Another PHA workout! PHA stands for Peripheral Heart Action. What this means in training terms is you alternate between upper and lower body resistance exercises, allowing as little rest as possible between each movement. The lack of rest and recovery keeps your heart rate elevated for cardiovascular and fat burning benefits, while switching between upper and lower body exercises maximizes blood flow to all parts of the body and reduces build up of lactic acid. What this generally translates to, when done properly, is a total body metabolic strength workout with a high calorie burn.
Cathe apparently had an injury or was recovering from a medical procedure because for some exercises she only demonstrated with 5 pound dumbbells or with no weight at all. Most of the exercises are done for 16 reps–so this is a high rep endurance level workout. I used lighter weights than I normally would but heavier than what Cathe or class were using, so for some exercises I did less reps. I still got an intense metabolic strength workout. Though I did enjoy this workout but it was not my favorite PHA workout. The no repeats aspect did keep it interesting.
For me, this workout did require some pre-planning for set up. The first upper body exercise is bent over rows in which you do 16 reps but halfway through you change arm position. I can use a heavier dumbbell for the traditional row but I need a lighter dumbbell for the wide row. So I had the two dumbbells sitting next to each other and ready to be quickly swapped before the workout began. In fact, for this exercise Cathe starts holding 2 dumbbells in one hand for the traditional row then drops to one dumbbell for the wide row.
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PHA – No Repeats is 50:18 minutes; 7 minute warm up and 2:30 minute stretch. Equipment: full step at 10 inches and dumbbells. I listed the weights Cathe used as well as the weights I used. If only the weight is listed then I used the same weight as Cathe did.
- Stand on step holding one DB in both hands at chest, step one foot off step into a squat (Cathe is using one 15# DB, I used one 20# DB)
- Repeat # 1 on other leg
- Bent over single arm row (palm faces body, arm kept close to side) (Cathe is holding one 15# & one 5# DB together in one hand, I used one 30# DB)
- Bent over single arm wide row (elbow is open out to side with palm facing behind you) (Cathe is using one 15# DB, I used one 20# DB)
- Repeat #3 & 4 on other arm
- Hold one DB in one hand, do a reverse lunge passing DB to other hand under front leg while in lunge, as you raise out of lunge, bring back knee forward into a knee raise while also passing DB back to first hand) (Cathe is using one 10# DB, I used one 15# DB)
- Repeat #6 on other side of body
- Pullovers to 1.5 tempo (lay on back holding a DB in each hand, lower DBs behind head, raise halfway, lower DBs behind head then raise DB back to ceiling); changes to all full range reps (Cathe is using 15# DBs, I used one 30# DB)
- Pendulum lunges (front lunge into a reverse lunge with same leg, hold one DB in both hands in front of chest) (Cathe is using one 15# DB, I used one 20# DB)
- Repeat #9 on other leg
- Push ups
- Alternating step out sumo squats (hold one DB in one hand, step out into a sumo squat, step back in, pass DB to other hand and step out into sumo squat with other leg) (Cathe used one 15# DB, I used one 30# DB)
- Alternate one regular chest press with one close grip (tricep) press (Cathe coached, I used 20# DBs)
- Using only the step topper, do stationary hopping lunges, back foot is elevated on step behind you, lower into a lunge and do small hops with front foot as you raise partially out of lunge (no DBs)
- Repeat #14 on other leg
- Alternate one hammer curl with one W hammer curl (W hammer curl=wide curl, elbow remain close to sides, curl DBs out to sides) (Cathe is using 12# DBs, I used 15# DBs)
- Push dips (using step topper, back foot is on topper, front leg is forward so you are in lunge, hinge torso forward over front thigh, DBs frame leg, lower to bottom of lunge but only raise partway) (Cathe is using 12# DBs, I used 15# DBs)
- Repeat #17 on other leg
- Hold a DB in each hand, do a straight arm front raise w/ one arm while doing a straight arm lateral raise with other arm, swap arm positions each rep (Cathe is using 5# DBs, I used 8# DBs)
- Squat + cross over (start standing beside the step with one foot on step and one on floor, do one squat then take the foot on the floor and cross it over the step to the other side into a curtsy lunge, alternate these two moves (Cathe did not use a DB though the class members did, I used one 20# DB)
- Repeat #20 on other leg
- Hold a DB in each hand, one arm is bent at 90 degrees with arm close to side, the other arm does bicep curls (Cathe is using 12# DBs, I used 13# DBs)
- Repeat #22 with arm positions swapped
- 4 wide stance deadlifts, 4 close stance deadlifts, 4 wide stance deadlifts, 4 close stance deadlifts (Cathe is using 15# DBs. I used 30# DBs)
- 8 tricep kickbacks + 16 tricep dips off step, this combo is done 3x (Cathe is using 12# DBs, I used 13# DBs)
- Reverse lunges, 16 reps on one leg then 16 reps on the other (start standing on the step and lunge one foot off to floor) (Cathe is not using any weight though the class members are, I used 16.5# DBs)
- Chest flys (lay on back on step with legs raised and bent at 90 degrees, when you fly the arms extend one leg out straight, alternate legs) (Cathe is coaching, I used 20# DBs)
- Side to side pick up lunges (stand holding one DB in each hand, step out into a side lunge placing DB in opposite hand on floor in front of foot, repeat on other leg, when when you repeat, you pick the DBs up) (Cathe is using 10# DBs, I used 20# DBs)
- Single arm push press (overhead shoulder press, use legs to assist pushing DB overhead, first 8 reps palm faces you last 8 reps palm faces in front of you w/ arm/elbow out to side) (Cathe is using one 15# DB, I used one 20# DB)
- Repeat #29 on other arm
- Calf raises (Cathe using 15# DBs, I used 20# DBs)
- Overhead tricep extensions (French press) (Cathe is using 12# DBs, I used one 25# DB)
