Cathe Live Review: Cardio Leg Blast w High Step (#5)
Cardio Leg Blast w High Step is a brutal cardio and strength workout focused on the lower body. This was a seriously challenging routine that really burned out my legs and gave me a good cardio workout too.
I actually thought this workout might be similar to Cathe’s XTrain Cardio Leg Blast DVD, in that it alternates cardio intervals and strength work, but that is not the case. This is a completely different type of routine as you do all of the cardio moves at the start and then move into the lower body strength work. The routine then ends with a short section on the floor.
The workout starts with several cardio moves using the high step. You start at one riser and work your way up to four risers, changing moves each time. So you start with non-weighted cardio step intervals and then move into uneven squats and single tap downs. On four risers these are pretty challenging and you really start to feel the height of the step and the work to come. The rest of the standing exercises are then a mix of moves using dumbbells, a barbell and / or the high step (I used dumbbells throughout with no issues). There are a few jumping jacks thrown in, later in the workout, just to keep the heart rate up, but the whole workout is seriously metabolic and there is a strong cardio factor throughout. The leg abductions w/ overhead press I found really challenging both cardio wise and for my lower body, and was really glad when they were over.
This is a very fast paced workout and the weights used are generally a little lighter as the reps are so high. Most of the exercises use multiple tempos and rep patterns, and you just keep going and going. My legs were really fried on both the elevated lunges and static lunges and then you move into calf raises for even more calf work. Mine were definitely screaming by the final set of calf raises. Unfortunately, on the lunges Cathe doesn’t do the same number of reps or rep patterns from one side to the other and this makes it even worse, as you do many more reps on the second side and it was already brutal on the first side!
The routine ends with a short but tough floor work section. Again all the moves are pretty high rep and some of them also have a cardio effect so you will be feeling these too. They are an interesting mix of different moves and I really enjoyed them for the variety.
Overall, this is an excellent and very challenging lower body cardio and strength workout.
(For more information about Cathe Live, how to sign up & to see all of my Cathe Live reviews, click HERE).
The Workout
Cardio Leg Blast w High Step is a cardio and strength workout for the lower body. The routine start with cardio and standing lower body strength exercises before moving to the floor for more lower body exercises. Cathe used moderate dumbbells, a barbell at 25 and 35 pounds (I used dumbbells throughout), a high step with four risers and a mat for this routine. (Cathe used the barbell bar for balance during one move so if you are not using a barbell you will need a broom handle or something to balance with for calf raises on the high step).
What You Need to Know
(Rating scale – 1= lowest & 5 = highest).
The Moves
Cardio Leg Blast w High Step is 55 minutes long and originally aired on 5th June 2014 (#5). The workout starts with a 6 minute warm-up, before moving into the first cardio move using a 6” high step. You will need to have three more risers plus your equipment handy, as you will be moving quickly from one thing to the next. Cardio moves shown in bold italics below.
Standing Lower Body
Power 3’s, power 7’s & power 15’s – 6” high step – 8x 3’s, 2x 7’s & 2x 15’s
(Add another riser) Running man – 8” high step – 32 reps each side
(Add another riser) Uneven squats (pulse twice & hop over step) / tap downs (single reps no pulsing) – 10” high step – 16x pulse, 16x tap, 8x pulse & 16x tap
(Add final riser) Jacks / sculpt knees (w/ one foot on the step bring other leg in & out staying low) – 12” high step (4 risers) – 28x jacks, 32x sculpt (each side) & 12 jacks
Standing side leg raises – 48 reps
Squat & overhead press / squat & press w/ alternating side leg raise – one 10# Db – 12 reps of each
Lateral plie walks – two 10# Dbs – 6 sets
Step up & down (step onto step with both feet then step down) – two 10# Dbs & 12” high step (4 risers)- 12 reps each side
Squat & overhead press – one 12# Db – 20 reps
Lateral plie walks – two 12# Dbs – 6 sets
Step up & down (step onto step with both feet then step down) – two 12# Dbs & 12” high step - 12 reps each side
Jacks – 28 reps
1 Leg abduction & overhead press (Db held horizontally between hands) – one 10# Db & step – 4x singles, 4x 3’s & 4x singles each side
Reverse lunges off step – one 12# Db (I used two 12’s) & high step – 4x 3 pulses & 16x singles
Barbell squats - 25# BB (I used 2x 15# Dbs) – lots of reps (various tempos)
Barbell narrow stance squats - 25# BB (I used 2x 15# Dbs) – 20 reps
Barbell wide stance squats - 25# BB (I used 2x 15# Dbs) – 16x singles, 4x 3.5’s, 4x 1.5’s, 16x singles & 4x 3 pulses
Elevated lunges – 8” high step (2 risers) – 2x 15 pulses, 4x 3 pulses, 16x singles & 1x 15 pulses (1st side). 4x 3 pulses, 16x singles, 2x 15 pulses, 8x singles & 1x 15 pulses (2ndside)
Front squats (holding BB under chin (plie squats)) – 35# BB (I used 2x 15# Dbs) – lots of reps (various tempos)
Static lunges – 15# BB (I used 2x 12# Dbs) – 20 reps, 2x 3.5’s, 4x 1.5’s & 12 reps (1st side). 20 reps, 2x 3.5’s. 4x 1.5’s & 20 reps (2nd side)
Calf raises (take the plates off 1 end of barbell - as you will be using it for balance; stand on top of high step) – barbell bar & 12” high step – 48 reps (toes forward), 40 reps (toes in) & 32 reps (toes out & heels together)
Floor work at 44:05 minutes
1 Leg glute press (one heel on step topper & pulse other leg straight up) – step platform & mat - 64 reps (1stside) & 56 reps (2nd side)
Elbow plank straddle walks (in elbow plank w/ feet on step topper, walk feet down & up) – step platform & mat - 8 reps each side
Outer thigh lifts – mat - 48 reps
Side plank clam extensions (leaning on 1 knee w/ arm & leg extended; bring elbow to top knee then out again; raising & lowering hip) – mat – 12 reps
Side plank straight leg & arm crunches (in same position as above, pulse top arm & leg toward each other) – mat – 16 reps
Outer thigh lifts (other side) – mat - 48 reps
Side plank clam extensions (other side) – mat – 10 reps
Side plank straight leg & arm crunches (other side) – mat – 16 reps
Frog style pulses (lying on back with legs raised & heels together, pulse heels down towards bottom) – mat – 40 reps
Butterfly pulses (in same position as above hold at the bottom of move & pulse knees out & in) – mat – 22 reps
The workout ends with a 3:30 minute cool down and stretch.
Take Action
Try it today! Find out more about how to subscribe and to check out all of my Cathe Live Reviews - click HERE.
If you liked this workout, check out my review of Cathe Live: Crosstrain Lower Body (#51) – HERE.
If you enjoyed this review, please share it using the links below.
Comments