Cathe Live: Total Body Tone Up

Another excellent total body workout from Cathe Live. I thought it was a great workout and really enjoyed it; however, oddly, the back really seemed short-changed in this workout. She covered every other muscle group very well but the back got nothing but pullovers. Personally, I would have preferred she shortchanged the chest this morning. I am currently working through her ICE program (reviews will be posting soon) and my chest is so sore it feels bruised. This from her Muscle Meltdown: Chest, which I did the day before yesterday. So I was hurting through part of this workout! I will note the weights I used but I had to go lighter than normal on the chest exercises for my poor very sore pecs–and that includes pullovers, which do not isolate the back; they actually work nearly all of your upper body muscle groups. I will obviously lift heavier when they aren’t in distress in the future!

For this workout Cathe alternates upper body with lower body work. But not every exercise. She pairs several upper body exercises then you do lower body supersets, then back to upper body and so on. The workout ends with some very intense core work. Overall, a very good total body workout except for the back scrimping.

Total Body Tone Up is 54:30 minutes long; 7 minute warm up, 8 minutes of core work and 2 minute stretch. Recommended equipment: a step w/ 3 risers under each side and various dumbbells ranging from 5 to 15 pounds. I had available (and used) heavier weights; 20 and 25 pound dumbbells and I will also have 30s or 35s available for pullovers in the future. Total Body Tone Up aired live on 12/17/15; here is the video clip Cathe posted on her forum.

Exercises:

1. Squats, 16 reps (Cathe uses 15# DB, I used 25# DB)
2. Single leg static lunge, 16 reps each leg (Cathe uses one 15# DB, I used one 20# DB)
3. Squats, 8 reps (Cathe uses 15# DB, I used 25# DB)
4. Single leg static lunge, 8 reps each leg (Cathe uses two 15# DB, I used two 20# DB)
5. Bicep curls, 12 reps (Cathe uses 12# DB, I used 15# DB)
6. Overhead tricep extensions, 12 reps (12# DB)
7. Bicep curls, 10 reps (Cathe uses 12# DB, I used 15# DB)
8. Overhead tricep extensions, 10 reps (12# DB)
9. 12 push ups
10. 24 tricep dips off step
11. 10 push ups
12. 16 tricep dips off step
13. Alternating reverse lunges w/ bicep curls (2 bicep curls to each lunge–do 8 reps like that, then 3 bicep curls to each lunge–do 4 like that) (Cathe uses 10# DB, I used 12# DB)
14. Sumo squats w/ upright rows, 12 reps (12# DB)
15. Alternating reverse lunges w/ bicep curls, 3 bicep curls to each lunge–do 4 like that (Cathe uses 10# DB, I used 12# DB)
16. Sumo squats w/ upright rows, 12 reps (12# DB)
17. Walking lunges w/ plies, no DBs: start doing 3 walking lunges (for each lunge pulse 3x), pivot into plie and hop 3x; then change to 2 pulses/hops
18. Chest flys on step w/ knees raised, 12 reps (Cathe uses 15# DB, I used 20#, I will use 25# DB in the future)
19. Pullovers, 2 reps to 4/4 count, 10 reps to single count (Cathe uses two 15# DB, I used one 25# DB, in the future I will use 30# DB)
20. Chest flys on step w/ knees raised, 12 reps (Cathe uses 15# DB, I used 20#, I will use 25# DB in the future)
21. Pullovers, 1 rep to 4/4 count, 12 reps to single count (Cathe uses two 15# DB, I used one 25# DB, in the future I will use 30# DB)
22. Front raise, 16 reps (Cathe uses one 12# DB, I used one 15# DB)
23. Side straight arm lateral raises (Cathe uses 5# DB, I used 8# DB)
24. Repeat #22 but for 12 reps
25. Repeat #23
26. Alternating curtsy lunges, 6 reps w/ 3 pulses, 10 singles (one 15# DB)
27. Holding one DB do sumo squat to side w/ DB at shoulder, pivot to front as you stand and do overhead press, 12 reps each side (10# DB)
28. Alternating curtsy lunges; start w/ 15 pulses 2x each side, then 7 pulses one time each side, 3 pulses 2x each side, 4 singles (two 10# DB)
29. Repeat #27
30. Concentration curls, 16 reps  each arm (15# DB)
31. Lying tricep extensions, 4 reps to 2/2 count, 5 reps pulsing 2x at bottom, 1 rep pulsing 6x at bottom (Cathe used 8# DB, I used 10# DB)
32. Repeat #30
33. Lying tricep extensions, 4 reps to 2/2 count, 2 reps pulsing 6x at bottom, 8 singles (Cathe used 8# DB, I used 10# DB)
34. Alternating forward diagonal lunges, 16 reps (Cathe uses 10# DB, I used 15# DB)
35. Alternating side lunges, 16 reps (Cathe uses 10# DB, I used 12# DB)
36. Repeat #34
37. Repeat #35

Core:

1. Raise and lower hips in side plank, 16 reps
2. Sit on hip and forearm and bring straight leg to straight arm (like a jack knife), 16 reps
3. Repeat #1 for 12 reps
4. Repeat #2 for 12 reps
5. Full sit ups w/ soles of feet together, knees open, alternate arms straight up overhead with arms/hands behind head; 12 reps
6. Reverse pulsing crunches
7. Leg chasers (on back, bring knees up and bicycle them, but as knee comes in you do a forward crunch (not oblique work)
8. Repeat 6 & 7
9. Elbow plank: hold; step out and hold; step back in and hold; lift one leg and extend opposite arm and hold; lift other leg and extend opposite arm and hold; hold in elbow plank.