Cathe Live: #381 “Plyo” Legs Low Impact

The word plyo is in quotation marks because this is a low impact workout. So no real plyometrics. But it is a cardio + strength workout that will fry your lower body. Though you aren’t doing any real jumping (there is lots of “hopping”), every move, both strength and cardio, will work your legs. Since I now do the majority of my jumping on a rebounder I was very excited to see this workout. It did not disappoint. It was pretty intense. Most of the strength work is high rep. I was lifting heavier that Cathe and her class so I did less reps for some of the exercises but even doing less reps I was hitting 10-12 reps! You are doing cardio and metabolic lower body strength work. According to my Apple Watch I burned 372 calories. Not bad for a 42 minute strength workout!

Here is a clip of this workout. You can do this workout by subscribing to Cathe Live or purchasing it as a download. The first minute or so of the warm up you are just marching in place while Cathe gives a birthday gift to one of the exercisers who has been doing her classes for 40 years! Impressive!

“Plyo” Legs Low Impact is 42:22 minutes; 5:10 minute warm up and 1:45 minute stretch. Equipment: dumbbells, medium tension booty/glute band and sliding disks.

1. 3 rope climbs + elbow strike (3 sump squats while arms mimic rope climbing then pivot hop to the side into a lunge while bringing one arm down from overhead in a hammer punch)
2. Place glute band around thighs just above knees, hold one DB in both hands in front of chest, step out to side into sumo squat, alternate sides (Cathe is using one 15# DB, I used one 25# DB)
3. Lunge pull and punches (while in stationary/static lunge, do small hops while pulling arms down from overhead and punching one arm down)
4. Place glute band around thighs just above knees, do reverse lunges, 16 reps on one leg then repeat on the other leg (Cathe is using 15# DBs, I used 20# DBs)
5. Opposite hand to foot reaches (stand w/ legs wide, squat while reaching one hand down toward opposite foot and when you raise out of squat do a low impact hop (only heels raise), alternate hands/sides each time you squat, this is done at a brisk pace)
6. Place glute band around thighs just above knees, do wide leg deadlifts (Cathe is using 15# DBs, I used 25# DBs)
7. Hammer down reach pull (stand facing the side, pivot to front into a lunge while punching one arm down beside front leg (opposite arm as front leg), stand pivoting back to side while doing a knee raise while pulling both arms down to knee)
8. Single leg deaflift, 12 reps on one leg then repeat on other leg (hold one DB in both hands, back/non-working leg is in kickstand) (Cathe is using one 15# DB, I used one 30# DB)
9. Do large arm circles while lifting one leg out to side and doing a small hop with other leg
10. Place glute band around thighs just above knees, lift one leg out to side for singles then pulses
11. Long reach lunges (pivot to side into a lunge while reaching one arm in front of you, hop-pivot to other side into a lunge and reach)
12. Side slide pick up lunge (stand with sliding device under one foot and holding one DB in same side hand as sliding foot, slide leg out to side into a side lunge while placing DB on floor, return to standing, slide back out to side lunge and pick up DB, return to standing) (Cathe is using one 12# DB, I used one 20# DB)
13. Halo slams (stand with legs wider than hip with, lower into partial squat, hands are clasped, circle arms up to side and slam clasped hands down when squatting, do a small hop when raising out of squat)
14. Place glute band around thighs just above knees and do standard squats (Cathe is using 15# DBs, I used 25# DBs)
15. Puddle jumpers (wide side steps) alternated with lateral skaters
16. Place glute band around thighs just above knees, crossback/curtsy lunges (Cathe is using 10# DBs, I used 20# DBs)
17. Double pulse squat with insole tap, raise onto toe when doing insole tap, alternate legs on the insole tap
18. Hold one DB on both hands in front of chest, step out wide to side into plie squat, raise heels, lower heels then step feet back together, alternate sides (Cathe is using one 15# DB, I used one 30# DB)
19. 4 apple pickers (with legs together do partial hop squats while bring arms down to sides from overhead) + 4 attacks (legs are wide and hands are clasped, do partial hop squats while bringing clasped downs from overhead between legs as if you are slamming then down)
20. Place glute band around thighs just above knees, hold a DB in each hand at sides, do straight leg lifts to the front; changes to pulses at top of lift (Cathe is using 10# DBs, I used 20# DBs)
21. On reverse lunge + one step-hop forward into squat
22. Warrior lunges (place sliding device under one foot, slide leg back into lunge keeping back leg straight, arms raise straight overhead beside ears, lunge is deep so you are hinged forward over front thigh); remain in lunge with leg back, slide back leg in and out fast while remaining low