Cathe Live Review: Express Your Step (#279)
Express Your Step is a cardio step workout that ends with a core section, on the floor, using the step risers.
This workout is based on Cathe’s new STEP BOSS Series (for a full review of the series click HERE). The routine starts with a short cardio step section that consists of one long combo. This is followed by an interval section of combos and blasts, using the step.
The first part of the step cardio section is based on STEP BOSS: STEP Sync (review HERE) and is a combination of some of the moves from both the main workout and the bonus intermediate step segment. The choreography is not too complex and if you have done STEP Sync or any of her other step workouts the moves will all be familiar. This is a steady state, very intermediate routine and although there is a little bit of jumping it is not very intense. Cathe builds up the combo in layers so you learn a few moves, practice those, and then add on a little more. You do this in two sections, each time learning a few more moves and combining everything together, before learning more and adding that in too. Each section is divided by a quick water break. So by the end you have one long combo that you then repeat, a number of times, before another water break.
The next part of the cardio step section is based on STEP BOSS: IMAX 4 (review HERE) and can be done low or higher impact, as you prefer. This section consists of two steady state combos and three interval blasts. As with the IMAX workouts, the combos are just a series of easy moves, strung together, that you repeat six times. There is no build up here and they are lifted directly from IMAX 4 – Combo 2 & 3. The blasts are just one move repeated for a set number of reps. The first two are lifted directly from IMAX 4 (Blast 6 & 8) and the last one is from another of her step workouts. They are all very straight forward and not high rep so although they got my heart rate, up a little, they didn’t really challenge me. These two sections, including the warm-up, are only 30 minutes so given the intensity level I didn’t really feel that I got a great workout. I’m not saying that Cathe can’t do a great workout in 30 minutes, as she definitely has some fantastic and tough express workouts, but this just wasn’t one of them.
The routine ends with a core section lifted directly from STEP BOSS again – the Abs Stacker Bonus Abs. This is six exercises that each use the step risers to add challenge to the moves. This was a good little core section and I enjoyed it very much (as I did in STEP BOSS). It challenges the core in different ways and the boat pose with risers, as always, was pretty tough but I love it!
Overall, although this is quite a fun routine - I was a little disappointed that it was so short and so low intensity. This is definitely very intermediate in level. I am not sure if I would return to it but maybe for a lighter day.
(For more information about Cathe Live, how to sign up & to see all of my Cathe Live reviews, click HERE).
The Workout
Express Your Step is a cardio step workout with a core section at the end. Cathe used a full size step, with one riser, for the step section and an additional 2 risers for the core work, along with a mat. You could obviously raise or lower your step height, as preferred.
What You Need to Know
(Rating scale – 1= lowest & 5 = highest).
The Moves
Express Your Step is 44 minutes long and originally aired on 9th January 2020 (#279). The workout starts with a 6 minute warm-up, using the step, before moving into building the first layers on the final combo. The step, with one riser on each side, is set up horizontally in front of you at the start of the workout. You will also need an additional two risers, off to the side, for the core work. Below only the final combo is shown but know that it is built up in layers to allow you to learn the moves, before putting them all together.
Step Combo
Up, up & jack (on step), tap down x2, down & jack, tap side x2, grapevine, cross front & spin back
Side up x2 (moving back), knee off back (of step), knee off outside, diagonal over & hitch kick, 2 side steps
Knee off the side (of step), Elvis tap, box step (on step)
Reverse 6 count mambo (on step – stepping behind & on floor), knee lift (on step) & skip back / forward, knee off side (of step), over face & over, 6 count mambo (on step – facing forward)
Quick water break at 21:05 minutes
IMAX Section
Jacks – 12 reps
Combo one: Rock horse off side of step, go off the front, swim lunge x2, exit, in out repeater, salute squats x3 – repeat 6 times
Blast one: Squat attacks (1 foot on step, reach up & ‘attack’ bringing arms up & down) – 24 reps each side
Active recovery – walk forward / back & around the step
Combo two: 2 Knee repeater, Madonna pump x2, step touch behind & strike a pose on step x2 (both corners), over face & over, tap, tap, pas de bourree (on step) – repeat 6 times
Jacks – 12 reps
Blast two: Squat abductions (squat & 1 leg abductions off side of step -pumping arms up & down) – 24 reps each side
Blast Three: Fast feet (tapping step & moving around step) / 4 jump ropes & 4 jacks – 24x fast feet, 2 sets jacks, 16x fast feet & 2 sets jacks
Quick water break & stretch at 29:50 minutes. Put step away, keep risers & get out mat.
Core – Ab Stackers at 32:55 minutes
Stacking crunches (lying on your back with 4 risers in front of your feet, you will grab one riser (underhand) every time you do a crunch, flip it over your head & place each one on top of the other just behind your head. Then repeat taking each riser as you do a sit up and stacking them at the front of your feet) – 4 risers & mat – 3 sets
Side to side oblique stacking (leaning back with feet off the floor & 4 risers to one side of you, move the stack of risers, one at a time, from one side of the body & back to the other) - 4 risers & mat – 3 sets
Plank stacking (in straight arm plank with 4 risers in front of 1 arm, one at a time move the risers with 1 hand. Move 2 out to one side & 2 out to other side then bring them back into centre) – 4 risers & mat – 4 sets
Side oblique sit-ups with boat pose (lie back with riser in hands, arms back over head, then sit-up & twist bringing riser to alternating sides as you lift the same side leg x2 then sit-up & hold in boat pose bringing riser to shins) – one riser & mat – 6 sets
Modified boat pose (holding one riser between hands back over head, sit-up & hold briefly in boat pose (with knees bent & feet out parallel to the floors) & tap riser to shins) - 1 riser & mat – 8 reps
Supermans (lying on stomach, holding one riser between hands outstretched in front of you – raise & lower arms & legs at the same time) – 1 riser & mat – 15 reps (holding up for 3 counts)
The workout ends with a 2 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: IMAX Live (#17) – HERE.
If you enjoyed this review, please share it using the links below.
Comentários