Cathe Live Review: Legs, Cardio & Core Galore (#330)
Legs, Cardio & Core Galore is a cardio and strength workout focused on the lower body with a little core mixed in. This is definitely not a super sweaty routine, like I was expecting, but is a more moderate metabolic lower body strength training routine. It wasn’t super challenging but I did feel I got a good workout and my lower body, particularly my glutes and hamstrings, felt reasonably well worked. This is also one of Cathe’s longer workouts, which I love, coming in at 58 minutes but it really didn’t feel that long as there is so much variety.
The workout starts with several different cardio moves. Most of these are low impact using either the ball or gliding devices (disks). These moves did get my heart rate up a bit but I was never really breathing hard, as they are fairly short intervals and not very intense. Cathe often does a few sets of each move but breaks them up with rest breaks, in between, so it is not all one longer cardio section, unlike how she sometimes does in other workouts. The moves with the gliding devices were slightly tougher cardio, than with the ball, but again nothing crazy here at all. Even for the disk mountain climbers, Cathe only did sets of 16 reps, at a time, so even though I usually dread those they were not too bad at all.
The next section is a mix of standing weighted strength exercises for the lower body. Some of these also incorporate the ball or the gliding devices. Cathe used fairly light weights in this one – 10 to 15 pounds - so it is definitely not a heavy strength routine. The focus is more on getting a little more of a cardio effect along with the toning. Again, the reps here are not that high so I didn’t really feel that much challenge for the lower body and would definitely increase the weights I used next time. The only move I struggled with was the rear slide outs with the ball toss. I found this very awkward and struggled to toss the ball whilst still being able to maintain a proper slide out. For me personally, I didn’t really feel that the ball toss added anything so I ended up holding it and focusing on the lower body instead.
The final section is mat work using the ball and gliding devices. You start leaning back on the ball with straight leg lifts. Now these I did start to feel after 96 reps on each side! Cathe did make me smile though, as she took a longer break in between one side and the other. As she said “she’s got us”, as she was stalling to give us time to recoup for the next side! The next few moves are all variations of hamstring roll-ins and this time she does start to rep you out. This finished with a set of fast roll-ins and I was definitely working to complete these. The workout ends with mermaids, on the gliding devices, and outer thigh lifts on the ball. I did the last exercise on the floor, with ankle weights, as I find leaning on the ball aggravates my hip too much. This was a great way to finish burning out the legs a little bit more.
Overall, a fun cardio, core and lower body strength workout that is full of variety and will definitely keep your body guessing as to what is coming next.
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The Workout
Legs, Cardio & Core Galore is a cardio and strength workout focusing on the lower body and core. The workout starts with cardio and then moves into standing strength work before finishing with floor work on the mat.
What You Need to Know
(Rating scale – 1= lowest & 5 = highest).
The Moves
Legs, Cardio & Core Galore is 58 minutes long and originally aired on 14th January 2021 (#330). The workout starts with a 7 minute warm-up, before moving into the cardio section. You will need to have your equipment handy, as you will be moving quite quickly from one thing to the next.
Cardio
Side to side lunges w/ figure of 8 - ball
Side lunge & leg abduction – ball – singles, 3’s & 7’s each side
Alternating forward lunges w/ ball overhead – ball – 16 reps
Alternating rear lunge w/ ball overhead – ball – 16 reps
Ball slams – ball – 3 sets of 16 reps
Plie squat & plie squat pulses w/ ball overhead / add calf lifts – ball – 6 sets (4 count hold & 4x pulses) / 8x alt calf lift & 16x both feet calf lifts
Rapid slide outs – two gliding devices – 2 sets of 16 reps each side
Disk jacks – two gliding devices – 36 reps
Swim lunges – two gliding devices – 40 reps
Disk jacks – two gliding devices – 33 reps
Mountain climbers – two gliding devices – 3 sets of 16 reps
Squat thrust – two gliding devices – 8 reps
Plank out & under (moving leg out to side then in under the body) – two gliding devices – 4 reps each side & 6 reps alternating
Disk jacks – two gliding devices – 24 reps
Plank knee-ins – two gliding devices – 8 reps
Pike Ups – two gliding devices – 8 reps
Rear slide outs (fast – start w/ ball on ground then hold then toss) – one gliding device & ball – 38 reps (1st side) & 40 reps (2nd side)
Legs & Core
Lateral walks – two 10# Dbs – 3 sets (2 walks & 2x 7 pulses)
Rear slide lunges – two 12# Dbs & one gliding device – 16 reps each side
Deadlifts – two 15# Dbs (I used 20’s) – 12 reps (2/2 count)
Alternating step out sumo squats – one 15# Db – 24 reps
Single leg deadlifts – one 15# Dbs (I used 2x 15#) – 12 reps each side (3/1 count)
Side slide pick up lunges – one 10# & one 12# Db (I used 1x 15 both times) & one gliding device – 16 reps (w/ 1x10) & 8 reps (slow w/ 1x12) each side
Straight leg lift pulses / inner thigh lifts (leaning back on ball) – ball – 96 reps each side (32 reps each - point, flex & inner thigh)
Hamstring roll-ins – ball & mat – 16 reps
Hamstring roll-ins (in, out & down) – ball & mat – 9 sets
Hamstring roll-ins – ball & mat – 12 reps
Hamstring roll-ins (in, up & out) – ball & mat – 8 sets
Hamstring roll-ins (fast) – ball & mat – 16 reps
Mermaids (one hand on disk & leaning out to one side) – one gliding device & mat – 2 sets of 8 reps each side
Outer thigh lifts (leaning on ball) – ball & mat (I did these on the floor w/ ankle weights on) – 64 reps (point / flex) / 24 reps (arms out; alt point & flex) / 12 reps (hand to foot)
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: Cardio Glutes & Core (#217) – HERE.
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