Cathe Live: Total Body Barbell & Bands

Total Body Barbell & Bands was another excellent (and long) total body strength workout. Cathe doesn’t have too many long workouts on Cathe Live but the ones she has are challenging and thorough. I really like the set up of this one, too. She starts you out with lower body then hits the majority of the upper upper body, returns to the lower body then ends with shoulders and core. Like the title suggests, the only thing you are using is barbells and bands (and a step at 10 inches, but you don’t even use that much). I had 3 barbells at the ready at the beginning of this workout (one at 35 pounds, one at 50 pounds and one at 70 pounds) and to my surprise I used all 3 of them in the first 3 exercises! This is a pretty high rep workout so you cannot go super heavy. The 70 pound barbell was only used for deadlifts and the 50 pound barbell for squats and deadrows. The 35 pound barbell was used for everything else–and it had plates subtracted from it as the workout progressed. The lightest I used it at was 25 pounds, but Cathe used hers at 15 pounds for a lot of exercises.

One thing I did note about this workout is that Cathe was in very high spirits. She was more animated than she usually is during a live workout. She seemed to be in an exceedingly good mood!

Total Body Barbell & Bands is 73 minutes long; 7 minute warm up, 8 minutes core work and 3 minute stretch. Here is how Cathe describes the equipment needed: A weighted barbell (with the ability to hold a small, medium & large size plate on each side… or various weight increments you’re comfortable using on your barbell). A full sized step (to be used ONLY AS A WEIGHT BENCH …no cardio stepping). A medium tension resistance tube. A medium tension fitness loop. A fitness mat.

The step is at 10 inches and since you only use it as a bench to lay on you can put your mat on it. The barbell plates Cathe lists are 10, 5 and 2.5 pound plates w/ a 5 pound bar. So the heaviest you can go is 40 pounds if you use the same thing she is using. The resistance tube is the one with handles. And the loop is a firewalker. It aired live on 3/31/16 and here is the video clip.

The first exercise after the warm up is squats, so if you use one, have a barbell pad on your bar. Also, immediately after plie squats she returns to deadlifts, so if you are using a different weight for deadlifts (and like me, have a separate barbell for it) then have it right in front of you while doing plie squats. Finally, during the second lower body segment she does hamstring presses and curls w/ the firewalker loop. This is a balance challenge. If your balance sucks (like mine) have a chair or something nearby for support. This is a high rep workout; so lots of reps, with lots of tempo changes.

Exercises:

1. Squats; Cathe used 35# BB, I used 50# BB
2. Deadlifts; Cathe used 35# BB, I used 70# BB
3. Plie squats; 35# BB
4. Deadlifts; Cathe used 35# BB, I used 70# BB
5. Deadrows; Cathe used 35# BB, I used 50# BB
6. Pullovers; Cathe used 25# BB, I used 30# BB
7. Place firewalker loop around wrists and pull out w/ arms straight; you will do this move at different levels: low, straight in front of you, and high
8. T-pulls w/ handled loop
9. Lying overhead tricep extensions alternated w/close grip bench presses (lots of reps (and tempo variations) on the extensions); 25# BB
10. Tricep dips off step
11. Standing bent over tricep kickbacks alternated w/ standing straight arm tricep push backs; for both you use handled band
12. Lying bench press (knees will be raised through most of it and one leg extended sometimes, too; and as usual in this workout, lots of reps), 35# BB
13. Push ups
14. Bicep curls w/ barbell + handled band; Cathe uses 15# BB, I used 25# BB
15. Bicep curls w/ barbell only; Cathe uses 15# BB, I used 25# BB
16. Single arm bicep curl w/ handled band (band looped under one foot and both handles in one hand)
17. Static lunges holding two 10# BB plates (one in each hand)
18. Single leg deadlift w/ 2 front raises; 4 sets like that then finish w/ 4 single leg deadlifts; Cathe uses 15# BB, I used 25# BB
19. Firewalking (place firewalker loop around ankles; walk side to side 4 steps then 2 steps then singles; this changes to walking diagonally 4 steps forward and 4 steps back; then you return to the side to side walking)
20. Hamstring presses and curls w/ firewalker (have a chair, couch, wall–whatever, nearby for balance if needed)
21. Band pulls (hold handled band in both hands w/ about a foot between hands, palms facing ceiling, and pull; do a zillion reps–well maybe not a zillion, but well over 100 reps)
22. Alternating straight arm lateral raises w/ handled band; it ends w/ isolating one arm then the other
23. Upright rows followed by overhead presses; Cathe uses 15# BB, I used 25# BB (2 sets–second set shorter than first set)
24. Curl into overhead press; Cathe uses 15# BB, I used 25# BB

Core:

1. Sit on mat w/ C-curved spine and firewalker loop around both hands and pulled taut; twist straight arms from overhead to floor beside you, working side leg raised; 8 reps each side; end going from side to side, 24 reps
2. Put firewalker loop around ankles, lay on back, bend knees and open them to sides, soles of feet touching; do full sit ups in this position
3. Basic high pulsing crunches
4. Full sit ups pretending to climb rope to top (to count of 4), then slowly lower to count of 4
5. More pulsing crunches, this time w/ palms on knees, then w/ hands behind head
6. Roll onto one hip and lean on bottom elbow, other hand behind head and raise legs off floor a few inches; bend knees and bring them in while bringing elbow to bottom knee; after 8 reps (12 reps on second side) straighten legs and top arm, raise straight legs while bringing straight arm to touch toes for 8 reps (12 reps second side); alternate these two exercises for 12 reps
7. In elbow plank, step feet out and in then march feet (firewalker loop is still around ankles)