I've Never Cried Over a Workout, But...

C

CoachKrystal

Member
This is my first experience with Cathe's dvds. I just got my Shock Cardio dvd set yesterday, and I've been previewing the dvds ever since they arrived.

I just attempted Step Moves, and have never felt so frustrated and impotent in my life. I have some experience with step, so I thought I would be able to pick up on these moves easily, even after previewing the dvd several times. But I was unable to keep up. I was so frustrated, I just stopped the dvd and hopped on the treadmill and did a quick mile in an attempt to get my heart rate up. Then, I put Step Moves back on, and couldn't make it through the first combo without just standing there watching and trying to understand what she was doing.

Has anyone else ever experienced this with a step video, and how on earth did you get past it?! :(

I am so frustrated and in tears, and this is just not like me. Please help!!!
 
I can completely relate! I just attempted athletic step and couldn't get the moves down, then the dvd kept freezing up on me! I was....well... shall we say EXTREMELY irritated. I just took it out and did half of MMA fusion. I'm still irritated :[
 
CoachKrystal - hang in there and you WILL get it. I have been doing Cathe's DVD's for about 5 years now, but when 4 day split came out a couple years ago, it took me a long time to get down the higher intensity step routine. I would get parts of it and then just totally get lost. The first time (after many times doing this video) I finally got it, it felt great. I have not tried Step Moves yet, but found myself not totally "on" with Athletic Step, which is supposed to be the easier of the two for the choreography, anyway.

Good luck!
 
My best advice is to tack it on to the end of a workout. A workout where you still have a little left in you. And then give it a few minutes of time to play and learn. Then, all you are doing is something fun. You've already "worked out" and then the rest is just an add-on. Pop in the dvd and play a little. You'll see, it'll come. My frustration grew when I expected IT to BE the workout and really, at the beginning, it's about learning Cathe and the steps. Once you get it, and you will get it, it's a lot of fun AND it WILL become the workout : )
 
This is one of Cathe's most complex choreography workouts she has done. So I would put this one on the shelf for now and try out Athletic Step instead. If you can't even get that down, and really like step, then I'd recommend some of Cathe's older workouts, especially the cardio hits DVD. They are just as fun and hard cardio but a lot easier to follow.
Beth
 
Thanks for the responses, everyone. I'm starting to think it's more of a mental thing than a physical one.

bakert, ((HUG))

steppin out, I didn't realize that Athletic Step was supposed to be the easier of the two. I'll try that one next. :eek:

botteki, that's an excellent suggestion! That's exactly what I'll do! What a great idea! I was getting frustrated tonight because I wanted to work out, but instead I ended up just standing there! I was like, "NOOOO, I'm not getting my heart rate up at all by just standing here!" :(

So that's what I'll do. I'll do each combo as a bonus after my regular workouts until I master it. Thank you so much for you help, all of you!

I actually feel much better! Yaayy!!!
 
Beth, I'm going to check out Athletic Step next, since it's supposed to be easier. And I'll keep the cardio hits in mind, should Athletic Step prove to be to daunting, as well. Thank you!:D
 
My dvd player remote has an A-B Repeat button. I use this feature to learn any/all of my new Cathe workouts. If you aren't familiar with this feature, just push the button at the beginning of the segment you want to learn and push it again at the end of the segment. For mine, it can be as long or short as I want it. When I'm finished with it looping through, however many times it takes me to get comfortable with that part of the routine, I push A-B Repeat again and it turns the feature off and the workout continues on.

I hope those instructions were clear.

Hope this helps!
 
It may help that I am a step instructor and teach complex routines, because I got this workout on the first try. The only difference being I cue the steps with different names which tripped me up a bit, but once I stopped and watched was back on track. Thank you Cathe for showing me ways to combine familar moves in refreshing new ways!

For those of you who are frustrated, please keep watching and trying. This is a really fun workout and I love the tapless step which is very big out here in Arizona.

A good tip I give my participants is when in doubt, count it out. For example when you're doing the quick run combo it is still on the 8 count but because it's fast the count is not a straight 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8. It would sound like this: 1 and 2, 3 and 4 (the quick runs) 5-6-7-8 (up-up straddle down). Watch her feet very carefully on the quick runs. I had to demo this slow with my participants before class without music and have them try it with me.

I can relate to the frustration because even as an instructor there is a learning curve. Check out this video on youtube that explains the 1 and 2, 3 and 4 quick step count which is exactly what Cathe does in Step Moves. But instead of the step kick on the youtube video Cathe does up-up straddle down on the 5-6-7-8. Watching this video was a huge help to me in learning the quick step (or quick run as Cathe calls it).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x9TBplIuZao
 
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Sue, what a great idea! I'm going to do that! I also tried playing it in slow motion last night, and that did help some, for me to really be able to analyze the foot work and see what Cathe was doing. The only drawback with slow motion is that there's no audio, so even though I was able to analyze the moves, I wasn't hearing the verbal cues that go along with them, which is half the battle.

Roey, that YouTube video was helpful. The thing that's interesting about that video is that, when she started off just counting, it didn't click with me. But when she verbally identified the moves (rhythm over, rhythm back, step, kick), it immediately clicked with me. So I think I'll have to, in my mind, start naming the moves, and let Cathe do the counting. I think that will help me.

Thanks so much, ladies, all of you. This has been very helpful and encouraging to me. :D I appreciate it so much!
 
Krystal,
You might want to put it away for a while (a day or two) and then come back to it when you're fresh. Preview again the day before you do it, then tackle one segment at a time. Trying it when you're fresh could make it easier to pick up than trying it when you've already done another workout. And limiting your time with it (one segment at a time) can make it less frustrating as well.

It sounds like you found something that will click for you (naming the moves instead of counting). That's progress right there, IMO!

Just keep at it, and you'll get it!
 
Oh my goodness - your first Cathe dvds! Don't feel bad about feeling frustrated. Cathe's choreography can be quite complex (one of the many things I personally LOVE about her workouts) and can be frustrating. Many of us have done a lot of Cathe's step workouts for years so it gets easier the more of her step routines you have done.

I agree with repeating segments until you get them. Do it a few times to get more familiar or until you get the section -depending on your personality - there is such a tremendous sense of accomplishment when you start to get the choreography. And when you get so you can do it, it gets to be FUN. I am not kidding. This is one of the reasons I love her workouts, her dvds never get old. And I feel so good when I am done. Man can she get the endorphins flowing.

Hang in there! We've all been there.
 
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Don't feel bad I know it can be tricky but if you keep trying even when you don't break a sweat is going to help you build your sense of choreography.
When I first did Cathe's DVDs some of them were easy but others still, I can't do them one of them is Rhythmic Step I hated because I was expending my energy on trying to learn the step that my HR did not go up, but I just keep on going back now is better, I know this new DVD is so complicated but just hand in there,
I think you should get Step Blast and get use to some of Cathe's step and then Rhythmic Step and keep working toward Step moves, Athletic step is an easy one you should try that one.:D
 
I have to do Cathe's step DVD's at least 5 days in a row before I finally get the moves, and some of them are just beyond me. I just replay the chapters a lot when Im learning.

I think The Guantlet on the Terminator DVD is my favorite, and it took me a bit to get it, but it was a little easier that some of the others.

Although I can tell you that I actually laughed out loud when I watched Step moves because I know I will probably hurt myself trying to get teh moves down. Haven;t tried it yet, but maybe this weekend.

So, you are definitely not alone!
 
Thanks so much, ladies! I'm going to try Athletic Step tonight, since so many are saying that it's a little easier.

I'll definitely remember to name the steps (in my head) and use the repeat button on my dvd player!

Thanks again! :)
 
I like to do a new step dvd with my remote in hand....I may not get through the whole workout, but I just rewind each segment and attempt to do it until I get it.....according to my heartrate monitor, I still burn a lot of calories. Usually I will watch part of the segment, pause it, do it over and over until I get it, unpause and watch the next part, etc., etc.....I was tempted to return a couple of cathe dvds to collage because I was very frustrated at first, but then I decided I would give it a try with remote in hand! It worked!
 
CoachKrystal, please don't be discouraged -- I promise that if you keep trying, you will get it and you will be so happy that you took the time to learn the new workouts. I've been working out with Cathe for 15 plus years, so I am so familiar with her style, that it's a lot easier for me to learn her workouts when I get a new one. But even so, several years ago, I received Rhythmic Step and when I first tried it, I could not do it no matter what (even though I had already mastered all of Cathe's step workouts before that). So it sat on my shelf for almost a year because I just didn't want to do it thinking it was too hard. But I kept hearing all these amazing things about this particular workout on the forums so finally I decided I would try it again. I did it and kept at it until I learned the moves (which really didn't take that long after all). This has become one of my most favorite workouts and I can now do it in my sleep -- it's not at all hard for me. Personally, I don't think that Step Moves is any harder than Rhythmic Step. Just keep working on Step Moves and I promise you, you will get it eventually. And when you do finally get it, you will be SO happy that you kept at it and learned it. After you master that step workout (as well as Athletic Step), it be MUCH easier to learn Cathe's step workouts in the future. Please trust me on this one -- I'm speaking from experience!!

Good luck -- Julie
 
Thanks, Julie. I'll definitely keep at it. If all else fails, I'll take others' suggestions to try some of the older workouts, too. I LOVE step workouts... I guess I'm just not used to advanced choreography. I'll get it, though. I was very discouraged last night when I first tried it, but I'm going to go at it again with a more patient frame of mind, and I'm sure that will help me.

That, along with all the other tips I've already gotten (like holding the remote while doing it!). These tips from everyone have been excellent, and I'm very appreciative! I'll be sure to come back and let everyone know when I've mastered the workout, since so many are cheering me on! LOL :p

Thanks, again!
 
I have another idea for you. Try the work without the step. Fold a towel long ways on floor to give you a visual of the step and try it. This will be a less cumbersom way of working out while learning the moves cause you won't be trying to step up when you're not quite sure of what you're doing yet.

Good luck. We're rooting for you.
 
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