If you woke up today and thought, I’m a complete badass.  Bring it on, Cathe Friedrich.  Then I recommend you try Lower Body Blast.

Here’s what it looks like:

On the other hand, if you woke up feeling more like, Eh, exercise schmexercise.  My ass never shrinks anyways.  Maybe I’ll try one of those power nap things instead of sweating like a pig for an hour today.

Hey, you can’t feel like Wonder Woman every day.

If this is how you’re feeling this I’d say pass up Lower Body Blast today for something that reminds you exercise is fun.

*Try Insanity Max:30 Friday Fight Round 1 or Cathe Friedrich’s HiiT Double Wave Pyramid workout instead.

Keep on reading to find out why it takes rock-solid fortitude to power through Lower Body Blast…

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Instructor-Cathe Friedrich

Category-Strength

Equipment–

mat

5, 8 and 10 lb. dumbbells

barbell with 20-30 lbs. (optional)

discs

exercise loop

step with 2 risers/side (this can be a long aerobic step or a shorter step like this one (Cathe uses this shorter version in Lower Body Blast)

Length-61 minutes (the actual routine is about 59 minutes)

HRM-370 calories

Choreography-Simple

My rating- A

*My Favorite Premix routine on Lower Body Blast is Standing + Leg Conditioning Drills (66 minutes)

✔ Learn more about buying and using an aerobic step in this post: Your Expert Guide to Buying and Using an Aerobic Step

The Important Stuff about Lower Body Blast

Lower Body Blast is one of those earlier videos where Cathe never really announces what weight she’s using for the exercises.  My goal is to do the workout exactly as Cathe does it so that makes me a crazy person. 

I’ll tell you in this post what dumbbells Cathe is using and my recommendation (and what I think she’s using) for the barbell work.

This is a review of the main routine on Lower Body Blast.  There are also 5 premix routines on the video: (Timesaver (no floor work)-49 minutes, Standing + Leg Conditioning Drills-66 minutes, Standing + Floorwork + Leg Conditioning Drills-76 minutes, Standing + Floorwork (no cardio bursts)-56 minutes, and Standing + Leg Conditioning Drills (no cardio bursts)-63 minutes).

Don’t get too hung up on the word ‘Blast’ in the title of the video.  The blasts are short and there aren’t many. 

The blast sections are coordinated with the strength-training portions to work the same muscle groups back to back.  If you like this pattern you’ll find a similar one in the Ripped with Hiit Legs video.

The lower body strength training uses high reps with variations in tempo and pattern to exhaust the muscles.  Cathe prompts perfectly for every change in pattern so listen carefully.

The main routine is broken down into 2 sections—standing leg work and then more exercises on the floor.

Try not to get distracted by the beautiful landscape behind the team.  Can someone tell me if that’s real?

Remember to read to the end of this post for links to a few places you can compare prices on this video as well as tips and advice for mastering each exercise in Lower Body Blast.

Warm-Up

The warm-up is almost 10 minutes long.  There’s a short step routine in this section.  The choreography is simple.

Pro tip–If you’re using a long step you can turn it perpendicular to the TV and work on the end closest to you (this is what I do).

Main Workout (The Exercises and Equipment You Need in Lower Body Blast)

STANDING LEG WORK

Walking Lunges with 8 lb. DB’s

Warning-This is a really long set and you do low-end pulses after every 4 steps.  (If you’re able to do every single rep without stopping then you’re an animal.)

Leg Press on the step with one 10 lb. DB

There are 2 sets of 15 reps per leg

Squats with a 25* lb. BB (or two 12 lb. DB’s)

*This is my recommendation.  As I said earlier, I’m not 100% sure how much weight is on Cathe’s barbell (and she never says) but this routine is about high reps with a lower weight so I wouldn’t go much higher than 25 lbs.

This set goes on for 2 or 3 months.  (Yep, I said months.)  Pay attention because the pattern changes several times.

I hope you don’t have big plans for 2 days from now because you’re gonna be walking funny.

Front Lunges with one 5 lb. DB

CARDIO BLAST ONE

Split Jumps-16 per side

Warrior Lunges with 1 disc

Dead Lifts on the Step with a 25 lb. BB (or 12 lb. DB’s)

Plié Squats with a 25 lb. BB (or 12 lb. DB’s)

This is another painfully long set.  Don’t get cocky and load your barbell up like you’re the female Hulk.  You’ll regret that.

There’s a short stretch before you do the next exercise. (Thank you!)

You’ve been working out for about 25 minutes at this point.  Feels longer, don’t it?

Side Slide Lunges with one disc

By now you’ll be used to the pattern changes but it won’t make this any easier.  This pattern is like the one you did with Warrior Lunges.

The static hold lunge is a doozie.

CARDIO BLAST TWO

Ice Breakers

We’re all familiar with this exercise.  I know your legs are jello but you’re here to change your body so don’t be a wimp.  Make the most of every last rep.

There are 32 reps

Single Leg Dead Lift with one 10 lb. DB

If you can’t do the balance version don’t fret about it.  Most people can’t.  Jai is the only one on the team that usually does it.  She’s a badass.

Elevated Lunges

You’ll be putting one foot up behind you on the step.

Beware-You’ll start off thinking, This is all you got, Cathe?  I got this.  Then she starts the low-end pulses.  Guess what?  I usually say some naughty words during this set because I’m too stubborn to let Cathe beat me.

This is one of those exercises where you hate the fact you have two limbs because the thought of repeating the whole miserable set makes you want to cry a little.

Hover Squats with 8 lb. DB’s

Uggghhh!  For the love of monkeys, I hate low-end pulses!

This is when I try to imagine my ass like a chiseled, shiny granite rock.  That’s what gets me through this set.

One-Leg Squat with one Disc

This is kinda like a mercy exercise (on the easy side)

CARDIO BLAST THREE

Low Box Jumps with a Plyo Jack at the end

There are 10

Wide Stance Dead Lifts with your 25 lb. BB (or two 12 lb. DB’s)

Static Lunges with your 25 lb. BB (or two 12 lb. DB’s)

FLOOR WORK

Guess what?  You get to sit down!  (*awkward 3-second party dance on wobbly legs*)

Now you’ll need your band.

Butterfly Abductions with the band

These are so NOT HARD next to the crap you just accomplished.  But they still have a purpose so listen to the form pointers.

Hydrants with the Band

I can’t do this move without having a Buns of Steel flashback.  There aren’t nearly as many reps, though.  There’s a nice break with a stretch before you move on.

Leg Presses in Table Top Position (on all fours)

This exercise gets deep in the muscle to shape your glutes and hamstrings.  If you’ve ever done Butts & Guts then you might have immediately envisioned your ass locking up when Cathe gets in this position. 

But that won’t happen.  This is your last set of moves and you’re going to finish strong. You got this.

Cool Down/Stretch

The stretch segment is about 5 minutes long.  Don’t be dumb and skip the stretch.  Your legs really need this and stretching is more effective when your muscles are warm.

What Now?

If you like Lower Body Blast then try Ripped with Hiit Legs next.

Where can you buy Lower Body Blast?  Compare prices at:

Cathe’s site

Collage Video

And remember you can access every last workout Cathe Friedrich has (over 300 routines) with a membership to Cathe on Demand (this is what I do).

–>>I recommend you read How to Sign Up for Cathe Live or Cathe on Demand + Live for more information.

Thanks for reading!  

In case no one told you today–you’re awesome:-)