Workout Speed

[StayinFit]

Cathe,
I LOVE stepping, but I am 50 years old and want to be very careful with my knees. I've had no problems yet, but I don't want them either!

Everyone who steps loves your workouts, Cathe. I don't know if anyone has asked you this or not, but could you do a workout sometime for those of us who would like a little slower speed? I have to work at getting choreography, but I love a challenge!

Someone recommended your Wedding video as a good start to your workouts, but when I previewed the example on your site, it seemed very fast to me.

Now, am I being too cautious and should just bite the bullet and go for it, or are my concerns justified? I want to try one of your workouts SOOO much!

Thanks for your time!

Karen

 

[DebbieH]

Karen!

I'm not Cathe but I am ALMOST 48!! I have had no problem keeping up with the Wedding tape. I realize we are all different and at different fitness levels in our life, but I truly think that if there is anything in the tape you just cannot keep up with, you could modify that section.(Maybe do it on the floor or make up something??)The Wedding tape was my very 1st. purchase and just the beginning of my GROWING library of Cathe tapes. She is just sooo good. I would say, don't be afraid, just give her a try!! Let me know what you think~~I bet you'll be hooked!! Debbie

 

[Cathe Friedrich]

Hi Karen!

Yes, everyone is different so its not fair for me to push you into something if you are hesitant. But I will say that many times knee stress is caused by doing too much too soon. If you ease into the wedding tape on a lower riser(say 4 inches)and only do a small section at a time for the the first 5 or 6 workouts(plus put a rest day in between these step workouts)you should be okay. The part that is the hardest(and fastest)is the last portion where we have our step facing vertically to the TV. You could keep your riser low there until you got more comfortable with the workout.

In any case, the wedding tape is basic enough to get you familiar with my stepping style and terminology. After that, we do have slower step tapes its just that the choreography on them is trickier. A couple of the slower step tape speeds are Mega Step Blast and Step Jam. Good luck with your decision.

 

[susan p]

my input

<center><font size="1" color="#ff0000">LAST EDITED ON Apr-21-00 AT 05:40PM (EST)</font></center>

I am wondering how tall you are? There has been discussion lately over at videofitness about how faster workouts seem to be more of a problem for taller people with longer limbs than for shorter more compact people. If you feel out of control, just start with a low step and build from there. Step Jam IS a great tape, and so is Step Heat. I have the faster tapes like Step Works and Step Fit but I HAVE to be feeling really strong to do them with control. I just don't pick them up on a iffy day or a tired day or a PMS day, although I love 'em otherwise. I just know that they are for days when I am at my peak and no less. Try Step Jam and see what you think. Billy Blanks has come out with "Tae Bo Gold" for the more senior among us, maybe Cathe could do something like that! I'm only 36 but I'd buy it! OF course, I'd buy about anything Cathe creates. . . Good luck! You'll love Cathe, you just have to train up to the intensity and speed that she uses.

 

[bkloots]

Speed? What speed?

I've been reading with interest the conversation about the "speed" of various step tapes. I've been doing step for five years, and it never occurred to me that some are "faster" than others. Duh. The only tape that feels conspicuously slower to me is Keli Roberts' Ultimate Step--a tape I like a lot when I'm not jammin' with Cathe.

StepJam was my first Cathe tape, StepWorks my second, the Wedding Tape last of all. After the usual "learning curve" I have enjoyed them all. However, I keep my step at 6" or less. Also, I'm very mindful of planting my whole foot on the step (NOT bouncing off my toes too much), and keeping the foot lined up with my knee on direction changes. It takes some concentration. However, I twisted a knee once, and it lets me know when it feels abused.

At 53, I'm happy to be keeping up with the "kids" who like these tapes as much as I do.

 

[Marcia]

Tall

I think that faster workouts are sometimes a problem. I'm 5' 10" and somedays I feel that I can't "stretch" out the moves when I do them. Keli's tapes are a little slower, I think and she is also taller. We just have a little more to move and it does make a difference!

Marcia

 

[honeybunch]

Just do it!

I'm your age, and my first step tapes were Interval Max and Intense Moves! My next tape was Mega Step Blast, then Step Max, and next I'll do Body Max. Preview them each a few times, and try them. You'll mess up a couple of times, but who cares? I was chicken for almost a year before I'd try a Cathe cardio tape. Don't waste time, JUST DO IT!!!!!!!!!!