#264 Legs for Days is another thorough lower body workout. It is all strength work. There are some jacks with a fitness loop around your ankles, but that is the only cardio move and you can easily modify that if you want no jumping. But you will still be getting cardio in this workout. It’s Cathe, after all, so it is very metabolic. She went pretty light on her dumbbell choices in this workout and I lifted heavier for quite a few of the exercises. I did lift the same as her on a few exercises, but for many of them I felt I needed something heavier to get the full benefit of the workout. The majority of the exercises are not high rep (a few are) so I felt heavier weights were more appropriate, for me at least. You use only the step topper in this workout and it’s used a lot. Cathe has it setting on top of a fitness mat with the edge of the mat aligned with the edge of the step. I did the same, even though my workout room is carpeted. The topper doesn’t have grips on the bottom and the mat holds it firmly in place. All of the standing exercises worked me hard and I was feeling it but I didn’t have any problems getting through all of the reps. Then, at the end of the workout, you go down to the mat for some serious burn out and that is when I start whimpering and having to take a mini break here and there to thaw out my muscles before I could continue. I only missed a few reps and since the mat work is the high rep part of the workout anyway, missing a few reps out of a zillion didn’t trouble me much!
I’m not sure whether I want to purchase this workout or not. It is a good one and I am feeling it hours later in my entire leg but most especially my glutes and hamstrings. I am putting it on my “maybe” list. Sometimes I think I probably don’t want a strength workout until a few hours later (or the next day) when my muscles are still humming (or I have DOMS) and I realize it was better than I thought it was. I did like this workout but didn’t love it when I did it, but now, a few hours later, I am re-evaluating based on that hum in my hamstrings and glutes. You can do Cathe’s live workouts by subscribing to her streaming site or purchasing the individual downloads. Here is a video clip of this workout.
Legs for Days is 60:30 minutes; 5 minute warm up and 2:30 minute stretch. Equipment: step platform only, fitness mat, stability ball, various dumbbells and fitness loop. I used the same dumbbell weight as Cathe unless indicated below.
- Start standing on step platform, do 1 squat + 1 rear lunge off step, alternate sides with a squat between each lunge (Cathe is using 10# DBs; I used 15# DBs)
- Still standing on step platform do alternating curtsy lunges off step (Cathe is using 10# DBs; I used 15# DBs)
- Still standing on step platform, do deadlifts (Cathe is using 15# DBs; I used 30# DBs)
- Jumping jacks with resistance loop around ankles; changes to squat jumps, reaching one hand to ground when squatting
- With loop still around ankles, take 4 steps to side; changes to 2 steps to side; changes to side to side steps
- Repeat #1-5
- Push Dips (in stationary lunge with back foot on platform behind you, hinge torso forward and do partial reps–DBs will lower to ankles and only raise to knee height) (Cathe is using 12# DBs)
- Single leg deadlifts on platform (Cathe is using 12# DBs; I used 15# DBs)
- Starting on the floor beside the step, do side lunges onto the step, holding one DB in both hands (Cathe is using one 15# DB)
- Alternating Cross Tap Lunges (start standing on platform, do reverse lunge off step then tap foot over into curtsy lunge, back to reverse lunge then step in, alternate legs) (Cathe is using 10# DBs the first set and 12# DBs the second set; I used 15# DBs both sets)
- Repeat #7-10
- Front to back lunges (pendulum lunges) (lunge forward onto step) (Cathe is using 10# DBs; I used #12 DBs)
- Start standing on platform, do alternating side sumo squats off step (one foot is always on the step), the first time through this circuit you do two sets, the second time you only do one set (Cathe is using one 15# DB)
- Stationary lunges with back foot on step platform, holding a DB in one hand, reach DB toward ground when lunging and do an overhead press at top of lunge (Cathe is using one 10# DB)
- With loop around ankles, tap one foot/leg in and out to side while doing jumping jack arms (arms change to bicep curls); changes to tapping one leg back on an angle with running man arms
- Repeat #12-15
- Lean hip and side on stability ball, bottom knee on the ground and top leg extended straight, raise top leg and pulse
- Lay on back, with legs straight and heels on ball, raise hips and keep them raised isometrically while rolling ball in and back out with heels; changes to rolling the ball in and holding, lift hips higher, lower hips then roll back to start (but you never lower hips to floor)
- Lay on side, front leg bent with foot on floor in front of bottom leg, raise straight bottom leg and pulse it
- Roll back onto one hip and bottom elbow, raise top straight leg and hold it there isometrically, raise and lower bottom straight leg, bringing it to meet top leg, insole of bottom foot tapping heel of top foot
- Repeat #19 & 20 on other leg
- Lay on back with glutes close to edge of platform, one heel is on platform and other leg is raised straight to ceiling, raise hips and pulse foot up to ceiling
