Instructional Video is a Must! Cathe, please must read this!

Personally, I LIKE that you can't get the steps memorized after the first time of doing a DVD of Cathe's. It's what makes it fun and challenging. The couple of times I've taken a step class at a gym you don't get every step in those classes either.

Kathryn, I'm with you on C.Taylor. I have 4 of her workouts and I never use them. Way too tricky for me. I should spend some more time with them. I'm sure they are fun when you get to know her style.
 
Right, BUT, if you're working out with the goal of keeping your heart rate up for any extended period of time. You will not accomplish that goal doing a Cathe video for the first, second or third time w/o practice BECAUSE each and every time you have to do a rewind to repeat the steps and learn them, which can be very often, your heart rate drops.
 
Even when you go to the gym - which i don't do for this VERY reason. How fun or effective is it to go to an hour step class and fall all over yourself, tripping over the step, your neighbor, and not getting any of the sustained heart rate benefits because you are not familiar with the instructor's choreography? I can't think of many people who'd say they enjoyed that challenge. It's a waste of time. People work out precisely to keep their heartrate up (step and aerobics anyway), but when you can't do the class or the steps, it's next to impossible.
 
>Right, BUT, if you're working out with the goal of keeping
>your heart rate up for any extended period of time. You will
>not accomplish that goal doing a Cathe video for the first,
>second or third time w/o practice BECAUSE each and every time
>you have to do a rewind to repeat the steps and learn them,
>which can be very often, your heart rate drops.

Um, this is true of ANY workout worth its salt. I don't know of any interesting choreography that I have ever gotten the first time through. What you might try is adding on a section to your regular workout, as either your warm-up or cool-down, so that you are exposed to the choreo but aren't counting on it as your workout.
 
I certainly don't consider myself advanced, maybe upper-intermediate, and, although it's taken a few times of trying, I've gotten most of the steps down in Cath's workouts that I've done. If I can't get a particular step down, I modify it with a repeater or a lunge or whatever seems kind of like the step I can't get, and it usually comes to me when I least expect it(that happened with Cardio Fusion last night...some footwork that I just couldn't get for weeks, all of a sudden just became crystal clear! :))

I usually preview new videos when I'm doing an elliptical workout or, sometimes, I'll do a workout for the first time (or one that I know I haven't completely gotten yet) on a "rest" day, so I don't feel as if I've lost a day. That helps me because I'm less stressed about "having-to-do-it" and I just have fun with it, which makes some of the hard steps come to me.

Just suggestions...Good luck!
 
Denise,

When I do a new Cathe workout, I do preview it the night before (but you don't have to if your time is limited), and if I still don't get it, I don't stop to rewind it, I keep going so my heartrate stays high. The next time I do that workout, if I still haven't got it, I keep going anyway. I catch up and keep going. Eventually I do remember it.

I hope that helps you, it works for me anyway.

Janie

The idea is to die young as late as possible.

http://www.picturetrail.com/janiejoey
 
another one who sees no need for an instructional video (or instrutions added to the workouts)....

part of the fun is learning it...


-------------
cute work out clothes are good for AT LEAST an additional 10-15 calories burned!
 
I've been exercising for a lot of years to video - started with Susan Harris's volume 1 of the Firm. I also consider myself an advanced exerciser. I found Cathe about 2 years ago and now have all of her work. From day one, I've always previewed first then stood with the remote in my hand going through a new workout in slow motion. After doing this, I tend to get it. I realize that we don't all have the same learning curve, but I've never seen a need for separate instruction. While I don't see the need for it, if Cathe wants to include it, I would simply hope it wouldn't add to production wait time.

Lorrie

Pain is temporary - quitting lasts forever
Candace Grasso, CC-V-6
 
RE: Instructional Video is a Must! Cathe, please must ...

I would also say I'd rather Cathe spend her time and talent on coming up with fresh workouts, rather than breaking down step patterns.

One of the fun features of Cathe's videos is that they are advanced -- and that goes for much of the choreography. Learning the steps is half the challenge sometimes, but that's exactly what keeps me coming back to these workouts over the years. They engage my mind as well as my body. ;-)
 
RE: Instructional Video is a Must! Cathe, please must ...

I agree with having some sort of explanation of the steps. I understand that it is recommended that you preview the workout - but I have 1 hour dedicated to exercising every day, and I would hate to spend that on watching it and not moving. It is also frustrating that a lot of moves are cued AS THEY ARE PERFORMED. I do not find the choreography very difficult in itself, but I do find it difficult to keep up because I do not know what's coming up. It would be so helpful if I could hear what's coming up BEFORE she gets into it. I love the workouts, but I find it very frustrating that, unless I do the same one every other day so I'll remember the sequences, I find myself rewinding over and over again until I remember the moves. It does break my concentration a lot and it frustrates me. I got all of the latest DVD's, and I am having a blast doing them almost all the time, but every once in a while I am left watching the screen and trying to remember which combo that was. Especially when I hear "Did you get it?", I look at the TV and sure enough, I am doing something completely different.

...and yes, I know that at some point I will learn them and not be surprised anymore, but until then I really want to enjoy my workouts and not be frustrated. When I exercise I want to be able to do the moves from one end of the workout to the other, because I know I can, and it is frustrating to know that I can't actually do one combo from start to finish through no fault of my own - I can't read minds while I exercise. Previewing the workouts will help me learn the moves, not learn the sequence. In my mind there's a difference between the two, and I am not sure if I explained it right.

Just my $0.02...
 
RE: Instructional Video is a Must! Cathe, please must ...

>>>>>"I would also say I'd rather Cathe spend her time and talent on coming up with fresh workouts, rather than breaking down step patterns."

Really???? Are you honestly suggesting that a short chapter added to DVDs, breaking down steps will take soooo much time that it will effect production of all future workouts? It will interrupt the creative process? Come on people. Get real.

I don't understand the attitude of some of the people on this usually cooperative site - I guess I just don't understand the attitude of "I don't need it or want it, therefore you shouldn't have it either!" What's up with that? An extra chapter is not going to kill production times, creative energy or cause any harm to another exerciser by it's existence (as a separate chapter!) on a DVD. You don't have to watch it. Why would you object to something that will help others and increase the Cathe-fold? Wow, is really all I can say.
 
RE: Instructional Video is a Must! Cathe, please must ...

>"I don't understand the attitude of some of the people on this usually cooperative site - I guess I just don't understand the attitude of "I don't need it or want it, therefore you shouldn't have it either!" What's up with that? An extra chapter is not going to kill production times, creative energy or cause any harm to another exerciser by it's existence (as a separate chapter!) on a DVD. You don't have to watch it. Why would you object to something that will help others and increase the Cathe-fold? Wow, is really all I can say."

NY25 - maybe I missed it as I really haven't followed this thread too closely, but I didn't think anyone said that. I believe some folks were saying they don't find it really necessary, but has anyone actually objected to it or suggested that because they don't need it that others shouldn't have this? Let's keep it cooperative.

Lorrie

Pain is temporary - quitting lasts forever
Candace Grasso, CC-V-6
 
RE: Instructional Video is a Must! Cathe, please must ...

I am the one who started this whole request and I have to say, I too am very surprised, but I guess everyone is entitled to their opinion. I did get the feel from the people who disagreed with me that it was their feeling that "more advanced exercisers wouldn't/shouldn't have this issue", but maybe that's just how I understood it. IT doesn't matter, however. There are many more people who agree with me than not. Thanks for your input.
 
RE: Instructional Video is a Must! Cathe, please must ...

I think a seperate tutorial chapter of the trickier moves is a great idea. Cathe has done this on Step Works, IMAX2, and even gave pointers on kickbox form on KPC - all on a seperate chapter that I've viewed once and forgotten about. It wasn't a particularly long chapter, and I didn't have to spend time previewing the entire workout. I'm sure that if Cathe knew how appreciated the tutorials were, she'd be happy to add them again.

I'm not so sure a separate DVD with tutorials of all her more complicated choreography would be worthwhile. Why produce a separate DVD that would be useful only for the workouts up to this point? Cathe's always coming up with new choreography and new twists to old choreo. Also, those new to Cathe are usually a bit timid about the $$$ they are already spending. Would they spend another $25 for an instructional DVD?

Fortunately, IMO, this newest batch of workouts have much simpler choreography. I think they would be something to recommend to people looking for the next step up from the basic workouts. I do know that she is planning an all-step workout for her next batch and maybe she'll include something like this.

Diane
 
RE: Instructional Video is a Must! Cathe, please must ...

Yup - they objected. It is, and I quote "a waste of time".
 
RE: Instructional Video is a Must! Cathe, please must ...

I cringe to be posting here in the ask Cathe section, but I'd like to add my .02 to this topic. Personally, I am in phenomenal shape - I have no problem getting through any workout on the market. HOWEVER, I am totally and extremely TIME challenged. When I workout I am wanting to work out. . . I have not the time nor the patience to learn complex choreography. Unfortunately for me this means that even though I have plenty of money to spend on Cathe . . . I don't buy her workouts that consist of complex choreo. It's the truth. I spent the time learning Low Max and that has helped me with others (namely the new series). I have IMAX3 and it has been sitting on the shelf for 2 years!! I would love to buy all of her workouts but I am not in for getting myself wrapped around the axle trying to learn complex step moves. I workout to relieve stress not to create it! So, I will say YES PLEASE . . . I believe that a separate section going over the complex step moves would be very beneficial!! Then I could spend more $$ on Cathe and stop buying those darn Spinervals workouts!
 
RE: Instructional Video is a Must! Cathe, please must ...

I don’t see anything wrong with the OP making the suggestion. In fact, why not add it to the suggestions forum where it would be considered with all the other DVD suggestions. Also, I don’t see a problem with any of the replies. Since the OP states that an instructional video “would sell like crazy” it opens the discussion up to the customer base. There is nothing wrong with getting some feedback on where people stand on this option, as long as they are clearly speaking for themselves.

Here’s my input on this subject. I wouldn’t buy an instructional video. I like the way Cathe has picked and gone over some of the moves in the past. If a separate tutorial segment increased the wait time from production to delivery or if this addition took up space required for a feature that is already on the DVD’s, I wouldn’t be in favor of it. If the additional segment doesn't affect time or space, than it really doesn't concern me. (I reserve the right to change my mind if this addition would cause any other problems.) I think a tutorial section on the site would be nice, but these things take time to set up and would probably take away from other projects. I wouldn’t really value a tutorial section.

jordan
 
RE: Instructional Video is a Must! Cathe, please must ...

Ok - I must me missing this. Wasn't it the OP who used the term waste of time when she said it was a waste of time to go to a step class at a gym where you don't know the moves and are tripping over your step or your neighbor? Let's keep this civil, because it very well may be something Cathe would consider, so I hope the discussion doesn't get twisted. I do like the idea of posting the request under the suggestions forum. But again, just because some of us don't think it's needed doesn't mean we're saying nobody should have this option. I'd also like to think we are a more congenial crowd than that.

Lorrie

Pain is temporary - quitting lasts forever
Candace Grasso, CC-V-6
 
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