Hi girlies. I know my take on workouts isn't the last word but I do like to give you my opinion even if it helps you get through the workout with more knowledge.
Well, I'm proud to say not a dry spot was left on me after this workout. Cathe did change for the upper body segment but I wanted to suffer in my sweat pool. mwahahaha. Nah, I just didn't care enough to change
You will burn serious calories in this workout, for sure.
I have to say the first step segment (first 25 min or so) went by so fast. I am an 80s music girl at heart so I thoroughly enjoyed this. It was some traditional moves again mixed with a few snappy things thrown in. I stumbled a wee bit here and there but picked it up pretty fast. One of my favorties was hand to opposite inner foot and then turn back around into a lunge. Maybe it was because Jesse's Girl was playing. I swear I never loved doing lunges so much in my life...and I despise lunges. I mean, I love how they work, but they kill me. She does a lot of around the world type stuff, but she adds propulsion that kills you. Some moves are not fancy but damn they work. Another favorite was the low skaters off the step in side to side lunge position. Those kick your booty, literally.
On to the power circuits. Sweet crap, they were all challenging, but some more noticeably pounded me. I found the wide lunges mixed with the power 15s (or whatever the hell count she was on..) was super hard. Also the plyo jacks into air jacks into hop forward and back. Holy crap. The weighted leg work is pretty standard but creeps up on you as she changes the count from 2-2, 3-1, low ends to low for god knows how long. She only uses 10s (for lunging) I think (maybe lighter) and you start to think it's nothing but wait, just wait. A really cool think she does with static lunge is pulls your leg back into a squat on the step before going to a lunge behind. She uses a 35lb barbell for plies and squats. With the pace I don't recommend more. Again some cool functional stuff.
On to upper body. Well, if you aren't in a sweat induced coma here, more fun to come. I love how much she incorporates the ball because it really adds that stability challenge. The heaviest she uses is 15s and I don't recommend more right away unless you want to fall over and kill yourself. Save heavy training for her other stuff and/or the gym. You will feel it. Some notable things I remember are the decline pushups (feet on ball, hands on ground) that were super hard b/c of how tired you are. Love the wide pushups, too. Also she does tri dips gripping the 5lbers on the floor with one leg in the air. 32 each side.
EEEEK!
Abs, straighforward, works really well. Nothing fancy shmancy, unless you count the side planks (with arm extended and feet stacked) and then lifting your leg for a beautiful snow angel picture. If you can hold longer, you may want to go on someone's front lawn and be a decoration. Seriously.
Okay, so this workout is great. I really enjoy how Cathe's incorporating functional fitness into this whole series. It is a fantastic mix up to everything else she has done...and the premixes are never ending.
Okay, I have talked forever, but I do hope this helps some.
Debbie
My grandmother started walking five miles a day when she was sixty. She's ninety-seven now, and we don't know where the hell she is.
--Ellen Degeneres
