Total body Barbell Burn is another excellent total body strength workout from Cathe Live. She manages hit just about every muscle group in my body pretty nicely with this one–especially my shoulder/chest and glutes. They were burning for hours afterward. This is a high rep, fast paced circuit workout that uses nothing but your barbell and plates. Even tho I own 3 barbells and lots of plates, I used dumbbells for a few of the exercises, just because it was easier. I viewed this workout beforehand to create a workout card in advance. It is important for me to be prepared in advance for a strength workout–especially one that uses a barbell. Normally when I create my workout card in advance I only list the weight Cathe uses in the breakdown, but I personally felt she went pretty light in this workout. It is a high rep/endurance workout so you can’t go super heavy, but for me at least, I needed heavier weight to get a good workout. So I prepared for that and (surprisingly) I chose my weights well in advance. I got an excellent workout with the weights I used–no up or down arrows. For that reason, I am also including what I used below, just in case it helps someone else to make their choices in advance. If just the weight is listed, then I used the same weight as Cathe.
The stretch at the end of this workout is pretty short, but that isn’t such a big deal because several times throughout this workout she does spend some time stretching out the muscle group she just fried.
Total Body Barbell Burn is 57 minutes; 4 minute warm up, 4:30 minutes core and 2 minute stretch. Equipment Needed (as Cathe lists in the forum post about this workout): A full-sized step (with your choice of two or three risers under each side), A barbell with a small, a medium and a large plate loaded on each side (totals about 40 pounds), and A fitness mat. It aired live on 9/01/16 and here is the video clip.
- Bent arm lateral raises w/ 2.5# plates; this changes to pulsing at top of move then to bent arm lateral raises to scarecrows; ends w/ bent arm lateral raises (I used 5# DBs)
- Straight arm lateral raises w/ 2.5# plates; changes to high end pulses (I used 5# DBs)
- Straight arm circles w/ 2.5# plates (I used 5# DBs)
- Squats, various tempos (singles, pulses, and low ends); 25# BB (I used 50# BB)
- Heel raises w/ 5# plates and various foot placements (I used 15# DBs)
- Plie squats, various tempos; 25# BB (I used 35# BB)
- Bicep curls; 25# BB (I used 35# BB)
- Isolation curls (hold midway to count of 8, up to count of 2 and lower to count of 6); 25# BB (I used 35# BB)
- Reverse curls; 20# BB (I used 25# BB)
- Alternating reverse lunges w/ overhead press; 20# BB (I used 25# BB)
- Repeat #9 & #10
- Straight arm front raise; add single leg deadlift; 20# BB (I used 25# BB)
- Upright rows; 20# BB (I used 25# BB)
- Clean and press; 20# BB (I used 25# BB)
- Overhead press; 20# BB (I used 25# BB)
- Repeat #14 & #15
- Narrow stance deadlifts; 40# BB (I used 60# BB)
- Wide-leg deadlifts; 40# BB (I used 60# BB)
- Standard stance deadlifts; 40# BB (I used 60# BB)
- Squat w/ overhead press using one 10# plate (I used one 25# plate)
- Squats w/ overhead press; 30# BB
- Pull overs; 30# BB
- Chest press; 30# BB
- Push ups w/ hands on step
- Repeat #22, 23 & 24
- Static lunges, 4 sets of 8 reps each leg; 25# BB (I used 30# BB)
- Pulsing curtsy lunges w/ 5# plates; ends w/ alternating singles (I used 10# plates)
- Alternating reverse lunges, singles then pulses; 25# BB (I used 30# BB)
- Narrow chest press; 25# BB
- Lying overhead tricep extensions; 25# BB
- Repeat #29 & #30
- One leg tricep dips off step
Core (4:30 minutes):
- Sit ups w/ punches using 2.5# plates
- Sit up w/ pull over and twist to the side, alternate sides using 2.5# plates
- Sit up w/ one arm overhead press at top of move using one 5# plate
- Russian twists w/ one 5# plate
- Lay on back and bring straight arms w/ plate overhead and legs straight a few inches off the ground then bring knees in and plate to shins; one 5# plate
- Elbow plank hold; step feet in and out; ends w/ plank hold
I have been following your blog for quite some time, and very much enjoy and appreciate your reviews. I am a Cathe workout person but have always used dumbbells to substitute for barbell exercises. This Christmas, I am going to ask my husband to get me a barbell because I want to do the new Strong and Sweaty workouts as designed, and then go back and revisit my other DVDs with the right equipment!
I also would like to buy a barbell that my boys can use as well (they are 16 and 11 years), so I would like it to be able to hold a decent amount of weight as they get stronger. You mentioned that you have 3 barbells, so I am wondering if your are familiar with the Les Mills Don Oliver BODYPUMP® Bar? It holds up to 132 pounds and the reviews seem very positive: good quality, seems easy to change the plates, etc.
Do you have any thoughts on this you would like to share? I have been doing research on the web, but feel a bit overwhelmed. I am not trying to become a cross fit or Olympic athlete, but I don’t want something cheap that can’t grow or will break down after a few years.
Thanks in advance for any advice you can offer. 🙂
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Hi Carrie! The Les Mills barbell is one of the barbells I own. It is also the same type of barbell Cathe uses in her Live workouts. It is a very good barbell for lighter lifting. If you have no plans to go over 130 pounds then I would say it is perfect. I like mine a lot. The reason I have 3 barbells wasn’t intentional. When I started getting into Cathe, I decided I needed a barbell. I bought one at Dick’s Sporting Goods. It was so long ago, I cannot find the exact set, but I paid $100 for a barbell + 100 pounds in plates. Then I decided I wanted to do Cathe’s STS. So I needed a bench plus a squat rack/chest press stand. Well, my barbell would not fit on a standard one so I had to buy a second barbell to fit my new rack. And finally, a few years ago during Beachbody’s Black Friday sale, they had Les Mills Pump for $60. I snapped it up–and it came with the Les Mills barbell and plates. So that is why I have 3–but having several and lots and lots of plates (I buy plates at Dick’s Sporting Goods on Black Fridays–they always put their plates and dumbbells on sale) makes fast paced circuit training workouts easier.
Anyway–I don’t know if that helps. One thing I would look for if you are using your barbell primarily for workout DVDs–which are almost always circuit training–is do not get a barbell in which the clips screw on. Too time consuming. So you need a smooth bar, which the les mills bar is. Also, the clips are sometimes very hard to get on and off, so I buy special clamps for all my barbells that you get on and off easily and quickly: https://www.amazon.com/Release-Crossfit-Training-Clout-Fitness/dp/B014JJGCDQ/ref=sr_1_3?s=exercise-and-fitness&ie=UTF8&qid=1480350337&sr=1-3&keywords=barbell+clips
Hope this helps!
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This is so helpful! And good to know that even if someday I do get ambitious enough to venture into STS territory and decide to get a squat rack and sturdier barbell, there is some value in having more than one! I am going to forward your reply to my husband now so he can ‘surprise’ me with a great new Christmas gift!
Thank you so many times!
Carrie
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