Cathe who?

[mrsprincess07]

Me too, nobody seems to know who she is, except us of course. So weird.

As sad as it is, Cathe isn't mainstream. You have to either stumble upon her or hear about from word of mouth. In a way though it's nice because one thing can be said about her, she's not a sell out; doesn't need gadgets, extreme marketing (think crazy "results stories"), or infomercials to sell her product. She puts out a quality product and each and every DVD release, she has more new customers at her door. Why? bc of people like us that share our experiences on other forums, in the break rooms at lunch, the Gyms, and with our best friends. As long as we keep doing that, her name with garner more recognition with time.

Even when I am not able to use her workouts as I have limitations nowadays, I still recommend her workouts for those looking for a challenge or something new, something well thought out and not based on a fad or hype!

I found Cathe through Walmart. I was looking to do some step aerobics at home and bought the mini stepper at Walmart when it was on sale. Inside was a Beginner's Step DVD and figured I would give it a shot. Usually workouts included for free can be a tad on the boring side. I fell in love and did the workout 3x a week for a month and moved onto her LIC and BM2!

 

[Gobias]

Well, everyone at my work and in my circle of friends know who she is thanks to me!!! I swear people must think she is a family member the way I talk about her (or get some kind of kickback). In fact, my guy will ask "What did you and Cathe do this morning?"

I moved and the gym was just too far to make it worth it to go everyday so I wanted to start working out at home. I used to get the Collage Video catalogue via snail mail (this is way before the internet) and in the move I found an old catalogue and looked them up on the internet. As I searched, I noticed Cathe's name kept coming up. I noticed there was an intense following even though I had never heard of her. I was quite surprised she has been around so long and I never remember hearing her name. I watched a couple of video clips and liked what I saw.

I then bought the entire Hardcore Bundle and did IMAX 3 as my 1st video and just loved every aspect of it. I then bought every Cathe video available and haven't been to the gym since.

I do get questions of what exercises I do/where I go to the gym/ etc and I tell them all about Cathe! I have already recruited a few friends and co-workers!

 

[Cathe Friedrich]

OMG everyone! I just read all the responses on this thread and just wanted to thank all of you from the bottom of my heart for your very endearing words. You made my day ((((Group Hug))))

 

[nclncl]

Perhaps no one you know personally knows Cathe, but lots of people do...I'm shocked sometimes at how many people are on the forums at one time! Crazy!

I learned about Cathe when I was a die hard Firmie (of the Firm). I used to work out at the Firm Studios in SC for many years. When I moved away from SC, I had to start getting videos to get my firm fix. Then I learned of the Firm forums. Many of the firm fans also were Cathletes and that's how I became one.

 

[Zbridget]

I found Cathe mid 90's on the old Firm sparklist- any sparklist people still here? My first video was step heat- and it took me a while to get it. I've come to appreciate the freshness & innovation of Cathe over the past 20+ years- like Firm used to be- while still being true to her mission. Today I can do one of her "retro" step workouts with nostalgia remembering the day when I was also guilty of leg warmers & big hair.

 

[gghh]

Hello, I decided one day I wanted to do step at home, three little ones could only get to the gym twice a week. I googled Step Aerobics and Cathe's workouts came up, she is on utube and I liked what I saw. Her website is very popular, the recommendations for the routines I thought I could not possibly go wrong.

Now I have cancelled my gym membership, as I can fit way more excercise in this way. I have tried a few step dvds and cannot believe I have been doing weights now, it is so cool. Have actually gone backwards and bought Rythmic Step which is so fun, still trying to learn it at the moment.

I am glad Cathe is out there for I originally tried a Jillian Michaels dvd, and did not like it much. Must be difficult to make routines fun, so thanks Cathe! The music too is wonderful. With my youngest 3yrs now I cannot wait for them to go to bed so I can do my nightly thing. An hour is I find a good time frame.

With Cathe Website, i looked up the four seasons gym and it looks so amazing, you guys are so lucky!

 

[gghh]

I am from Australia too, no one knows who I am talking about when I mention Cathe!!, maybe the Australia fan base is growing anyway!!

 

[FiddleFit]

I'm one of Cathe's neighbours to the north, and meeting anyone in Canada who knows about her is rare. Yes, there's a die-hard following here on the forums, but she's not known in the mainstream fitness industry. I'm a group fitness instructor and certified personal trainer, and am constantly amazed when my colleagues give me blank stares about her name. I get very positive feedback about my classes and my style of instruction, and I have to pass that up to Cathe; she is my fitness role model. I've been doing her workouts since 1998, way back when VHS was the only thing to buy and premixes were just an exciting wish. I hate to think about where I'd be today, if I hadn't been procrastinating on my studying, and looking for good step video recommendations on the internet....patiently waiting for my dial up modem to load every page! It was a day that changed my life.

 

[DebbieH]

I found Cathe in December 1999. I saw her in Shape magazine and cut the pic out to take to my hairdresser! Loved her cute hairdo! Lol! The rest is history! I have 100's of videos but none compare to my Cathe's! My absolute fav series is the LIS!!!! Amazing! (STS is a tie but diff type of workouts)

Sent from my iPad using CatheForum

 

[EllieB]

Hi Cathletes! I discovered Cathe on the net 2 years ago, before getting pregnant.I was looking for some step workouts on Collage video. Last year I found this community and the digital download website. I started to work-out seriously with Cathe last November, as I had to lose my baby-weight.
I fell in love with her since the firts cha-cha pivot... I lost all my pregnancy weight and lost inches...so that now my pre-pregnancy clothes fit a bit loose.
I'm Italian, live in Italy (I know there a few Italian cathletes on this board) but when friends ask me what I've been doing at home, they haven't got the slightest clue about Cathe ... I don't care, because I know there is no gym that could offer me the same wide variety of workouts and the same quality/intensity of the job.
I know I've made a lot of progress and even if I have some work to do, I know this woman has done a world of good to me, and I will always be thankful for this.

 

[nikkigiovanni]

I'm glad that Cathe isn't mainstream. We don't ever have to worry about her changing how she does things to meet someone else's standards. She's in control of every aspect of her operation; therefore, she can come out with whatever kind of workouts and however many workouts, whenever she wants. Without mainstream media and influence, she can focus on developing workouts to meet the needs and wants of her supporters instead of doing something just because it's popular at the time and might generate alot of sales.

I found out about Cathe when I did an internet search for "advanced step aerobics videos" back in 2003. The first video I bought was Step Blast. I now own all, but 6 of them and I'm working on getting those 6 real soon. Me and a friend often argue about fitness instructors. She's always trying to convince me that P90x or Jillian Michaels is best and of course, I'm going on and on about how good Cathe is and how she is the best. Everything P90x and Jillian are doing, Cathe has already done. Cathe offers everything needed to achieve optimal fitness. No one offers more than she does. My sis said she wanted to borrow one of my Cathe DVDs. That'll never happen. No one gets their hands on my Cathe DVDs.

 

[kenja]

At least Cathe does the whole workout with you, unlike Jillian !

 

[tiletha444]

At least Cathe does the whole workout with you, unlike Jillian !

Exactly!! That is the reason I do not own any Jillian DVDs. It is a pet peeve of mine when instructors stop exercising to "guide" you through the form techniques by using a cast member. It is completely unnecessary for the instructor to constantly stop when s/he can use their own body to demonstrate proper technique. Sometimes I wonder...are they stalling? Are they tired and needing to take a break so they can talk clearly?? I don't get it. I know showing form pointers on someone else is a good, and sometimes needed, method...but in moderation.

That's one of the reasons I love Cathe's workouts -- she knows when to push you, when to back off, and when you need that extra word of encouragement because she is exercising right along with you!

 

[jdimascio]

And just to add to what the others have said...I think Cathe is just really "likeable". She has a way of pushing you without being pushy, and even though we are in complete pain doing her workouts, somehow we can still manage to put a smile on our face when we are doing low ends....ACK! She knows what we are thinking (hence the fact that she is doing it with us) and she knows how to make us laugh. She is REAL...and it really comes through in her videos. When you meet her in person, you already feel like you know her, because she is no different than the person you see on your TV screen every morning/evening. And you feel like she is one of us...she's doesn't seem like someone who's out there to be a celebrity (even though to me she is the biggest celebrity that I have met). She does this because she loves it...and it shows!!

Yes, I admit, I have tried other trainers workouts...and I usually don't go back to them (I get mad at myself for wasting my time and money on them), with Cathe's workouts they are hard, but they are fun and you get what you expect from her everytime...I just wish I had more time to do all of them, there are so many fabulous DVDs to choose from. I get annoyed at Jillian, she is so unprofessional on her DVDs, I could never be able to play them while my kids are around (hold your ears, kids!!) and she thinks she is awesome...and I find her workouts dreadfully boring!!

Anyway, I love telling people about Cathe. I tell everyone I train and teach...and I may have lost some business, but when they want a recoommendation for the best, I just have to point them in the right direction!! If people still don't know who Cathe is, then it's there lose!

 

[LthePoet]

I also discovered Cathe through FitTV (which was fortunately on my lousy cable's list of channels). I had been doing VHS-taped Denise Austin workouts from Lifetime (I know, I know..don't laugh) for years and was in a rut. I decided to check out some the FitTV offerings and was blown away by the challenging step routines Cathe did. I tripped over my own feet a lot, but Cathe's encouragement and doing the work-out along with me kept me in it. Then I tried her weight workouts (I had never lifted dumbbells heavier than 8lbs) and added another great aspect to my workouts that I didn't even know I was missing. I am just finishing STS for the first time next week and still smiling (despite the sore muscles).
Didn't hurt either to be inspired by all the wonderful Cathletes I met on the Disney RT...

 

[Farah636]

My first exposure to Cathe was when my sister and I bought a step and her Basic Step dvd came with it. A couple years later I was surfing for new dvds and thought, "hmm, I like that Cathe lady and her style..wonder if she has more advanced workouts I can do..." Indeed she did.

IMO, one of the reasons most people don't know about Cathe because the majority of her workouts are geared towards the advanced exerciser, which I think makes up a small % of the population. Also, people tend to know more about celebrity-ish trainers like Jilian Michaels, Bob Harper, Jackie Warner, since they have mainstream tv shows. It's a shame though because i don't think the quality of their workouts even compare to Cathe's. She pays more attention to form/safety and queues well. Plus, she doesn't do that whole "trainer style" of teaching -- spending 5 seconds doing the moves and then stops to talk the rest of the time.

Still, Cathe has a pretty good, solid following. And like someone said earlier, it's kinda fun to be part of this sort of elite group that recognizes Cathe's awesomeness. I'm like that with all budding famous people...don't wanna share them with others!