HIIT, Step, Heavy Leg (& Bicep) Work

The title of this workout is actually HIIT, Step, Heavy Leg Work but I added the word bicep because you get as much bicep work as you do leg work. And I wouldn’t classify the leg work as heavy though the bicep work is. This is one of Yvette Bachman‘s longer workouts–76 minutes! But like a lot of her long workouts, this can be done in segments if necessary. If I just want an intense cardio workout I would do the first 50 minutes (this includes the warm up) then scrub forward to the 3:30 minute stretch. But the cardio + strength is only 22 minutes long and is at the very end so it doesn’t really work for me on a work day. If I wanted to do this M-F it would have to be a cardio only workout or save it for the weekend. It was a very intense workout tho! I burned almost 700 calories in 76 minutes and I was drenched in sweat. The first 50 minutes is the most intense cardio-wise. When you move to the cardio + strength portion the cardio intensity drops a bit (which is good because I was getting worn out!) but the strength work–both weighted and unweighted–is plenty intense, too–just a different kind of intensity. When I previewed this to make my workout card and choose my weights, I was a little skeptical about the leg work, but it actually burned my legs out more than I expected and my legs are still burning (in a good way) many hours later! So it worked them nicely.

HIIT, Step, Heavy Leg (& Bicep) Work is 76 minutes long; 9:30 minute warm up, 40 minutes of interval cardio, 22 minutes of cardio + strength and 3:30 minute stretch. Equipment: step @ 6 inches positioned vertically at beginning of workout, have 4 extra risers handy, 5 pound dumbbells (for cardio), sliding devices and various heavier dumbbells (for strength work at the end of the workout). Yvette is also wearing weighted gloves; I wore weighted gloves, too.

Cardio: (30 seconds of work followed by 10 seconds of recovery)

1. Straddle run forward (straddling step) then jog backward beside step
2. Side lunge beside step, high step over step (don’t step on step), high step back to start
3. Straddle jumps on and off step
4. Repeat #2 on other side
5. Burpee w/ hands on step + 3 squat jumps
6. Lateral up and over step and back
7. Lateral jumps over step and back (one foot always on step)
8. Jog in place 8 counts, jump over step and jog in place 8 counts
9. Squat jump forward straddling step, squat jump back, straddle jump on and off step
10. Jogging place 3x beside step then jog once w/ one foot on step
11. 2 jump ropes on step, squat jump straddling step once
12. Repeat #10 on other side
13. Plank jacks w/ hands on step
14. Start straddling step, curtsy lunge then straddle jump on/off step
15. Fast straddle steps on/off step
16. In straight arm plank, alternate punching arms in front of you
17. Repeat #14 on other side
18. Repeat #15 starting with other lead foot
19. Jump on and over step then do 1 burpee
20. Plank T stands, alternate sides
21. Step on step, straddle step, step off step (fast)
22. Straddle step (fast) the length of the step then back
23. Starting at back of step, run along on side to front of step, touch the floor, run back and around step to front of other side and touch floor
24. Plank walk w/ hands side to side, onto step and off step
25. Straddle + knee raise w/ hop
26. Wide squat pulse 4x, jump on step and wide pulse squat 4x; ends w/ just pulse squats on floor
27. Start standing, walk hands out to plank, do 2 plank jacks, walk hands back to feet and stand, do 2 standing jacks
28. Step over step + 1 knee pull
29. Fast side lunges off step (one foot always on step) while touching step 2x, side punching 2x
30. Switch foot jogs (one foot taps step, alternate feet)
31. Burpee w/ hands on step + jump on and off step
32. Side step over step + 2 jacks
33. Step kick on step, step back and lunge, tapping fingers to step while in lunge
34. Repeat #33 on other leg
35. In plank w/ feet on step, alternate tapping feet to floor beside step; ends w/ plank hold
36.  Wide squats side to side, tapping floor when squatting (line taps)
37. Jump on step, landing in squat and pulse 3x, jump off step, jump to side and jump back behind step
38. Box jumps (w/ on foot always on step, jump forward, jump over step, jump backward, jump back over step to start)
39. 30 second break
40. Step one foot on step and other out to side w/ a front punch, alternate sides (5# DBs)
41. Squat pulse 3x + one jump, pushing DBs overhead (5# DBs)
42. Scissor runs w/ fast alternating hammer curls (5# DBs)
43. Alternating front punches (5# DBs)
44. Shuffle side to side while punching DBs overhead (5# DBs)
45. In plie squat, arc arms/DBs out to side and overhead then back down between legs; hold arms/DBs overhead and pulse in plie squat (5# DBs)
46. Side step over step + 2 jacks punching DBs overhead beside step (5# DBs)
47. Squat jump, dropping arms/DBs between thighs, jump feet together and raise arms/DBs overhead (5# DBs)
48. Shuffle side to side w/ upper cut (5# DBs)
49. Burpee on floor, jump on step and land in wide squat and pulse 4x
50. In straight arm plank, alternate tapping opposite shoulder
51. Straddle step + 3 knee repeater; this changes to a more advanced move where you hop tap the step w/ each foot instead of doing the 3 knee repeater
52. Punch down + side kick
53. Front raise to shoulder height, open arms to side and lower (5# DBs)
54. Standing chest flys (5# DBs)
55. Repeat #52 on other leg
56. Lateral jumps on and over step
57. Overhead punches (5# DBs)

@50:30 raise step to 10 inches (add 2 more risers to each side) and turn step so it is now horizontal in front of you. Also make sure your dumbbells for leg work are handy and your sliding devices. This takes just under 2 minutes so you also have time to get a drink. The weights listed below are what I used.

1. Standing on one side of step, squat to side (lowering one foot to floor) then lunge to back (one foot always on step), 12 reps
2. Stationary lunges w/ front foot on step and arms extended straight out to sides of body, 7 reps then hold in lunge isometrically
3. Corner to corner knees; add a hop and arm raise (Marios)
4. Superwoman (step on step while raising one leg straight behind you and reaching both arms forward)
5. Repeat 1 & 2 on other leg
6. Corner to corner steps on step w/ overhead claps
7. Alternating hamstring curls on step
8. Deadlifts, 12 reps (35# DBs)
9. 2 hops in place + one jump lunge, alternate legs; changes to alternating jump lunges
10. With one foot on step, do step ups with other leg while doing one arm DB swings, 12 reps (one 15# DB)
11. Scissor, scissor, squat jump; ends w/ pulse squats
12. Repeat #10 on other leg
13. On side of step, squat pulse 3x w/ one foot on step, jump laterally over step and squat pulse 3x w/ other foot on step
14. Supination curls, 8-12 reps (18# DBs)
15. Mountain climbers w/ sliding devices
16. Seated concentration curls, 8-12 reps (one 18# DB)
17. Corner to corner power 3s on step
18. Repeat #16 on other arm
19. Burpees w/ sliding devices
20. Corner to corner insoles on step
21. Seated hammer curls, 8-12 reps (20# DBs)
22. Continuous knee repeater on same leg; ends w/ single corner to corner knees
23. Mummy kicks
24. Step together hamstring curl (this is a cool down move)

For more info on Yvette Bachman and other (free) streaming workouts I’ve sampled and reviewed, check out my Streaming page.