Cass Olholm is a qualified Strength and Conditioning coach who strongly believes that you don’t need to be strong to get strong!  High Intensity Strength at Home with Cass incorporates a combination of training styles, including heavy lifting, functional movements and high intensity. Cass has designed this program for women who may or may not have experience with weight training but want to explore something new and or step up their exercise! These workouts are designed to increase strength, fitness and metabolic demand, increasing energy used both during and post-workout. 

Cass has ensured her program uses a progressive overload approach, so the number of goals per week will increase as you build a greater tolerance to the training. This will also give you the opportunity to personalise your workout week and select the workouts that suit how you are feeling. 

How does Cass’ High Intensity Strength at Home program work?

Cass’ High Intensity Strength at Home is a 16-week training program, including 4 Beginner weeks. These high intensity and heavy lifting workouts range from 30-45 minutes, with optional Express workouts. The Express options take only 10-15 minutes (not including the warm-up and cool-down), for those who are short on time, but still want to smash their workout goals. 

What are the weekly goals?

In Cass’ High Intensity Strength at Home Beginner weeks, you will be provided with the following goals to work towards each week:

• 3 x Resistance training sessions
• 2 x Cardio sessions
• 1 x Recovery Sessions

Your goals will then increase as you progress into 1.0 of  Cass’ High Intensity Strength at Home program:

• 3-4 x Resistance training sessions
• 2-3 x Cardio sessions
• 1 x Recovery Sessions

As you progress through 1.0, your Resistance workouts will increase from 3 to 4 sessions per week after Week 3. 

Along with the above, Cass has added in additional workouts for those that wish to increase their resistance workouts each week. These are always optional.

• 2 x Express Resistance sessions
• 2 x Recovery sessions

To support you in your training, we strongly recommend performing the weekly recovery sessions as they incorporate mobility movements that will help improve body positions for common problem areas within your key lifts.

What do the workouts involve?

Strength + Cardio

These workouts begin with a strength exercise, you will complete 3-6 sets of the key exercise for the specified number of reps. Between each set you will take a 60 second rest. (We strongly encourage taking the full 60 second rest, to allow time for your body to rest, ready to perform the next set.) After completing all sets take a 1 minute rest before beginning the cardio part. The cardio workout includes 5 rounds of 4 exercises. Perform the specified number of reps for each exercise before moving onto the next. There is no rest between exercises or rounds, as the purpose of this part is to add volume to the muscles whilst maintaining high intensity. 

Full Body Tabata

Tabata is a form of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) that aims to improve cardiovascular (both aerobic and anaerobic) fitness through short bouts of intense exercise (20 seconds) and a short rest period (10 seconds). There are 8 exercises in the workout. You will perform 8 rounds of 20 seconds on, 10 seconds off for each exercise, before moving onto the next. You will receive a 30 second rest period between each exercise and once you have performed all 8 exercises the workout is complete.

Full Body HIIT

High Intensity Interval Training refers to periods of high intensity work, followed by a period of rest. This HIIT session involves a circuit of 10 exercises, with a work to rest ratio of 60 seconds on, 30 seconds off. These exercises will be a mix of cardio, strength and bodyweight to make sure your HIIT workout gets your Sweat on!

Express Workouts (Optional)

These Express options are perfect for those short on time, or for those who are wanting to take their training to the next level with extra workouts! There are two optional sessions; Express High Intensity and Express AMRAP.
The Express High Intensity workouts consist  3 circuits with 3 exercises in each. Your aim is to complete3 laps in total. In the first circuit, you will perform 21 reps of each exercise, repeating for 3 laps. In circuit 2 you will perform 15 reps of each exercise, repeating for 3 laps. and finally in circuit 3 you will perform 9 reps of each exercise, repeating for 3 laps.
The Express AMRAP workouts are time based, with 4 exercises completed in a circuit format. Each exercise will involve a 45 second work period, followed by a short 15 second rest period. Your aim is to complete 3 laps, performing as many reps as you can of each exercise in that 45 second period until complete.

Warm-Up (optional)

You’ll find a choice of two different Warm-Up types to complete before you start your workout:

• Movement: dynamic stretches and movement preparation-type exercises
• Cardio & Movement: combination of the above (recommended)

Your warm-up routine will be approximately 5-7 minutes long and you will find a brief description of each of the above to help choose the best warm-up style for you!

Cool Down

You will be taken through a series of stretches to help kickstart the post-workout recovery process. We strongly recommend completing a cool-down session at the end of each workout to help to promote recovery, prevent injury, improve flexibility by slowing down your heart rate, and promote even blood flow throughout your body.

What equipment do I need?

All you will need is:

• Dumbbells
• Kettlebells 
• Skipping Rope 
• Foam Roller (recommend for recovery and warm-ups)

If you don’t have access to the equipment, what can you use instead? 

Dumbbells- Two safe, heavy objects can be used, such as bags of food, water bottles, or other household items - get creative!

Kettlebells - One large dumbbell (8-15kg) can be used instead.

Skipping Rope - There is no substitute for this, but you could complete 'air skips' if you are space restricted.

When selecting alternatives, it is important to ensure that they are both safe and secure prior to commencing your workout.

To find out what others in the Community are using, head to our Forum!  

You are welcome to omit equipment from your workout and simply use your own bodyweight to complete the exercises.

Please note: We cannot guarantee you will achieve the same results as those who include equipment in their workouts.

Cass’ High Intensity Strength at Home program is available exclusively within the Sweat app. Existing members can access her program by heading to their Profile and selecting 'Manage My Program', then 'Select Program’ to find High Intensity Strength with Cass. 

New to Sweat? Get started today and download the Sweat app from the App Store or the Google Play Store, or sign up on our website here. 

Want to give one of Cass' workouts a go? Try her Express Metcon workout here!