Chiseled Legs & Abs is another great lower body workout from Cathe Live with a very long core section. Though I did enjoy it, it wasn’t my favorite lower body workout Cathe has created. Because I did it on a Saturday, I finished it off with Xtrain: Legs floor work + stretch–so an additional 17 minutes. When I return to this workout in the future, I will wear my 12 pound vest to make it more intense. I have found that wearing that vest can completely change a workout, making something I just found okay into something awesome. I will also completely skip the 15 minute core segment and go straight to the 17 minutes of Legs floor work and stretch. Since the core work starts at the 40 minute mark that would still equal a 57 minute workout that works the lower body even better. So note to self (when I make the workout card some time in the future): wear weighted vest for standing legs, skip core and add on Xtrain: Legs floor work + stretch.
Chiseled Legs & Abs is 57 minutes long; 6 minute warm up, 25 minute standing legs, 8 minute stability ball legs, 15 minute core and 2 minute stretch. Equipment needed: 10, 12 and 15 pound dumbbells, a stability ball, a fire walker, a sliding device and a fitness mat. I used one 25 and two 15 pound dumbbells. It aired live on 12/14/16 and here is the video clip.
Cathe says the first exercise is an extended part of the warm up but if you use the right weight (rather than the 10 pound dumbbell she grabs) it qualifies as part of the workout.
Standing Legs (25 minutes):
- Side slide pick up lunges, 16 reps (Cathe uses one 10# DB, I used one 25# DB)
- Pulsing plie squats (Cathe uses one 15# DB, I used one 25# DB)
- Marching sumos (Cathe uses one 15# DB, I used one 25# DB)
- Side slide lunges (one slow + 2 fast pattern) (Cathe uses one 15# DB, I used one 25# DB)
- Sliding/pulsing crossback lunges (Cathe uses one 15# DB, I used one 25# DB)
- Single leg deadlifts (Cathe uses one 15# DB, I used on 25# DB)
- High rep lunge slides (place end of DB on floor and hold top end w/ hand, step same side leg back, toe on sliding device; slide leg in and out at a pretty brisk pace; you will alternate between touching the DB for support and genie crossing your arms in front of you) (Cathe uses one 15# DB, I used one 25# DB)
- Place firewalker around ankles: 16 jumping jacks , 8 jump squats forward and back, firewalking side to side and diagonally forward and back; repeat this circuit 4x
- Static pulse lunges; 32 pulses, 16 pulses, 7 pulses 2x (Cathe uses one 15# DB, I used one 25# DB)
- Diagonal forward lunges; 2 sets of 12 reps each side (Cathe uses two 12# DBs, I used two 15# DBs)
Stability Ball Legs (8 minutes):
- Hamstring roll ins; changes to roll in, lift hips, lower hips, roll out; changes back to just rolling in and out
- 4 hamstring roll ins then hold hips up, legs straight and raise straight arms overhead and back down to count of 4 up and 4 down; repeat this pattern 4x
- Hip lifts only (heels on ball, legs straight)
- Outer thigh: lean on ball, bottom leg bent and pulse top leg pointed then flexed; slow leg circles forward then slow leg circles backwards; lift top leg and push heel out
Core work (15 minutes):
- Roll outs on stability ball (get on knees facing ball, forearms on ball, and roll in and out, using your core to pull you in and out)
- Same position as roll outs but hands are clasped; roll out and stay out, circling ball using forearms
- Plank roll ins (shins on ball)
- Windshield wipers (lay on back, arms out to sides in a “T”, legs raised straight to ceiling and ball between feet; lower legs/ball side to side)
- Ball exchange (still laying on back, pass ball from hands to feet, never lowering feet/ball to ground)
- Crunches on ball (leaning back on ball, various arm positions)
- Get into straight leg side plank on ball; raise and lower torso w/ various arm positions
- (set ball aside) Roll downs (as you roll down you pause at 3 different levels and hold to the count of 4 each time)
- Reverse crunch & pilates press (lay flat on back, head down, knees bent and raised; do reverse crunch into straight legs twice; then hold straight legs a few inches off floor and raise head/shoulders, arms straight at sides (but off ground); pump arms 8 times; repeat these two exercises)
- Alternating elbow reach (still lying on your back, plant one elbow on the ground with the fingers pointing straight up in the air, the other arm lifts up, raising your torso while your other elbow remains planted on the mat; alternate sides)
- Jack knifes (get on one hip and elbow, legs straight and top arm raised straight to ceiling; raise straight legs, bringing top arm/hand to meet toes)
- Elbow plank hold; march feet in and out; ends w/ another elbow plank hold
