Cathe Live Review: Christmas Wonderland 2020 (#327)
Christmas Wonderland 2020 is a fun, festive cardio and metabolic conditioning workout. This routine was filmed on Christmas Eve and so Cathe is decked out as Santa Claus, including the white beard! There are also lots of Christmas decorations behind her and she is joined by Jen and Nancy who have t-shirts saying “Cathe’s elves”. It’s all very festive and Cathe is really funny and cute in this one, with lots of Christmas references and naming the exercises after characters or Christmas things, such as, Santa’s squat abductions or Frostie’s Favourite!
This workout is a very light weight, more cardio focused routine. There are a few metabolic strength exercises, mixed in, but as the weights are so light they serve more as cardio / metabolic conditioning rather than actual strength training. This is definitely much lighter and less intense than her previous Christmas workouts, all of which I like very much. For example, Keep The Cardio Coming #130 (review HERE) is one of the tougher cardio workouts Cathe has in the archive and so this one definitely doesn’t compare. However, if you want something really light just to get you moving, then this is very enjoyable. I also imagine the lower intensity is in part due to the fact that Cathe and crew have to wear face masks throughout.
The format for the routine is one or two cardio intervals followed by a metabolic conditioning move. For the first half of the workout you are just using the mat, on the floor, as a marker for the cardio (I always do this without the mat though so I don’t trip) and for the second half, you use the step platform. This provides a good level of variety and as most of the exercises are not repeated the whole workout flew by. The cardio intervals are generally not too long and are often only done for one set, however, a few are higher rep or repeated for a number of sets. This includes the swim lunges where you do 96 reps, however, it is a combination of low and high impact so it’s not too bad! Also the fact that you are using just the step platform and no risers, keeps the intensity lower overall but you could easily add risers, if you wanted to take it up a level. Overall, therefore it’s not super intense, it just gets the heart rate up a little bit but it’s definitely not Hiit level. The cardio moves on the step are also all very easy to follow, as there is no choreography at all – they are just one or two moves strung together and repeated.
The metabolic strength moves are a nice combination of different exercises and usually combine both the upper and lower body together. This helps to keep the heart rate a little higher throughout the routine. I liked the variety here too and there were also a few new combinations, which was nice. Cathe uses only 3 or 5 pounds for these moves. I used 8 pounds, for a few of the moves, and you could easily use a little heavier, if you wanted to. Just be aware that some of the moves are quite fast paced so you will need to choose your weights accordingly. For example, the crossback lunge and lateral raise, on the step, I was thinking I should have used 10’s, at least, but then you move directly into a faster paced crossback lunge with overhead press and I would have struggled to keep good form with much heavier dumbbells. So just something to be aware of.
Overall, an enjoyable and lighter cardio workout with a little bit of metabolic conditioning mixed in.
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The Workout
Christmas Wonderland 2020 is a lighter weight, cardio and strength workout.
What You Need to Know
(Rating scale – 1= lowest & 5 = highest).
The Moves
Christmas Wonderland 2020 is 44 minutes long and originally aired on 24th December 2020 (#327). The workout starts with a longer, more active, 8 minute warm-up, before moving into the first exercise. You will need your mat out, if you are using one, for the first half of the workout. The step is off to one side, out of the way, at the start of the routine. Cardio moves shown in bold italics below.
Lifted squat abductions – 32 reps
Football runs (forward & back tapping floor at each end) – mat - 9 sets
2 Alternating back lunges / side lunge abduction & overhead press – two 3# Dbs (I used 5’s) – 10 sets
2 Lateral hops & quarter turn - mat – 16 sets
Slam Its – mat – 24 reps
Side lunge into crossback lunge (putting down & picking up Dbs) – two 5# Dbs – 7 sets each side
Squat thrust / lateral hop / tuck jump (across mat) – mat – 8 sets
Tap back w/ front raise (1 arm x2 then both arms) / reverse curl – two 5# Dbs – 12 sets
Lateral skates & punch across – two 3# Dbs (I used 5’s) & mat – 58 reps
Squat & lunge combo (punching arm across body) – two 3# Dbs (Cathe says 5’s but uses 3’s. I used 5’s) – 16 sets
Squat press / open press (palms facing forward) / 2x tricep overhead extensions – two 5# Dbs (I used 8’s) – 9 sets
Put mat away & get out step platform at 23:20 minutes
Straddle taps – step platform – 3 sets of 16 reps (tapping feet on step in between sets)
Push-up & tricep dip combo – step platform – 5 push-ups & 16 dips, 2 sets (6 push-ups & 12 dips), 5 push-ups & 10 dips
Swim lunges – step platform – 96 reps (both high & low impact)
Plank 1 arm lateral raise / straight arm press back (one hand on step) – one 5# Db & step platform – 8 sets (1 of each) & 16x straight arm press pulses each side
Step knee lift (w/ hop) & tap down / Power 3’s – step platform – 4 sets (6x step knee & power 3) & 4 sets (2x step knee & power 3)
Crossback lunge & bent arm lateral raise / crossback lunge & overhead press (faster) – two 5# Dbs (I used 8’s) & step platform – 18 sets (lat raise) & 16 sets (overhead press)
Squat thrust & 2x alternating step taps / fast feet (on step) – step platform – 6 sets (squat thrust), 16 x fast feet, 8 sets (squat thrust) & 16x fast feet
1 Leg abduction w/ front & side raise / uneven squat – two 5# Dbs & step platform – 16 sets each side
The workout ends with a 3 minute cool down and stretch.
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If you liked this workout, check out my review of Cathe Live: Cathe Claus’ 2018 Calorie Crush Workout (#228) – HERE.
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