Cathe’s High Step Training

High Step Training is another amazing cardio + strength workout from Cathe. It is 60 minute advanced full body workout; 5 minute warm up, 50 minute training period and 5 minute stretch.

The first thing that needs to be said is that High Step Training is not to be confused with High Step Challenge, which has already been reviewed on this blog. It also should not be confused with High Step Circuit which is a beginner level workout. I adore High Step Challenge. It is one of my all time favorite cardio + strength workouts. So when I read the description for High Step Training, I was a little concerned. They sound very similar—not just the title, but the structure of the workouts. They both have 5 circuits; each circuit  contains one cardio burst (a HIIT) and strength moves. But no reason to worry! They are very different, in spite of the obvious similarities. Difference #1: HST is harder. HSC is very challenging and an excellent workout, but HST is more advanced. Difference #2: each circuit in HST work two muscle groups—lower body always and one upper body muscle group. HSC is all over the place—each circuit works multiple muscle groups. Difference #3: HST lives up to the title—you will burn out your glutes high stepping. HSC uses the high step, but doesn’t burn your glutes out with it. Difference #4: HST has no ab work; HSC does.

In the end, I love them both. Incredible workouts. But High Step Challenge is still my favorite. It’s amusing, too, because when I reviewed HSC, I had two minor nitpicks: I wanted all of the cardio circuits to be equally intense and more high stepping. Well, High Step Training fixes those two nitpicks. But be careful what you wish for! You might not be able to walk or sit… or stand back up the next day from the glute DOMS! The cardio blasts are intense; however, the choreography is basic, athletic and high impact—HIITs basically.

On to the workout. Equipment needed: barbell, dumbbells and an adjustable step—14, 8 and 6 inches.

Circuit 1 Lower body and triceps:

Cardio blast on 8 inch step

Leg press on high step with dumbbell

Squats with barbell

Tricep push ups on high step

French press with static lunge

One arm tricep dips on high step

Tricep kickbacks

Circuit 2: Lower body and shoulders:

Cardio blast on 8 inch step

Leg press on high step with dumbbell

Plie squats with barbell

Overhead press with barbell

One arm side delt raise with dumbbell (leaning on high step)

Rear delt fly with dumbbells

Decline push ups on 8 inch step

Circuit 3: Lower body and biceps:

Cardio blast on 8 inch step

Leg press on high step with dumbbell

Hover squats with dumbbells

Bicep curls with barbell

Hammer curls with back lunges (dumbbells)

Bicep curls with barbell

Circuit 4: Lower body and back:

Cardio blast on 8 inch step

Leg press on high step with dumbbell—two sets this time!

Bent row with barbell

Deadlifts with barbell

Wide grip bent row with dumbbells

Circuit 5: Lower body and chest:

Cardio blast on 8 inch step

Leg press on high step with dumbbell

Sit and stands on high step with barbell

Push ups

Chest fly and one leg pelvic tuck on 8 inch step (dumbbells)

Cross over push ups on 6 inch step

Premixes: strength with no cardio 38 minutes, upper body strength with no cardio 21 minutes, lower body strength with no cardio 13 minutes, upper body strength + cardio 35 minutes, lower body strength + cardio 26 minutes, cardio only 12 minutes.

Summary: Another excellent, advanced Cathe workout that I adore. I’ve mentioned in other reviews that cardio + strength workouts are my favorites—especially ones that contain serious strength training and have intense cardio—with an emphasis on the strength training. High Step Training fits that description perfectly. However, I do have a nitpick (of course—when do I not?). I did not like the order of how the muscle groups were worked. You start with smaller muscle groups and work up to larger muscle groups. This made no sense to me. I prefer to work muscle groups the traditional way—largest muscle group to the smallest. By the time we got to the back, I couldn’t lift as heavy as I normally would have been able to lift because my muscles were already so fatigued.