Cathe Live Review: Lower Body Barre Blend (#332)
Lower Body Barre Blend is a mainly low impact cardio and lower body strength workout. For me, this routine was a feel good kind of workout and I loved it. It’s not super tough but I just got a nice workout for the lower body. There is not a lot of cardio in this one and what there is, is low impact or just with small hops so it never really feels very intense. I actually only started sweating towards the end of the routine, as it gets a little bit more metabolic as it progresses, but I was never out of breath or really challenged.
The workout starts with a fairly long 9 minute warm-up that includes a series of plie and lunge combinations. These started to warm up my lower body nicely and I did really start to feel the calf lifts in plie squat towards the end. You then move into a short cardio section using the barre, just your own bodyweight or the gliding devices. The intervals are all fairly short but enough to just get you moving and warmed up nicely. The moves are all very familiar and are more lower body focused, such as, air squats, plie pulls and swim lunges. Each move is done for a number of reps then you get a quick break and move onto something else. I really liked the variety, both in this section and the whole routine, as you never know what is coming next and I liked the fact that you are using different equipment to challenge the lower body in different ways.
The next section is more strength focused, using the gliding devices and dumbbells. Cathe only used 10 pound dumbbells in this whole routine. I also used 12 and 15 pounds. However, having done the routine now, I think you could easily go much heavier, if you wanted to, as none of these moves are that high rep. If you want to keep it more of a feel good routine though, I found the 12 and 15’s worked nicely.
The final section is barre work using the chair or Fit Tower. Cathe used a chair for this part and I did the same. You do a series of exercises, such as, high & tight, straight leg lifts and high hip pulses that you do all on one side and then repeat again on the other side. Cathe’s counting here is a little off on the straight leg lifts, as you do 80 reps on the first side and 95 on the second! (So if you want to pause after the first side and add on the rest you can). This was definitely the hardest part of the routine, as these moves are definitely higher rep. However, I actually didn’t find them as tough as I was expecting and I think I have Sydney Cummings and Caroline Girvan’s leg workouts to thank for that. I definitely feel that my quads and glutes are getting stronger so it was nice to feel the hard work is paying off a little!
(Btw if you are looking for a really tough and slightly different lower body workout - try Caroline Girvan's Epic 1 Day 47 Leg Day Workout - YouTube link HERE. It's a serious burner! Plus for a total body metabolic strength and cardio challenge without any impact - try her Epic 1 Day 40 30 Min Burn Hiit Workout w/ Dumbbells - YouTube link HERE. All I can say for that one is - Wow! :) )
Overall, a really fun and varied, lower body workout with a little bit of cardio. This is one I will definitely be returning to frequently.
(For more information about Cathe Live, how to sign up & to see all of my Cathe Live reviews, click HERE).
The Workout
Lower Body Barre Blend is a cardio and strength workout focused on the lower body. The routine starts with cardio before moving into more strength focused exercises and ends with barre work using a chair.
What You Need to Know
(Rating scale – 1= lowest & 5 = highest).
The Moves
Lower Body Barre Blend is 51 minutes long and originally aired on 28th January 2021 (#332). The workout starts with a long 9 minute warm-up, starting on the floor and then using the chair. You then move into the first cardio drill. Cardio moves shown in bold italics below.
Plie pulls (lifting on toes or jumping) – chair – 32 reps
Crossback lunge w/ knee lift – chair – 12 reps
Air squats – 40 reps
Plie pulls (other side) – chair – 32 reps
Crossback lunge w/ knee lift (other side) – chair – 16 reps
Air squats – 48 reps
Fast slide outs – two gliding devices – 32 reps each side
Squat to lunge – 28 reps (jumping & no jumping)
Swim lunges – two gliding devices – 56 reps
Side slide lunges / side slide circles – one gliding device – 8 reps & 4 partial reps / 8 x circles (1st side). 12 reps & 4 partial reps / 8 x circles (2nd side).
Warrior lunges w/ knee lift (to side) – 16 reps each side
Sliding warrior lunges – one gliding device – 10 reps each side
Side lunges (putting down & picking up Db) – one 10# Db (I used 1x12) – 16 reps each side
Alternating crossback lunges – two 10# Dbs (I used 15’s) – 8x alternating, 4x 3 pulses, 8x alt, 2x 7 pulses, 8x alt, 2x 15 pulses & 8x alt
Single leg deadlifts – two 10# Dbs (I used 15’s) – 10 reps each side
Slide back lunges – two 10# Dbs & one gliding device – 16 reps each side
Barre work – using chair
High & tight (feet together) – chair – 5 x7 pulses, 8x 1.5’s & 1x 15 pulses
Straight leg lifts – chair – 80 reps (point, flex & inner thigh)
High & tight (second position – toes pointing out) – chair – 1x 8 pulses, 8x 7 pulses, 8x 1.5’s, 1x 15 pulses
Push dips – one 10# Db (I used 1x15) & chair – 16x pulses, 8x 1.5’s, 1x 16 pulses & 8x full range
High hip pulses / straight leg kicks to side / outer thigh lifts (straight leg; reaching hand to foot) – chair – 64x high hip pulses / 8x kicks / 6 x outer thigh & 16 pulses
Quick stretch & water break before repeating everything on the other side
High & tight (feet together) – chair – 5x 15 pulses
Straight leg lifts – chair – 95 reps (point, flex & inner thigh)
High & tight (second position – toes pointed out) – chair – 4x 15 pulses
Push dips – one 10# Db (I used 1x15) & chair – 16x pulses, 8x 1.5’s, 1x 16 pulses & 8x full range
High hip pulses / straight leg kicks to side / outer thigh lifts (straight leg; reaching hand to foot) – chair – 64x high hip pulses / 8x kicks / 6 x outer thigh & 15 pulses
The workout ends with a 2 minute cool down and stretch.
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If you liked this workout, check out my review of Cathe Live: Lower Body Confusion (#203) – HERE.
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