Help! How did everyone work up to Cathe?

T

tweedlebug70

New Member
I've been lurking on this board for awhile and getting some great ideas. But here is my dilemma/challenge: I am a former int/adv exerciser at the gym until my workout buddies moved away. So I decided to slack for about 2 years. I started back with at home workouts in April and have been doing ok.

I have discovered Cathe and really like her style but after mastering her Basic Step workout and the UB/LB add-ons I just can't seem to make it through another Cathe workout in it's entirety. I keep telling myself to just make it a little longer every time but I am to a point of frustration with myself.

How did everyone else work up to Cathe? I'm feeling like a WEAKLING!!!x( Any advice? Suggestions? Help! I really want to get back to my former self! (which also means losing about 40 lbs!)
 
I don't know about anyone else but I guess my answer would be that I just pushed myself and kept going until I got it.

In addition, I believe I was on a series of Tae Bo tapes and had gotten to the point where I could complete the Advanced section quite easily. I also used to love Karen Voight and I did one of her advanced interval workouts. When I mastered these, I decided I needed to search for other tapes, but instead of getting another cardio, I bought Maximum Intensity Strength by Cathe. I loved what it did for my body from a strength and toning standpoint so I moved on to Body Max. Good grief, I thought I would die just doing the first 30 minute workout portion! To this day I have never done the entire tape in it's entirety b/c it's TOO LONG.

So maybe you can buy some other advanced DVD's to see how they are...you might want something that isn't very complex with it's choreography and then move back to Cathe.

Whatever you do, best of luck to you! Stick with Cathe, she's the BEST!!!!!
 
Hi

I didn't intend to "work up" to Cathe as I didn't know she existed at the time, but when I started step, I mostly did Keli Roberts - there's an old basic step one which I forget the name of (not the one with Cher which is a bit basic) and a circuit training type one. I then bought Interval Max without knowing anything about it and nearly died and put it away for ages. At the same time I bought Gin Miller's Intense Moves which is also tough but is easier than Imax and has very basic choreograpy and after doing that on a 6in then and 8 in step I was able to begin to tackle Imax. Of Cathe's workouts I would suggest Step Heat would be a good intermediate workout and the other classics on that DVD. I would also suggest using the premixes to reduce the time of the workout to start with - most of Cathe's stuff is nearly an hour or more so it is a lot to get through. If you decide in advance that you will only do a 35min premix then you don't feel like you failed more that you were building up.

HTH
Ruth
 
There are several approaches you can use, depending on what appeals to you the most:
1) do as much as you can, adding on a bit at a time
2) reduce the intensity of what you are doing (lowering step height, changing high impact to low impact)so you can do more
3) a combo of the two: alternate between doing sections with reduced intensity then, after 'getting your second wind,' upping the intensity until you have to reduce it again.
 
I did Kathryns # 3.... I stuck the DVD in and just decided I had a (60 minute or whatever timeframe it was) workout ahead of me. I actually used no risers for about two months because I found I could learn her step routines easier this way too. I am not one to pause a tape because the workouts seem to go on forever to me so sometimes I just walked around to catch my breath or even just did basic steps until I caught my second wind. It really only took about 30 days of 5-6 days Cathe for my body to adjust.... I also still like to throw in a day of Turbo Jam & Spinning just to make sure I get some variety- this seems to help me with endurance as well.
 
I used to push myself to exhaustion trying to keep up with Cathe in her step workouts. To my detriment, unfortunately. Coming back from an injury totally unrelated to fitness or working out, I decided to use a heart rate monitor to keep me from over-doing it when I was ready to go back to working out.

I set the alarm to ring at 160 bpm and just put the DVD in. The HRM told me when to modify. I learned to modify lots of moves to keep things low impact, keep my heart rate down below 160 and still keep me in sync with Cathe and the other ladies.

As my fitness grew, I was able to modify less and less. I still try to keep lots of moves low impact to reduce stress on my joints, but I could really get into the moves and work harder, even though my heart rate was still staying below 160.

And since I wasn't pushing myself to the brink, I all the sudden realized I was doing the entire 60 or 70 minute workout. I worked, I sweat, and I had fun! I was on such a high the first time the cool down came around and I hadn't skipped one single section (modified, yes, but didn't skip!).

Workouts became fun and I look forward to them instead of a challenge to my self-esteem when I couldn't keep going after 30 or 40 minutes.

I'm still trying to get the interval stuff down. I tend to go anaerobic for too long and then suffer the consequences later on. I'm on exercise restriction right now due to over-exerting last week. :-( Shoulda paid more attention to my HRM during Interval Max last week.

Reducing effort worked great for me.
 
Hi treedlebug,
I know exactly what you are talking about! I have been exercising for years and a year ago had a baby and started getting back into and discovered Cathe, man, I THOUGHT I was advanced, but are you kidding!!! She is tough. But so far, a few months into it I have finally made it through a few of her videos (the whole 60+ minutes of it). I would start out, for example, with her step workouts doing the premix of only half the workout. So for example, I would do combos 1-4, until I learned it really good then once I knew all the moves and was comfortable, I would try to make it through the whole workout (with lots of pauses). You'll get there. It just takes a lot of breaks, water, rewinding to get a move, and doing a workout a few times. Look at the post that rates each workout and what level they are at. I try to stay away from the 9.0. You'll get there!!! :)
 
Tweedlebug, you are definitely NOT a weakling, I still can't match Cathe move for move, and I've ben an avid Cathe exerciser for 5 years now. I still modify the hi-intensity moves for lower intensity, and I still get great results ! I still use low weights for strength for the toning (no more than 8lbs in dumbells, or 16lbs in a body bar).

You will lose that 40lbs but you really need to concentrate on your food intake, write down everything you eat, and continue to do this even after weight loss. Keep a journal, or start an on-line blog - it helps to write down things that make you feel good, and keeps you inspired.

HTH !
 
WOW! Thanks to everyone for the great ideas and encouragement! It's great to know that everyone has been challenged with Cathe at some point. I know I can get there, and I think I will become more involved with this forum as I do! I feel so much better knowing that everyone is out there! THANKS A MILLION!

:)
 
You said that you've mastered Basic Step. Maybe now you should try Low Impact Step or high step circuit. These are two of Cathe's easier workouts.

Jacque
 
My introduction to Cathe about 3 1/2 years ago was through Power Max and IMAX (the original). I used to be in pretty good shape before then, but had lapsed for a few years before starting Cathe. Before Power Max and IMAX, I had begun running again and was doing some cardio w/o's by Tamilee Webb. When I started Cathe, I remember taking a LOT of breaks and "watching" IMAX instead of doing it! :) I used to alternate stepping and running for cardio, and Power Hour was my first all-weight workout. I was really doing a good job exercising (and seeing results!) and I think the Intensity series is what kicked it up a notch for me. Before then, Power Circuit, Circuit Max, and Cardio Kicks, and Power Hour had been my favorites!

But then, alas, I pulled a glute muscle while kickboxing and went on exercise hiatus (regret it so much!) and didn't get back into regular exercising until last spring/summer 2005. Again, I was doing very well as far as clean eating and regularly exercising (this time with all my new Cathe workouts - KPC, L&G, and MM were my favorites), but once school started in the fall (I'm a teacher), I fell off the wagon again.

So, I'm now in my 3rd round of starting up to Cathe and getting back in shape and this time I'm focusing more on cardio and fat loss before doing a lot of weight work. Last summer, I focused more on weight work and got awesome results in my upper body with PUB and ME, but all of my summer dresses became too tight in the shoulders/back area :( - not what I was looking for. So, I'm focusing on more cardio right now (esp. interval running, kickboxing, and BC (my fave!!!)).

Sorry for the long-winded post, but I've found that each time I come back to exercising, I just need to listen to my body and push it at the same time. I've found that starting with shorter workouts helps as you build up to the longer ones - the premixes are great for this!

Good luck!
 
Cathe's workouts are pretty challenging - both choreography and intensity! Another recommendation for Low Impact Step next - it's a good workout, but lower intensity than most of her other step stuff. After that, maybe try Low Max, but start w/ the step only premix, then the interval premixes (1-4 or 4-7) before doing the whole thing - that's what I did for quite a while.

Good luck - you will get there!
 
When I moved from the Firm to Cathe, I realized I had a LOT of work to do, especially cardio wise.

My first Cathe Cardio Video was Maximum Intensity Cardio and I thought I would DIE -- I saw no way I could ever do any of it without modifications.

But each time I did the workout, I went just one minute longer -- I pushed myself, but not to the point of feeling sick. When I could do all the workout including the part I had pushed to achieve, I would push a bit more. I kept this on and was able to achieve more and more weekly.

Now I can do Cathe's cardio workouts without modifications on most days (the exception is IMAX 3 which is just too hard on my joints and I am afraid of injury).

You can do it -- just push yourself a little more each week --

Soon you will be going and going!

Just don't overdo it -- take it in baby steps....but don't pamper yourself either. You have to push yourself to YOUR personal point of fatigue.
 
You guys are great with the ideas and encouragement. So I made it through the first 3 cycles of High Step Circuit today, about 22 minutes. Next time I'll get farther. I think this is the best method for me. I keep rotating through and trying to go a little longer each time! Thanks for all the advice!

I'll keep posting as well. This seems to be a great source for motivation!:)
 
If you got through the first 3 cycles of High Step Circuit, then that is GREAT!

When I began working out seriously (about 20 years ago), I could jog in place for under one minute.

Now I am 52 years young and I can keep up with Cathe unless I am having a bad day where I just feel under the weather for one reason or another.

You are going to be so proud of yourself!

Keep us posted!

Kind regards,

Amy
 
Zora, I tried using my HRM today (setting it to beep once my heart rate reached 160) during my step workout and it really helped! I modified right away to get my BPM's back down and I wasn't nearly as tired afterward. Great suggestion!
 
Hi!

I am in the same boat: was in great shape 2 years ago (could do most of Cathe's workouts with no problem) and just let things slip.

I recently found Fitnessfreak366's rotation that progresses from Beginner/Intermediate to Advanced workouts over 12 weeks: http://69.0.137.118/dc/dcboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=7&topic_id=5739&mesg_id=5739&page=

I'm only on week 1, but it looks like a great approach to build up to Cathe's more intense workouts.

Good luck!
Victoria
 
I have been working out with my Leslie Sansone videos. They are getting a little too easy for me. I need to work up to Cathe. I need to work a little harder.
 
I also started with the basic step dvd and the went to low impact step...I was scared to try anything else...I am also a klutz with no rythmic ability at all...I then went to high step circuit, which was all I could handle for a while :) ....I think I must have thrown core max in there at some point...Then on to low max}( ...just the step parts before adding the blasts...then CTX (a great dvd with lots of variety)...and on and on...just keep with it...Over the past year I have progressed from basic step to being able to do the Imax dvds with no break...my current challenge is working on the slow and heavy and gym style series plus cardio 4 days a week...I have also lost that last 10 pounds with amazing toning results...keep plugging along...and you will see the changes you want, but you have to be focused and keep in mind your long term goals:7 ...Good luck!

Debra
 
I found Cathe on fittv and fell in love. ;-) My first experience was Imax 2 and I didn't own a step, I tried to do the workout with a step. Hehe.:) I went and bought the reebok step and now I basically just push and modify. I lower most of the move and sub a lot of jumps. I sweat buckets. And I love love love it. I always feel accomplished after Cathe. :)

Jenn
 
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