Paul Katami Burn & Build

Wow. This workout was really tough. Really tough. Burn & Build is my introduction to Paul Katami‘s workouts. I heard he was advanced and knows his kettlebells. I also saw this was a cardio + strength/metabolic weight training workout, which I have always loved. So I decided to give it a try. It is a very advanced workout. I started getting nervous when the warm up was reminiscent of Insanity. Not that it is a similar workout or warm up in any way, shape or form, but that even the warm up was brutal and exhausting. In some ways I found the warm up more difficult than the rest of the workout. That is because there was almost no rest between moves and there was also high impact–which there is almost none in the rest of the workout. In fact, that should be pointed out. The majority of this workout, though very challenging, is low impact. Not the warm up however. But if you are going for low impact, it would be easy to modify the warm up to be low impact and the one high impact move during the workout shows a modification that is low impact. So people who want an intense low impact workout–this one will do the job.

This is an endurance and cardio workout. You use a kettlebell for every single move, but the moves are done relatively quickly and there are a lot of reps, so you can’t go really heavy. I used a 10 pound kettlebell for everything and it worked fine. I really liked Paul Katami. He had a good presence and was very good at describing the exercises. In fact, that is where you get the much needed rest in the actual training portion of the workout. Before each move he previews it, giving you a chance to breath and the pain in your muscles to recover. BTW–this doesn’t happen in the warm up. The workout is drill based. At the bottom left-hand side of the screen there is a timer. All of the exercises are done for 60 seconds (at least in Burn & Build–the Bonus Core workout is timed differently), so the clock is reset for every exercise. I really like drill-based workouts. They are usually tough and get the job done, and this is one of the hardest I have ever done. This one had a good bit of variety, too. There is also a modifier. She uses a dumbbell instead of a kettlebell and she does easier modifications for some of the exercises. I won’t lie. Though I did do the advanced exercises, on a few of them, I had to change to the modified version of the exercise to get to the end of the 60 seconds. It was that hard.

The DVD contains the main workout, a bonus core workout, an intro and a “clinic.” The clinic is a bit of a workout itself. I teaches you each of the kettlebell moves used in the main workout, then gives you a 30 second timer for most of them to practice. The clinic is 26 minutes.

Burn & Build 70 minutes; 11 minute warm up, 54 minute training time and 5 minute cool down. The main workout is chaptered, so if you don’t want to do the entire workout you can pick and choose from the training blocks. There are 7 training blocks and they each have a different focus. For this workout you need a high step (the square one) with 4 risers and a kettlebell or dumbbell. For each block every exercise is done for 60 seconds unless otherwise noted. Also, the kettlebell will be used for every single exercise in the main workout, so if for some reason it is not mentioned in the description–just assume you have it. And finally, when you see an exercise repeated in a block, that is because it is being repeated on the other side of the body.

Warm up:

1. 30 seconds of squats, 30 seconds of back lunges, 30 seconds of front lunges

2. 30 seconds of squat hops, 30 seconds of running lunges, 30 seconds of starter lunges (jump lunges)

Grab the kettle bell

3. 30 seconds squatting side-to-side with overhead press–quickly changes to hop squats w/ overhead press, 30 seconds of back lunge while rotating kettlebell to side, 30 seconds of front lunge rotating kettlebell to side–quickly changes to power jump lunge.

4. Holding kettlebell by the horn step on and off step for 60 seconds

5. Step on and off step, alternate haloing kettlebell overhead at top for 60 seconds.

6. Start on top of step and squat side-to-side off step, switching kettlebell from hand to hand (60 seconds).

7. Still on top of step, and holding kettlebell in both hands, alternate reverse lunges off step while rotating kettlebell to side.

Block 1 Cardio Burn 7 minutes

1. Double hook swings

2. 4 skater lateral lunges + 2 bent over rows.

3. Step out side to side with double hook swings

4. 4 skater lateral lunges + 2 bent over rows.

5. Hand to hand transfer kettlebell swings

Block 2 Drills and Build 7 minutes

1. Step onto step, step off step, suitcase deadlift + 3 satellites (passing kettlebell around body)

2. Start on top of step, squat off step to the side swinging kettlebell down and high pull at top

3. Back lunge off step with bicep curl

4. Start on top of step, squat off step to the side swinging kettlebell down and high pull at top

5. Back lunge off step with bicep curl

Block 3 Combo Build 8 minutes

1. Step onto step, step off of step, clean to rack (bringing kettlebell to shoulder)

2. Back lunge, clean to rack and overhead press (w/ optional pivot)

3. Step onto step, step off of step, clean to rack

4. Back lunge, clean to rack and overhead press (w/ optional pivot)

5. Combine exercises: step onto step, step off step, clean to rack and back lunge with overhead press (w/ optional pivot)

6. Combine exercises: step onto step, step off step, clean to rack and back lunge with overhead press (w/ optional pivot)

Block 4 Plank Rows and Rotate 8 minutes

1. Single arm burpee (one hand on the step, the other holding kettlebell)

2. 30 seconds of rows in plank and 30 seconds of rotation rows

3. Single arm burpee

4. 30 seconds of rows in plank and 30 seconds of rotation rows

5. One burpee, stay in plank and do one row, one rotation row then hop back to top

6. One burpee, stay in plank and do one row, one rotation row then hop back to top

Block 5 Cardio Drills & Burn 7 minutes

1. While holding kettlebell hook with both hands: for 30 seconds squat and toss kettlebell up and catch in goblet hold, then for 30 seconds hold in goblet and squat then stand and rotate, raising kettlebell overhead and to the side

2. Sit on step and place kettlebell on lap and do tricep dips off step

3. While holding kettlebell hook with both hands: for 30 seconds squat and toss kettlebell up and catch in goblet hold, then for 30 seconds hold in goblet and squat then stand and rotate, raising kettlebell overhead and to the side

4. Sit on step and place kettlebell on lap and do tricep dips off step

5. Frog hops: hop forward while doing a kettlebell swing and step back with a kettlebell swing

Block 6 Windmill Combo 9 minutes (these are kettlebell moves that are too hard to describe–you just need to Google kettlebell terminology if you need descriptions)

1. Snatch windmill to rack

2. Windmill to side plank (one hand on step, other hand holding kettlebell overhead) with 4 side plank hip raises

3. Snatch windmill to rack

4. Windmill to side plank (one hand on step, other hand holding kettlebell overhead) with 4 side plank hip raises

5. Snatch to windmill into plank and back to standing

6. Snatch to windmill into plank and back to standing

Block 7 Burn & Build Power 8 minutes

1. Lateral step ups with overhead press, step off, side lunge with bicep curl

2. 2 side lunges with clean to rack, 2 front lunges with kettlebell chops

3. Bi-level lunge (one toe behind you on step): 30 seconds thread kettlebell under leg (doing a static lunge when threading) w/ alternating upright rows; change to catch grip and for the remaining 30 seconds do an overhead press while hopping on the one foot that is on the floor (for low impact don’t hop)

4. Lateral step ups with overhead press, step off, side lunge with bicep curl

5. 2 side lunges with clean to rack, 2 front lunges with kettlebell chops

6. Bi-level lunge (one toe behind you on step): 30 seconds thread kettlebell under leg (doing a static lunge when threading) w/ alternating upright rows; change to catch grip and for the remaining 30 seconds do an overhead press while hopping on the one foot that is on the floor (for low impact don’t hop)

Cool down

Bonus Core 22 minutes. For this workout you will need the high step with 4 rises, a kettlebell and a mat. The kettlebell will not be used for every exercise (though it will be used for most) and the exercises are done for different time periods, so that will be stated for each exercise.

1. Sit on step holding kettlebell by horn and do a seated crunch, pulling legs in and out with back in C curve (30 seconds)

2. While still setting on step, rack kettlebell on right, rotate to left pushing kettlebell overhead and touching the ground behind you with left hand (30 seconds)

3. Sit on step holding kettlebell by horn and do a seated crunch, pulling legs in and out with back in C curve (30 seconds)

4. While still sitting on step, rack kettlebell on left, rotate to right pushing kettlebell overhead and touching the ground behind you with right hand (30 seconds)

5. Put kettlebell at top of mat and start at bottom of mat. Drop into a deep squat (elbows on thighs) and do a frog hop, walk out into plank, do a push up, grab kettlebell with right hand and rotate to right side, do a push up, grab kettlebell with left hand and rotate to left side, walk back to deep squat (2 minutes)

6. Get into decline plank position with toes on the step. Pike then return to plank bringing knee to opposite wrist; alternate sides (60 seconds)

7. Crunch and bridge: lie on back with one heel on step and other leg straight up to the ceiling, kettlebell is in opposite hand and held overhead, other hand behind head; one crunch followed by one bridge (60 seconds)

8. Crunch and bridge on other side (60 seconds)

9. Rolling torch: hold kettlebell by horn, from sitting position roll onto back lifting feet/heels into air then rolling back to sitting and raising kettlebell overhead (60 seconds)

10. Crunch and halo: sit ups with alternating halo at top of move (60 seconds)

11. Steering wheel crunch: hold kettlebell horn in one hand and bottom in the other; while in sitting position lean back while rotating kettlebell so that horn is at the top  (30 seconds)

12. Steering wheel crunch on other side (30 seconds)

13. Bench and Crunch/Iso and leg chop/Oblique taps: lay on back with kettlebell in left hand and right hand behind head; bench press kettlebell with a crunch for 30 seconds/hold in high crunch with kettlebell in air and raise and lower opposite leg for 30 seconds/hold leg in air and press kettlebell across body toward toes for 30 seconds

14. Bench and Crunch/Iso and leg chop/Oblique taps on other side