The magic of this 27 minute routine is that you’ll be challenged far more than you expect.  (My brain seems to think a short workout is an easy workout.  I should know better than that at this point.)

Here’s your category in ‘$100,000 Pyramid’ today:  ‘Things that are always faster than you remember’.

And the answers are:

The time it takes to gain 5 lbs.

Every single vacation

Cathe Friedrich in Low Impact Hiit One

Here’s a peek at Low Impact Hiit One:

Don’t pop this video in if your brain isn’t firing all its cogs and levers at full capacity today.  You’ll need laser-focus and determination to get the most out of Low Impact Hiit One.  (And if you’re feeling really incredible then do Premix #2.  It’s insane.)

Let me explain what you’ll be doing and how to crush it in Low Impact Hiit One with Cathe Friedrich…

This post may contain Amazon (or other) affiliate links which won’t change your price but will share some commission. You can get more information about that here.

Instructor-Cathe Friedrich

Category-Cardio

Equipment-mat, dixie cups

The equipment is optional.  You can easily do the routine without it.

Length-27 minutes

HRM-225 calories

Choreography-Simple

My rating- A

My favorite Premix on this video: Premix #2 Extreme: Low Impact Hiit One and Two Combined (50 minutes)

The Important Stuff about Low Impact Hiit One

Low Impact Hiit (high-intensity interval training) One is from Cathe Friedrich’s Ripped Hiit Series.  The Low Impact Hiit video has two main workouts, One and Two.  I think One (the routine you’re reading about right now) is the harder of the 2 main programs.

You can read about Low Impact Hiit Two here.

Low Impact Hiit One also has 7 premix workouts (you can find these under the Menu of the video) that are all longer than the main workout.  Definitely try each premix at some point.

Low Impact Hiit One is a cardio workout using a mat and dixie cups.  Don’t worry about it if you can’t find 2 plastic cups.  You only use the cups on a few exercises and you can pretend to have cups and burn the same amount of calories.

As I mentioned in the opening, Low Impact Hiit One is all about speed.  Cathe does several of the exercises so fast you may not be able to keep up.  The tempo is what makes the program good, though.  Push yourself to try and get in the same number of reps on each exercise as Cathe.

You do every exercise twice (except drill 2), repeating it on the other lead leg.  Just like the title says, you stay low-impact the entire program. There are 15 drills.

There are a ton of lateral moving exercises in Hiit One.  Wear cross-trainers if you have them.  The extra support will make the exercises easier.

Make sure your read to the end of this post for tips (and what to expect) on every section of the routine as well as links to a few places where you buy Low Impact Hiit One.

Warm-Up

The warm-up is longer than you’d expect for a program that’s so short.  It lasts a little more than 5 minutes.  There are some squats and lunges in the warm-up that will get your heart rate going.

Main Workout (The Exercises in Low Impact HiiT One)

You’ll need your mat for the first four drills.

DRILL ONE

‘Slam-it’ to the corners of your mat

On the second set you’ll ‘slam-it’ with your hips forward.

There are 16 reps in each set.

DRILL TWO

Jump shot with an elbow to the knee repeater

It feels weird to do this exercise on the floor.  I’m used to doing a move like this on a step.

There are 6 reps but only one set of these.  Remember every other drill is repeated for 2 sets.

DRILL THREE

Football straddle runs

As the name implies, you’ll be straddling your feet over your mat.  If you have a really wide mat (like me) then you may struggle with this one.  Cathe goes up and back 8 times at the speed of light.  You have to shuffle your feet really fast.

Up and back is one rep. There are 8

There’s a second set of 8 facing the other direction.

DRILL FOUR

Puddle jumpers in a zig zag pattern over the mat

Some days my lower body has a mind of its own and I get scrambled up during this exercise.  If you can’t figure out Cathe’s pattern then just make up your own (The girls on the video aren’t doing it perfect either.)  The important part is that you make the move really big and do NOT stop.

There are 2 sets

DRILL FIVE

You need those dixie cups (if you have them) for this drill.

Side shuffle with an up/down placement of the cups

Be prepared to move faster than you ever thought possible.  If you get in as many reps as Cathe then you’re a badass.  Keep it up.

There are 2 sets

DRILL SIX

You can put down the dixie cups.  You need your mat for this drill.

Side to side leap over the mat (3 times) with a lift after every 3^rd rep

Go fast (of course).  There are 12 reps.

Do the second set facing the other direction

DRILL SEVEN

Put your mat away and get your cups back out.

Alternating forward leaning lunge

You put the cups up and down with each rep (if you’re using the cups).

There are 24

DRILL EIGHT

You don’t need equipment

Low-end galloping jacks

There are 24

DRILL NINE

Repeat alternating forward leaning lunges (with or without your cups)

*This is drill seven again, but starting on the other lead leg.

DRILL TEN

You won’t need any equipment for the rest of the workout.

*Repeat drill eight

24 Low-end galloping jacks starting on the other lead leg

DRILL ELEVEN

High-low punches

Try to go deep in the squat.

32 reps per side

DRILL TWELVE

Cathe calls this the Fred Astaire move

Don’t hurt yourself trying to keep up with her but give 100%.

Full disclosure-sometimes I literally trip myself on this exercise.  I get so pissed about it.  I have no idea why.  If you keep your core tight it will help you survive this exercise.

There are 2 sets of 20 reps

DRILL THIRTEEN

Alternating forward leaning lunges with a standing high reach on the toes between every rep

There are 20 really fast reps

DRILL FOURTEEN

Alternating lean back volley with a high reach (this may be really hard to envision based on the description, I apologize for that).

You have to make the parts of the exercise all flow together to get in the reps at Cathe’s speed.  Don’t pause for the reach.

DRILL FIFTEEN

Whenever I realize I’ve only been working out about 20 minutes at this point it makes me feel really pathetic (because I’m always so exhausted). Then the last exercise is REALLY HARD and my body is so tired of trying to keep up with Cathe at this point that I kinda hate this one.  (It’s like when Cathe throws push-ups into a workout as the last exercise.  It just sucks.)

Surfer squats with a burpee

You alternate which leg is in front in the surfer squat

There are 12 reps in each set

Cool Down/Stretch

There’s a short cool down and stretch at the end.  Don’t skip it.  You’ve got 3 more minutes to spare for a stretch.  Your email isn’t going anywhere.

Now What?

Low Impact Hiit One is a great option when you’re short on time. But if you have a little more time you can pair the main program with a 2 or 3 mile run and one of the bonus ab routines on this video, for a more thorough workout.  Or, of course, you can always do one of the premix workouts.

Another bonus about Low Impact Hiit One is that you need very little equipment and anyone can do these moves.  There’s no choreography to get anxious about. 

You can find Low Impact Hiit on:

Cathe’s site

Amazon

Collage Video

And don’t forget about Cathe on Demand (that’s how I access all of her workouts these days).  

If you love Cathe Friedrich routines I encourage you to try this service out for a month.  If you have questions about Cathe on Demand then read this post that will answer all your questions about the Cathe on Demand service.

Thanks for reading! 

Don’t forget you’re awesome:-)