Athletic Conditioning is a Live Cathe Friedrich workout that will rev up your metabolism for the entire day.

*If you don’t already have a membership to access the hundreds of live Cathe Friedrich routines then GET MORE INFORMATION ABOUT CATHE LIVE HERE.  I recommend you sign up.  

Athletic Conditioning is a total body workout with a short, intense step cardio routine that quickly transitions into a sculpting segment.  (The step routine is intense but the choreography is simple.  Anyone can do the moves.)

Here’s a peek at the workout:

The sculpting intervals use a lot of compound exercises that will keep your heart rate elevated and result in a high calorie burn by the time this routine ends.

I love this live workout.  You’ll need most of your dumbbells and few other pieces of equipment.

Let me explain…

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Instructor-Cathe Friedrich

Category-Cardio + Strength

Equipment–

An aerobic step with 3 risers/side (you can do the entire routine with just 2 risers/side if you don’t have the extra risers) like this one:

Discs (you can try to use rags like Cathe if you’re on a smooth surface)

Dumbbells (5, 8, 10, 12, 15, and 20’s)

a mat

Length-56 minutes

HRM-487 calories

Choreography-Simple

My rating- A+

Learn more here–>>Your Ultimate Guide to Buying and Using an Aerobic Step

If you don’t own any dumbbells and don’t know where to start then read this, A Woman’s Guide to Buying Dumbbells.

The Important Stuff about Athletic Conditioning Live

This is one of the toughest Cathe Live workouts in her library.  It’s awesome.  You can see a preview of more Cathe Friedrich Live workouts HERE.

Most of the weights used in each section aren’t that heavy but Cathe keeps the tempo fast so you’ll be glad she’s not going any heavier. 

The goal for Athletic Conditioning is muscle endurance so think high reps and fast tempo with light(er) weights.

Form is always very important when you lift weights.  When you add speed to your sculpting exercises it’s even more important that you pay attention to your form. 

Go slower than Cathe if you need to so that you don’t hurt yourself.

Cathe uses a step with TWO risers on each side for the step routine.  She adds the additional riser on each side for the strength-training portion. 

If you only have 4 total risers you’ll be fine.  If you’ve been meaning to order more risers you can find them HERE.

Don’t be intimidated by the step.  If you can’t do any complex choreography then you’re at the right workout.  There are no complicated steps to learn in Athletic Conditioning.

If you like this workout then I recommend you try THIS ONE, too.

Cathe is usually pretty good about telling you which DB’s she’s using but in case she forgets here’s a handy cheat sheet you can reference for all of her Live workouts.

Warm-Up

The warmup is about 5 minutes long and uses the fitness step with 2 risers/side.

Main Workout (The Exercises in Athletic Conditioning Live)

Cardio Step Exercises

There are 5 combinations used in the step section.  She repeats them all several times.

Here are a few of the moves Cathe does at some point during the step segment: squat pendulums, cha-cha’s over the top, side taps, leg abductions with a little jump, 2-feet jumps, hop-turns, power-7’s, power-squat turns, power box jumps around the step, salute squats, and power 15’s.

As I said before the exercises are NOT complicated but they ARE intense and high-impact.

Make the moves big to get the most out of today’s workout.

If you think you might trip on the step then only use 1 riser on each side.

The step section is about 10 minutes long and very intense.  Get ready to be cardio-challenged.

WATER BREAK

*I’d go ahead and add the extra riser (if you have it) to the step during this break.

Compound Strength-Training

Lateral walks

10 lb. DB’s

Mountain Climbers

Your hands go on your step and your feet go on your discs (or rags).  You can do this without the discs but you’ll feel it more in your core if you use them.

Sumo Squat with an Overhead Press (one side at a time)

10 lb. DB

Push-Ups

This is a drop set (12, 10, and 8 reps) with your hands on the step

Rear Delt Flys

10 lb. DB’s

This is also a drop set (12, 10, and 8 reps)

I find her speed difficult to maintain on this exercise so I usually finish after Cathe.

Side to Side Lunges

12 lb. DB’s

WATER/STRETCH BREAK

Lateral Raise with a Front Lunge

5 lb. DB’s

You’ll be doing the front lunge on the step.  Cathe ‘adds a little challenge’ to this exercise by lifting the front knee off the step after you lunge.  It’s weird.  Sometimes I do it and sometimes I don’t.  Something about raising the leg AND raising my arms just doesn’t feel right to me.  I’m weird, though, you might love this combination.

After the lunges Cathe transitions right away into standing lateral arm circles.  These are tough.  Get ready to start a fire in your shoulders.

Sliding Rear Lunges with a Bicep Curl

10 lb. DB’s

*When this section starts I always think 10 lbs. isn’t heavy enough but there are a ton of reps so I don’t recommend you grab anything heavier.  (Although GO FOR IT if you can!)

You’ll have your feet on your discs and alternate back lunges with double-arm hammer curls.

Sumo Squat with Bicep Curls

10 lb. DB’s

This time you’ll do traditional curls with a sumo squat

Sliding Rear Lunges with Hammer Curls (again)

Alternating Rear Lunge with a One-Arm Overhead Press

10 lb. DB’s

*Before this set is over she changes the exercise to a double-arm overhead press

WATER BREAK

Front Swing

8 lb. DB

Cathe does this move using the step.  You’ll stand on one side of the platform and go into a lunge and swing the outside arm into a front raise with the dumbbell as you abduct your leg.

WATER BREAK

Sweeper Lunges

You’ll need your discs for this one

You’ll stand behind the step and flex forward with your fingertips on the step.  With most of your weight on one leg you ‘sweep’ the other leg in and out straight behind you.  There are a bunch of reps.  Try not to round your back.  Your chest should up as high as it can be (while you’re leaning forward).

WATER BREAK

Tricep Push-Ups

All you need is your step (and a mat if you’re on a hard surface)

Put your hands on the step and do a set of tricep push-ups on your knees.  The second set is on your toes.

Tricep Dips off Your Step

We all know this exercise.  Try to keep up with Cathe:-)

Tricep Push-Ups (again)

You’ll repeat the same sequence with the tricep push-ups that you already did

One-Arm Lat Row

Cathe holds one 15 and one 5 lb. DB (in one hand) to do this exercise (use one 20 lb. DB instead, if you have one).

There are 2 sets of these.  She changes the direction you hold the DB on the second set (and drops down to 15 lbs.).

WATER BREAK/STRETCH

Squat Thrust with Plank Jacks

You’ll need your sliding tool (discs or rags) for this one

You’ll have your hands on the platform and shoot your legs out and drop down into push-ups as your legs go out into wide jumping jacks.  *Cathe doesn’t mention the push-up so you won’t know it’s coming until you get down there.

I’m always really dead by this time so those push-ups are SO HARD to squeeze out.

WATER BREAK

Close Grip Bench Press (On the Step)

15 lb. DB’s

Cathe puts a mat on her platform to do this.  I never do that.

The pattern is unexpected so pay attention.

Chest Fly (On the Step)

15 lb. DB’s

Cathe adds a leg move to this exercise after a few reps.  Remember to keep your lower back pressed in to the step.

Pull-Overs (On the Step)

15 lb. DB’s

I always touch my DB’s on this exercise (I think Cathe does, too) as I extend the DB’s over my head.

Side Snatch while in Plank

10 lb. DB

You’ll be in a side plank on one elbow and ‘snatch’ the DB up and over your body with the other hand.

Core/Ab Section

There are 6 ab exercises.

You’ll need your sliding tools.

Cathe alternates between supine and plank position for each exercise so that there are 3 in each position.  This is a short but effective ab grouping.

The last exercise is a crunch with your legs in an ‘L’ position.  I HATE this exercise because I suck at it.  I keep thinking that eventually my abs will be so strong that this exercise won’t bother me but it hasn’t happened yet.

Cool Down/Stretch

The last 3 minutes of this program is a stretch segment.  The focus is on the legs.  It’s a good stretch.

I love the last stretch where you stand with your legs apart, raise your arms to the sky and make a big circle in one direction and then go back the other way.  It feels awesome. Don’t skip the stretch or you’ll miss out on it.

Where can you find Athletic Conditioning (LIVE) with Cathe Friedrich?

You can only find this incredible workout via a membership to Cathe Live or Cathe on Demand.

I’d try one of them out for a month and then cancel if you don’t use/like it.

Personally, I spend more money every month on things like coffee than I do on my Cathe on Demand membership (and obviously I get a LOT more out of my membership).

I’m NOT an affiliate for any of Cathe’s subscription services so I don’t get compensated in any way if you sign up but I honestly think it’s a smart investment for any woman who likes to do advanced workouts at home so I don’t hesitate to recommend it.

Thank you for reading!  You’re awesome!