Cathe Live Review: Legs & Glutes Live (#65)

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Cathe Live Review: Legs & Glutes Live (#65)

Legs & Glutes Live is an excellent metabolic workout focused on the lower body. This routine is based on Cathe’s DVD of the same name from the Body Blast series. Both are great workouts but I find the DVD harder, in terms of strength endurance and you are using a higher step for some of the exercises. However, there is more cardio in this the Live version.

This workout has two main sections. The first is comprised of standing lower body strength moves mixed with short cardio intervals. The second is lower body strength work on the mat. The standing leg work is very metabolic and that mixed with the cardio drills really keeps the heart rate more elevated, for the first half of the routine. The cardio intervals are a mix of floor and step based drills. There is no choreography, they are just straight forward blasts. The reps are not too high and these are a nice way to insert some cardio in without exhausting you. They are also all lower body focused so you are getting more work for the legs here too.

The strength work uses dumbbells and the high step. The step is set at 10” (3 risers), for the most part, and so this is not quite as tough, as it could be, but I still got a great workout. The pace for these exercises is quite fast and you only get short rest periods between the different moves so you will start to feel your lower body. I particularly found the reverse lunge / knee lift combo tough, as my legs were already pretty fatigued by then. Cathe used fairly light weights and so you could easily heavy up and increase your step height, if you want a real challenge. This section ends with a little barre work, using a barbell bar for balance but you could easily use a chair or broom handle etc. These were pretty high rep and Cathe’s counting was sometimes a little off here so the second side often gets far more reps than the first. I have noted the differences below so you can add on or just start with the other leg first next time.

The workout ends with high rep lower body exercises on the mat.Again Cathe’s counting was a little all over the place so again the second side gets much more work. These exercises really finished off working my legs nicely.

Overall, a fast paced metabolic workout that will challenge your lower body nicely. This is one I will definitely be returning to.

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The Workout

Legs & Glutes Live is a cardio and strength, lower body workout that starts standing and ends with floor work on the mat. Cathe uses a high step but you could always use a full size step & turn it vertically in front of you, if necessary.

What You Need to Know

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

The Moves

Legs & Glutes Live is 55 minutes long and originally aired on 20th August 2015 (#65). The workout starts with a 5 minute warm-up, before a quick water break and then moving into the first cardio interval. The high step, with three risers, is set up in front of you at the start of the workout. You will need space all around it for this routine. Cardio moves shown in bold italics below.

Standing Lower Body

• Jump forward (straddling step), jump back & 1 plyo jack – 10” high step - 8 reps

• Jump forward & jump back (straddling step) – 10” high step - 8 reps

• Leg presses (step-ups) – one 15# Db & 10” high step – 2 sets of 16 reps each side

• Hover squats – one 15# Db – 8x singles, 4x 15 pulses & 8x singles

• Straddle down & knee lift / swim lunges (singles) – 10”high step – 12x knee, 8x swim, 8x knee & 16x swim

• Alternating step out plie squats - two 12# Dbs – lots of reps (various tempos)

• Elevated lunges (back foot on step behind you) – one 15# Db & 10” high step – 8x singles, 15x pulses, 4x singles, 7x pulses & 2 sets (2x singles & 3 pulses)

• 180 Power turning squats (w/ 1 foot always on the step) – 10” high step – 4 sets of 16 reps

• Uneven squats off side of step – one 15# Db & 10” high step – 8 sets (1x 3 pulses & 2x singles) each side side

• Reverse lunge & knee lift – two 12# Dbs - 8 sets (1x 3 pulses & 3x singles)

• Straddle steps & knee lift (jumping) / straddle steps & 1 leg abduction – 8”high step – 32 reps

• Crossback lunges - one 15# Db – 16x singles, 4x 3 pulses, 4 sets (2x singles & 1x 3 pulses) & 8x singles

• Sculpting drills w/ genie arms (stand on step; bring 1 knee in & down without touching the floor) – 10” high step – 16 reps & 12 reps each side

• Pendulum lunges & 4 power scissors (lunge forward - 4 pulses, lunge back - 4 pulses, lunge forward - 4 pulses & 4 power scissors switching feet) – 7 sets

• Calf raises – 10” high step & barbell bar (for balance) – 48x toes forward, 40x toes in & 40x toes out

• Standing outer thigh lifts (singles & pulsing) – barbell bar (for balance) – 48 reps (1st side) & 68 reps (2ndside)

• Alternating standing outer thigh lifts – barbell bar (held between both hands out in front of you) – 46 reps

• Standing straight leg raises – barbell bar (for balance)– 32x toe pointed & 48x toe flex (1st side). 40x point & 48x flex (2nd side)

Lower Body on the Floor at 44:30 minutes

• One leg glute press (lay on back, 1 foot on step, other leg raised to ceiling, raise & lower hips) – step platform & mat – 80 reps (1st side) & 92 reps (2nd side)

• Inner thigh raises – mat (I also used ankle weights)– 48x toe pointed & 32x flex

• Inner thigh leg taps (in same position as above; hold top leg in the air & raise & lower bottom leg to meet it) – mat (I also used ankle weights) – 16 reps

• Inner thigh raises (other side) – mat (I also used ankle weights) – 48x flex & 48x point

• Inner thigh leg taps (other side) – mat (I also used ankle weights) – 16 reps

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

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If you liked this workout, check out my review of Cathe Live: Crosstrain Lower Body (#51) – HERE.

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