I am new to Cathe and love her weight workouts but am having a problem with the step workouts. I like the low max I have tried from fit tv but just can't get some of the moves as she goes so fast from one to the other. I have all of Gin Millers step tapes and have been doing hers for years without a problem. I want to get one of Cathe's but don't know which one. I am worried the basic step will be to easy as I know the basics. Does she break down the moves slower in that one and does she have the same moves in it as in the low max only slower so I can learn them. Mostly I get all turned around when she does stuff over the step and the one in low max where she walks back and around. I can do one of the ones with the pivot turns but the other one gets me all tangled up. I always end up on the wrong side of the step on the wrong foot or something facing away from the tv. I can usually get Gin's as she does one or two real slow before speeding up. I wish Cathe would do that or have something at the end or beginning of the dvd's breaking the dancy stuff down first.
Which step workout
- Thread starter susandean
- Start date
ldy_solana
Cathlete
basic step is rather slow and low impact. maybe low impact step? i haven't tried that one myself but from what the recommendations are after you have master basic step/body fusion this is the next step up. also her older stuff(classics and cardio hits) have less complex choreography but not to basic.
also on fittv they edit ALOT of stuff out so you might be missing some of the breakdowns. i only did the fittv version once and got the dvd so i don't recall what is left out.
kassia
http://www.picturetrail.com/ldy_solana
"And do what thee wilt as long as ye harm none"
http://images.meez.com/user03/06/01/04/060104_10010099873.gif
also on fittv they edit ALOT of stuff out so you might be missing some of the breakdowns. i only did the fittv version once and got the dvd so i don't recall what is left out.
kassia
http://www.picturetrail.com/ldy_solana
"And do what thee wilt as long as ye harm none"
http://images.meez.com/user03/06/01/04/060104_10010099873.gif
Low Max was the first Cathe tape I did and I was constantly rewinding and starting over--and that was during the WARM UP! I am not kidding! It does get easier though. I would do the warm up and then opt for the 7 blast premix because there was no fancy choreography, just intense cardio. (the premixes are one of the big advantages of the dvds) Next time, I'd do the warm up and step interval one, then do the blast premix, etc.
Cathe really doesn't break down the steps more in the dvd, I think the FitTv version has fewer intervals (maybe 5 instead of 7?) If you watch the previews of Cathe's dvd's you'll get a better idea of how she instructs on each tape.
I think LIC is much easier choreography wise than Low Max. Now that I can do the entire LowMax dvd, I really prefer it to LIC. (I love the weight work in LIC though!)
Finally, in the Cathe catalog, the workouts are rated in terms of complexity. That can help you find ones that are easier to follow.
Don't give up! Once you learn them, Cathe's step workouts are awesome! I love Cardio & Wts, Step, Jump & Pump and I just learned Body Max 2 and Step Blast. They are so much more fun than anybody else's. Good luck!
Jonahnah
Chocolate IS the answer, regardless of the question.
Cathe really doesn't break down the steps more in the dvd, I think the FitTv version has fewer intervals (maybe 5 instead of 7?) If you watch the previews of Cathe's dvd's you'll get a better idea of how she instructs on each tape.
I think LIC is much easier choreography wise than Low Max. Now that I can do the entire LowMax dvd, I really prefer it to LIC. (I love the weight work in LIC though!)
Finally, in the Cathe catalog, the workouts are rated in terms of complexity. That can help you find ones that are easier to follow.
Don't give up! Once you learn them, Cathe's step workouts are awesome! I love Cardio & Wts, Step, Jump & Pump and I just learned Body Max 2 and Step Blast. They are so much more fun than anybody else's. Good luck!
Jonahnah
Chocolate IS the answer, regardless of the question.
This is the one area where I have consistently found Cathe less than stellar. It has also been brought up before by other posters, so don't be frustrated. Cathe's step workouts do not have very good cueing - the more complex the step sequence, the less the cueing (I think this is just because they sequences are so complex that they literally are to fast to talk out). I certainly would love to see instructional chapters on the DVDs, but I'm not holding my breathe. I actually am not a huge step fan to begin with, and find her other cardio workouts (kickboxing, Drill Max, Bootcamp) much more enjoyable. Do know that you are not alone in your frustration and that the problem isn't you. Others have posted that you can try to "rewind" over and over and over again to try to learn the sequences (if you have that kind of time). See what works for you, but do take a look at some of her other cardio workouts. Good luck!!
Thanks for the replys. I know if I just keep doing them they will get easier and eventually sink in. I am not sure about the kickboxing as I am 63 and the hips are pretty stiff. I tried a kickboxing workout (not cathe's) and it was just to much. I wish she had something for baby boomers. I can do Gin's step although it is getting a little hard now but I am not ready for sitting in a chair exercises yet either. Even the Leslie Sanson stuff makes me crazy and is not enough.
amyg
Cathlete
I think Cathe doesn't do a complete slow breakdown for a couple of reasons: (1) she is marketing to advanced steppers who know a lot of the basics, (2) she uses mainly the same terms for the same moves and has for years (the more you do the easier they are to pick up!) and (3) she doesn't want the workouts to bore us after we've done it twice!
She advises previewing the workouts and we all have gone through the learning curve on these-- I did Step Blast yesterday and had to rewind a few times! But I'd rather rewind than be bored and feel like I wasted my money.
I'm not clear if you are doing these from FitTV or if you own the DVD- if you own it, you can do the premixes and can repeat whatever you need to!
And I am *incredibly* grateful that I work out at home for all the bloopers I have!!! LOL
She advises previewing the workouts and we all have gone through the learning curve on these-- I did Step Blast yesterday and had to rewind a few times! But I'd rather rewind than be bored and feel like I wasted my money.
I'm not clear if you are doing these from FitTV or if you own the DVD- if you own it, you can do the premixes and can repeat whatever you need to!
And I am *incredibly* grateful that I work out at home for all the bloopers I have!!! LOL
Thank you Amy and Kathryn.
I am trying the one from Fit TV so I can't slow it down. I am thinking if I get one of her step routines then I could slow it down. I guess I am frustrated because I have always been able to pick stuff up after a time or two without having to rewind and study the moves that much. Actually I took dance lessons for many years several times a week (clogging)and never minded making mistakes while learning as I knew each time I tried would be better and I would finally get it. I am going to keep trying and I can still fall back to Gin and of course the old treadmill for cardio.
I am trying the one from Fit TV so I can't slow it down. I am thinking if I get one of her step routines then I could slow it down. I guess I am frustrated because I have always been able to pick stuff up after a time or two without having to rewind and study the moves that much. Actually I took dance lessons for many years several times a week (clogging)and never minded making mistakes while learning as I knew each time I tried would be better and I would finally get it. I am going to keep trying and I can still fall back to Gin and of course the old treadmill for cardio.
buffettgirl
Cathlete
I think Low Max is one of the hardest of Cathe's step workouts to pick up if you are unfamiliar with her. She breaks down the routines more in some of her older step workouts. Some of them are still hard to learn, but well worth the effort. Step Blast and Rhythmic Step are two that come to mind that take some effort to learn, but continue to be favorites of mine.
I like Rhythmic Step. It was tricky but fun to learn. I was relatively new to step, but took it slowly. I practiced a section at a time on the floor after my regular workouts for about 15 to 20 minutes each time until I could do it on the step. Eventually I got it all down and I am now able to do the whole workout through. Sometimes after a regular workout, I will do the Step Challenge (about 10 minutes), just so that I do not forget all the steps. The Step Challenge links all three step combos together.
Rhythmic Step is fun for me. Enjoy!! edie
Rhythmic Step is fun for me. Enjoy!! edie
BerniSimone
Cathlete
I'd have to recommend Low Impact Step. I've been using Cathe's workouts for about a year now. I tried to start out with Rhythmic Step but found that the workout wasn't much use as a cardio if I was just standing next to my step, laughing (at myself, at the tv)!
Then I bought Basic Step. In retrospect, I could have done without Basic Step. But Low Impact Step is a great intro; I've seen someone call it "Low Max Jr." In LIS, Cathe introduces lots of her different steps that she uses on a regular basis (over-face-in-over, rock horse, bow & arrows, mambo/cha-chas (w/ pivots), lunges off the step, pendulums, insoles, around-the-world). I just did this workout last week; I desperately needed a lighter day and this definitely fit the bill. It also reminded me what a great intro to Cathe this workout is. It also have 2 "intensity blasts" that are designed to be low-impact but you can kick up the impact if you want to, like I did!
Bernadette
Then I bought Basic Step. In retrospect, I could have done without Basic Step. But Low Impact Step is a great intro; I've seen someone call it "Low Max Jr." In LIS, Cathe introduces lots of her different steps that she uses on a regular basis (over-face-in-over, rock horse, bow & arrows, mambo/cha-chas (w/ pivots), lunges off the step, pendulums, insoles, around-the-world). I just did this workout last week; I desperately needed a lighter day and this definitely fit the bill. It also reminded me what a great intro to Cathe this workout is. It also have 2 "intensity blasts" that are designed to be low-impact but you can kick up the impact if you want to, like I did!
Bernadette