"Step Fit" "Step Fit"

Here's my preliminary review of Step Fit after three times through. I'll update the review as I get to know the video better.

If you liked PowerMax and/or Step Jam, you'll like Step Fit. Although the combinations in Step Fit are every bit as intense as those in PowerMax, Step Fit doesn't seem quite as intense overall because your heart rate is allowed to recover a bit more while Cathe teaches the complex combos. In PowerMax, Cathe amazingly managed to teach complex combos quickly without allowing heart rate to drop at all. Although I wasn't as immediately enamored of Step Fit as I was with PowerMax, I like it better every time I do it. On my personal "Cathe continuum," this one is probably tied for 2nd place with Step Max. PowerMax remains my absolute favorite.

Featured new moves in Step Fit include:

• power scissors: Extremely intense. These are basically lunges(on the floor) where you leap and switch legs. You have to be very attentive to form on these.
• up and back: Sort of like a backwardsricochet.
• flying angels: This is the only new step that Ididn't care for, at least initially. They seemed kind of awkward.
• macarena step (cooldown): I was pleasantly surprised to find this tolerable, for several reasons. She doesn't stop to teach the macarena arms, figuring everyone knows them by now (I didn't, but quickly learned). Best of all, there's none of that hip swaying at the end that makes people look so ridiculous. At that point you're doing a repeater. The whole thing is basically macarena arms with a basic step, ending with a repeater instead of the hip sways.

There were some other interesting moves, but I don't think they hadnames so I don't remember them all.

I really enjoyed the workout structure. There are really just 2 main powerful, long step sections, but the 12 minute warm up and 9 min. cool down are basically slightly slower, less powerful step segments.

Her warm up is basically like an intermediate level step combo with lotsof different steps, and she uses it again in section one with power.It's more complex than her usual, and it's totally low impact. I likedhaving a longer but still challenging warm up, especially since itallows you to get right down to business in section one, preparing you for both the intensity and choreography.

The "cool down" is all Latin inspired, but is definitely still aerobicuntil the last few minutes. It has some power moves, like a 4 count run and a "power mambo", as well as a bunch of triple steps. If you liked Cathe's Latin cooldown in PowerMax, you'll probably like this one, too. I really like it. On the other hand, if you dislike Cathe's dancier moves, you may want to substitute your own cooldown and sit this section out.

I loved having the long (8 min.) stretch segment. Cathe includes lots of good hip, hip flexor, and hamstring stretches.

There is unfortunately very little new music in Step Fit. Most is from Step Jam/PowerMax, though someof the songs sound like slightly different mixes. I'm the type of person for whom choreography and music are closely connected, so I think this is part of why StepFit didn't "grab" me as much the first time out as PowerMax did. Still, this is a great video, and it will be a part of my current rotation.

WWWendy

03/09/1997