#160 Fit Tower Live is apparently a road trip workout and it is a full house–there are tons of exercisers! I think Cathe said 106 people. This is a Live version of her Fit Tower Bootcamp DVD, which I like much better than this. In fact, I didn’t like this workout at all–it was too busy with all of the exercisers crowded together with the Fit Towers. I felt claustrophobic just watching it and it was a constant reminder of why I workout at home. There was also one part of the DVD where Cathe explicitly explains and demonstrates proper form and an exerciser was doing exactly what she was telling the class not to do. It really bothered me to have to watch it–but that is my personal OCD issues. I’m weird like that. This is a cardio + strength workout. Strength exercises are alternated with high impact (usually plyometric) cardio blasts. Plus it is a total body workout–Cathe works everything. I did get a good workout but I didn’t like the format it was delivered in at all. I will not be purchasing this download.
You do Cathe’s live workouts by subscribing to her streaming site or purchasing the individual downloads. Here is a video clip of this workout.
Fit Tower Live is 61 minutes; 6 minute warm up and 3:30 minute stretch. Equipment: Fit Tower and the equipment that came with it (resistance band, resistance loop and fitness mat). I used my EnriQ band since the loop that came with my Fit Tower is very light resistance and not strong enough for the exercises it is used for. But the 6 foot resistance band that came with the Fit Tower gave me plenty of resistance. The workout starts with the tower bar at level 8.
- (put loop around ankles) Stand beside tower with one hand on bar and do plyo plie jumps
- (raise loop so it is around thighs, just above the knees) Face tower with hands resting on the bar, toes facing forward, raise onto toes, lower into a barre squat, open knees, close knees and return to standing on toes; keep knees together, remain in barre squat and pulse; drop even lower while continuing to pulse; ends with full barre squats on toes
- (lower bar to level 3) Do push ups with hands on bar
- (lower bar to level 2) Do more push ups with hands on bar
- (lower loop to your ankles again) Do jumping jacks, punching arms overhead; arms change to bicep curls
- (remove loop and set it aside, raise bar to level 8) Stand beside tower with one hand on bar and do cross jacks, landing in wide plie squat after crossing feet
- Face the tower with hands resting on the bar, one foot is slightly in front of the other (feet are positioned in a narrow curtsy position), raise onto toes, lower into a barre squat and pulse
- (lower bar to level 2) Stand facing away from tower with bar behind you, do air squats, glutes tapping the bar, first slow then fast; changes to various tempos including holding isometrically while pulsing
- (raise bar to level 4) Do tricep dips with hands on bar behind you; cross one ankle over opposite knee while continuing to do tricep dips
- Drape resistance loop over top of the tower, facing tower, stand close to tower and hold one end of band in each hand high enough on band so that hands are at chest level, keeping elbows close to sides, pull band down, bringing hands to hip level, do singles first then pulse at bottom of move
- (raise bar to level 8 or 9) Stand facing tower with hands resting on bar, do alternating jump lunges
- Stand facing the tower, hands on bar, heels together and toes turned out, raise onto toes and lower into barre plie squat and pulse with knees opened out to sides; lower deeper and continue pulsing
- Stand beside fit tower, wrap resistance band under foot of leg closest to tower, hold both ends of the band in opposite and hand closest to tower rests on bar, do bicep curls while raising and lowering outside leg straight out to side; keep leg raised and pulse while also pulsing at top of bicep curl
- (raise bar to level 9 or 10) Sit beneath tower and hold bar in an underhand grip, do pull ups in this position (knees bent and feet remain on ground), done to a tempo of one to a 2/2 count + 2 singles; changes to pull up quick and lower slowly; hold isometrically at top of pull up
- (lower bar to level 8 or 9) Stand beside tower with one hand on bar, do wide plie squat hops while pulling other arm down from overhead with each hop
- Stand beside tower with one hand on bar, raise outside leg straight in front of you, pulse straight leg; continue pulsing but turn foot so sole is facing ceiling
- (bar should be at a level 7 or 8) Sit on bottom under bar with legs extended and knees bent, hands on bar in an overhead grip, keeping feet on ground, do pull ups in this position (body is in crab/tabletop position) (these are “Let Me Ups” if you are familiar with Mark Lauren workouts)
- Sit cross leg directly under bar, hands still holding bar in overhead grip, do pull ups in this position, keeping feet on floor
- Repeat #17
- (lower bar to level 1) Loop resistance band under bar, holding one end of band in each hand, place one foot on bar between band, press straight arms back behind you
- (raise bar to level 8) Stand beside tower with one hand on bar, do a wide plie squat then pivot into lunge facing the bar, outside arm extends to side during plie side then arcs overhead to tap bar when lunging
- Loop resistance band under one foot and hold an end in each hand, extend arms straight in front of you and pulse them up; changes to raising arms to chest level then opening arms/band out to side into T, return so arms are extended straight in front of you (chest level) then lower arms/band
- (put loop around ankles) Take 4 steps side to side; changes to 2 steps side to side; changes to keeping legs wide and alternate tapping toes
- Face tower with hands resting on bar, bend knee and bring loop on sole of shoe, press foot of bent leg out behind you; keeping knees together, raise and lower leg (loop is still along sole of working foot)
- (lower bar to level 3) With hands on bar, do mountain climbers with toes turning in under body
- (lower bar to level 1) Lay on back on mat, knees bent and feet are on bar, hands are holding the base of the tower for support, raise hips and pulse them at top of bridge; place long resistance loop over hips and hold one end in each hand (each hand is also still holding base of tower), raise one leg to sky and pulse hips at top of bridge
- (raise bar to level 4) Loop band over the top of the tower, hold one end of band in each hand, lean torso back slightly, alternate pull arms down so elbow taps the mat
- Lay on back, still holding one end of band in each hand, legs are extended straight underneath bar, do partial sit ups, alternate raising one straight leg and tapping shin to bar while opening arms/band out to side when doing partial sit up
- (lower bar to level 3) Lay on back, knees bent and feet raised off floor, hands behind head, do a basic crunch; add lower body to crunch, extending legs straight under bar then bringing knees in to chest then extending legs straight over bar
- Lay on mat with one leg extended straight and area just above heel resting on bar, other leg is extended straight on floor, raise and lower floor leg as you crunch, tapping insole of working leg to heel of foot on bar (done to various tempos and isometric holds)
- Start sitting up with legs extended straight under bar and hands extended straight in front of you with fingertips on bar, roll down then roll back up and at top of sit up, raise legs and flutter them 4x
