Question about cueing from a Cathe newbie - will I ever...

C

coripc39

Member
I just started doing some of Cathe DVD's a few weeks back. I actually first recorded some on FitTV and decided I absolutely HAD to have some - fast forwarding and cut/incomplete segments did not make me happy. I went ahead and purchased a few cardio ones. I've been doing The Firm for a few years now and love their system of cardio-sculpt, but I though Cathe's cardio is a great option for when I just don't want to use any weights.

Now I am very used to their (The Firm's) cueing system, and I absolutely get frustrated when I can't follow Cathe's cues, since it seems that she talks about the new moves in a combination as she does them. It's not the easiest choreography to begin with - which is great - but the challenge for me is to be able to do the choreography, not to try and guess what the next move is going to be so I'm prepared for it and do it. I am very particular about not missing anything, and I hate it when I have to wait for the next time she does it to figure out what it is. I always end up just rewinding it a bunch of times. I have to tell you that when she says "pay attention" and then starts describing what she does as she does it, I have to stop and grab the remote. And that's when frustration kicks in...

I think this is the only thing that I don't quite care for with all these DVD's. I absolutely love the ones that I got so far (Rhythmic Step - my absolute favorite and the one that I was doing off FitTV, LoMax, Low Impact, and 2 other ones - can't remember which, I am at work now) in the sense that I enjoy all her cardio far better then the other cardio workouts that I have - it just seems that I get a great cardio workout when I do these. I even went out and bought a step so I won't have to use the TransFirmer - I wanted to be sure I do everything exactly right.

My question is: will I ever get to the point where I can follow her cues without stopping? Are the newer DVD's better as far as this part is concerned? Or is it something that I have to accept and just get used to? Is it something I can get used to at some point? Now that I've done each DVD a few times, I can almost follow them without rewinding - but even though I wanted more Cathe DVD's, I don't want to go through the learning curve again for each one. Not to mention that the more of Cathe's DVD's I seem to have, the harder it is to keep track of what each routine is so I won't miss any moves as they are being cued. Has anyone experienced this, or is it just me and my weird compulsion to not miss one move and get it right the first time? Help!!! LOL

Thanks in advance for any advice you might have.

Corina
 
"Will I ever get to the point where I can follow her cues without stopping?"

Yes. You'll get to the point, like a lot of us are with her new DVD's, that you'll do them first time through with very few fumbles.
 
RE: Question about cueing from a Cathe newbie - will I ...

Hi Corina,

I too was a former FIRM user but switched to Cathe because I needed something more challenging. I did find learning Cathe's step choreography was a physical (and mental) challenge.

Reading through posts on this forum, I noticed everyone said to start out with Cathe's older step DVDs. She uses a lot of the same moves (even calls them by the same names) in her newer DVDs that she used in her older DVDs. She also breaks down the steps more in her older DVDs.

I started out with CTX series and it was a wondeful introduction to Cathe's step choreography. I think she cues the moves very well there. Once you start to learn the names of each move,you'll notice it becomes easier to pick up on the choreography on her newer DVDs.

Cathe knows the people who buy her DVDs are long time followers and therefore, are pretty familiar with her cuing from older DVDs. We Cathe-ites all started out stumbling over the step but eventually we mastered the moves.

Wish you the best of luck!!

Eileen
 
RE: Question about cueing from a Cathe newbie - will I ...

Hi Eileen,

Thank you for your encouraging post. I guess I don't have a problem with the moves per se, since I can figure them out pretty fast - I was actually surprised by this. I am more frustrated about the fact that in quite a few spots she introduces the moves while she is doing them, thus making me miss the first few ones (since my crystal ball is not always functioning :) ). I have no problem when she says that some move is coming up, I can follow that pretty easily. I was just hoping that it (not announcing some move before it was performed) was something that was "fixed" in the more recent DVD's - but now I get that I am maybe in a very small minority and for most people this has not been a problem.

Oh well, I'll keep doing them because I absolutely love the workout that I get, and hopefully I'll get more used to this style of cueing and I won't be bothered by it anymore. This will be hard for me though, I am one of those people that cannot workout until the step is placed perfectly parallel to whatever is closest to it - TV stand, wall etc. So you can see my problem... :) It might just be a compulsion - hmmm... :)

Thanks again,
 
RE: Question about cueing from a Cathe newbie - will I ...

Corina - oh a lot of people complain about that. One of the things that Cathe always says is that she makes these DVD's, especially the step, so you have a tough time getting it all on the first try, otherwise, you'd get bored quickly. I've been doing Cathe for 1.5 years now, and had places in her new DVD's that had me stopping and staring at the tv trying to figure out what she was doing. I'll get it the next time, though. I do not expect to get a killer workout the first time, and if you go into with that in mind, it may be easier for you to accept. Start a new video when you want a lighter day.

Me, I'm one of those who trip all over the step and as long as I kind of get it, I'm happy. I know I'll get it the next time. I do understand that not everyone is like that. Several people on the forums swear by completing a workout with a video they know, then taking the first combination of the new workout and allowing themselves time to break it down. The next day they'll work on the second segment... until they have it down. That may work better for you. I don't know.
 
RE: Question about cueing from a Cathe newbie - will I ...

I definitely think it's easier to catch on to Cathe's cuing (her terminology as well as how/when she cues) if you've 'grown up' with her workouts, as I have (I started with Step in Motion III). I think I would have much more difficulty with the workouts had I started later on.

As it is, I usually get 85% of her choreo the first time out (AFTER previewing: I AlWAYS preview workouts, and pay attention to what moves will be tricky...I've gotten to the point that I can tell during a preview what will take more time to learn, and I pay strict attention to it while I preview, sometimes counting out the steps and/or making up my own cues that help me learn it better).
 
Sure you will!

I just nailed down the Extra Cardio segment of Low Impact Circuit last evening.

I used to get very upset when I could not get the choreography after a couple of tries.

But no more -- one day it just all falls into place.
 
My experience was very similar to yours. I liked the cardio I saw on Fit TV and taped Rhythmic Step and Step Blast and Low Max and then had to get them. I too rewound everything until I got it down. I dont like to miss a step either!

I found, though, that if I watched the video one time through first, trying to commit it to memory and focusing in on the trickier foot work, I could get through it better. Also, I found that once I recognized the name of the move, and knew what the footwork would entail, then I could follow Cathe's cues. Now I am able to catch on really fast to new stuff just by recognizing the name of the move.

Hang in there, and you will soon have no problem with her cueing.
 
I haven't read the other responses thoroughly, so forgive me if this is redundant. I've "only" been doing Cathe workouts for a few years, but for me, the key is: Preview, preview, preview!

On virtually every Cathe DVD, she says in the introduction to preview the workout before doing it. That is the single best piece of advice I can give to any Cathe newbie.

Good luck and have fun! You'll get it.
 
It does get easier to pick it all up.
Tips:

ENJOY the learning curve... you'll never get bored w/ the workouts! You can always find ways to keep your heart rate up!

Do premixes for awhile....allows you to perfect moves in smaller pieces...Look forward to the "as produced" day... its like getting another new workout!

Some moves just seem to click after awhile of trying... no particular reason except consistency in viewing/trying/hearing cues

Always remember that no-one is watching you so if its not perfect who cares?
 
Well, you are actually starting with some of the most choreographically challenging workouts she's put out, so if you can follow the workout with only a few minor issues, you're doing great!

Marie
 
"will I ever get to the point where I can follow her cues without stopping?"

From one the most spastic steppers in the world: Yes.
 
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