After reading the wonderful reviews of Body Max 2 I just had to have it. I previewed it last night and I am wigging out that I'll NEVER learn the choreography! Any tips? I have the High Step Circuit, Boot Camp, Muscle Endurance, Butts and Gutts, and also recently got IMAX 3, but haven't even watched that one yet. Any tips on how to teach myself the choreography would be great. I think tomorrow I'm just gonna jump in and do what I can! I hate to purchase simpler videos just to work myself up to this when I know I already have these tapes and I'm in pretty decent shape. Thanks for any help!
Learning the coreography
- Thread starter Snitker
- Start date
kathryn
Cathlete
Previewing is a good first step.
I can pretty much tell what moves will be challenging from a preview, then I pay special attention to them, breaking them down into their 8-count if necessary (it's standard in the aerobics industry to break moves down into 8-count moves,chaining them together to make 16- or 32-count combos) and paying attention to what foot does what. In Body Max 2, for example, the "speed skater" threw me at first, and I would end up exiting off the wrong side of the step, until I counted it out, and figured that count 6 is a knee up, with counts 7 and 8 exiting off that same side.
Also pay attention to transitions from one side of the step to another (like side to back or back to side) as there are sometimes moves that work alright if you make sure to place your feet correctly to prepare them for the following move, but can be 'torquey if you don't pay attention to that.
Also, sometimes Cathe's cuing of a move (or name for it) doesn't quite make sense to me, so I rename it or 'recue' it to make it easier to me. For example, the triple around the step is usually cued as 'knee up, triple, triple,' but that can throw me, because there are two exit steps before the triples. I cue it to myself as 'knee up-step-step-triple-triple.' And in Low Max(?) Cathe calls a move a "knee-smash repeater" (which logically should be three knee smashes, but is a knee-kick-knee--and which she calls, more logically, a 'kickbox repeater' in Cardio and Weights), but I 'call it" a 'kickbox repeater' or a 'knee-kick-knee.'
Also, sometimes if you find a move difficult, it may help to watch Cedie or another background exerciser, who may do it a bit differently. For example, in Step Blast, I had a bit of trouble with a step that goes off the side and pivots and returns to the step, until I paid attention to how Cedie does it: her move is more circular than how the others do it, and following her lead made it easier for me to end up where I was supposed to.
HTH
I can pretty much tell what moves will be challenging from a preview, then I pay special attention to them, breaking them down into their 8-count if necessary (it's standard in the aerobics industry to break moves down into 8-count moves,chaining them together to make 16- or 32-count combos) and paying attention to what foot does what. In Body Max 2, for example, the "speed skater" threw me at first, and I would end up exiting off the wrong side of the step, until I counted it out, and figured that count 6 is a knee up, with counts 7 and 8 exiting off that same side.
Also pay attention to transitions from one side of the step to another (like side to back or back to side) as there are sometimes moves that work alright if you make sure to place your feet correctly to prepare them for the following move, but can be 'torquey if you don't pay attention to that.
Also, sometimes Cathe's cuing of a move (or name for it) doesn't quite make sense to me, so I rename it or 'recue' it to make it easier to me. For example, the triple around the step is usually cued as 'knee up, triple, triple,' but that can throw me, because there are two exit steps before the triples. I cue it to myself as 'knee up-step-step-triple-triple.' And in Low Max(?) Cathe calls a move a "knee-smash repeater" (which logically should be three knee smashes, but is a knee-kick-knee--and which she calls, more logically, a 'kickbox repeater' in Cardio and Weights), but I 'call it" a 'kickbox repeater' or a 'knee-kick-knee.'
Also, sometimes if you find a move difficult, it may help to watch Cedie or another background exerciser, who may do it a bit differently. For example, in Step Blast, I had a bit of trouble with a step that goes off the side and pivots and returns to the step, until I paid attention to how Cedie does it: her move is more circular than how the others do it, and following her lead made it easier for me to end up where I was supposed to.
HTH
CollinsMom
Cathlete
I just want to say that Body Max 2 was my first Cathe purchase after I completed the beginner rotation. I don't know why I decided to jump right into that, knowing it was advanced, but it looked fun so I went for it.
This is now my favorite workout. Just take your time, and use your platform only to begin with before adding risers.
This is now my favorite workout. Just take your time, and use your platform only to begin with before adding risers.
lainiefig
Cathlete
I think Body Max 2 is one of those that looks worse than it is when you get up and do it. I was discouraged my first time trying it--actually fell off the step and hurt myself trying to do the "cross country" move but now I love doing those. Right now I'm trying to learn Rhythmic Step (which is one of Cathe's trickier ones, I believe) and I'm just tacking on a segment at the end of other workouts. I was pleasantly surprised that it wasn't impossible to learn. I think of myself as rather klutzy, so it's nice to learn something fancy. I do enjoy engaging my brain while my body is in gear. So anyway, my advice would be just to try that--tack on little bits of BM2 to other workouts to test out the choreography. Rewinding is not forbidden, either. 
***Lainie***
http://web.mac.com/lainiefig/iWeb/Site/Exercise.html
"The worst loneliness is to not be comfortable with yourself." -- Mark Twain
***Lainie***
http://web.mac.com/lainiefig/iWeb/Site/Exercise.html
"The worst loneliness is to not be comfortable with yourself." -- Mark Twain
angie_nrs
Cathlete
I fist started using Cathe's w/o years ago and my fist one was AllStep. I got so darned mad that I shelved it for a while but I had to go back to it because I couldn't bear the fact that a w/o had gotten the best of me. I did this w/o for a week straight until I got every single move. It was not a pleasant experience while I was doing it, but now it is still one of my favorites. And, even though it took me a while to get it, I always ended up sweaty and worked out. So, even if you don't get all the steps, you'll still get a good workout.
I actually like tough choreo, b/c it keeps it interesting and the time seems to fly by!
You'll have fun with IMAX 3. It is a tough workout but well worth the time to learn the moves. I think interval #9 was the tricky one for me. I had to replay that segment about 4 times straight before I finally GOT it! So, take the extra time to replay the segments that you need to until you have them down.
Don't give up! Just keep doing them over and over until it clicks and you will be glad you did.;-)
Angie
And, even though it took me a while to get it, I always ended up sweaty and worked out. So, even if you don't get all the steps, you'll still get a good workout.I actually like tough choreo, b/c it keeps it interesting and the time seems to fly by!
You'll have fun with IMAX 3. It is a tough workout but well worth the time to learn the moves. I think interval #9 was the tricky one for me. I had to replay that segment about 4 times straight before I finally GOT it! So, take the extra time to replay the segments that you need to until you have them down.
Don't give up! Just keep doing them over and over until it clicks and you will be glad you did.;-)
Angie