ICE: Low Impact Sweat

Low Impact Sweat is part of Cathe‘s ICE fitness program (Intermediate Conditioning Extreme). It is the first workout I have done from this series and my first impression is–intermediate? Really? This was very challenging! I got an excellent workout! Here is what I can guess is intermediate about this workout–when she used dumbbells to increase intensity, she used 3 and 5 pound dumbbells rather than the heavier dumbbells she typically uses. I knew this from reviewing the ICE User’s Guide and didn’t even pull out my 3 pound dumbbells. I used 5 pound dumbbells when she used 3 and 8 pound dumbbells when she used 5s. I also used 10 pound and 15 pound dumbbells for a few moves. By making these simple changes, I found it pretty intense. It was fun, it was varied and she introduced some new low impact moves I haven’t seen before in her past DVDs or her Live workouts. Excellent, excellent workout. It may be my favorite of all of Cathe’s low impact workouts.

Because this is part of a series that works together (ICE) you get a lot on one DVD. On this DVD you get a Blizzard Blast; this is a bonus that is used in premixes to increase the intensity of this workout and bring it up to a more advanced level. Icy Core #2–also used in premixes to add some core work to your workout. And finally, Muscle Meltdown: Back. This is a 21 minute bonus of some pretty intense and excellent back strength work. There are actually a lot of ways you can use these bonuses. You can use them as part of a premix in which you add the muscle meltdowns to the end of the main workout, you can do it as a stand alone workout–also a premix–but it adds on the warm up, the stretch and rather than doing 3 rounds you do 4, and then, of course, it is added in to lots of timesaver and mishmosh premixes (see list below). Overall it is very cool.

The first time I did this workout I did premix 2 which added the back Muscle Meltdown onto the end of the workout and the second time I did the workout I did premix 4 which added the Blizzard Blast onto the end of the workout. For my doubles workout today I did I did premix 7 which is 4 rounds of the Muscle Meltdown. I loved it every time I did it and was very challenged. 

If you are anything like me, you had misgivings about these workouts due to the word “intermediate.” This workout set any concern I had to rest. You simply do the obvious things to make this more intense–use heavier dumbbells in both the main workout and the Muscle Meltdown. This is very easy in the Muscle Meltdown. Now if you are new to working out then it’s a good idea to use the weights Cathe uses to get a feel for the exercises and what you are capable of (Cathe uses lighter weights than she uses in her other non-ICE workouts). However, if you are already an advanced home exerciser, these are not new strength exercises so you should already be aware of what you can lift for 12 reps. So when I did the muscle meltdown the very first time I was very challenged and burned my back muscles out! And when I did premix 7–4 rounds of it–I got an excellent 37 minute back workout.

Low Impact Sweat is 46 minutes long; warm up is 6 minutes long and stretch is 4 minutes long. Equipment Cathe uses is two 3 and one 5 pound dumbbell (I used 5, 8, 10 and 15 pound dumbbells), a mat and a full step at 8 inches. Blizzard Blast, Muscle Meltdown: Back and Icy Core #2 will be broken down below the main workout breakdown. The workout is broken down into two parts tho the main workout puts them back to back. However, you will probably need to pause your DVD since Cardio 1 ends with the mat on the floor and Cardio 2 starts with your step already set up. Each part is approx. 18 minutes long. For a shorter workout there are premixes that do only one part w/ warm up and stretch.

Cardio 1 (18 minutes):

1. Sprint shooters
2. Discus throw (holding one DB, start by bringing it down low until end of DB hits the palm of the opposite hand then arcing it diagonally overhead and tapping the end w/ the palm of the hand (so hand w/out DB will be following DB hand through arc); you will also be lunging when DB is at bottom of the move and standing/pivoting to bring DB to top of move) (Cathe uses one 3# DB, I used one 5# DB)
3. 24 Squat + side kick
4. Forward pick up lunge (lunge forward and place DB on floor, stand and raise knee at top, lunge forward and pick up DB) (Cathe uses 3# DB, I used 8# DB)
5. Dynamic squat abduction (alternate squatting and lifting leg to side, very brisk pace)
6. Shot put throw (hold DB in one hand, shuffle forward then punch DB forward, shuffle back) (Cathe uses 3# DB, I used 5# DB
7. Lay mat on floor; L slides on corner (this is a side stepping move in L pattern, using the mat as a marker)
8. Rhythmic crossback lunges (use the mat as a marker; side lunge, curtsy lunge, side lunge, stand; each time you lunge you bring a DB to opposite foot) (Cathe uses two 3# DB, I used two 5# DB)
9. Sumo pulse walks (use mat as marker, straddling and holding one DB in both hands) (Cathe uses one 5# DB, I used one 15# DB)
10. Lateral skates (using the mat as a marker)

Cardio 2 (18 minutes); for this part you need a step at 8 inches:

1. Sprint shooters (on step)
2. Lean back volley forward (kind of an awkward move, especially as fast as she does it; start on top of step and jump back, off step w/ one foot then jump back on, arms pretending like catching and throwing a ball)
3. Uneven drop squat front swing (one foot on side of step, holding one DB in outside hand; squat, swinging DB down between legs (like a kettlebell) then abduct outside leg and swing DB up) (Cathe uses a 5# DB, I used an 8# DB)
4. Step knee down tap (on corner of step)
5. Hip hop repeater abduction (on side of step; alternate sides)
6. Football run (straddling step)
7. Wide reaching lunge taps (on floor, but touching fingertips to opposite side of step)
8. Flying angels (done on side of step w/ no impact)
9. Straddle down lift (start on top of step w/ DBs at shoulders; straddle down and when you straddle up lift one knee and raise DBs overhead; alternate knees) (Cathe uses 3# DBs, I used 5# DBs)
10. Uneven pulse squats (Cathe uses one 5# DB, I used one 10# DB)
11. Dynamic outer thigh (abductions on step, then squat on floor)
12. Swim lunges (on step)

Blizzard Blast (11 minutes): You need a step at 8 inches for this bonus. Since you use the step in Cardio 2, its already set up and flows right into the Blizzard Blast. The Blizzard Blast is an intense little add on that actually surprised me. Not by the intensity but by the fact it is high impact. Huh? Why would the Blizzard Blast on a low impact workout be high impact? Nevertheless, it is. But it definitely does the job of giving you that extra round of intensity. I already found many parts of Low Impact Sweat pretty intense, so other than the fact that this Blast adds impact, I’m not sure it is anymore intense than the workout itself. But again–it is great little add on! It brought my workout up to 56 minutes (when I used it as part of premix 4) and according to my FitBit I burned almost 500 calories in that hour!

Exercises:

1. Salute squats (squats where you jump over the step; you “salute” with your hands while jumping)
2. Knee off side ball change (this one took me a few times to get the hang of since the ball change is a kind of dance step; you do a knee off the side, ball change, then cross over top of step length-wise, ball change, and so on)
3. Jump kicks corner to corner
4. Power turning squats (180 jump squats w/ one foot on step; do 3 then change sides and keep alternating)
5. Swing off side down up down abduction (basically 3 leg abductions on side of step and keep alternating sides)
6. 4 Squat pendulum/4 squat cha cha/8 tap offs/7 abduction (you do each move in that order; cha cha across step length-wise, tap of is knee up on side of step)
7. 3 Wide box jumps/1 plyo jack

Muscle Meltdown/Back: 21 minutes long. One round = 5 exercises listed; do the round 3 times total; do each exercise 12 reps. Equipment needed: step at 12 inches (4 risers each side), mat on step to protect knees/hands and a variety of dumbbells. All I can say about this Muscle Meltdown is I LOVE it!

1. One arm row
2. Pullover
3. One arm wide row
4. One arm pullover
5. Deadlifts

Icy Core #2 (14 minutes) For this you need a dumbbell (Cathe uses a 5# DB, I used an 8# DB) and a flat resistance band. This was more challenging than Icy Core #1. Another excellent core bonus and harder than I was expecting it to be for an “intermediate” workout!

1. Weighted V-sits (lay on back, legs straight and raised to ceiling; reach DB toward toes) (Cathe uses 5# DB, I used 8# DB)
2. Pullover heel tap/extensions (bring the dumbbell overhead in a pullover while tapping heels to mat then extended arms overhead and legs straight (a few inches from the ground); alternate these two moves) (Cathe uses a 5# DB, I used an 8# DB)
3. 45 degree toe to heel taps (still on back, raise straight legs to ceiling; lower one leg to 45 degrees then raise it to tap the straight leg heel)
4. Side oblique reaches (still on back, hands behind head; raise shoulders/head and reach one arm toward same side heel; alternate sides)
5. C curve crunches (wrap flat resistance band around base of feet, cross band and hold end in each hand; C curve down until back is on floor, then roll up, opening hands/arms)
6. Saw (pilates move; use flat band held in both hands, about a foot between hands, sitting up, lets in a V; reach hand toward opposite foot)
7. Side to side oblique twist (fold band in half and hold an end in each hand; sit up with legs extended in front of you, extend arms in front of you, raise one leg and twist band/torso toward raised leg)
8. Side plank clam extension
9. Rotating side to side plank (in elbow plank)
10. Prone plank/marching plank

Basic Premixes

• #1 Warm Up + Cardio 1 + Cardio 2 + Icy Core 2 + Stretch – 59:57
• #2 Warm Up + Cardio 1 + Cardio 2 + Muscle Meltdown – Back + Stretch – 67:22
• #3 Warm Up + Cardio 1 + Cardio 2 + Muscle Meltdown – Back + Icy Core 2 + Stretch – 81:06
• #4 Warm Up + Cardio 1 + Cardio 2 + Blizzard Blast + Stretch – 55:41
• #5 Warm Up + Cardio 1 + Cardio 2 + Blizzard Blast + Icy Core 2 + Stretch – 69:26
• #6 Warm Up + Cardio 1 + Cardio 2 + Blizzard Blast + Muscle Meltdown – Back + Icy Core 2 + Stretch – 90:35
• #7 Muscle Meltdown (4 Rounds): Warm Up + Muscle Meltdown – Back Rounds 1-3 + Round 3 Repeated + Stretch – 37:13

• #1 Warm Up + Blizzard Blast + Stretch – 20:07
• #2 Warm Up + Muscle Meltdown – Back + Stretch – 30:45
• #3 Warm Up + Blizzard Blast + Muscle Meltdown – Back + Stretch – 41:16
• #4 Warm Up + Cardio 1 + Stretch – 27:54
• #5 Warm Up + Cardio 1 + Icy Core 2 + Stretch – 41:38
• #6 Warm Up + Cardio 1 + Muscle Meltdown – Back + Stretch – 49:04
• #7 Warm Up + Cardio 1 + Muscle Meltdown – Back + Icy Core 2 + Stretch – 62:48
• #8 Warm Up + Cardio 1 + Blizzard Blast + Stretch – 37:16
• #9 Warm Up + Cardio 1 + Blizzard Blast + Icy Core 2 + Stretch – 51:00
• #10 Warm Up + Cardio 2 + Stretch – 27:53
• #11 Warm Up + Cardio 2 + Icy Core 2 + Stretch – 41:37
• #12 Warm Up + Cardio 2 + Muscle Meltdown – Back + Stretch – 49:03
• #13 Warm Up + Cardio 2 + Muscle Meltdown – Back + Icy Core 2 + Stretch – 62:47
• #14 Warm Up + Cardio 2 + Blizzard Blast + Stretch – 37:22
• #15 Warm Up + Cardio 2 + Blizzard Blast + Icy Core 2 + Stretch – 51:07
• #16 Warm Up + First Half Cardio 2 + Last Half Cardio 1 + Stretch – 27:11

• Scrambled #1 Warm Up + First Half Cardio 1 + Last Half Cardio 2 + Last Half Cardio 1 + First Half Cardio 2 + Blizzard Blast + Stretch – 54:31
• Scrambled #2 Non-Stop Cardio & Weights + Mixes all 3 Muscle Meltdown – Back rounds throughout the main workout. – 65:25
• Scrambled #3 All Step Cardio – Mixes the main step and Blizzard Blasts workout intervals in a different way. – 37:22
• Scrambled #4 Floor and Step Cardio – Mixes the floor and step intervals in a different way. – 54:33
• Double It #1 Warm Up + Cardio 1 + Cardio 2 + Cardio 1 + Cardio 2 + Stretch – 79:27
• Double It #2 Warm Up + Cardio 1 + Cardio 2 + Cardio 1 + Cardio 2 + Blizzard Blast + Stretch – 88:56
• Double It #3 Warm Up + Cardio 1 + Cardio 1 + Stretch – 45:03
• Double It + BB #4 Warm Up + Cardio 1 + Cardio 1 + Blizzard Blast + Stretch – 54:25
• Double It #5 Warm Up + Cardio 2 + Cardio 2 + Stretch – 45:09
• Double It + BB #6 Warm Up + Cardio 2 + Cardio 2 + Blizzard Blast + Stretch – 54:38