Cathe Live Review: To The Mat Legs & Icy Core (#86)
To The Mat Legs & Icy Core is a really nice feel-good, lower body and core workout. I love this routine and it is a great one to do when you don’t really feel like working out but still want to get your body moving.
This workout is based on Cathe’s Intermediate DVD Series - ICE: To The Mat, which is also a routine I love. This one is nice in that you don’t need to get out lots of equipment and you are generally on the floor for most of it, which sometimes is nice when for when you are not feeling full of energy! The routine uses just a stability ball, resistance band and loop.
The workout starts with lower body moves, using the stability ball, focusing on the quads, hamstrings and inner thighs. You then move into outer thigh, with the loop, and then hamstrings and calves, with the band. The final lower body section is in L position for more outer thighs and quads. Most of the exercises are pretty high rep so you will be feeling the work here. As usual there are lots of hamstring roll-ins too and I was really starting to feel the challenge with those!
The second part of the workout is core work, using your own bodyweight and one light dumbbell (Cathe used an 8# dumbbell and I used a 10). These are fairly high rep exercises, as well, and you move quickly from one thing to the next so I felt this provided a nice challenge for the whole core. The core is worked from all angles and is a nice way to round out the routine.
One thing to note - unfortunately, in this routine, Cathe really struggled with counting. Pretty much every exercise, where you repeat the move on the other side, has a different number of reps from one side to the other, which is a little frustrating. This applies to both the lower body and the core work. I have listed the differences below so you can either add on extras or just start with the other leg the next time you do the workout.
Overall, this is a really enjoyable lower body and core workout that will provide a nice challenge for the muscles. This is great for days when you don’t want to get out lots of equipment and just want something a little lighter.
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The Workout
To The Mat Legs & Icy Core is a lower body and core mat based strength workout. The routine starts with lower body and then moves into core. Cathe used a stability ball, medium tension resistance band and loop, and a light dumbbell for this workout.
What You Need to Know
(Rating scale – 1= lowest & 5 = highest).
The Moves
To The Mat Legs & Icy Core is 58 minutes long and originally aired on 28th January 2016 (#86). The workout starts with a 2 minute warm-up, using the stability ball, before moving straight into the first exercise, which is leaning against the ball with one leg extended.
Lower Body – Stability Ball
Straight leg raises / inner thigh raises / straight leg raises (inclined on the ball) – 16 reps / 16 reps / 42 pulses (point & flex). 2nd side – 32 pulses rather than 42.
Hamstring roll-ins – 16 reps
Frog hamstring roll-ins (feet turned out) – 16 reps
Hamstring roll-ins / 1 leg raised – 12 reps / 8 reps
Hamstring roll-ins & hip lifts / hip lift & ‘walk feet on ball’ – 14 reps / 23 reps
Hip lift with straight arms back & forward / hip lift with arms pump & cross – 9 reps / 8 reps
Ball knee squeezes – 14 reps, 8x 3 pulses, 8x hold for 3, 16 reps & 32x pulses
Ball toss (lying on back with legs straight in air – catch ball between feet) – 20 reps
Ball rotations (rotate ball between feet like a steering wheel) – 12 reps
Lower Body – Resistance Loop
Outer thigh presses (lying on back with straight legs in air, resistance loop around ankles - outer thigh pulses) – 12 reps, 7x 3 pulses, 8 reps & hold
Marching planks (on elbows with loop around ankles – step feet out & in) – 10 reps, 2x 4 reps each side & 8 reps (fast)
Hydrants (on hands & knees with loop around ankles & one leg crossed over other - lift outer thigh) – 8 reps, 32x pulses, 12 reps & 8x pulses (1st side). 12 reps, 32x pulses, 8 reps, 16x pulses & 8 reps (2nd side)
Lower Body – Resistance Band
Single leg hip lifts (band across shin) – 28 reps & 16x pulses (1st side). 24 reps & 16x pulses (2nd side)
Calf press (sitting up & band around one foot - point & flex) – 28 reps & 16x pulses (1st side). 32 reps & 32x pulses (2nd side)
Lower Body (no equipment)
Side plank with hip lift / leg lift – 8 reps & 8 reps (leg lift only) each side
L position leg lifts / pulsing leg down / pulsing leg down on angle (heel down) / L position leg lifts / leg circles / foot pumps – 20 reps / 24 reps / 32 reps / 12 reps / 8 reps (each way) / 8 sets (1st side). 24 reps / 24 reps / 32 reps / 8 reps / 8 reps (each way) / 6 sets (pump up & down) & 8 reps (pump forward)
Core - mat (at 39:30 mins) – one 8# dumbbell (I used a 10#)
Swimmers in forearm plank – 20 reps
Elbow plank hold
Plank hip dips – 20 reps
Lay on front and raise legs out and in – 16 reps
Just swim arms now – 11 reps
Breaststroke swimmers (swim arms & legs) – 8 reps (slow)
Side to side rowers – one 8# dumbbell (I used 1x 10) – 24 reps
Weighted V sits – one 8# dumbbell (I used 1x 10) – 22 reps
Lying up & overs – 17 reps (1st side) / 16 reps (2nd side)
45 Degree toe to heel taps (lay on back, raise both legs straight up and lower 1 leg and then other to 45 degrees) – 13 reps (1 side) 16 reps (2nd side)
Reverse crunches – 27 reps & 4x 3 pulses
Leg chasers – 24 reps
Bike manoeuvre – 48 reps
Oblique side crunches (singles & pulsing) – 8 reps, 1x 15 pulses, 1x 7 pulses, 2x 3 pulses & 8 reps (1st side). 16 reps, 1x 15 pulses, 1x 7 pulses, 2x 3 pulses & 8 reps (2nd side)
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: Leg Day Live – HERE.
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