How Did You Learn all the Step and KickBox Routines??

F

Flyweight

Cathlete
Okay Everyone,

I started Cathe's workouts a couple of weeks ago (Boot Camp/Muscle Endurance) which were fine. I did Drill Max but got a little lost on the stepping part because I haven't done step before. I've got Cathe's beginner dvds on the way.

How did you learn the routines? Do you have to stop your dvd and work them out when you're learning? Everything just seems kinda fast. Usually, if I want to learn something I enlist a teacher or someone experienced. I think I can learn stepping on my own. It seems like it requires a lot of patience.

Please give me your ideas on how to learn.

Thanks.
 
I think it would be tough if you've never done any step before, but it's still doable.

I had already done step with Kathy Smith, Gin Miller and several other instructors before I found Cathe in 1992. Then, I just learned her terminology (for example, she uses "horeshoe" rather than "turnstep," which is what all the other instructors I've done step with use, for one move) and her moves.

I always preview workouts before I do them, and with step workouts, I can tell if a move might be tricky, so I pay closer attention to what each foot is doing on each beat. Most cardio workouts, including step, are choreographed on an 8-count beat, so you can count to 8 for each sequence. Also, if a move is cued in a way that doesn't make sense to me, I make my own cue for it, and say it to myself when doing the move (for example, for me "triple around" doesn't help me pick up the steps as well as saying "step-step-triple...triple").

I'm sure others who have discovered Cathe more recently, or who have started stepping with Cathe can give you some pointers.

Good luck!
 
RE: How Did You Learn all the Step and KickBox Routines...

I found Cathe in 1999 and had never done step before. I would preview the workout and walk through it in sections with a lot of rewinding and slow motion if I became really confused. It was frustrating at first but once you get to know the moves it becomes easier and you can move onto other Cathe step workouts with less time spent learning.

Kickboxing was much easier for me because I have been doing TaeKwonDo for many years.

I think the beginner dvds will be very helpful....they weren't available when I started but I was still able to learn the routines. Now I can put in any new Cathe step workout and do it right away:D

JJ
 
RE: How Did You Learn all the Step and KickBox Routines...

i learned the moves through doing the dvd's over and over again, sometimes i would rewind a move if i needed to. it just takes practice. the more cathe that you do the easier it becomes.
 
I started with Cathe 1 year ago January and I only did Denise Austin step. I watch her feet and arms and Listen.
I did not pay any attention to the music.
I previewed each one first got my step out and gave it a whirl just pick a move you want to learn Like the up and over do it a few times then maybe add arms then maybe put a new move with it.
I am 5'8" tall and I started off using 8" step I just put 6" on the other day I still had a great workout but I was able to do the moves a bit better so My advice would be start off with the 6" graduate the moves and then increase height. Point is after a year I am still uncoordinated and learning. I am going to try a step class at my gym and I am terrified because I am so use to Cathe and I am in the privacy of my own home so If I end up on the wrong side or trip over it It's just me but in a class UUUGGGHHHH. Let us now how you are doing My favorite Cathe saying is "Happiness is knowing what is coming next" And it is true the moment it all clicks and you get through one of her step routines you will be here letting us know.

beth6395

"Another one that proves equipment is not necessary to get the job done" -Cathe Friedrich
 
If you don't go to a gym where they have beginner step classes, purchase the "Basic Step" dvd from Cathe. She goes through each move by name and goes through it step by step. If you're going to do Cathe step dvds, then I would think that's the best bet since it's her moves by what she calls them. If you go to a step class at the gym, some instructors have very different styles from Cathe.

For myself, I can't remember how I started doing step, but I know it was years ago starting with the gym classes and then at home I did the old Reebok with I believe it was Gin Miller. Once you get down the basic moves, it makes it a lot easier to learn any routine.

Hope that helps.

Lisa
 
RE: How Did You Learn all the Step and KickBox Routines...

Cathe's Cardio Hits was my first step DVD - ever. I just took one of the workouts and learned it one combo at a time. At first I'd do combo one three times as my whole workout. Once I got that down then I'd do combo 1 once then combo two twice and so on until I learned it all. As you get used to Cathe's terminology each successive DVD you buy will become easier to learn because you would have already seen the same moves in previous workouts. I must have done Power Max exclusively for three weeks before I moved on to Step Fit!

I don't like to waste my morning workout time trying to learn new stuff, so with instructors I'm not familiar with I work on new vids in the evenings or weekends until I get the basics down. I use the remote quite a bit to back up and replay over and over till I get it right. For really tough sequences I also use slow motion (Patrick Goudeau comes to mind!). I personally like complex choreography, although I know it's not everyone's cup of tea.
 
RE: How Did You Learn all the Step and KickBox Routines...

I started with Cathe's Basic step and then graduated to Low Impact Step and then To Low Max. After accomplishing Low Max and specifically that one move called the" reverse mambo", I felt that I could tackle anything. Cathes cuing is wonderful so embrace the challenge because if the moves are too easy you will get bored. I am a" 2 left foot" so anyone should be able to do it.Also, instead of doing dvd during workout time, I would suggest practicing the moves during your spare time.
 
RE: How Did You Learn all the Step and KickBox Routines...

A hint that I often give is to preview that workout very slowly. You can pause the workout when you need to, then put the FF button from the pause to get it to go 1/4 speed and "walk" your way through it. You can repeat this, increasing the DVD player speed to 1/2 then to full speed until you "get" the steps. This is how I was able to work my way through Low Max the first time, then when I went to "offically" do the workout, I was able to go from start to finish with only a few "huh's???";-)
 
RE: How Did You Learn all the Step and KickBox Routines...

Thanks everyone. This is really great information and just the kind of advice I was looking for. I'm looking forward to the beginners' dvds!
 
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