Cathe Live Review: Touch Up Training: Lower Body (#298)
Touch Up Training: Lower Body is a fun and varied metabolic strength training workout for the lower body. I really enjoyed this routine and it reminded me of Cathe’s STEP BOSS PHA 3 DVD (review HERE) and the Live lower body workout – Breathless Legs (#283 – review HERE), which is also based on that DVD (although that one also includes cardio from IMAX 4). This is my favourite type of routine, as there is no repetition at all, so once you do an exercise (and complete it on the other side, if necessary), you are done and moving onto something else. This really makes it so much more fun for me and then the time just flies by.
This is the third ‘Touch Up Training’ workout on Live, as there are two others currently in the archive – Touch Up Training #294, which is a total body cardio and strength workout (review HERE), and Touch Up Training: Upper Body #296, which is strength training for the upper body (review coming soon).
This workout consists of twenty one different exercises that use a variety of equipment, including dumbbells, a gliding device, a step platform, a resistance loop and two dixie cups (or small items). The whole workout moves at a good pace and my heart rate styed pretty elevated throughout. Many of the exercises are very metabolic in nature, including little hops or jumps, leg abductions etc, and provide a nice cardio effect too. The pace, for some of the moves, is also a little bit quicker and this also helps to increase the intensity a little more. I was pretty drenched by the end of this one and even Cathe looked like she was feeling it!
All of the moves are familiar and if you have done PHA 3, you will definitely recognise several of them. As Cathe is on her own again, she also uses 20 pound dumbbells for some of the moves. They are all standing moves and use a mix of lighter and heavier weights. I did increase on a few but because of the pace, on some of the lighter weight moves, I sometimes stayed lighter there too. This is not a heavy strength workout but is more to provide overall toning for the muscles - hitting them from a variety of angles. I did modify one of the moves – the rear slide lunges, where she has her front foot on the step as they irritate my knees, and so I just did them without the step and using two dumbbells rather than one.
The workout ends with calf raises. Cathe does say it going to be three sets of 20 reps but then adds on a bonus just to really burn out those muscles!
(One thing to note: I was a little disappointed that the stretch at the end of the workout is ridiculously short – only 1:30 minutes! For me, this was completely inadequate, for this type of workout, so I added on some extra stretching at the end just to really stretch the muscles out properly).
Overall, this is a really fun and effective, no repeat, metabolic strength workout that focuses on the lower body. This is definitely one I will return to often.
(For more information about Cathe Live, how to sign up & to see all of my Cathe Live reviews, click HERE).
The Workout
Touch Up Training: Lower Body is a metabolic strength workout consisting of 21 different moves for the lower body.
What You Need to Know
(Rating scale – 1= lowest & 5 = highest).
The Moves
Touch Up Training: Lower Body is 46 minutes long and originally aired on 21st May 2020 (#298). The workout starts with a 5 minute warm-up, before a quick water break and moving into the first exercise. Cathe starts with the step platform, resting on a mat to anchor it, off to one side. You will need to make sure you have all of your equipment handy for this routine.
Hop squat & rear lunge (3 squats hopping & 1 rear lunge) – one 10# Db (I used 1x 15) – 16 reps
Pick up forward lunges w/ knee lift – two dixie cups – 10 reps each side
Squat toss – one 10# Db – 48 reps
Side leg tap outs – resistance loop – 4 sets of 16 reps
Standing alternating outer thigh lifts – resistance loop – 32 reps
Static pulse lunges – one 20# Db – 31 pulses each side
Crossback lunges (putting down & picking up dixie cups) – two dixie cups & step platform – 24x alternating, 8x each side, 4x each side & 15 pulses each side
Front sumo squats (Dbs held between legs) – two 20# Dbs – 16 reps
Rear slide lunges (one foot on step) - one 12# Db, one gliding device & step platform (I used two 12# Dbs & no step) - 12 reps each side
Close stance stiff leg deadlifts – one 20# Db (held horizontally between hands) – 20 reps (2/2 & 3/1)
Side to side / pivoting sumo squat combo – one 15# Db – 32 reps (4 of each)
Elevated lunges (one foot on step) – two 15# Dbs & step platform – 16 reps each side
Wide stance deadlifts – two 20# Dbs – 12 reps (2/2)
Side lunge & abduct – two dixie cups – 10 reps each side
Squat & cross back lunge - one 15# Db & step platform – 12 reps each side (fast)
Side steps (firewalkers) – resistance loop – 5 sets (on diagonal) & side steps (2 steps & 4 steps)
Squat hop, 2 pulse squats & stand – one 10# Db – 12 sets
Warrior lunges – one gliding device – 12 reps each side
Sweeper lunges – one gliding device – 48 reps each side
Side slide lunges / side sweeper lunges – one gliding device – 16x side lunge & 32x sweeper each side
Calf raises – two 20# Dbs – 3 sets of 20 reps (slow) & 20 reps (fast)
The workout ends with a very short 1:30 minute cool down and stretch. I added a few extra stretches on the end.
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If you liked this workout, check out my review of Cathe Live: Give Me More Legs & Core (#254) – HERE.
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