Cathe Live Review: Rock Bottoms & Core (#110)
Rock Bottoms & Core is a fantastic and fun metabolic strength workout for the lower body that ends with a tough core section.
I absolutely love this workout. There is no dread factor as none of the exercises are repeated and there is lots of variety to keep you focused and interested. The routine uses a variety of different equipment and starts standing before moving to the floor for more lower body then core work.
The workout starts with a standing section using dumbbells, a gliding device and a resistance loop. These exercises target the lower body, in different ways, and you will start to feel some of the moves. This is not a heavy strength workout but is much more metabolic, as you are moving quickly and with large ranges of motion. This section had a pretty good cardio effect and I was definitely starting to sweat a little by the end. Cathe used 10 pound dumbbells and I did increase on a few but even with the lighter weights you will probably start to feel the work. Many of the moves include balance challenges so you are getting additional core work here too. Most of the exercises are reasonably high rep and include a variety of different tempos and rep patterns.
The next part of the workout is floor work, using the stability ball. You start with three sets of hamstring roll-ins before moving onto ball knee squeezes and outer thigh lifts. Cathe’s counting was only a little off, for the outer thighs, and I have noted that below. This exercise was not as high rep as she sometimes does but I still got a nice burn.
The final part of the routine is a tough core section, using the stability ball and 10 pound dumbbells. I found the exercises with the ball particularly challenging, as you are often holding it back over your head while you lift the legs. The flutter kicks, with arms and head raised, were very tough and I was definitely feeling those. This is an excellent core routine and works the core well from all angles.
Overall, this is such a fun and effective lower body and core workout, which uses a nice variety of different equipment to challenge the body in different ways. This is definitely one I will return to often.
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The Workout
Rock Bottoms & Core is a metabolic strength workout focused on the lower body and core. The routine starts with standing excises for the lower body then floorwork before finishing with core work. Cathe used 10 pound dumbbells, a medium tension resistance loop (I used heavy tension), a gliding device, a stability ball and a mat for this workout.
What You Need to Know
(Rating scale – 1= lowest & 5 = highest).
The Moves
Rock Bottoms & Core is 54 minutes long and originally aired on 21st July 2016 (#110). The workout starts with a 6:30 minute warm-up before moving into the first exercise using the gliding device.
Standing Lower Body
Slide back warrior lunges – one gliding device - 12 reps each side
Side slide pick up lunges / side slide lunges – one 10# Db (I used 1x 12) & one gliding device – 16 reps (pick up), 16 reps (no Db), 8 reps (staying low) & 16 reps (fast staying low) each side
Slide back lunges – two 10# Dbs & one gliding device - 16 reps each side
Side to side steps (firewalkers) – resistance loop – 16 sets of 4 reps, 4x singles & 8 sets of 4 reps
Alternating diagonal lunges – two 10# Dbs (I used 12’s) - 16 reps
Step out squats - one 10# Db (I used 1x 15) – 20 sets (4x 4 sets each side & 4x alternating)
Slow slide back lunges (2/2 count) – two 10# Dbs & one gliding device - 8 reps
Single leg deadlifts – two 10# Dbs - 10 reps
Slow slide back lunges (2/2 count) – two 10# Dbs & one gliding device - 8 reps (other leg)
Single leg deadlifts – two 10# Dbs - 10 reps (other leg)
Tap outs – resistance loop (around ankles) – 2x 32 reps, 2x 16 reps, 2x 8 reps, 2x 4 reps, 2x 2 reps & 4x singles
Standing plie pulse squats (transferring Db from hand to hand & then holding it) / sumo marches – one 10# Db - 48x pulses (pass Db), 4x partials (hold Db), 4x singles, 8x pulses, 4x singles, 8x pulse & 16 sumo marches
Hamstring press (foot flexed / hamstring curl (toe pointed) – resistance loop (around ankles & under 1 foot) – 48 reps (press) / 48 reps (curl) each side
Quick stretch & get out mat at 30:40 minutes
Floor work (on mat with ball)
Hamstring roll-ins / roll-in & hip lift – stability ball & mat – 16 reps / 4 reps (hip lift), 8 reps / 4 reps (lift) & 8 reps / 4 reps (lift)
Ball knee squeeze – stability ball & mat – 40x singles & 8x 3 pulses (1st set). 8x 3 pulses (2nd set).
Outer thigh lifts (leaning on ball) – stability ball (I used ankles weights instead) & mat – 32 reps (toe pointed), 32 reps (flex), 8 reps (no hands) & 8x forward circles (1st side). 32 reps (pt), 32 reps (flex), 8 reps (no hands), 8 reps (pt) & 8x forward circles (2nd side).
Quick stretch at 38:50 minutes
Core (on the mat) at 39:35 minutes
Ball exchange – stability ball & mat
Banana holds (holding ball in hands overhead) – stability ball & mat
Reverse crunches (ball balanced on shins) – stability ball & mat
Flutter kick straight legs (while holding ball overhead) – stability ball & mat
1 Leg sit-ups (sit-up & raise 1 leg to tap ball at top) / flutter kick sit-ups (sit-up & flutter kick both legs to tap ball 1 after the other) - stability ball & mat
Russian twists – stability ball & mat
Sit-up & twist – stability ball & mat
Russian twists (one leg & both legs raised) – stability ball & mat
Boat pose (ball balancing on shins & arms wide) – stability ball & mat
Core pullovers – two 10# Dbs & mat
Lying up & over crunches (crunch & lift straight leg up & over across other foot) – one Db on end between straight legs (optional) & mat
Sit-up & overhead press – one 10# Db & mat
Elbow plank knee taps (swim legs – knees to tap floor) / plank marches (march feet out & in) / walking planks (up to straight arm plank & back to elbows) / plank knee taps (knees to tap floor) - mat
The workout ends with a 2:30 minute cool down and stretch.
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