Cathe Live: Cardio Strength Blast

Another winner from Cathe Live. In fact, so far, I have liked (if not loved) every Cathe Live workout I have done. They are some of the most enjoyable workouts I have done in a long time. They make me really remember why I got addicted to home workouts in the beginning. Cardio Strength Blast is a very metabolic workout in which you alternate weighted/conditioning exercises with cardio blasts that are frequently HIIT level. It is fast paced, intense and fun.

Cardio Strength Blast is 43 minutes long; 7 minute warm up, 2 minutes of core work and a 2 minute stretch. It first aired 9/18/14. Here is the video clip that Cathe posted on her forum. Recommended equipment: 8, 10, 12 pound dumbbells, a firewalker loop and 2 dixie cups. I also recommend having a heavier set of dumbbells for the deadlifts at the end of the workout. Cathe just combines 10 and 12 pound dumbbells for that one, but that is hard on the hands–plus, I need to go heavier on a deadlift than 22 pounds (or 44 total) so I just used 30 pound dumbbells.

1. Pop squats
2. Alternating forward leaning lunges w/ dixie cups
3. Pop Squats
4. Alternating forward leaning lunges w/ dixie cups
5. Split jumps (both sides)
6. Reverse lunges w/ bicep curls (12# DB)
7. Split jumps (both sides)
8. Reverse lunges w/ bicep curls (10# DB–I stayed w/ 12# DB)
9. Put firewalker around ankles and one dixie cup on the floor; keeping legs apart (so there is tension on the band), lateral jump from one side of dixie cup to other side, tapping floor w/ fingertips
10. Keep firewalker around ankles and grab 10# DB; squat and overhead press w/ leg abduction (alternate sides)
11. Repeat #9
12. Repeat #10
13. Grab 2 dixie cups; shuffle to side, squat and put one cup down, shuffle to other side, squat and put other cup down, shuffle to side, squat and pick cup up, shuffle to side, squat and pick other cup up; keep repeating
14. Keep 2 dixie cups, forward lunge and place dixie cups on either side of foot, return to standing, forward lunge same leg, grab dixie cups, stand and raise arms and knee at top of move; keep repeating on same leg
15. Repeat #13
16. Repeat #14 but on other leg
17. Plie jacks w/ firewalker loop around ankles
18. With firewalker still on ankles, lunge leg to side 4x while punching to opposite side, 4x on other side, then 2x each side, then singles
19. Repeat #17
20. Firewalking–diagonal then side to side
21. Squat jumps in a box (squat jump forward, to side, backward, and other side–so jumping in a square pattern)
22. Grab 2 dixie cups; side lunge to curtsy lunge, setting and picking up a cup with each lunge
23. Repeat #21 but in other direction
24. Repeat #22 on other leg
25. Power quarter turn jump squats (12 on each side)
26. Put firewalker loop on upper thighs and grab 10# or 12# DB (I used 12s, Cathe uses 10s); squat w/ bicep curls to overhead press, taking a step to the side when squatting
27. Power quarter turn jump squats (8 on each side)
28. Plie squats; when squatting you are also “walking” 4 steps to each side; Cathe used 10# DB, I used 12# DB
29. Alternating reverse lunges with side bent arm lateral raises (8# DB)
30. Single leg deadlift with double arm front raise at top (8# DB)
31. Single leg deadlift (other leg), this times arms will arc out side to side to shoulder height then bring DB in front of you, still at shoulder height, arms straight (8# DB)
32. Deadlift (Cathe uses 10# & 12# DB held together; I used 30# DB)
33. Overhead tricep extensions (12# DB)
34. Repeat #32
35. Repeat #33

Core:

1. Hold elbow plank
2. While still in elbow plank, step feet in and out
3. Raise into straight arm plank and bring knees to elbow, same side/outside of body
4. Push ups