Cathe Live: Total Body Weights

Whew! That was a very tough workout! Excellent total body high rep strength workout. Cathe burned out every muscle group before moving on to fry the next. I overshot it on weights a few times and had to take my own personal breaks before I could carry on; and on biceps, I had to hit pause and remove a plate from my barbell! The only exercise I undershot on was deadlifts and deadrows–I could have gone heavier on those. I am getting behind on creating workout cards, so I will be noting Cathe’s weight, my weight and what I will use in the future below. My muscles feel pretty jelly-like right now tho (I finished the workout about an hour ago).

This is a high rep, total body endurance strength workout. You use primarily a barbell but dumbbells also. You focus on one muscle group, completely burning it out before moving on to the next muscle group. However you do work the legs multiple times. But it is good she splits it up with upper body work because she fried my legs big time–especially with lunges. Since it’s high rep you will be doing every exercise for a long time with lots of tempo changes–2/2 count, 4/4 count, 3/1, 1/3, pulses, partial reps, singles and more. It never ends.

Total Body Weights is 64 minutes long; 6:30 minute warm up, 7:30 minute core and 2:30 minute stretch. It aired live on 6/12/14 and here is the video clip. You will need a set of 5 pound dumbbells for the warm up. You don’t use them immediately so have them close by. Equipment needed: a step at 8 inches, a barbell with various plates and some dumbbells. Cathe has 15s, 12s, 10s, 8s and 5s. You will also need something heavier for single arm back rows–Cathe uses two dumbbells combined but it’s easier just to hold one heavier one. I used one 25 pound dumbbell for that. The first exercise you do is a very long series of squats, so have your barbell set up for that along with a barbell pad on the bar if you use one. As mentioned above, there are so many reps and so many different tempos that I am not breaking the reps down below. Just know there is a lot and you will be burning every muscle group out. So the first time through be conservative with your weights.

Exercises:

1. Squats; Cathe used 35# BB, I used 50# BB
2. Bicep Curls; Cathe used 20# BB, I started with 35# BB and dropped to 25# BB; in the future I will use 30# BB
3. Hammer Curls; Cathe used 10# DBs, I used 12# DBs
4. Lunges; Cathe used 15# BB, I used 35# BB; in the future I will use two 15# DBs
5. Chest Flys; Cathe (and me) used 15# DBs, but in the future I will use 20# DBs
6. Push Ups; 12 reps; 10 reps; 8 reps
7. Chest Flys; Cathe used 12# DBs, I used 15# DBs (and it was appropriate for this one since the tempo is different and harder, plus you are burned out from push ups)
8. Flat Bench lying overhead tricep extensions; Cathe used 20# BB, I used 25# BB; in the future I will also use 20# BB
9. Narrow Chest Press; Cathe used 20# BB, I used 25# BB; in the future I will use two 15# DBs
10. Tricep dips off step
11. Deadrows and deadlifts; Cathe used 40# BB, I used 50# BB; I will use 60# BB in the future
12. One arm rows; one set of 16 reps each arm (Cathe used one 15# DB) and one set of 12 reps each arm (Cathe combined a 15# DB + a 5# DB in on hand); I used one 25# DB for both sets
13. Plie squats; Cathe used 30# BB, I used 35# BB
14. Upright rows; Cathe used 15# BB, I used 25# BB
15. Overhead press; Cathe used 15# BB, I used 25# BB
16. Hold a DB in each hand, ends of DBs touching in front of body, palms facing in front of you; arc DBs up to sides; 8# DBs
17. Shoulder circles at different levels; 5# DBs
18. Straight arm lateral raises; 5# DB
19. Upright rows; Cathe used 15# BB, I used 25# BB
20. Overhead press; Cathe used 15# BB, I used 25# BB

Core (done laying on back on step):

1. Crunches w/ knees raised
2. Start w/ knees bent and raised, and hands behind head; as you push one foot out, you also crunch upper body; alternate legs
3. Crunches w/ knees raised
4. Lying on back w/ head/shoulders raised and arms at sides, raise one leg straight to ceiling and the other leg straight w/ body; pulse torso up once, then 2x, then 3x, then 4x, brief rest and change legs; each leg is done 2x
5. Bicycle maneuver
6. Superman and swimmers on the floor