ricochet's and long hop turns (help please!)

[mini-natty]

I am becoming a little frustrated as I am completely clueless on how to perform these moves correctly

Just some background info, I am trying to get the step work down for Imax2 (my 2nd try). I become lost once I have to ricochet. So, let me try to describe this, does the right foot hop over the step first or the left foot?

The same with long hop turns. Does the right foot go on the step first and do you change foot once you reach the end of your step and have to come back? (i.e right foot down, then left foot back, alternating).

I know it's hard to explain in writing, but can someone please try? If I could, I would invite someone who lives near me to COME TO MY HOUSE and show me how to do the moves! I need to nail this one. BTW, what a fun little workout . I guess that means I have to join the rest of the Cathe world and try IMAX3...

 

[kathryn]

I hate ricochets. and usually modify, but if you do them: the same foot always stays on the step (if your right side is towards the step, that's the foot that will stay on the step) and you hop to unload that foot while making 180-degree turn forward, touch the floor on the other side of the step with the moving foot (just tap, don't put your weight on the foot), then hop and unload while turning backwards. (Much easier to show than to describe! Hope this helps).

I do the long hop turns, but I haven't done them for a while and can't easily think of how to do them.

 

[nkhansen1]

I'll give long hop turns a try...You start with the foot closest to the step (the inside leg). Starting at the corner, step into center of step and propel yourself all the way to the other corner. Now your other leg is the inside leg. Step onto the step with that foot and repeat over and over, each time switching feet. So if you start on the right corner, you will step with your right, jump and turn, and come down on the left side. Your left foot will naturally come down first since your right us on the step still. Just switch feet, and now step up with your left.

 

[mini-natty]

Thank you very much for your help ladies! This did clarify the moves for me, so thank you again.

 

[JT]

I learned the moves from previewing and watching Cathe and crew. sorry, no help.

 

[CommittedtoFitness]

You're like me, Mini-natty, in that you're over thinking the moves. They're actually simpler than they seem when you're trying to learn them by watching a fast-moving DVD looking over your shoulder when you're turning (I don't mean to minimize the difficulty you're having, just encouraging you to keep moving until you get it).

The ricochet is a forward and back move whereas the long hop turn is one way, although you often do a series of long hop turns in alternating directions (I hope that makes sense). If you find yourself at the wrong end of the step, don't worry. It doesn't matter as long as your work on the right and left is balanced. Hang in there. You'll get it.

Incidentally, much as I wanted to like IMAX3 because IMAX2 is such a great workout, I really don't like it nearly as much because there is so much high-impact content in the blasts that I need to modify. My patience with high-impact moves has decreased since I started doing the new Low Impact Series. I like IMAX (on the Rhythmic Step DVD) much better than IMAX3. IMAX2 is still my favorite.

 

[mini-natty]

You're like me, Mini-natty, in that you're over thinking the moves. They're actually simpler than they seem when you're trying to learn them by watching a fast-moving DVD looking over your shoulder when you're turning (I don't mean to minimize the difficulty you're having, just encouraging you to keep moving until you get it).

The ricochet is a forward and back move whereas the long hop turn is one way, although you often do a series of long hop turns in alternating directions (I hope that makes sense). If you find yourself at the wrong end of the step, don't worry. It doesn't matter as long as your work on the right and left is balanced. Hang in there. You'll get it.

Incidentally, much as I wanted to like IMAX3 because IMAX2 is such a great workout, I really don't like it nearly as much because there is so much high-impact content in the blasts that I need to modify. My patience with high-impact moves has decreased since I started doing the new Low Impact Series. I like IMAX (on the Rhythmic Step DVD) much better than IMAX3. IMAX2 is still my favorite.

Thank you very much for your response. Yes, I do over think the moves. I am not a good "stepper" and so I am trying real hard to get something that does not come naturally to me.

 

[CommittedtoFitness]

I just checked IMAX2. In interval 9 you do a long hop turn followed by a shuffle down the board. So if you stand toward the right end of the board, you put your right foot on the step and leap toward the left end landing on the floor on your left foot. Then turn, put your left foot on the board for the shuffle move. The reverse is true when you do the other side (standing toward the left, put your left foot on the board and leap landing on your right foot toward the right end of the board). You'll notice Cathe and crew using an arm to provide balance and momentum during the leap.

Please don't hate me for bringing this up, but I just did Intensity and discovered that...as Cathe would say, hold onto your hat...there is a "reverse ricochet." It's a variation on the ricochet probably just to make things more interesting. I modify it because I fear tripping, and I still get a good workout.

 

[Terina]

For me I watched and re-watched it in slow motion SO many times but I finally got it. sometimes I'll do a step on the floor b4 trying it on the step. hopes that helps.

 

[EllieB]

For me I watched and re-watched it in slow motion SO many times but I finally got it. sometimes I'll do a step on the floor b4 trying it on the step. hopes that helps.

I do the same and it works very well for me because this way I avoid falling from the step

Long hops: I have Power max, in which she repeats this move many times so I got used to that pretty soon, but the ladies up here gave you wonderful explanations about that. Ricochet: it took me a while before I got it (and then got confused doing reverese ricochet in Intensity ) but please don't get discouraged! Once you learn those moves, they come so natural that you won't even look at Cathe but just follow her voice and enjoy the music, so try once more in a very relaxed way, I'm sure you'll get them!
Happy stepping !

 

[kathryn]

For me I watched and re-watched it in slow motion SO many times but I finally got it. sometimes I'll do a step on the floor b4 trying it on the step. hopes that helps.

Just remember that moves are broken down into 8 counts, and as you watch, try to link the counts with your moves.

 

[pepnchar]

A richochet is like a 2 repeater and a long hop turn is just a single knee with propulsion. Depending on the combo -- you could simply modify those moves without going over or across the step.

 

[nkhansen1]

They are also both four-count moves, so you can easily sub repeaters or plyo jacks if you don't want to do the other.

 

[mini-natty]

Thanks so much ladies for all your help with this! I did not realize you could sub certain moves. Very helpful, thanks again!

 

[RapidBreath]

Thanks so much ladies for all your help with this! I did not realize you could sub certain moves. Very helpful, thanks again!

I often just do a repeater instead of a ricohet, its a lower impact move. A ricochet is really a repeater with a touch/leap over the step in the middle, like this:

Lead foot steps on the step
repeater would just do 3 repeats

but as a ricochet:
count 1: lead foot steps on the step
count 2: Jump up
count 3: but land on the other side of the step
count 4: Jump up again, land back where you started.

The trick is that its very fast.

As some of the others said about the long hop:
Its the same as a hop turn across the board (normal one) but its starting at one end of the board. Sometimes you just end up on the other end or you might do a 180, and end up back where you started. I just think of it as turning on top of the board but with more power so I get all the way to the other end.

Here is my count (which of course Cathe might modify at any time to suit her choreography.)

So, starting at the short end of the board facing the short end.

Count 1: Step on board
Count 2: Long hop turn (jump up, and turn your body so that you end up at the opposite end facing the board.)
Count 3: Long hop turn (return to starting position by jumping up and turning.)

I spent some time with Cathe in slow motion to figure these out.

 

[CDPotier]

All I can say is practice, practice, practice, and also the rewind button. I did the step portion from Step, Jump and Pump yesterday, and it had ricochets and long hop turns. The first time I did a Cathe workout, it was LoMax, and I thought I would never learn to do it. Just keep practicing it, and use the rewind button. Good luck!