I have recently started back exercising doing Firms. I read reviews of how great Cathe tapes are. I ordered BodyMax and PowerMax and could only do eight minutes of each!!!! That makes me feel very out of shape. I know I should have ordered the Wedding video to start with but I want to be able to do these tapes. I can tell I will get awesome results. Suggestions??
Help!!! Very discouraged
- Thread starter aerfirmie
- Start date
Hello Aer:
Don't worry. Just try a bit more the next time. I remember when I got started on Cathe, I thought she would kill me and I thought I was in shape too. Well, I'm still alive and I had no clue. I had no clue that there was this person who made tapes like this.
Try just a bit more another day. You'll get there, don't worry.
Keta.
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Don't worry. Just try a bit more the next time. I remember when I got started on Cathe, I thought she would kill me and I thought I was in shape too. Well, I'm still alive and I had no clue. I had no clue that there was this person who made tapes like this.
Try just a bit more another day. You'll get there, don't worry.
Keta.
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Just modify and do what you can--don't compromise on your form.
Think of these workouts as ones that you can grow into instead of workouts that you'll soon grow out of. Set small goals to do a little more each week or every two weeks. Eventually you'll be looking back, remembering when you could only do just 8 minutes of these workouts.
Think of these workouts as ones that you can grow into instead of workouts that you'll soon grow out of. Set small goals to do a little more each week or every two weeks. Eventually you'll be looking back, remembering when you could only do just 8 minutes of these workouts.
When I first did Stepworks (not as intense as BodyMax, which I think is one of Cathe's hardest tapes), my heart rate was as high during the warmup as it normally would have been during the highest intensity part of any other tape I had done!
My suggestion is to take your step out of your workout for a while. Just try it on the floor. Also, ignore the arm movements for a while. If the choreography is what is troubling you, watch the tape a few times, paying close atention, before you try it again. Also, take out the power moves--even PowerMax can be done low impact! Once you are able to do the tapes this way, gradually add in the components you've taken out. Maybe stay off the step, but add the arm movements back in. Then add the step in when you're ready, at 4 or 6 inches; finally, add in the power moves.
Good luck, and don't give up! Cathe's workouts are so worth it
Wendy
My suggestion is to take your step out of your workout for a while. Just try it on the floor. Also, ignore the arm movements for a while. If the choreography is what is troubling you, watch the tape a few times, paying close atention, before you try it again. Also, take out the power moves--even PowerMax can be done low impact! Once you are able to do the tapes this way, gradually add in the components you've taken out. Maybe stay off the step, but add the arm movements back in. Then add the step in when you're ready, at 4 or 6 inches; finally, add in the power moves.
Good luck, and don't give up! Cathe's workouts are so worth it
Wendy
Wow BodyMax and PowerMax are very very tough tapes. I'm waiting for them to arrive with the other tapes I ordered awhile ago. My first Cathe cardio tape was Cardio Kicks. I was exercising with Firm tapes and Gin Miller for my cardio and using Firm tapes and Cathe's for my strength training before I even thought of giving a try to Cathe's cardio tapes and I had to modify at first. I thought I was sooooo out of shape, but what I did was try to do it as low impact as I could and then I slowly started doing the moves as they were done in the video. I don't regret it. My second Cathe cardio tape was Interval Max and I'm still doing modifications LOL!!!! so you can imagine. I think the suggestions here are good ones. You should start slow, be patient and use a short step. I used to hit the stop button a lot when I started with Cathe's cardio tapes. Right now I'm able to go along with the videos. So I think you'll get there. Good luck and happy exercising ;-)
This may sound strange, but . . .
Since you're starting over ( I'm thinking from your phrasing that you are in the "back on the exercise wagon" category ), you might want to consider looking at VF at the pregnancy modifications section for how Mandy modified Power Max when she was expecting. Even though you're not pregnant, some of what she did would also apply for someone who is trying to work up to being able to do Power Max "as is." Some of the Power Max moves are harder to make low impact, but Mandy came up with some really great ideas. Like I said, it may sound strange, but . . .
Good luck!
Erin
Since you're starting over ( I'm thinking from your phrasing that you are in the "back on the exercise wagon" category ), you might want to consider looking at VF at the pregnancy modifications section for how Mandy modified Power Max when she was expecting. Even though you're not pregnant, some of what she did would also apply for someone who is trying to work up to being able to do Power Max "as is." Some of the Power Max moves are harder to make low impact, but Mandy came up with some really great ideas.
Like I said, it may sound strange, but . . .Good luck!
Erin
JMFRANE
Cathlete
Hang in there. I have never been in such great shape since I started using Cathe's tapes. She has helped me so much. I look so forward to getting home from work and doing a work out with her (never felt that way about any other instructors). You will get better and better at it.
Joanne
Joanne
Rachel_Lam
Cathlete
Hi,
Those were my first cathe tapes too! I'm also a Firmie, so nice to see you crossing over here to try some of Cathe's stuff. Hope you learn to enjoy them as much as I do!
When I first tried Powermax it was at 2 am in the morning and I was soaked with sweat in the living room. I tripped a few times over my soft step ( I have a large step co. now ) and landed on my bum twice. My nephew was laughing at me saying I looked like I just stepped out of the shower. So funny! The last step portion was soooooo hard, even now I still dread that part because it makes me dizzy. All that turning! But once you learn the steps you'll be fine. It's a big departure from our Firms, lots of stuff to remember and lots of space needed! But after doing her cardio you will find that Supercardio will be so easy! I went back and did volume 1 and sailed through the standing portion with the aerobic segments. Do what you can and keep going until you can do the whole video and see your endurance improve....goodluck!
Those were my first cathe tapes too! I'm also a Firmie, so nice to see you crossing over here to try some of Cathe's stuff. Hope you learn to enjoy them as much as I do!
When I first tried Powermax it was at 2 am in the morning and I was soaked with sweat in the living room. I tripped a few times over my soft step ( I have a large step co. now ) and landed on my bum twice. My nephew was laughing at me saying I looked like I just stepped out of the shower. So funny! The last step portion was soooooo hard, even now I still dread that part because it makes me dizzy. All that turning! But once you learn the steps you'll be fine. It's a big departure from our Firms, lots of stuff to remember and lots of space needed! But after doing her cardio you will find that Supercardio will be so easy! I went back and did volume 1 and sailed through the standing portion with the aerobic segments. Do what you can and keep going until you can do the whole video and see your endurance improve....goodluck!
I have never been able to get through Body Max, even when I was in peak shape (long ago...) and would do Interval Max and Pure Strength all the time, Body Max reduced me to a pile of exhaustion on the rug. Powermax also gave me more trouble than any of the other tapes. People who can do those tapes are amazing!
Hi,
Another method you might consider is one I use when I have a tape that is just too taxing for me to make it all the way through. When you find yourself becoming anaerobic get off of your step...stay with the routine just do what I call 'a floor mix' for about a minute or two, then get back on the step when you feel like you've recovered enough and keep doing this as you work through your workout. Do a little interval training until your aerbic capacity is efficient enough to energize you through the complete workout on the step...just a suggestion...have fun!
Another method you might consider is one I use when I have a tape that is just too taxing for me to make it all the way through. When you find yourself becoming anaerobic get off of your step...stay with the routine just do what I call 'a floor mix' for about a minute or two, then get back on the step when you feel like you've recovered enough and keep doing this as you work through your workout. Do a little interval training until your aerbic capacity is efficient enough to energize you through the complete workout on the step...just a suggestion...have fun!
Maybe another Cathe-beginner can encourage...
I just bought the dvd for Rhythmic Step, etc.
Like you, I'm a longtime "firmer".
The choreography is tough!
I've just been doing a warmup, then taking a section at a time, and doing it over and over for however long I want my "cardio" time to be. When I'm comfortable enough, I take another little section and add it to what I do over & over. Sometimes I skip ahead to another section so that, when I can do more of the whole workout, I'll reach some points where "I've done this before". (Does that make sense?) Sometimes, my brain & body start to feel fried from the choreography and then just for a break I'll jump on my Nordictrack and do that for awhile while I watch the next section; if I didn't have a Nordictrack, I'd just march for awhile or do jumping jacks or something while I watch. When my cardio time is up, I do a cooldown.
Even though I'm not new to exercise, I'm new to Cathe, so I'm just letting myself be a beginner and taking it a bit at a time. I haven't done the workouts you're on, but hopefully the principle can still be applied so you feel good about the new stuff you're learning.
Also - appreciate how much you've learned to do already! This morning on eBay I saw a set of Firm tapes for sale by somebody who said those tapes were too tough for their fitness level... I guess the fact that they're selling them, means they don't expect to reach that fitness level, either...
Chris
I just bought the dvd for Rhythmic Step, etc.
Like you, I'm a longtime "firmer".
The choreography is tough!
I've just been doing a warmup, then taking a section at a time, and doing it over and over for however long I want my "cardio" time to be. When I'm comfortable enough, I take another little section and add it to what I do over & over. Sometimes I skip ahead to another section so that, when I can do more of the whole workout, I'll reach some points where "I've done this before". (Does that make sense?) Sometimes, my brain & body start to feel fried from the choreography and then just for a break
I'll jump on my Nordictrack and do that for awhile while I watch the next section; if I didn't have a Nordictrack, I'd just march for awhile or do jumping jacks or something while I watch. When my cardio time is up, I do a cooldown.Even though I'm not new to exercise, I'm new to Cathe, so I'm just letting myself be a beginner and taking it a bit at a time. I haven't done the workouts you're on, but hopefully the principle can still be applied so you feel good about the new stuff you're learning.
Also - appreciate how much you've learned to do already! This morning on eBay I saw a set of Firm tapes for sale by somebody who said those tapes were too tough for their fitness level... I guess the fact that they're selling them, means they don't expect to reach that fitness level, either...
Chris