How did you discover Cathe?

[srmohler]

Collage Catalog

I also discovered Cathe through the Collage catalog. I don't remember how I got the catalog, but must have ordered with the 800 number out of a fitness magazine. I ordered Step Heat, after tiring of easier tapes about 5 years ago. I loved it, but didn't order any more Cathe tapes until I found VF. Now, I do primarily Cathe workouts, because they keep me interested.

Sandi M

 

[Andrea]

I agree

I discovered her through Collage and ordered MIC cause it also had floor aerobics. It was another 6 months before I tried another of her step videos because of they way Collage rated her. I don't think they are all that complex. I usually have them down pat by the 3rd time. I finally have almost all of them. Just missing Step Works (which everyone says is complex, but I'm not too worried cause Cathe is such a great instructor!) and the wedding tape. But now no other step video is quite as good after trying her!
Andrea

 

[kathryn]

Discovering Cathe

I discovered Cathe in "Shape" magazine. They used to do a yearly review of exercise videos (before the market became so big) and rated one of hers very highly (Step in Motion III, maybe?). They also gave ordering info (I think that's also how I discovered Collage Video.

 

[Stevie]

Collage Video. I asked for something fun that was basic enough at the time

and they recommended one of her early cardio workouts that is no longer available now. I thought it was hard for a LONG time but kept at it. Then I got a new one and then another and another and another.. well you get the idea.

)
she is addicting on video. The only other person that I have as many are Kari Anderson

 

[LB]

another collage alum

I too became familiar with Cathe through Collage
about a year ago. The funny thing is, I never knew I was an advanced exerciser until I read the different fitness categories in Collage. I thought I'd give her a try and ordered Power Max. Now, a year later, I have about 10 Cathe videos. I love them! Cathe and Christi Taylor are my absolute favorites. I don't get out much, so video tapes are my only option for exercise and Cathe is so motivating and inspiring that I actually look forward to doing her tapes. Now that's quite an accomplishment.

Laura

 

[lounsbury]

Another "kook" checking in...

Y'know, I stayed away from the forum for about 2 months after discovering VF! I was new to the internet and I kept thinking, "Eeew, what if that's one of those chat rooms with all the weirdos in it?" :-D Well, I'm proud to say I'm one of the "weirdos" who went totally hog-wild over Cathe's videos because of the recommendations at Video Fitness. Who'd have ever thought I'd actually go on a Cathe trip!?! But it's some of the best fun I've ever had.

I started stepping with that Jane Fonda step that came with her step/abs video, and just outgrew it. I actually tried choreographing my own step routines, but didn't get very far because I was making them so complex that it took forever. Boy, was I surprised when I got my first Cathe video, Step Heat, and discovered some of Cathe's moves were similar to what I was making up on my own! Wow! I finally found aerobics choreography that really felt like "me." Cathe, THANK YOU!!! And thanks to VF... otherwise, I'd never have discovered Cathe's videos!

OK, I'm done gushing...

Lynne

 

[DanielleS]

How I found Cathe

I first noticed Cathe's videos in Collage, but they were rated Advanced with Complex Choreography so I didn't pay any attention to them. I found Videofitness this past summer. After moving along in my fitness level and reading all the great reviews of Cathe's videos, I decided to try one. I started with The Wedding Video, went on to MIS, the PS series, Mega Step Blast, Step Heat, and Step Max. I actually ordered Step Jam today and I can't wait to try Cathe's newer videos. I'm totally hooked now! I think Cathe is the BEST instructor on home video and she is my absolute favorite!

 

[Amy Steppe]

Road Trips

People think I'm a bit "odd" too that I travel to Cathe and Firm locations to work out.

But they are such fun. While I have been to the Firm in Charleston and Columbia several times,000 I have only had the privilege of attending one Cathe trip and hope to attend future events if any are planned.

 

[Amy Steppe]

Oh, you are SOOOO lucky!

I would give my eye teeth to live near Cathe's studio. I think Glassboro is a great little town and near enough to Philly to offer the best of both big and small city life.

And I thought I was lucky to live only 4 hours away from the Firm studio in Columbia......

I am soooooo jealous!

 

[trevor]

learning of cathe's videos

I learned about Cathe Friedrich from a co-worker who let me borrow her copy of Maximum Intensity Strength. I consider myself in pretty good shape as I am into many different sports requiring good cardio and strength fitness. That video was a complete shock to my system and I found it quite challenging! It was great! I now plan on getting some of her vids for myself.
Incidentally, I'm new to this forum(also male) and wanted to say that I find the messages fun to read and informative. The website itself is very well done!

 

[sfrost]

I traveled with Collage..

in my briefcase too until I realized I always had an extra from my latest order. So now I keep a copy of the recent issue at work and lighten my load on the commute. The subway is seldom conducive to video shoping anyway. I think Cathe's sadistic side really shines during the Body Max crazy eights. Or is the strange gleam in her eyes purely in my imagination? Collage or no, I would certainly never have tried her tapes without VF.

 

[joyce619]

from collage too

I first found out about Cathe from Collage. I had recently lost weight and wanted to keep it off so I was looking for more advanced videos. I bought Mega Step Blast and thought it was so hard but loved the music.

Then I got inspired to become an instructor myself and really studied Cathe's teaching style. I am by no means a substitute Cathe but I pride myself in cueing on time and always keeping to an 8-count.

There are so many instructors out there who do not cue right or teach using the basic 8-count style.

 

[BobbiF]

Read a review of the PS series

I read a review of the PS series in a fitness mag. Ordered those tapes plus Body Max and was instantly hooked. Now I have 8, shying away from the remaining tapes because of the complex rating on the choreography. I hav MIS, MIC, and Interval Max also. I usually order from Collage but got a better quantity discount ordering off Cathe's website. I think she's amazing, this new guru of mine and I aspire to weight train using the same weight she does.

 

[Val C]

Discovering Cathe

I too discovered Cathe through Collage video.
Someone had told me about Collage at work, and I ordered the catalog. I started ordering all of the intermediate-advanced tapes, and so naturally I ordered Cathe's Megastep Blast, since it fit into that criteria.

After that, I couldn't wait until she put more tapes out. The best year was 1998, when she put out Stepworks and Bodymax. I did Stepworks right away, but I didn't do Bodymax right away because of the weights. When I finally did do Bodymax, she had advertised on her website that she was putting out the PS Strength series. I had ordered the Intervalmax tape, and subsequently ordered the PS Strength series. After I received those tapes, I ordered MIS. The only recent tape of hers that I don't own is the Wedding Tape, because I'm already married!! (Dumb reason, I know.)

Anyway, although I'm extremely happy for her and her new addition, I am eagerly looking forward to her putting out new tapes. The only other tapes that I halfway enjoy are CIA tapes, and even those tapes, once I get the hang of them, become boring to me.

Her tapes have helped me stay in shape, and even when I've slacked off from exercising for various reasons, her tapes help me get back in the swing of things. I think she's an excellent instructor with excellent cuing, so that even difficult choreography is doable and fun. (I also think she's a closet drill sergeant, since she encourages you in the nicest tones to push your fitness to the highest level.) Well, as you can see, I can't say enough about her instructional abilities.

I'm just so happy that she chose a career in fitness, because it benefits me so much.

 

[Lydia L]

Discovery of Cathe

Collage video!!!!...I must of seen an ad in Shape Magazine and ordered the Catalog...I would stare at it and would wonder if I would ever be ready for Cathe....I'm so glad I ordered..Step Heat, Megastep Blast and Step Max...back in 91 0r 92...I can't remember exactly... shortly after Step Jam...I was hooked..I have all of Cathe's tapes since Mega Step Blast...it really changed my views on fitness and what home exercise can do for me... before that it was Jane Fonda, Kathy Smith and a few Firms....I'm in video heaven now that I visit the VF Forum....although I owned just two CIA's when I found the VF forum in 98, the forum really opened my eyes to other videos that are out there.... my collection has grown tremendously (especially my CIA collection)!!!

Thanks to Cathe I'm fit and able to do all those other tapes with ease...

Lydia L

 

[SLH]

Collage/Video Fitness

I had seen Cathe's tape in Collage, but for some reason, never even remotely considered them. I had mostly FIRM tapes and wasn't interested in anything above basic choreography. It was Video Fitness that not only got me interested in doing more complicated choreography, but also made Cathe's tapes sound like a "must have" kind of thing. Now I have eight Cathe tapes on my shelf.