Basic Step
I’m reviewing this workout after previewing and doing it once.

General workout breakdown: This step workout runs just over 30 minutes. The warm up includes a number of basic step moves, like basic, knee up (center and corner to corner), v step, rocking horse, Charleston kick, step touch, side step, step kick, step instep/insole, step outer thigh, horseshoe turn step, and A step before including a few dynamic stretches. These moves are combined with other standard step moves like L steps into two combos. The workout concludes with a few quick stretches done in a seated position. (I found I needed to add on the basic stretching segment from the Total Body Stretching DVD that came with the package because these stretches didn’t really hit the lower body enough.)
The workout moves fairly quickly, but not so fast that I struggled a lot to keep pace or catch up when I missed a step. This is low impact, with few if any jumps.

Level: I’d recommend this to a beginner to step, but I’m not sure this is best for a beginner to exercise. Cathe jumps right into the moves without pausing to break down individual moves; instead, almost all are introduced at the same pace as they will be used in the workout. I consider myself at the crossover point between high intermediate and low advanced with respect to floor aerobics, but I’ll probably find that I’ll have to stick with intermediate step workouts for a bit. Anyway, I felt this was a solid workout with one set of risers (so 6”), so this is probably a high beginner workout with no risers, a low to solid intermediate with one set, and a high intermediate with two sets.

Class: Cathe leads four of her regular crew.

Music / Set / Other Production Notes: The beat-heavy instrumental is bland. The interior set looks like it’s an ourdoors patio, with plants and a portico at the back. The picture and sound are fine.

Equipment: sneakers and a (short) step, with optional risers. One exerciser uses a step with no risers, Cathe and another exerciser use one riser, and two exercisers use two risers.

Space Requirements: enough room to take a big step off of the step followed by a small to medium sized step in all directions.

DVD Notes: This came with the Cathe Step set I bought on sale at Target. It’s on the Total Cardio Step DVD with Low Impact Step and Body Fusion. Anyway, in the version I have it is chaptered by segment (i.e. warm up, combo 1, combo 2, and cool down), but that’s it for bells and whistles.

Conclusion: This was my first step video (Ok, the first I’ve actually done with a step), and it is so helpful in getting me used to working with the step. As someone used to complex choreography, I don’t see myself using this often once I feel comfortable with the step, but the half hour of basic step might come in handy for a day when I just don’t feel like thinking that much.

Instructor Comments:
Cathe cues well enough here, although she doesn’t break down all moves as well as she could. She prefers to keep the workout moving, which is great if you have an idea of what you’re doing because you actually get a workout but not so great if you need help with the moves. She is upbeat and encouraging without being too perky.

KathAL79