Step Anyone?

[112toGuru]

Jumping off Hiho322's Ask Cathe thread rant....Is Cathe's step really that much harder than anyone else's? I thought I might like to try some others at some point, maybe Kari Anderson or Amy Bento, Seasun Zeager, etc. (sorry if I didn't spell all those correctly....)

Any avid steppers out there want to share...I really liked Patrick Goudeau"s one on Fit TV, (Who said step is dead?...that one) he looks like fun, I thought the Wizard was cool, but I think he makes it look really easy too.

How do Athletic Step & Step Moves compare to the rest? Does Bodymax 2 have a nice long step premix? Cardio Fusion info?

TIA
Linda

 

[jldx2in2000]

I can only compare Athletic Step and Body Max 2.

I had some trouble with Athletic Step when I first got it but that was really only the second step DVD I had ever tried (Basic Step by Cathe was the first). At about the 3rd try, I did much better (though not perfect because I do have two left feet and never dance).

I personally love the step routine in Body Max 2! I don't know if it is the music or the fact that Cathe makes it very easy but I could almost do the step combo every day. I like doing one of the Cardio Blast Premixes depending on how much time I have. The one that is 40 minutes starts out assuming you already know the step combos so I would suggest doing the step combos first before trying that premix.

The only other step DVDs I have tried that are not Cathe are Kelly Coffey-Meyer's Athletic Step which I like but it got boring and a little to easy for me (although I could up the step height). I watched one of Christy Taylor's DVDs but just couldn't get into it (I think it was Mission Possible). The camera work and quality of the DVD was just to poor for me and I didn't think I would be able to concentrate on the moves.

To sum up, get Body Max 2 if only for the step combos (and the music-if you like 80s). It is so much fun!

 

[Fit_mommy]

I personally find Cathe easier to follow then most other instructors! I have tried others and to date, Cathe's is the only step choreo I can pick up on! I got too frustrated with everyone else's that I have tried!

 

[Bobbi-B]

I have Kari Anderson's Hot Steps dvd, and in the past (VHS days) I had other Kari Anderson, Keli Roberts and Kathy Smith step tapes.

My first Cathe step routine was Low Max, and I did find it harder to learn than other instructors, but not impossibly frustrating. Now that I have LOTS of Cathe's step, I realize that the reason my first Cathe step was hard to learn is that she tends to speak in her own language as if the stepper is familiar with the moves. If someone started with her beginning step routine I guess they would learn all of that, but I remember the first few times doing Low Max I didn't know what "over face and over" or "around the world" or lots of other moves meant. When you string several of those moves together, it can get confusing and the first couple times I did Low Max, I did spend some time marching in place and watching the TV thinking, "Whaat??!" It also helped me catch my breath!

Now, when I get a new Cathe step dvd, I understand the language so it's easier and easier to learn a new routine. Personally, I'm glad that her choreography is challenging, because it prevents boredom. I've done Low Max so many times but I never get tired of it.

I don't have Athletic Step or Step Moves, btw. I absolutely LOVE Bodymax 2!

 

[mj476]

I also have to say Cathe is much easier to follow than other instructors like Amy Bento, Seasun Zieger, Tracey Staehle and Patrick Goudeau. She is much less complex and offers far more breakdown. For that reason, my favorite step of Cathe's are Rhythmic Step and Step Blast. I would say Rhythmic Step is her most complex.

Cardio Fusion is a mix of Body Max 2, Low Impact Circuit and Drill Max. There is no breakdown so it might confuse you if you've never done the others. Body Max 2 is only moderate choreography and has lots of repetition. Drill Max has basic choreography and Low Impact Circuit has moderately complex choreography.

Athletic Step is easy to follow but is very high intensity while Step Moves is lower intensity and has more complex choreography. Step Moves has a few different moves that aren't seen in her other workouts.

If you can follow Patrick, you should have no problem following Cathe.

Marcy

 

[112toGuru]

Thanks for the replies...BodyMax 2 sounds like a winner! I learned with Cathe's beginner/intermediate...and it's the only step I do...I think eventually I'll get to all of them, Cathe's...

I wondered if I would get frustrated with other instructors too, Wendy? (and you're just scarin' me with HSCH, I read that......)

Thanks!

Linda

 

[Fit_mommy]

I wondered if I would get frustrated with other instructors too, Wendy?

Maybe it has something to do with Cathe's teaching style? IDK but she was the first step instructor I ever tried and to date, the only one I can follow. I am going to be attempting Amy Bento in the future. Haven't tried her as of yet and not quite sure how that's gonna work out!

(and you're just scarin' me with HSCH, I read that......)

Thanks!

Linda

Dangit, I can't remember what my comment was about HSCH? I have been trying lots of new (to me) work outs lately and commenting on them after I try them so I am having a hard time keeping track here! Mind refreshing my memory? I can let you know if it's really something to be scared of!

 

[kathryn]

I personally find Cathe easier to follow then most other instructors!

I used to find Cathe not at all hard to pick up...until 4DS. I haven't liked any of the step workouts she's put out since then.

Gay Gasper is easy to follow for the most part (and she usually shows at least three different version using modifiers, so if you don't get the more complex twistier moves, you can stick with a non-twisty version. She does tend, though, to do a lot of TIFTING ("Taking it from the top"), which can be annoying to some.

 

[Fit_mommy]

The 4DS step totally confused me too. I tried to learn it but was not successful. Shortly after that is when I basically swore stepping off for a couple of years and simultaneously got into running. Well things seem to have come full circle and I am not currently running but have come back to stepping. I've been tackling and learning or re-learning a ton of Cathe's step work outs including RS and AS. I am going to begin to tackle SM this weekend. After that I should give the 4DS ones a try again. IMAX 3 even baffled me for the longest time for some reason but now I can do it!

 

[LauraMax]

No way! And the more you do the workouts, the more used to her style you get & the easier it is to pick up. What I love so much about Cathe is the way she breaks down her combos, & her on spot cuing, combined with the high intensity. I've been really getting into the more complex choreo of Amy & Tracy, but Cathe will always be my first love for the reasons I listed above. I don't even really have to preview her new stuff anymore, her style & cuing are so easy to follow. Yet still so much fun & serious cal burn!

I just cannot for the life of me imagine how anyone who loves step would have a problem w/Cathe. She rocks!

 

[LauraMax]

The 4DS step totally confused me too. I tried to learn it but was not successful. Shortly after that is when I basically swore stepping off for a couple of years and simultaneously got into running. Well things seem to have come full circle and I am not currently running but have come back to stepping. I've been tackling and learning or re-learning a ton of Cathe's step work outs including RS and AS. I am going to begin to tackle SM this weekend. After that I should give the 4DS ones a try again. IMAX 3 even baffled me for the longest time for some reason but now I can do it!

I love 4DS! If you decide you don't want it let me know, I'm actually waiting for it to go on sale, I've literally worn out the LIS/HIS DVD.

 

[Fit_mommy]

I love 4DS! If you decide you don't want it let me know, I'm actually waiting for it to go on sale, I've literally worn out the LIS/HIS DVD.

I hesitate to get rid of it because of the weight work but I will certainly let you know if I decide to!
So tell me Laura, I still plan to purchase Amy's ASC3 but you gotta tell me if it's harder to pick up on the the 4DS step work outs cause if it is, I might be changing my mind!

 

[mj476]

I hesitate to get rid of it because of the weight work but I will certainly let you know if I decide to!
So tell me Laura, I still plan to purchase Amy's ASC3 but you gotta tell me if it's harder to pick up on the the 4DS step work outs cause if it is, I might be changing my mind!

Not Laura but I would say ASC3 is harder to pick up than the 4DS step workouts. I'd say LIS is easier to pick up than HIS on 4DS. Cathe doesn't do as much breakdown on the 4DS workouts as on her other workouts so it may take a few more tries to get the choreography but I liked the choreography on these and they were easier for me than ASC3. ASC3 is one of Amy's easier step workouts to pick up but it's still complex and tougher than Cathe IMO.

Marcy

 

[112toGuru]

Maybe it has something to do with Cathe's teaching style? IDK but she was the first step instructor I ever tried and to date, the only one I can follow. I am going to be attempting Amy Bento in the future. Haven't tried her as of yet and not quite sure how that's gonna work out!



Dangit, I can't remember what my comment was about HSCH? I have been trying lots of new (to me) work outs lately and commenting on them after I try them so I am having a hard time keeping track here! Mind refreshing my memory? I can let you know if it's really something to be scared of!

http://cathe.com/forum/showthread.php?t=278190

KILLER work out! Love it!

Whenever I see K-I-L-L-E-R....it's like red flags & sirens!

4 DS, I want that one too... ...... reviews? please...please..........those other instructors don't have a chance....

 

[RapidBreath]

For me, Step Moves and Athletic step were easier to learn than RS. Cardio Classics was fairly easy to learn. Once you have learned one workout the others start to make sense. She will kind of make boxes with her feet a lot, some times she is facing forwards and sometimes it is like the front of the box is to one side or another. If I recall correctly, Cathe said she had been in marching band in HS. That makes perfect sense in terms of her choreography, in some ways it seems very much march derived.

4DS has some of the most tricky choreography because you are facing away from the tv and she doesn't actually tell you which foot to use on some of the moves. Also, on Step Moves you have some of the same issue, she doesn't actually tell you which foot on everything, she doesn't really break it down. But, you know, its like she says, this is a tape (not really its a DVD) and you can rewind as many times as you like.

I personally started with Gin Miller a la my Reebok Step, and I also worked with Kathy Smith. I like Kathy's workouts too, they aren't as intense as Cathe's workouts (if this was in person, how ever could you tell who I was talking about?) You can try some of the other instructors on Netflix. Thats a great way to preview without buying.

 

[lisa_la_machina]

4 DS, I want that one too... ...... reviews? please...please..........those other instructors don't have a chance....

4DS has 2 step segments--Lower Intensity Step and Higher Intensity Step (the other 2 cardio workouts are Boot Camp and Kickbox). Honestly these 2 workouts are my least favorite Cathe step workouts. I use LIS when I'm looking for a low impact routine to add on to a weight workout so that I don't overdo the LIC or LM step premixes. I think I've done HIS four times??? The step in LIS is straight forward and I caught on the first time through. The choreo in HIS is a bit more complex (but nothing like Amy's ASC videos) and I had to do some rewinding because Cathe goes straight into the moves w/o previewing them (and there's a section where you actually do some moves with your back to the TV, and that got confusing the first time through).

So, for me, the 4DS step is blah (which is hard to say because I LOVE Cathe), but the weight work in the series is wonderful, and there are SO many premixes on 4DS so I end up using it a lot for those reasons.

 

[Fit_mommy]

I tried Step Moves today and actually picked up combos 1 and 2 inside of 30 minutes total! I'm amazed and so proud of me! Gonna work on 3 tmrw!

 

[112toGuru]

Thanks for the feedback on 4 DS, AS, SM, I've looked at Kathy Smith, and some others, but find there's usually a Cathe a want to try, maybe it's easier to stick with one instructor, I read the reviews of 4 DS, may still be challenging in the impact department....It's one of those goal workouts........

I found this link to a Bodymax 2 premixes.....

http://cathe.com/forum/showthread.php?t=262771

and this rotation using just Bodymax 2 in one week, what a neat idea:
http://fitfig.com/?p=157

 

[LauraMax]

I hesitate to get rid of it because of the weight work but I will certainly let you know if I decide to!
So tell me Laura, I still plan to purchase Amy's ASC3 but you gotta tell me if it's harder to pick up on the the 4DS step work outs cause if it is, I might be changing my mind!

Most definitely! LOL! Cathe does seem to have a certain style that makes it easier as you get to know it. Amy doesn't seem to have a particular style--every step DVD is different & has a huge learning curve. She also doesn't break down combos the way Cathe does, & her cuing could be better. It's great once you learn the w/o, but Amy often goes right into a move without warning so initially there's much stumbling & deer-in-the-headlights kind of looks at the TV.

From reading this thread I find it very interesting how all of our minds seem to work differently. I found both step workouts in 4DS pretty easy to pick up. RS was tougher for me. Athletic Step & Step moves I got the first time I tried them.

I think if you want to start with the basics, Maximum Intensity Cardio & the first IMAX are the least complex. They're also two of the toughest, intensity wise. I think the workouts on Cardio Hits are also her earlier, less complex workouts.

 

[Fit_mommy]

Most definitely! LOL! Cathe does seem to have a certain style that makes it easier as you get to know it. Amy doesn't seem to have a particular style--every step DVD is different & has a huge learning curve. She also doesn't break down combos the way Cathe does, & her cuing could be better. It's great once you learn the w/o, but Amy often goes right into a move without warning so initially there's much stumbling & deer-in-the-headlights kind of looks at the TV.

From reading this thread I find it very interesting how all of our minds seem to work differently. I found both step workouts in 4DS pretty easy to pick up. RS was tougher for me. Athletic Step & Step moves I got the first time I tried them.

I think if you want to start with the basics, Maximum Intensity Cardio & the first IMAX are the least complex. They're also two of the toughest, intensity wise. I think the workouts on Cardio Hits are also her earlier, less complex workouts.

Okay, TY for the Amy info. I pretty much have Step Moves figured out. After I practice it a few times I am moving on to the 4DS step work outs. If I nail them then I will purchase ASC3. I am doing better with tricky choreo right now then I've ever done so there's hope for me yet!