, and usually pick it up after several attempts. I count out the moves as I am watching, so that I can learn the sequence of the moves. (1-left foot on corner of step, 2-kick right foot, 3-step back with right foot, 4-step back with left foot, etc).

3. Some portions of the choreography are not for me, like the "fast feet" move. I don't do that move; I sub a move that does not make me feel I am going to trip on the step. I choose a simpler move (like a repeater or a lunge off the step). On a few moves, I don't do the turning that Cathe and crew do. If you think of the workouts as being flexible enough for you to be able to modify, it helps. However, some moves just take some repetition and practice. For example, the box lunge took me many times to figure out. But it was fun when I got it. And I don't worry about whether or not my heart rate stays up while I am practicing a move. After I learn the move, I will be able to effectively keep my heart rate up.

4. Make use of the premix options so that you can do shorter versions of the workout you are learning. When I am learning a new workout, I might work on one step combo for my workout that day, repeating it so I get the practice I need to learn sections of the routine.

5. There is a website called turnstep.com which has good verbal and graphic descriptions of many step moves. This helped me understand some moves when I was new to step.

6. Lastly, take advantage of being able to preview parts of the workouts on the Cathe.com website so you get an idea of the "flavor" of the workouts. This will help you choose what workouts appeal to you musically. Working out to music you enjoy makes learning the workout worth the effort. Good luck and enjoy.

Lea
 
Imax2 came to my mind too and it's bundled with Cardio and Weights which I think also has easier choreography.
 
RE: In need of advice on a step DVD to begin with.........

Thank you for the great suggestions. I visited turnstep.com and the "dictionary" is great! I wish there was a printable version.

I guess my concern is that the DVD's that are less complex are also not that intense...I think the rewind idea is great though. I can just replay each section until I master it one at a time. Practice makes perfect!
 
I know you mentioned you're an advanced exerciser, but maybe you could try the Basic Step (mine came with my step). I was so gungho in getting into step that I actually started out with Low Max and Step Blast from FitTv (bad move on my part since I am also choreography-challenged). I was so frustrated with myself and was ready to give up because I was tripping all over myself. I decided to start the proper way; by introducing myself to the Basic Step. Even though my heart rate didn't go up as much I felt more coordinated and remembered the names for each move. I got Drill Max as one of my gifts from my husband, and I absolutely enjoyed it. There are some new moves but the style is a bit more athletic and I found I could do the warm-ups very easily, and finish the step routines. I do preview all the step routines before actually doing them, and put it in slow motion when I know I will have problems with certain moves.

Another thing I tried (for BodyMax 2) is to lower my step to just the platform when I'm learning certain steps that are tricky for me. I hope you find something that works for you, and don't give up because you will get it. Once you do you will be so elated, just like I did when I finished Basic Step and moved on to Drill Max. Good Luck!:)
 
I can also recommend Basic Step as a good place to start. I found it to be really short and not intense enough, so I quickly put it up to 8 inches and I would do it twice through and/or tack it on to another workout. From there, I would recommend videos that get progressively trickier in something like this order:
Low Impact Step
Low Impact Circuit
Low Max

Yes, all those are low impact, but they aren't all low intensity--Low Max can really get me panting. Plus you can always add jumping moves here or there to crank it up a notch. If you are advanced, you might want to just jump right in with Low Max (or even Imax 2 which didn't seem very complex to me) and give it a try.

Another tip: sometimes if the choreography seems tricky, I just try one section at a time, tacking it on to the end of my workout.

Also, check out the Cathe catalog--on page 31 there's an "Ultimate Guide to the Cathe Catalog" that shows has little bars comparing the intensity and choreography of all the workouts. If you don't have your own catalog yet, then you can click the "Catalog" link at the top of this page to see an online version of the printed catalog.


***Lainie***

http://web.mac.com/lainiefig/iWeb/Site/Exercise.html

"The worst loneliness is to not be comfortable with yourself." -- Mark Twain
 
Hello everyone! It's time for an update. I ordered Low Impact Step when I preordered the new series. While I'm waiting, I decided to preview Low Max twice and then I gave it a whirl. Well, I made it through to the "travel face" (or whatever it is called)in the warm up and must have rewinded it a dozen times and just couldn't get it. I moved to the next cycle, got to the Rocking Horse move and then gave up on the verge of tears. My question is how long did it take you all to pick up the steps? Am I just blessed with two left feet or am I choreographically challenged? I don't like the feeling of being a quitter right now and to top it off I feel guilty because I didn't really exercise today. I hope Low Impact Step gets here soon!
 
Lizlyon65,

I have sometimes needed to repeat practicing moves 10-20 times on multiple days before I get them. I personally think LowMax has difficult choreography compared to several other workouts There is a lot of turning and pivoting, so it is hard to see what they are doing and then translate that into doing it with your back to the TV.

FIrst, save learning new choreography for the end of your workout. Set aside 10 minutes to practice. Then quit and do it again a day or two later.
Second, try doing the moves you are having trouble with using just the platform and no risers.

I believe the move you are getting hung up on in the warm-up is the "Over-Face In-Over. Cathe uses this move in many of her workouts, so it is a good one to learn. In the turnstep.com dictionary, this is called a Revolving Door. This is their description of the move:

"This page, which describes the move known as a Revolving Door, is part of the Turnstep Dictionary at www.turnstep.com.

A revolving door brings you over the bench and back again with four small turns. You will turn in a complete circle as you do it. Note that you will face all four directions while doing this move.

This move is done in 8 counts:

1. Step up on the bench with the lead foot, turning slightly as you do so.
2. Bring the other foot up on top of the bench as you complete a small (90 degree) turn.
3. Step down with the lead foot to the other side of the bench, turning slightly.
4. Bring the other foot down next to the lead foot, completing a small turn. You are now facing the opposite direction from count 1.
5. Step up on the bench with the lead foot, turning slightly.
6. Bring the other foot up on the bench as you complete a small turn. You are now facing the opposite direction from count 2.
7. Step down with the lead foot, turning slightly.
8. Bring the other foot down next to the lead foot, completing the last of four small turns. You are facing the same direction as when you started."

Watch the picture of how it is done and practice doing it slowly. I think it is hard to do the "Over-Face In-Over" on a diagonal until you have a good handle on doing it the ordinary way (like the Revolving Door). So just work on doing the ordinary way and ignore the diagonal part of it in the workout. You will end up in the same position after the 8 counts, so you will be able to continue to follow the rest of the warm-up.

In LowMax, I personally think that you would be better off for now to just use Combos 2, 4 and 7 (take your time to learn them!) These 3 Combos or intervals are more kickbox inspired, and so are less complex in their choreography. The other combos are more complex.

In Interval 2, when it gets to the part where she does a reverse V-step, just use a regular V-step at first. When you feel comfortable with the rest of that interval, you can learn the reverse V-step. Here is turnstep.com's description of the V-step:

"This page, which describes the move known as a V-step, is part of the Turnstep Dictionary at www.turnstep.com.

A V-step forms the letter "V" with your feet as you step up wide on the bench and then down.

This move is done in 4 counts:

1. Step up on the bench with the lead foot, as wide as possible.
2. Step up on the bench with the other foot, as wide as possible.
3. Step down backwards to the floor with the lead foot.
4. Step down backwards to the floor with the other foot."

By the time you have worked on the warm up some more and one or two of the other intervals, I hope Low Impact Step will have arrived, and you will have a less complex workout to learn.

Please don't get too discouraged. If you are getting too frustrated, just stop for that day (if you have done something else for the majority of your workout, you can feel O.K. about stopping). Remember that to learn complex skills, it is normal to need to practice many times.

Lea
 
Hello,

Why don't you try the original IMAX DVD? That has 2 workouts that are not too difficult, IMAX and MIC. IMAX is an interval workout and the moves are repeaters i.e. you learn them once and repeat them 6 times. MIC has floor aerobics that is high intensity and will give you a good sweat, then it moves on to step, but the steps again a easier than you would think, definitely easier than Low Max or Low Impact Circuit.

I also IMAX2 & IMAX3 are worth buying and you can move on to them when you've mastered IMAX. How about trying Cathe's kickbox, KPC and KickMax? They all deliver advanced workouts without too much choreography.

Yen
 

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