Cross Train Express: Leaner Legs

Cathe Friedrich
Year Released: 2000

Categories: Lower Body Strength


This is one fast-paced, high-rep workout for your legs and -- excuse me, I have to pause for air -- abs. Yes, I finished this workout hours ago, yet I am still gasping. This is a toughy, but it goes at such a whirlwind pace, with so many rhythm variations and quick changes, that it's enjoyable. Then again, I may still be in an altered state of mind. I'll know for sure tomorrow.

What makes this workout unique and enjoyable is the quick pace, changing tempos that are choreographed to the music and what Cathe calls her "active recoveries," when you get to "rest" your quivering quads with some deadlifts and calf raises before launching back into squats and lunges. This is all standing leg work, with lots of squats, static lunge variations, deadlifts, step-ups, calf raises and some killer plie squats. Leaner (MEANER) Legs is a real showcase for Cathe.

The warm-up is short, probably less than 5 minutes and consists of different tempo squats using only your body weight. I learned a new curse word less than 2 minutes into the warm-up: "low-end squats." That's when you squat and keep squatting in the bottom half of your squat range for 4 counts. On my second one of these, I felt the sweat break out on my forehead and chest. A peek at the clock confirmed that I was only 1 and 1/2 minutes into the warm-up. Uh-oh. Could be trouble.

Then the real work begins. Round One! About 10 non-stop minutes of barbell squats, barbell deadlifts, calf raises and 3 sets of step-ups with dumbbells. Be prepared to flip your barbell on end during the calf raises and use it to balance on. If you don't like doing this with your barbell (I didn't) you might want to have a body bar or a dowel handy instead. The music in LL is tough to describe. It's very distinctive and compliments the workout nicely. It's mostly instrumental with occasional "la la lalala" kind of vocals. The voices reminded me of the Indigo Girls. Cathe uses a 35-pound barbell, the same weight she uses in the leg portion of MIS. I would recommend going light when you try this workout, it is very intense without much rest between sets.

Okay, next comes Round Two. Blast-off with single-leg squats using dumbbells. These are similar to static lunges, but your rear leg is raised on the step behind you, placing all the work on the front leg and glute. You move on with a return to deadlifts and calf raises and then a really killer set of squats, including that curse word, the "low-expletive-deleted-end" squats. You will really need the short stretch here, those low ends take your breath away.

Round Three! This section is incredibly tough. It starts with barbell sit-and-stands. Ouch. Take heart though: these are tough, but nowhere near as hard as the ones in Pure Strength, since your barbell is loaded much lighter for LL. (For your sake, I hope you went light. If not -- pre-program 911 into your telephone dial!) Back to deadlifts and calf raises. I think this is when Cathe asks Rhonda for the count and all the background exercisers look at each sheepishly -- they forgot to keep track! Guess I'm not the only one who goes into an altered state of mind with this workout. OK, here comes the brutal section. One very looooooong set of static lunges at different tempos that will leave you crying for mercy. The long set gives ample time to think about which leg hurts more: the one in front or the one behind. As soon as you switch legs and that pre-fatigued rear leg goes in front, you'll know for sure which leg hurts more. It's Meaner Legs for sure!

There's more. Endless sets of plie squats, again those #^$% low-ends. Some more deadlifts, calf raises, a stretch and you're done. From the start of the warm-up to the stretch is just under 35 minutes.

You finish up with about 10 minutes of ab work. Smile! This is one of Cathe's better ab workouts. It's all traditional moves, but she shakes up her usual order of exercises by starting with reverse crunches and staying with them for quite a while. It's a good change of pace and focus for Cathe. She includes some new variations of oblique work and lots of tough stuff including isolation holds and pec decks with crunches.

That's the workout. I love it. Short, varied, very thorough and completely different pace and style from my other strength-focused leg workouts. The workout leaves my legs feeling exhausted, but not sore.

Instructor Comments:
It's Cathe. What can I say? I love her. She looks fit, pretty and happy. She has a wonderful rapport with her audience. She's produced another ultra-professional workout: from the new set to the music, everything is top-notch. Including Cathe herself.

Daphne M

11/30/-0001