Wow. Just finished it. I'm dripping sweat and I generally don't use weights as heavy as Cathe and crew. My advice: don't be afraid to go heavy. For the most part you're only doing 10 or 12 reps of each exercise so you can really push it and concentrate. OTOH, you can also do this with NO weight and you will still get a fabulous workout. All depends on where you are right now in your fitness journey.
The backdrop is a gorgeous beach and village scene with trees and mountains in the background, and if that doesn't motivate you, I don't know what will.
The warm up starts off with squats, side lunges, and rear lunges, then she does the same thing with weights. She uses 12 pound dumbbells and I grabbed 8s because I wasn't sure about using heavy weights so early, but next time I will go heavier. She also does deadlifts (which I ADORE) in the warm up, so I was wishing I'd had heavier. She then grabs 15s and repeats the sequence, and I used 12s. Could have gone heavier, and next time I will.
Squats are first and she used 25s. I grabbed 12s and again I will go heavier next time. She then uses 20s for static lunges and I used 8s because I'm a bit wobbly on lunges, even without weight. Dead lifts are next and she used 30s. I did too. I can go heavy on deadlifts, so I went for it.
Pick up squats are next and she used a 40 pound dumbbell. I used a 25. These are like sumo squats where you're switching hands in between, with the bell on the floor as you do.
Elevated lunges are next, and she used 4 risers on the high step and 15s. I used no weight and only had 2 risers, because I know on these I don't have the balance and flexibility to do what she does. She also did explosive jumps on the next set of lunges, with no weight, but I didn't do those either. I just did faster lunges.
Next were deadlifts with toes elevated on barbell plates. She used 30s and so did I. Next were squats again with heels elevated on the plates. She used 15s and I stuck with 12s. Step ups were next. These are also known as leg press. She used 4 risers and 15s. I used 2 risers and 8s, but will try higher weight next time since we don't do a lot of reps.
Next up were single leg deadlifts with a 30 pound bell and I used the same. This might well be my new favorite Cathe lower body workout because of all the deadlifts!
Next were front lunges with a 15 pound bell, and I used no weight because by this time, I was really tired. She then used a 40 pound bell for close grip squats. I used a 20. Again, this is like a sumo where you're holding the bell in between your legs while squatting. You don't put it on the floor for these.
Next were squats with crossover lunges on a 6 inch step, with a 15 pound bell. You squat off the side and then immediately do a back crossover lunge. I did these with a 5 pound weight and on the floor, because I was tired and didn't want to get off balance on the step.
Forward leaning glute lunges with a 15 pound bell were next. Again she was on a 6 inch step. I did these on the step top only and with no weight. It's a lunge off the back of the step and you lean forward and down to lower the bell, while keeping the front knee from going over the toe.
Next were cossack squats. You go into a side lunge and then transfer to the other leg and lift the toe. She used a 12 pound and I used no weight. The last exercise was three sets of calf raises and they were holding 25 pound dumbbells! I did them with no weight, and had trouble with the third set. LOL! The reps are 25, 20, and lastly 15. WHEW!!
The stretch was just enough and really felt wonderful. The workout goes fast, but you definitely feel worked out! I adored this and can't wait to do the other workouts in the series!!
