Shock Cardio – Circuit Blast

Circuit Blast has six rounds and each round includes cardio, legs, upper body and core. It’s 44 minutes long, and it requires (if done “as is”) a step with 4 risers on each side, medium weight dumbbells, a med ball (Cathe uses a 6 lb. ball), and a dyna band.

In my view, the fun factor is really high. The moves are varied, and there is just enough rest so that you aren’t exhausted but not too much so that the workout drags. If you want to be more exhausted, you can extend the moves a little longer (which I did on some of them)! The six rounds go by quickly.

Although there are some old favorites revisited [hop forward/jack back (from Cardio Kicks); firewalkers; leg presses; tuck jumps], there are some fresh moves as well. There are two sets of box jumps – jumps onto the step with 4 risers. Cathe reminds us several times to keep the knees soft. The pace is just right so you can really focus on using your core and quads instead of your knees. The one-legged squats on 4 risers is a lot of fun; you really feel it in the glutes and quads.

The core work, which is mostly plank and push-up based, engages the muscles very nicely. I think this is some of the best core work Cathe has incorporated.

There are two premixes--a cardio only and a scrambled one (same moves, different order). It’s unfortunate that Cathe didn’t include an all legs premix. I always add on to the workout to make it at least 60 minutes, and I often go back and do a second or third set of the leg exercises.

I do wish this was a full 60 minute workout. Another good way to lengthen it, however, is to add one of the Shock Cardio Hiit workouts onto it. I also use 1 lb. hand weights on many of the cardio moves to increase intensity.

A caveat for those with knee issues: really practice the box jumps so that you take the impact in your core and quads rather than the knees. Also, the turning lunge press and the one arm lunge press can torque the knee if you don’t have a smooth surface. I jump these rather than pivot because I work out on puzzle mats.

Circuit Blast is quickly becoming one of my favorite workouts (but I love circuit workouts!). In my opinion, CB is more intense than Cathe’s Bootcamp but not quite as intense as either High Step Training Advanced or Drill Max.

Below is a break-down of the workout:

CIRCUIT ONE
Warm up
Side hops and Air Jacks (this stops really suddenly; I keep going a bit!)
Fast hover squats over step
Squat w/ military press – uses dumbbells
T-Thrusts (burpee-like moves from side to side)

CIRCUIT TWO
Frog Leaps
Uneven Squats w/ db.
Plie Squatt w/ lateral raise using dyna band
Side Knee-in Planks

CIRCUIT THREE
Box Jump with plie jacks
Hop over band
Firewalkers
Plank Push up w/ Bird Dog

CIRCUIT FOUR
Wide leg tuck jumps
Hop fwd/jack back
Squat thrusts with push up on board
Uneven push-up with one hand on med ball

CIRCUIT FIVE
Lunge/reach w med ball
Turning lunge press
1 arm squat lunge press w db.
Wood chops w/ med ball

CIRCUIT SIX
Wide box jumps w plyo jack
Leg Press
Lunge back with band pulls
Squat thrusts with jack push-ups
Cool down

Instructor Comments:
Although Cathe is generally more subdued in Shock Cardio, the energy in Circuit Blast is pretty high.

Acescholar