Cathe Live: Burn Sets Back, Chest & Shoulders

I was so excited when Cathe started filming her live Burn Sets workouts. I love her live workouts. I love her pandemic live workouts even more than her regular ones and now she is giving me what I really want–live strength workouts that are really challenging–using heavy dumbbells and doing fewer reps. The rep range for this workout is 10-12 reps. So these are true strength/hypertrophy workouts. Cathe’s live strength workouts are generally higher rep/endurance workouts. I had to put off doing her Burn Sets live workouts because I was (and still am) recovering from rotator cuff surgery. But I didn’t want to wait any longer. I will say that I felt some sadness when previewing them. I remember when doing workouts like these (DVD workouts by Cathe, not her live workouts) I could match Cathe’s weights–and sometimes even lift heavier. That did not happen today. I actually did match Cathe’s weight on a few exercises but for the majority I had to lift much lighter. But after doing the workout, I felt great! It was wonderful to truly challenge myself again and I think it’s just what my left arm needs. Because it was the left arm that was challenged. My right arm felt like it could lift so much more (and it can) but I lifted for my left arm. What can I say except I love, love, love this workout and want to do it more! Unfortunately I have scheduled myself with new workouts through mid-September–and many of them are Cathe Lives that I really want to do. I do need to take a break from all of these new workouts though and start returning to amazing workouts like this one that will give me the results and strength my left shoulder needs.

Stay tuned! Tomorrow is Burn Sets Live Legs and Wednesday is Burn Sets Live Biceps & Triceps.

***11/28/20 Update: This workout was used as part of my 6 week Cathe Live Heavy Weight Rotation. Because of that I am updating this review for anyone interested. In the breakdown below, I show what I lifted at the beginning of the 6 weeks and what I lifted at the end of the 6 weeks. This shows any strength gains I made by the end of the 6 weeks. In addition, at the beginning of the 6 weeks, I did all of the push ups on my knees. By the end, I did 28 of the 58 push ups in this workout on my toes.***

#302 Burn Sets Live: Chest, Back & Shoulders is 48 minutes; 1 minute intro, 5:30 minute warm up and 2:30 minute stretch. You will need a set of light weights for the warm up (Cathe is using 5 pound dumbbells). Equipment: various dumbbells, full step @ 12 inches (4 risers) and a fitness mat. You have a warm up then a warm up strength set. So the first time you do the first circuit you use lighter weights then when you repeat that circuit you use challenging weights. Listed below are the weights I used and the weights Cathe used. If only the weight is listed (no name attributed to it) then I used the same weight as Cathe.

Circuit #1: (the first time through this set is a warm up circuit so I am not listing the weights used by Cathe or myself during the first set; the weights listed are what used during the second time through this set)

1. Single arm back rows (one 30# DB)
2. Chest press (Cathe is using 25# DBs; I used 15# DBs/last week of rotation 22.5# DBs)
3. Straight arm front raise holding one DB in both hands (one 15# DB)
4. Repeat #1-3

Circuit #2:

1. Pull overs (Cathe is using 15# DBs; I used 12# DBs/last week of rotation 13# DBs)
2. Chest flys (Cathe is using 25# DBs; I used 12# DBs/last week of rotation 18# DBs)
3. Seated overhead press (Cathe is using 15# DBs; I used 12# DBs/last week of rotation 14# DBs)

Circuit #3:

1. Double arm bent over rows (20# DBs/last week of rotation 25# DBs)
2. Incline chest press (Cathe is using 25# DBs; I used 15# DBs/last week of rotation 18# DBs)
3. Rear delt flys drop sets, 12 reps, rest, 10 reps, rest, 8 reps (Cathe is using 12# DBs for the first 2 sets then drops to 10# DBs for the final 8 reps; I used 7# DBs for all 3 sets/last week of rotation 8# DBs)

Circuit #4:

1. Triple bent over wide overhand rows (hinge forward, do 3 wide rows then stand–that is one rep) (Cathe is using 20# DBs; I used 15# DBs)
2. Incline chest flys (Cathe is using 25# DBs; I used 15# DBs)
3. Side leaning lateral raises (sit on mat, leaning on one hip with one palm on the ground to support yourself, do straight arm side raises with other arm) (one 5# DB)

Circuit #5:

1. Single arm row with rotation (when rotating, palm is facing forward at top of row) (Cathe is using one 25# DB; I used one 20# DB/last week of rotation one 22.5# DB))
2. Close grip chest press (Cathe is using 20# DBs; I used 12# DBs/last week of rotation 15# DBs)
3. Upright rows (Cathe is using 15# DBs; I used 8# DBs/last week of rotation 9# DBs)

Circuit #6:

1. Triple bent over wide underhand rows (Cathe is using 20# DBs; I used 15# DBs/last week of rotation 20# DBs)
2. Push ups with shoulder taps
3. Seated straight arm lateral raises (Cathe is using 8# DBs; I used 6# DBs)

Circuit #7:

1. Pullovers (Cathe is using one 35# DB; I used one 25# DB/last week of rotation one 30# DB)
2. Push up drop sets, 12 reps, rest, 10 reps, rest, 8 reps
3. Standing iron cross (straight arm front raise with palms facing each other, at top open arms straight to sides of body in a T, bring arms together in front of chest again then lower) (Cathe starts using 8# DBs then drops to 5# DBs mid-set; I used 5# DBs the entire set)

Circuit #8:

1. Supermans (12 reps with arms extended straight, 12 reps with arms in goal post, 12 reps with hands under chin and elbows extended to sides)
2. Push ups to 2/2 count
3. Seated scarecrows (Cathe is using 5# DBs; I used 3# DBs)