Cathe Live Review: Low Impact Step Bootcamp (#195)
Low Impact Step Bootcamp is a more intermediate step bootcamp workout. This was a pretty fun routine with lots of variety and the time flew by.
The workout consists of six rounds of a step cardio interval followed by several strength exercises for lower body, upper body and core. Cathe uses an 8” step for this workout and both the cardio and some of the lower body exercises are done using the step. The cardio intervals are all straight forward moves so no real choreography just a few moves strung together and repeated for a set number of reps. The cardio is not too high rep and you can keep it all low impact with just a little lift or, like me, you can make the moves higher intensity / higher impact by adding a jump.
The strength moves use only light weights – 5 & 8# dumbbells - and resistance tubing. I increased the weights on several of the exercises and probably could have gone up even further (which I will do next time). The strength work is not that high rep but does move at a reasonable pace. You are also moving fairly quickly from one thing to the next and this also helps to keep the heart rate up. Some of strength work also uses the gliding devices and this adds to the intensity of these moves. In addition, the lower body moves are often compound moves, using the step, and this also makes the workout feel more metabolic.
(Some of the upper body exercises use dumbbells with the resistance tubing, however, I find this uncomfortable so I just modified using heavier dumbbells instead. This is shown in ‘The Moves’ section below).
Overall, this is a nice cardio and strength routine that you can do either lower or higher impact. Depending on your weight selection, you can also keep this more intermediate or add impact and heavier weights for a slightly more challenging workout.
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The Workout
Low Impact Step Bootcamp is a low impact cardio and strength workout using the step. The routine consists of six rounds of step cardio and several strength exercises. Cathe uses a full size step, with two risers each side, light dumbbells, gliding devices and medium tension resistance tubing for this workout. (I used a resistance band as I don’t like using the tubing). If you don’t have a step you could mimic the moves on the floor instead.
What You Need to Know
(Rating scale – 1= lowest & 5 = highest).
The Moves
Low Impact Step Bootcamp is 46 minutes long and originally aired on 26th April 2018 (#195). The workout starts with a 2:30 minute warm up before moving into the first step cardio drill. The step, with 2 risers each side, is set up horizontally in front of you. You will need to make sure that your dumbbells, tubing and gliding devices are off to one side, as you will need room the whole way around your step for both the cardio and strength moves. Cardio moves are shown in bold italics below.
Round 1
Step knee tap down x8 - around the world (moving around each corner of the step) – step – 1 set
Air squats – 32 reps
Bicep curls – two 5# dumbbells & resistance tubing (I used two 12# dumbbells) – 25 reps
Straight arm kickbacks – resistance tubing – 68 reps
Squat thrust into plank push-up / squat thrust to push-up (legs straight back & do push-up as the legs go back) – two gliding devices & step – 8 reps & 9 reps
Round 2
Swim lunges – step - 2 sets of 48 reps
Squat press – two 8# dumbbells (I used 10’s) – 8 reps / 4x 3 pulse squats & 1 press / 8 reps / 2x 3 pulses / 4 reps
Lunge & overhead press off back of step – two 8# dumbbells & step – 12 reps each side
Tricep dips reaching for alternating leg – step – 24 reps (extremely fast) & 16 reps (slower)
Straight arm plank & leg out / crossovers in plank – two gliding devices & step – 8 reps legs out & 8 reps crossover
Round 3
Straddle down & knee lift / straddle down & leg abductions / 3x leg abductions – step – 16 reps of the 1st two & 4 sets of 3x leg abductions
Leg abduction & 1 arm front raise – one 8# dumbbell & step – 16 reps each side
Overhead tricep extensions – resistance tubing (I used two 12# dumbbells) – 6 reps & 3x partial reps
Tricep kickbacks – resistance tubing – 3 sets of 4x singles & 7x pulses
Mountain climbers – two gliding devices & step – 48 reps
Round 4
32 Pump press (knee raises with straight arms pushing down) & 4x 4 dynamic outer thighs – step - 2 sets each side
W curls – two 8# dumbbells & resistance tubing (I used two 12# dumbbells) – 16 reps
Tricep dips with sliding leg extensions – one gliding device & step – 16 reps each side
Leg thrusters – step – 2 sets of 32 reps
Round 5
Uneven pulse squats – one 8# dumbbell (I used 1x10) & step – 24 reps
Step on & over step with overhead press – one 8# dumbbell (I used 1x10) & step – 16 reps
Leg abduction & 1 arm upright row – one 8# dumbbell (I used 1x10) & step – 16 reps each side
Rear delt flys – two 8# dumbbells (I used 2x10) – 4 sets of 3 reps & 2 sets of 7 reps
1 Arm delt flies (sitting with tubing around one foot & do 1 arm band pulls twisting to side) – resistance tubing & mat – 12 reps each side
Round 6
Knee taps off side of step / lifted leg abductions – step – 4 sets - 16 reps of each
Incline tricep push-ups – step – 10 reps (on knees) & 4 reps on toes
T-band pulls – resistance tubing & mat – 32 reps, 8 reps (slower) & 1x 16 pulses
Soldier planks – mat – 16 reps
Supermans – mat – 24 reps
The workout ends with a 3:30 minute cool down and stretch.
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