Cathe Live: HIIT Fit Circuit

HIIT Fit Circuit is an excellent metabolic strength + HIIT workout. I really enjoyed it. However, from the way Cathe described it at the beginning of the workout, I was expecting there to be more of a strength focus but the strength work is primarily metabolic–using dumbbells to keep the heart rate elevated. Which is good for my purposes! I came to this workout wanting it to be a metabolic/cardio workout. On a side note–I am suffering! I am am currently 2 weeks into an 8 week rotation I created that alternates Ripped with HIIT with Gym Style workouts and I am so @#$%&* sore. My calves feel bruised. No exaggeration. When I touch them they feel tender. And after I’ve been sitting a while (i.e. at work) and stand up, I am limping for a good 100 strides until they warm up. Thank you Gym Style Legs! My chest and triceps are also sore from Gym Style Chest & Triceps and my back was screaming earlier this week from, you guessed it–Gym Style Back, Shoulders & Biceps (I think Mobility RX contributed to that, too). So I beat myself up this week–with a lot of help from Cathe and Mark Lauren!

So, my point is, I was in pain this morning and was not looking to lift heavy, especially since a total body strength workout is slated for tomorrow anyway. So I was glad this didn’t turn into a cardio + strength workout. HIIT Fit Circuit consists of 5 circuits; each circuit starts w/ a plyo HIIT followed by a low impact HIIT followed by metabolic strength work. The workout ends w/ lower body barre work. I pretty much stuck with the weight Cathe used unless she was going super light (IMHO). However, in the future, when I am not in so much pain, I will probably lift heavier on a few of the exercises and that is noted below in the break down. (I am way behind in workout card creation, so I have to record this stuff for future reference!).

Thumbs up–another excellent and intense Cathe Live workout.

HIIT Fit Circuit is 47 minutes long; 5 minute warm up, 29:30 minute of circuits, 9 minute barre and 1:30 minute stretch. Equipment needed: a variety of dumbbells and a chair or barre. It aired live on 10/22/15 and here is a video clip.

Circuit 1:

1. Squats in a box (jump squat in box formation)
2. Ice breakers
3. Sumo squat to side w/ one DB at shoulder, pivot and do shoulder press, 10# DB
4. Pulsing static lunges, one 15# DB

Circuit 2:

1. Grapevine w/ 6 alternating jump lunges
2. Long reach lunges
3. Explosive side lunges w/ overhead press in middle, one 10# DB
4. Squat, kick, squat, reverse lunge

Circuit 3:

1. 3 sets of 10 snow angel jacks
2. 3 low impact lateral skaters + one “lift” (jump but toes don’t leave ground)
3. Plie squats w/ upright rows, 15# DBs
4. Side lunge, curtsy lunge, side lunge, one arm “curl”; one 10# DB (in the future I will use a 12# DB)

Circuit 4:

1. High reaching 180 jump squats, 2 sets of 16 reps
2. Line taps (one DB used as a marker)
3. Rear lunges w/ bicep curls, 10# DBs (I’ll used 12# DBs in the future)
4. Pulsing squats that transition into stepping one foot out (while remaining in squat) 3x then back in; Cathe uses one 8# DB, I used a 15# DB

Circuit 5:

1. Lateral Shoot Burpees (shoot legs to side and alternate sides), 2 sets of 8 reps
2. High/low jabs, 32 each side
3. Sumo squats w/ one arm overhead tricep extension, 8# DBs
4. Forward lunges, partial reps/low ends, Cathe uses 8# DBs, I used 12# DBs

Barre:

1. Raise leg to side and pulse
2. Raise and lower leg behind you
3. Pulse in low curtsy/cross-back position raised onto toes
4. Calf raises