Step workouts on floor?

C

Cristina

New Member
Does anyone use Cathe's step workouts on the floor? If so, is it still possible to get a workout? I am currently using P90X but I saw previews of Cathe's very large collection and I would love to have them to alternate because Cathe looks like a fantastic instructor. I just don't have a step and honestly do not want one. And I don't need super tough cardio, either--just about P90X level to keep the heart healthy and alternate with weight workouts. I am all for building muscle and don't need cardio to interfere with that. I am so looking for answers and I hope I have come to the right place...

Thanks very much!
Cristina
 
I think you could. Just be aware that the impact from jumping from floor to floor is higher than jumping from floor to step, and adjust your impact if needed.

I've even seen special 'step mats" (in the www.power-systems.com catalog, I think) that are a rubber mat the same dimension as a Club Step that you can put on the floor as a visual marker for doing 'step on the floor." They also might absorb some of the impact (though I'm not sure how thick they are). (That way, if you ever decide to buy a step, you will be famiiar with the amount of space the moves take up and how to move in relation to the step).
 
For about the last 6 months now I have been doing Cathe's step workouts on the floor. My knees can't handle using the step. I tried giving my knees a long rest (about 3 months) and everytime I tried to use the step again they ended up hurting again. I was very frustrated and really tired of doing kickboxing only so I decided to do the workouts without the step and I've been doing it that way ever since. I personally get a great workout even without the step. I've never had the best cardio endurance and that's part of the reason, but I also believe that I get a good workout still because I can make my movements larger. I don't have to worry about tripping on the step and I can move to different parts of my workout room if I need to to be able to do moves that take up more space. For example I can move closer to the TV if I need to because the step isn't there. I would say you should try some of her workouts and you might find yourself buying a step anyway because Cathe's step workouts are so much fun. Do you know which workouts you're thinking of purchasing? I love Rythmic Step, Step Blast, Low Impact Circuit, Body Max 2 and Imax 2. Low Impact Circuit and Body Max 2 are circuit workouts so there are strength training exercises as well. I like the strength training in LIC better than BM2, but I like the cardio alot in both of those workouts. RS and SB are all step workouts and Imax 2 is an interval workout. Good luck with your decision.:) Let us know what you decide.

Amy
 
Thanks Kathryn! I just ordered one of those mats, that will be nice to have at least I can pretend I'm using a step!}( And it does say it absorbs impact.

Amy
 
Hi Cristina,

Do you get the FitTv channel? If so, you could try it out as her workouts are on that channel daily.

Also -- do you plan on doing weighted work? Even if you don't like step aerobics the step is really nice to use as a bench for weighted work.

Monica
 
Thank you for your responses. I don't have FitTV unfortunately. I do plan on using the weight workouts as well. I have just about everything else except a step. I will check out that mat or maybe become creative and see what I have here. I'd really like the new series first... I have previewed them pretty thoroughly. I'm afraid to view the others or else I'm sure I will want all of them now! I'm not super advanced at cardio either, I was just concerned I'd get the DVDs and find they don't raise my heart rate up at all but, after seeing a lot of the jumps, perhaps I was wrong there! P90X Cardio is just about the level I want since I will use their philosophy that too much high cardio might interfere with muscle building. I'm wondering that Cathe's even without a step might be harder than P90X cardio. I am very surprised to be reading that many consider them not very advanced! :eek: ;-) I think I will go ahead and order the new four because they look so much fun and I'll work something out for sure. I will definitely keep in mind about larger, more dynamic movements. Thanks again! :)

Cristina
 
>Thanks Kathryn! I just ordered one of those mats...

Glad I could help!
Hope you like it.
Be sure to report back to the forums, so others will know how it works.
 
Thank you for that link!!! I sometimes do step workouts on the floor, and it's such a pain to "guess" where my feet should be. This will help my to make my "floor" workouts more intense. :7
 
I have the exact same problem, my knees just can't take it. I've been doing step workouts on the floor for a couple years now. Just like you said, "You don't have to worry about tripping and you make the movements larger". Once you learned the steps you're able to make the movements more intense which compensates for not having the step. I still get an excellent workout!

Mary
 
Well, I ordered the Mat Step, but for some reason, FOUR of them came in the box. I know the quantity said 1. I'm confused. It doesn't say anywhere that you get a set of 4. hmmmmm
 
>Well, I ordered the Mat Step, but for some reason, FOUR of
>them came in the box. I know the quantity said 1. I'm
>confused. It doesn't say anywhere that you get a set of 4.
>hmmmmm

Sounds like an 'oopsy' on the part of whoever shipped them. Just make sure you weren't charged for 4. They you can decide whether you want to let them know (I can't imagine they would want to you send them back, at their expense because it was their error) or just keep one extra and sell the others on Ebay.
 
I didn't get the mat, but I did get a few of the DVDs. I did Low Impact Circuit last night. I got a great workout. My hair was pretty wet by the first cardio segment and then the weights really kicked my heart rate up and I was out of breath throughout. It reminded me of a Debbie Siebers workout which, for me, is tough cardio-wise. I thought I had good endurance but the 5 lbs. killed me! :eek:

I have a few more questions. I did Drill Max tonight, cardio only premix, and that was awesome. Very fun drills. And I made it through without wanting to fall over! Maybe caffeine had an influence. :D Because I don't have a step, I think the impact gets me really good in heart rate. Which of Cathe's others are high impact? I haven't tried Body Max 2 yet so not sure on that one. I personally don't think I could do the step anyway. I think I would fall off because she works fast. My sensitive knee tissue would not allow it anyway. For some reason jumping does not get me though. Here's what I'm thinking... even if some of them aren't as "advanced" for me cardio wise (or wishful thinking?) because of no step, I would use them in conjunction with the hard ones (hi-lo, kickboxing, drills, etc) throughout the week because they are really fun for me. They say too much high intensity weakens you, true? And only 1-2 high intensity cardio a week is enough to strengthen the heart, right? So, does that sound good to alternate so I get some (maybe) active recovery?

Sorry for my novel here! :eek: I just already really love these workouts and I'm thinking of how to plan them...
 
Maybe you could try one of the Imax's. They are interval workouts which are supposed to be really good for increasing endurance. I've noticed a difference since I've been doing them. I love Imax 2, I have Imax 3, but don't like it as much, though many people do love that workout. Imax 2 is a really fun and intense workout and I would highly recommend it. I also really like BM2. I don't like the upper body part as much, but I think the cardio segments are really fun.
 
Well I ordered a mat on Jan 30th and have not received it or an email verifying my order. Maybe you got mine! It doesn't look like they charged me though. I guess I'm going to have to staighten that out now and try to get my mat. It sounds like they have problems with their employees.
 
Yeah, they messed up for sure with me. I called this morning, and she said they only ship one mat (or are supposed to only ship one). They are going to email me a label so I can return the extra three. lol
 
I ordered a few more--I couldn't resist--and I added Imax 2. I love the music from the preview. I tried a little of Body Max 2 to see the choreography. I really like this one too. I was surprised that my heart rate was up high in a few minutes, stumbling and all! :D I read on some sites more of the same... bigger movements if you don't have a step will compensate because with a step there's less range of motion (maybe because it was originally an alternative to floor aerobics?). The muscles are worked differently but it's still very effective cardiovascular work. I'm pleased about this. I'm glad I tried because Cathe is so much fun, but you all knew that already, right? :)

Cristina
 
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