Cathe Live Review: Athletic Conditioning (#151)

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Cathe Live Review: Athletic Conditioning (#151)

Athletic Conditioning is cardio step and metabolic strength workout. This was a pretty tough routine and I was soaked by the end!

The workout starts with five step blast combos. Each combo consists of a few straight forward moves that are strung together and then repeated for a number of sets – usually four for each combo. This section is done using an 8” step so you will definitely be breathing harder here. The combos are done, one after the other, with no breaks so it provides a nice little cardio challenge before moving into the strength exercises.

The next section is metabolic strength. These exercises are designed to be strength endurance / stamina moves and are generally quite high rep. The moves are often quite fast paced and you also move from one thing to the next fairly quickly so it helps to keep the heart rate elevated throughout. Many of these moves are compound exercises and some also use the step or gliding devices to increase the intensity. The weight selection here is light to moderate although I did increase on a few exercises (shown below). I enjoyed this section and the time flew by as it is so varied.

The workout ends with a short core section on the mat. Again you are moving fairly quickly from one thing to the next so there is not a lot of rest here. Some of the moves are also done at a faster pace so I was feeling the work here. It wasn’t the most challenging or intense section but I felt I got a good core challenge. Two of the moves also use the gliding devices and this adds to the core balance challenge.

Overall, this was an effective and enjoyable cardio and strength workout that will definitely get your heart pumping and those muscles working. I really enjoyed the variety and it is one I will be returning to.

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The Workout

Athletic Conditioning is a cardio and strength workout. The routine starts with step blasts, then moves into metabolic strength and ends with core. Cathe used a full size step, with three risers on each side, light to moderate dumbbells and two gliding devices (wash cloths, discs, paper plates etc).

What You Need to Know

(Rating scale – 1= lowest & 5 = highest).

The Moves

Athletic Conditioning is 56 minutes long and originally aired on 1st June 2017 (#151). The workout starts with a 4:30 minute warm-up that also uses the step. The step, with two risers on each side, is set up vertically in front of you ate the start of the workout. You will need to ensure you have space all around your step for this routine.

Cardio Step Blasts - step with two risers each side (all of the combos below are repeated at least four times through before moving onto the next combo).

Combo 1

• Squat pendulums / squat cha cha (across the step)

• Tap off (on angle) / leg abductions (facing front)

• Elbow to knee

Combo 2

• Basic, hop turn, basic, hop turn

• Jump on step & step down

• Ski hops / power 7’s

Combo 3

• 3 Power squat turns & rock back x7

• Figure 8 on step & on floor

• Power box around the step (1 knee up then 2, 3 & 4 as you move around each corner)

Combo 4

• Knee off side & lateral hops across step x6 / knee off the back

• 3 Salute squats x4

• Elbow to knee

Combo 5

• Power 15’s

Quick water break at 16:25 minutes

Compound Strength Training

• Lateral walks – two 10# dumbbells - 5 sets

Add a riser to each side of step (10")

• Mountain climbers – step – 41 reps

• Sumo squat & 1 arm clean & press – one 10# dumbbell – 12 reps (1st side) & 16 reps (2nd side)

• Incline push-ups – step - 12, 10 & 8 reps

• Rear delt flys – two 10# dumbbells - 12, 10 & 8 reps

• Alternating side to side lunges – two 12# dumbbells - 40 reps

• Lateral raises – two 5# dumbbells – 7 reps

• Front Lunge & lateral raise / knee lift – two 5# dumbbells & step – 2x 3 lat raise, 8x singles, 2x 3 lat raise & 4x singles

• Shoulder circles – two 5# dumbbells – 8 reps each way

• Sliding rear lunges with bicep curl – two 8# dumbbells (I used 10’s) & two gliding devices – 16 reps

• Sumo squat with bicep curls – two 10# dumbbells – 4 sets of 3 curls & 2 sets of 6 curls

• Sliding rear lunges with bicep curl – two 8# dumbbells (I used 10’s) & two gliding devices – 8 reps

• Alternating back lunge & overhead press – two 10# dumbbells – 8 reps (single & both arms)

• Leg abduction & front raise – one 8# dumbbell (I used 1x 10) & step – 16 reps each side

• High rep lunge taps – one 15# dumbbell (to rest your hand on) & one gliding device – 48 reps each side

• Incline tricep push-ups – step – 8 reps (knees), 4 reps (toes) & 8 reps (knees)

• Tricep dips – step – 40 reps

• Incline tricep push-ups – step – 10 reps (knees) & 4 reps (toes)

• 1 Arm row – one 5 & 15# dumbbell (I used 1x 20) – 16 reps each side

• 1 Arm horizontal row – one 15# dumbbell (I used 1x 20) – 12 reps each side

• Squat thrust plank jacks – two gliding devices & step – 8 sets

• Narrow grip chest press – two 15# dumbbells & step – 21 reps (single & both arms)

• Chest flys with leg extensions – two 15# dumbbells (I used 20’s) & step – 16 reps

• Pullovers – two 15# dumbbells & step – 8 reps (4/4 count)

Get out mat for Core.

Core – at 46 minutes (have gliding devices nearby)

• Plank shoulder snatch – one 10# dumbbell – 4 sets of 3’s (1st side). 5 sets of 3’s (2nd side)

• Ankle grabber sit-ups – 15 reps

• Piston planks (in straight arm plank, squat back towards feet, bringing elbow in, then come forward reaching arm out) – 8 reps each side

• Reverse crunch hip lift & layout crunch (lying on back, do reverse crunch - lifting hips with legs straight into air & then extend arms & legs out straight parallel to the floor) – 16 reps

• Spiderman climbers – two gliding devices

• Crossover planks – two gliding devices – 10 reps

• L position pulses – 4 sets

The workout ends with a 2:30 minute cool down and stretch.

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