Need guidance for arm, leg and ab workouts

mtstone

New Member
I have been a Cathlete for decades and have been doing step three days a week for a long time. I recently subscribed to Cathe Live and Cathe on Demand so I could have unlimited variety in my aerobic workouts, but I also want to add arm, leg, and ab workouts with weights. How can I get started?? Since I've never worked out my arms before I know I'd need to start small and slow - I just need guidance. What do you suggest? I have adjustable dumbells (2.5 - 12.5 lbs).
 
Her LITE series might be a good place to start - her strength training workouts such as PHA2, Strong Body Stacked Upper/Lower, Pyramid Pump. I only suggest those because she goes fairly light herself (in case you're prone to wanting to match her weights).

Otherwise, you can start with any of her weight workouts that seem interesting to you just using lighter weights. No matter what weight she's starting with, start with your absolute lightest (2.5 lbs.) and then work your way up. You'll probably feel ridiculous doing some exercises with the lightest weights, but at least you'll know you can go heavier and you'll have opportunity to practice form. Honestly, a good beginner weight range would be 3, 5, and 8-lb dumbbells. (Or, from the sounds of it, you might have SelectTech weights, so 2.5, 5 and 7.5.)

I always keep a small spiral notebook on hand with all my Cathe workouts. Each page is a specific Cathe DVD and I list all the weighted exercises and what weights I'm using for each. If I feel like I need to increase the weight I put a little "+" symbol next to it so I know next time I do the workout, I need to increase my weight. Same with if I need to go down... I put a little "-" symbol next to it.

Some other favorite "light" weighted workouts of hers that I like are Body Blast Series Push & Pull and Super Sets. There's something about those two workouts where they don't feel overwhelming.

Pyramid Upper Body and Pyramid Lower Body are great workouts, too, where you can experience gradually increasing your weight in the same workout (previously mentioned Pyramid Pump is a similar approach.)

Hope this helps. Have fun!
 
I agree with Kellyro77's suggestions. In addition, since you've been doing step ... you may already have Basic Step & Body Fusion & the intermediate Low Impact Step ... they both have weight workouts on them. Also, you probably have other circuit step workouts that could be a good start too.

Good for you for expanding/exploring an additional fitness category!
 
I'm not Cathe and I didn't stay at a Holiday Inn last night but ...

agree with starting Push/pull superset if you want to do dedicated strength or the other suggestion to start with circuit workouts like High Step circuit.

You might consider starting slowly subbing a circuit in for one of your usual step days. Then gradually shift to having dedicated strength days in between your step days.

Also have you checked out the rotations in this forum and looked at the beginner rotations by Cathe? Fitness freak beginner and intermediate are wonderful as well.

Lots of great options there!

Happy Lifting!! :D
 
I still use DVDs, so I don't know what's available on Cathe Live or Cathe Demand. I now own most of Cathe's DVDs. I'd been doing Cathe's step for years, but not strength. So, when I decided to add that to my exercise routine, I started at the beginning. She used to have a workout called Total Body Sculpting (which uses a stability ball and light hand weights) 30 minutes. It came on a DVD with her Low Impact Step. Another DVD called Basic Step came with Upper Body Sculpt (20 min.), Lower Body Sculpt (20 min.) - (both require resistance tubing, mat, step, and light hand weights), and Stability Ball Abs 10 min. I don't know if you have the ball or tubing, but if you do, these are a great place to start. I started with Total Body Sculpt (2 times the first week). The 2nd week, I did Total Body Sculpt 1 day, Upper Body Sculpt another, and Lower body another - with the Stability Ball Abs on one of my cardio days. The Third week, I did Upper and Body Sculpt with the Stability Ball Abs (50 min. total for all 3 workouts) twice that week. Then, I moved on to Cathe's more challenging strength workouts - often using less weight than she did when I first started. I've now been strength training with Cathy for a lot of years. Since I began, she has come out with 2 intermediate series (LITE and ICE - both of which I now own), and I would do the strength workouts on them (after the beginner workouts that I mentioned) before moving to her more advanced workouts. I can't think of a single strength workout that she's put out that you wouldn't be able to start off with by lifting lighter, modifying, etc. The reason that would suggest spending a bit of time on her beginner workouts is that you can work out your entire body in a relatively short period of time while not having to master a lot of moves in order to do it. So, you can really focus on your form. Her intermediate workouts (ICE and LITE) use a larger variety of moves, but you'd be fine using them next, because Cathe is great about giving form pointers. She does a wonderful job with form pointers on all of her workouts, but because ICE and LITE) were created with less advanced exercisers in mind, I feel she did an even better job with her form pointers than usual. If you train at the beginning using proper form, you'll be less likely to develop little habits and quirks that most likely won't cause a lot of issues at the beginning, but over time or with heavier weights could become a problem. It will also give you a chance to experiment with how you want to fit strength in with your existing workout. My normal week is 3 days cardio with 2 total body strength workouts between the cardio followed by a "light" day of an extra ab workout and a long stretch, with my "rest" day being mobility, Tai, Chi, gentle yoga, or whatever my body needs at the time. About once a month, I spend a week splitting my strength workouts, just to shake things up, but my preferred method is total body. It suits my schedule best and I enjoy it that way, so that I can really focus on my cardio on my cardio days. Anyways, you'll figure out what you like. Also, I didn't start investigating Cathe's premixes until just a couple of years ago. I don't know if she has them on her Live and Demand or not, but if she does, they are worth checking out. Her timesaver premixes are great for my husband who just recently started strength training. She makes it really easy for someone just starting out to do her advanced workouts, because there is usually a time saver premix that has less reps (ex. pyramid up OR pyramid down, rather than pyramid up AND pyramid down). I know it's not about looks - it's about health, but... I've got to tell you, step and cardio kept my legs looking nice, but I didn't realize how nice arms could look! I thought I was in good shape before, but adding strength training has made me physically stronger and I am very happy with the body that it gave me. Have fun! :)
 
STS I don’t know if you have ondemand, but start with that. When you do it use weights that are heavy, but doable. If you are a beginner you can do Total Body Sculpting or her UpperBody from the StepFusion series, But, use a heavy weight. Cathe used three pounds in the Body Fusion Upper Body, but it that is to light go heavier. Using heavy weights with good form is what you want to do. Let’s say you are swinging the weight at 10 pounds, go lighter. You don’t ever want to swing your weights.
 
I'm following this because I'm 9 days past surgery on my left hand. I had a Trapeziectomy with Tendon Relocation for a deteriorated CMC joint. It's good for me to see where to start all over again in a few months once I'm past rehab. Really good suggestions. I actully own almost all of Cathe's CDs except for a Wedding one!
 
"I'm 9 days past surgery on my left hand..." ...cocoa1... let us know how you fair w/rehab ... I remember you posted last year (?) about possibly needing surgery. I've been using a brace that I think you recommended (or someone else on that posting) & it has helped some. My left thumb still has issues, but it is better than it was.
 
Quick healing wishes to you, cocob1

I'm following this because I'm 9 days past surgery on my left hand. I had a Trapeziectomy with Tendon Relocation for a deteriorated CMC joint. It's good for me to see where to start all over again in a few months once I'm past rehab. Really good suggestions. I actully own almost all of Cathe's CDs except for a Wedding one!
 
Thanks for the good wishes Deminmi & Lady Vol Fan. I go to the Dr. tomorrow for a 2 week post surgery check up. Bandage comes off and they check the healing process and I understand a hard cast goes on. Of course it's still snowy and cold here in Minnesota. I want to start walking but I'm afraid of slipping and falling until I get a hard cast on. No sense in two surgeries!
 

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