Cathe Live: Low Impact Cardio Compound Training

#244 Low Impact Cardio Compound Training is an awesome workout! Not sure exactly how to classify it but I used it as cardio conditioning rather than strength and it was intense. Short but intense. I got more intense cardio from some of the compound strength moves than I did from the cardio moves! And no jumping except #13 below (squat thrust)–other than that this is entirely low impact. You can add a hop to some of the cardio moves if you wish but it isn’t necessary to get an intense workout. The workout starts alternating low impact cardio exercises with compound metabolic strength exercises then it transitions into compound metabolic strength work only. The workout ends with some push ups. And as usual, the form in this class is horrendous. I hate to seem mean but seriously–if you can’t do a push up on your toes–drop to your knees! Please! Do a clean push up, whatever variation/modification you have to use. What is the point of doing it if you aren not really doing it? If it is important to you to do push ups on your toes, work your way up. Try one or two and when your form deteriorates, drop to your knees! That is how you build the strength to do more on your toes. If you need proof–see the 90 Day Challenge I completed. I started entirely on my knees and worked my way up to over 100 push ups on my toes (with good form!) in the course of a single workout. It is doable.

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.

Low Impact Cardio Compound Training is 41 minutes; 5 minute warm up and 2:30 minute stretch. Equipment: 5-15 pound dumbbells and a fitness mat.

1. Squat abductions (wide squat, pushing hands down between legs and when you come out of squat, raise one leg to side while pushing arms overhead, alternate legs)
2. Front lunge into knee raise, remain on same leg while also doing alternating hammer curls (Cathe is using 5# DBs)
3. Line taps (sumo squat side to side while reaching fingertips down to floor between legs when squatting)
4. Squat with overhead press to pattern: one single arm overhead press + one single arm overhead press (other arm) + double arm overhead press; changes to double arm squat press only (Cathe is using 10# DBs)
5. Staying low, squat, side lunge w/ punch, squat, side lunge w/ punch (other side)–jumping with each move
6. Squats (Cathe is using 15# DBs)
7. Puddle jumpers w/ lift (lower into partial squat and do 3 wide side to side steps then with legs together, push up onto toes in a low impact hop while pushing 5# DBs overhead)
8. Deadlifts (Cathe is using 15# DBs; I used 25# DBs)
9. Side lunge into side leg lift 3x before changing to other side, reaching one DB down toward opposite foot when lunging, when raising leg to side push both DBs overhead) (Cathe is using 5# DBs)
10. Walk out/Walk in planks (lower hands to floor while also stepping one foot back, step other foot back so you are in plank, step first foot back in then the second foot and stand; alternate lead leg)
11. Alternating reverse lunges, while in lunge do a hammer curl to overhead press; changes to 3 overhead head presses each time you are in lunge; changes to one single arm hammer curl to overhead press while in lunge, alternate arms when alternating legs; changes to 3 single arm overhead press while in lunge (Cathe is using 10# DBs)
12. Side lunge into side knee pull, circle arms down when lunging and circle them overhead and down to knee during knee pull
13. Squat thrust and while in plank, bring one leg up, tapping foot outside of same side hand, repeat on other leg, return to plank, jump feet in to hands and stand
14. 3 alternating cross-back/curtsy lunge + one sweeper/supination curl; changes to alternating curtsy lunges with a sweeper curl between each lunge; changes to holding in curtsy lunge and doing 2 hammer curls, alternate sides; (Cathe is using 10# DBs)
15. Squat with single arm overhead press (Cathe is using one 15# DB)
16. One deadlift + 2 calf raises with alternating single arm upright rows; single arm upright rows change to double arm upright rows; changes to upright rows only (no calf raises and no deadlifts) (Cathe is using 12# DBs)
17. Straight arm side/front raises with calf raises (raise one arm to side and one to front, alternate sides) (Cathe is using 5# DBs)
18. Scarecrows with single leg hamstring curl (Cathe is using 5# DBs)
19. Crab kicks (in crab, alternate doing a shallow tricep dip then touch hand to opposite foot, alternate sides)
20. Get on all 4s holding a DB in one hand, opposite leg is extended straight behind you, lift straight arm holding DB while also raising straight opposite leg (Cathe is using one 5# DB)
21. Tripod tricep kickbacks (in plank, do one arm tricep kickbacks) (Cathe is using one 10# DB; I used one 8# DB)
22. Lay on back and do pull overs while also bringing knees into chest and extending legs out straight a few inches off floor; changes to chest flys with same leg movement (Cathe is using 8# DBs; I used 10# DBs)
23. Plank squats (in straight arm plank, push glutes back to heels then return to plank–knees remain raised off ground); changes to one arm plank squats (reach one arm straight in front of you while in plank and when glutes are near heels bringing elbow to knee)
24. Start standing, squat and place hands on floor, walk out to plank, do 4 push ups, walk hands back in so you are in squat (you never return to standing)