Taking a walk down Cathe Memory-Lane

[FiddleFit]

Hi! A couple of ongoing threads right now have made me think back to my first few Cathe workouts, and I wondered if you all had similar memories to share. My first Cathe workouts were Step Works, Step Jam, and Power Max. I remember how the power scissors in PM seemed exhausting, and the lunges in the warm up seemed like a workout in themselves. I also found the hamstring 360 move in the 3rd combo to be *very* tricky and challenging.

In SJ, it was all those power shuffles in the second combo that seemed so hard.

In SW those side lunges in combo three were the height of exhaustion; I always saved this workout for Fridays, when I would have two whole days to recover! And the power abductors and knee-lifts she throws in at the end of combo 2 were just killers.

Fast forward a few years, after the incorporation of Cathe's IMAXs and strength training workouts. All of these workouts and their particular dreaded moves are now tamed and well under control. It makes me very self-satisfied to see how much progress I've made over the years.

What about you? What "dreaded" moves have you conquered?

Sandra

 

[jdoll]

My "oldest" Cathe WO is Allstep and the first time i heard the words "power 15" i almost screamed in frustration. Now that i have imax2, Stepblast and BC, when i hear power 15 i just smile. I say "bring it on Cathe!" and of course, she always does }(

jes

good thread! i like pondering progress:7

 

[lesliew]

My first Cathe step workout was the Wedding video. I remember how she completely wiped me out when I finally learned all the moves and was able to do it all the way through! It took me a long time to learn the ricochet. And forget the power horse move! I always ended up on the wrong side of the step doing that one!

 

[carolynjane]

My first Cathe workouts were Step N Motion 1 and Mega Step. I got them when they first came out - can't believe it's been that long! I remember thinking "what is she doing" "she's trying to kill me" and "I'll never be able to do that". But it made me determined to try. Glad I stuck with it because I love all of her workouts - and I can do them!

 

[fab40]

IMAX -- power lunges in interval 8. It took me 2 years to conquer them all!

 

[lorrayne]

What a great thread!

My first Cathe video was Step Max. This one was sooo hard to me (section 3) that I had to put it away and do Karen Voight's Energy Sprint to work up to Cathe. Six months later, I attempted to do Step Max again. I was able (barely) to finish section three. Those lunges off the side were gruesome! Now that's a piece of cake as are power 7s, 15s, etc. In fact, these are EASY compared to those plyo jacks, hop along the step in Imax2's Interval 9! Now that's a killer!

 

[musclemaiden]

Great thread. I did my step classes at a gym for over 10 years. About seven years ago my grandmother was very sick. My mom took care of her at home and needed lots of help from me. I couldn't make it to the gym nearly as often as I wanted. I decided to try stepping at home. I ordered PowerMax. I remember thinking that I will never get an advanced step workout at home but I might as well try it because I couldn't make it to the gym. I was pretty sure that it would be a piece of cake. Yeah right! Holy Cow! I thought I would never be able to learn the moves. As my beloved grandmothers health deteriorated I spent more time at my moms house. I would come home feeling sad and fatigued but I would put the tape in and practice. Section by section. I did this for many weeks. It was a great distraction. One day I got it. I did it all the way through. I was dripping with sweat but felt such a sense of accomplishment. My poor grandmother passed away that June. I never did return to the gym. So many tapes/DVDs later I am in the best shape of my life. It's funny how things turn out.

Tracy

 

[Bubachick]

Hello, my first Cathe vidio was StepMax when it first came out. I had been doing Kathy Smith,Jane Fonda,a Cher one,and then a Candice Copeland one called Step Ahead. Candice's vidio was the first one I found 68mins long with 44 mins of cardio.
Then I did StepMax and loved Cathe, remember when she says "cool" and "jam on it". One of the funniest things she's said was "was that a sheep?" after saying a long yeaaah! That was near the end of the first combo in StepFit another favorite. Now I love StepBlast, a couple of moves stumped me for a while now I can do it just fine.
I love teaching little bits of Cathe combo's in my classes, she seems to never end in finding new fun and challenging ways to use my favorite workout tool the Step. Bri.

 

[AllisonT]

My first Cathe purchase was a two-pack from Collage Video of MIC and MIS. I remember previwing MIC and thinking, "not in THIS lifetime." I loved (and still love) MIS.

Confession: I've still never done MIC because I'm a choreography klutz, though I'm in the process of conquering some of the easier Cathe choreo. I was thrilled when I got the hang of ricochets.

 

[starlight6]

My first Cathe's came from Collage and included MIS, Step Max, & IMAX (!!!) I loved step already, and I had the notion I needed to try heavy lifting. After thinking about it, I realize I got that idea from Collage's description of Charlene's "Serious Curves". I'm not really sure why I bought Cathe first.
ANYWAY, The first workout I tried...and I emphasize tried...was IMAX! Don't remember why, but I remember thinking I would NEVER get all the way through that workout. Then I tried MIS! I thought the leg work would kill me! I couldn't even do it all. At this point, I remember wondering what made me think I could do REAL workouts, & as a side thought, why was Cathe trying to kill me???
Even Step Max was hard for me then. Remember, I was coming off of Kathy Smith step & Karen Voight strength work! I was very upset that I couldn't do Step Max & made myself learn it. I remember when I got a progression I would be dancing around the room with joy!
To this day I marvel that I started with those tapes, especially IMAX. I had never seen anything like it before!
Boy am I glad now!
Ruth:7

 

[hippahips]

Dreaded moves conquered:

Power Max - the pendulum and the 360
Rhythmic Step - the CHALLENGE!}(
IMAX 2 - straddle taps (blast in interval 6)
SJP - the entire combo 3
KPC - getting my left side to do the combos
PUB - those darn pikes

I know there are a lot more...

Pinky

 

[JohnK]

My first Cathe workout was Power Max. Although I'd been stepping for a while, the complexity of the choreography knocked me on my butt, literally! I can't remember how many times that first workout I tripped over my own two feet .

My favorite conquered moves:

Power Max- the 360
StepFit- the power scissors
IMax2- Plie jacks (evil things, those are )
PUB- pikes on the ball and doing the entire biceps workout with the weight Cathe uses (ouch! )
Rhythmic Step- challenge

 

[futurefitnessdyanmo]

My first one was MIC - I had been doing Firm BSS2 very consistently and some Karen Voight. Everyone at Collage compared really tough videos to this lady named Cathe - couldn't figure out who they were all talking about; then I looked her up and got this one. Oh my GOD!!! I LOVED her even as I sat there, a sweaty heap after getting partly through the medium impact section that first time, thinking, "NOW I've got it, now I've met my match. THIS woman is going to give me everything I'm looking for". Imagine my excitement to discover her website!

I've managed to get through most of MIC hi/lo w/out stopping (this is amazing); can do 7 Imax 1-2 intervals without stopping (on 6 inches of course); can do lots more power scissors, plyo jacks, etc.

Moves I'm currently trying to conquer: tuck jumps (I want to get up really high!), anything on a stability ball besides sitting firmly on top of it ;-) , terminator climbers... Can't wait to see what Hardcore has to contribute to this section!