High Step Circuit

I got this DVD years ago when I purchased my high step (square step)–it was included with the step. The DVD case says Level: Beginner/Intermediate and since I already own and love High Step Challenge and High Step Training, which are advanced workouts, I never bothered with it. Well, anyone who follows my blog knows that things have changed and I am now doing much easier workouts. So I dusted this one off and decided to finally give it a try.

This is a cardio + strength circuit workout consisting of 6 circuits. Each circuit is made up of approx. one minute of step cardio, a lower body exercise using the high step, a compound exercise using light dumbbells, an upper body exercise using a resistance tube and a core exercise. There is also a 8:30 minute Stability Ball Abs bonus (broken below the High Step Circuit breakdown). There are no premixes but it is well chaptered.

This was a much easier workout than what Cathe normally creates but, for my purposes, it worked well. The workout does become progressively more difficult as you move through the circuits. The early circuits have few reps and the later circuits have more reps. Cathe and crew use 3 pound dumbbells (according to the back of the DVD case). I used heavier dumbbells but since I had chemo a week ago, I am still on my “build up”–not at full strength, but not terribly weak and exhausted. So I used dumbbells ranging from 5-18 pounds, but you can use heavier than that to get a more intense workout. The step cardio is not intense and the step combos are pretty basic. I sometimes stumbled the first time through a combo but you repeat each combo 4 times and I caught on very quickly–so I was able to do at least 3 smooth combos.

Stability Ball Ab Bonus was not terribly intense but a very effective core workout. It is a high rep ab routine. It ends with spinal work which, to me, is a bonus. I love it when core work includes things like superman and swimmers to condition my spine.

Cathe’s crew’s high steps are at different heights–the lower the step the easier the exercise. Sometimes she shows easier versions of some of the exercises that don’t include the step. If you are using the right weights and resistance tube strength for your fitness level, this is an effective workout. Not terribly intense but definitely a solid total body cardio + strength workout for a beginner/low intermediate exerciser. And it works very well for me at this stage of my treatment.

High Step Circuit is 45:30 minutes long; 4 minute warm up and 4 minute stretch. Equipment: high step @ 10 inches (4 risers), resistance tube and light hand weights (Cathe is using 3 pound dumbbells). For the step cardio Cathe and crew have the step @ 6 inches (one riser). No weights are used for lower body exercises, just the high step.

Circuit #1:

1. Step cardio
2. Leg press on step @ 10 inches
3. Squat w/ overhead press
4. Overhead press w/ resistance tube
5. In plank w/ hands on step, step feet out and in

Circuit #2:

1. Step cardio
2. Side lunge to rear lunge w/ knee raise between each lunges (step @ 8 inches)
3. Plie squats w/ upright row
4. Plie squat w/ upright row using resistance band (stand on band and hold a handle in each hand)
5. Sit on step @ 10 inches, lean torso back, clasp hands in front of you and twist side to side

Circuit #3:

1. Step cardio
2. Step on top of step, raise knee, step off of step and do a rear lunge (step @ 10 inches)
3. Static lunges w/ bent arm side raises; when you change lead leg you do alternating front raises
4. Alternating front raises using resistance tube; changes to pulsing front raises; changes to alternating side raises; changes to pulsing side raises
5. In plank w/ hands on step, alternate bringing knee to same side ebow

Circuit #4:

1. Step cardio
2. Lunge kicks off step @ 8 inches
3. Alternating reverse lunges w/ hammer curls
4. Bicep curls w/ resistance tube
5. Basic crunches on the floor

Circuit #5:

1. Step cardio
2. Leg press off step @ 10 inches
3. Deadlift alternated with deadrow
4. Rear delt flys w/ resistance tube
5. Sitting on step @ 10 inches w/ one hand behind head, raise opposite leg and bring elbow to knee

Circuit #6:

1. Step cardio
2. Sculpting drills (one foot on step @ 8 inches, knee bent, and do brisk knee pulls w/ other leg)
3. Tricep dips off step @ 10 inches
4. One arm overhead tricep extension using resistance tube
5. Push ups

Stability Ball Abs (8:30 minutes)

1. Do basic crunches w/ back on ball first w/ hands behind head then w/ arms extended straight overhead; changes to static holds at top of crunch
2. Lay on back w/ feet/calves on ball and do basic crunches w/ hands behind head
3. Sit on mat w/ legs straight on floor and holding ball w/ straight arms, roll down so you are laying flat and bring ball overhead to floor then roll back up bringing ball to feet
4. Still laying flat on mat w/ legs extended straight and holding ball overhead, do crunches raising ball from floor overhead to ceiling
5. Laying on back w/ ball gripped under knees, do full crunches (hands behind head, raising both hips and head/shoulders)
6. Superman on ball (alternate raising opposite arm and leg w/ midsection on ball)
7. Midsection still on ball, feet on floor, hands folded under chin, elbows out to side, raise and lower head/shoulders/arms