Lower Body Strength is part of Cathe‘s Lift, Move & Restore 2: Elevated program (LMR2). It is one of 4 bonus workouts (initially) only available to customers who pre-ordered the program. So while we were waiting for LMR2 to finally be available, she released the bonus workouts to pre-order customers one at a time. Since I pre-ordered, I got the bonus workouts. Although I did the workouts pretty soon after they were released, I did not post the reviews until they were available to everyone. And now they are–everyone can purchase them via download.
This is a solid lower body strength workout. Cathe works all of the lower body muscles in some fashion. Cathe gives you a decent amount of rest between sets so you can lift moderately heavy. However, if you are doing the amount of reps Cathe and crew are doing (10 reps) then her rep pace is too fast to lift very heavy. But you can always slow the pace and do less reps if you want to lift heavier. The background exercisers are wearing weight belts. Cathe gives a recommended weight to use and rep range, though as mentioned already, the reps for most of the exercises is 10 reps. Here is a video trailer for this workout. The workout ends with a feel good, thorough lower body stretch.
If you own the entire program, the program also comes with a digital users guide, which includes a rotation that uses the bonus workouts.
Lower Body Strength is 50 minutes; 45 second intro, 4;45 minute warm up and 5:20 minute stretch. Equipment: glute/booty band, square step 12 inches (4 risers), dumbbells, light barbell plates to elevate heels and a fitness mat. I used heel wedges instead of barbell plates. When the workout begins Cathe and crew are already wearing the medium glute band around their thighs. The band is worn for the entire warm up. Below I list both the weights Cathe used and the weights I used. If only one weight is listed then I used the same weight as Cathe.
- Warm up squats for 10 reps (10# DBs)
- Repeat #1 with heavier DBs (15# DBs)
- Repeat #1 & 2 with heavier DBs (Cathe is using 25# DBs, I used 30# DBs)
- Deadlifts, 10 reps (30# DBs)
- Rear/reverse step back lunges, 10 reps (Cathe is using 25# DBs, I used 22.5# DBs)
- Repeat #5 on other let
- Goblet squats, 10 reps (barbell plates under heels) (Cathe is using one 20# DB, I used one 35# DB)
- Single leg deadlift rotation, 10 reps (stand in split stance with back leg in kickstand, hold one DB in same side hand as back leg, as you hinge forward into deadlift, bring DB in front of front leg) (Cathe is using one 20# DB, I used one 30# DB)
- Repeat #8 on other leg
- Side lunges, 10 reps (step out into side lunge) (Cathe is using 15# DBs, I used 20# DBs)
- Repeat #10 on other leg
- Close grip sumo, 10 reps (legs are wide, toes turned out, hold DBs together between thighs) (Cathe is using 25# DBs, I used one 70# DB)
- Deadlifts, 10 reps (barbell plates under toes) (30# DBs)
- Side to side cossack lunge, 8 reps each leg/16 total (stationary alternating side lunges holding one DB in both hands in front of chest, after 2 reps each side rotate straight leg so toe points to ceiling and heel is on floor at bottom of lunge) (Cathe is using one 20# DB, I used one 30# DB)
- Squats with calf raises, 10 reps (one squat + 2 calf raises=one rep) (Cathe is using 25# DBs, I used 30# DBs)
- Step ups, 10 reps (stand behind square step, place one foot on step, lift up onto step then step down) (Cathe is using 25# DBs, I used 20# DBs)
- Repeat #16 on other leg
- Repeat #13
- Lateral step ups, 10 reps (stand beside square step holding one DB in both hands at chest, lift up onto step then step back down) (one 25# DB)
- Repeat #19 on other leg
- Cross-back lunges, 10 reps (step back/reverse cross-back lunge, holding one DB in both hands at chest) (one 25# DB)
- Repeat #21 on other leg
- Push dips, 10 reps (stationary lunges, back leg is elevated on step @ 6 inches, hold one DB in each hand, hinge torso forward, lower to bottom of lunge and only raise halfway so there is constant tension on leg) (15# DBs)
- Repeat #23 on other leg
- Single leg glute presses, 8 full reps then keep hips raised and pulse upward 24 reps (lay on back on mat, heel of one leg is on square step @ 6 inches and glutes are close to step, place one DB on hip of leg on step, other leg is extended to ceiling, raise and lower hips but glutes never touch the mat) (Cathe is using one 15# DB, I used one 30# DB)
- Repeat #25 on other leg
- Outer thigh lift, 12 reps (get on hands and knees on mat and place one light DB behind knee of working leg, lift bent leg to side in hydrant) (one 8# DB)
- Repeat #27 on other leg
- Quad lean backs, 14 reps (in high double kneeling on mat holding one DB in both hands at chest, keeping body straight from knees to head, lean body backward) (Cathe is using one 15# DB, I used one 20# DB)
- Inner thigh lifts, 8 full range reps then keep leg lifted at top of raise and pulse 24x (lay on one hip and forearm, bottom leg is extended straight, top leg is bent with foot on mat behind extended thigh, place DB on top of extended thigh, lift and lower straight leg) (one 12# DB)
- Repeat #30 on other leg
