Cathe Live: Glutes & Thighs

#293 Glutes & Thighs is a tough lower body triset workout from Cathe Live. “Triset” means is you are doing circuits of 3 exercises that you repeat. This workout contains 4 trisets. The first triset has a bonus exercise that is only done the first time through the circuit–so the first time through circuit 1 there is actually 4 exercises. Cathe even says when you are doing it that it is a bonus exercise that will not be repeated. Then later she says she messed up but oh well! It is a good exercise that got added by accident so I don’t mind.

It has been a long time since I have done one of Cathe’s long lower body workouts. And all I can say is wow. She fried my legs. My legs were worn out by the end of this workout. It is an excellent and varied lower body workout. You are doing weighted exercises, exercises with the high step, body weight exercises and mat work. She hits your lower body from all angles. Cathe has always excelled at creating brutal and effective lower body workouts and this one is no exception. It is very metabolic, too. In 60 minutes I burned 400 calories. I was in my cardio heart rate zone 59% of the workout and even spiked into my peak heart rate zone a total of 8 minutes. What a workout! And It was just Cathe, which made it even better. I love her one-on-one live workouts. I did feel like I needed more of a stretch at the end so I finished this workout off with her 15 minute extended stretch from the STS program.

Glutes & Thighs is 60 minutes; 5 minute warm up and 1:30 minute stretch. Equipment: high/square step at 10 inches (3 risers), various dumbbells and a fitness mat. I used the same dumbbells as Cathe unless otherwise indicated below.

Triset #1:

1. Pulsing pendulum lunges (stay low and pulse 4x each time you are in lunge); changes to 2 pulses; changes to singles (no DBs)
2. Stand on step @ 10 inches and hold one DB in both hands, step one foot off side to floor and squat (one 15# DB)
3. Elevated lunges (stationary lunges with back foot on step @ 6 inches); ends with pulses (12# DBs)
4. Side to side wide sumo squats (one 15# DB)
5. Repeat #1, 3 & 4

Triset #2:

1. Start standing on top of high step @ 10 inches, step one foot to floor and with other foot do a cross back/curtsy lunge (also on floor) while reaching DB toward foot in front of front shin (Cathe is using one 12# DB; I used one 15# DB)
2. Sumo squats holding DBs close together in front of you/between thighs (20# DBs)
3. Reverse lunges, pulse 3x each time you lunge; changes to a pattern: one rear lunge pulsing 3x + 2 single rear lunges (12# DBs)
4. Repeat #1-3

Triset #3:

1. Push dips (get into lunge, back foot is elevated on 6 inch step behind you, hinge torso slightly forward so DBs are framing front leg, do partial reps in this position with DBs lowering from ankles to knee level) (10# DBs the first circuit and 12# DBs the second circuit)
2. Deadlifts (Cathe is using 20# DBs; I used 25# DBs)
3. Side Warrior lunge (warrior 2 position but you push up with front leg, doing a knee lift but keeping both legs otherwise in warrior 2 position) (no DBs)
4. Repeat #1-3

Triset #4:

1. Drape mat over high step @ 10 inches, get into modified elbow side plank with elbow on step and bottom knee on floor, pulse up top straight leg
2. Single leg deadlift (10# DBs the first circuit and 12# DBs the second circuit )
3. Place mat on floor by high step @ 10 inches, lay on mat with bottom close to step, place one heel on step and raise other leg to ceiling, raise hips and pulse hips up in bridge
4. Repeat #1-3