Total Body Barbell

Total Body Barbell is a high rep total body strength workout from Cathe Friedrich. At the end of 2023 Cathe released 4 stand alone workouts that are not part of a program/series.You can get this workout on DVD or download or stream it if you are subscribed to Cathe’s On Demand streaming.

I was really looking forward to doing this workout and it did not disappoint, however there are some negatives. But first the positives. This is an excellent and thorough total body strength workout. It is endurance level; what that means is high rep and short rests. So you cannot lift heavy weights. Since this was the first time I did this workout, I used the same weights as Cathe did and it gave me a very good workout even though I am accustomed to lifting much heavier. This is the perfect workout for me to use to mix things up. It isn’t exactly recovery level but it is a good way to challenge my muscles in a different way after focusing on lifting heavy with less reps/longer rests. So I am very happy I decided to get this workout. I will definitely be throwing this workout into my rotations from time to time to shock my muscles.

The negative is really only one thing but it plays a big role in this workout. Yes, this is an endurance workout so you are moving quickly between exercises but if you are constantly changing the weight on your barbell, Cathe needs to give us time to actually change the weights! If you are using the exact same barbell as Cathe (bought from her online store), then this probably worked out easier for you. As she is changing the weights on her barbell, she tells you the COLOR of the plates to use, then she tells you the weight she is using. Since I did not use the same barbell and plates as her, I had to wait to find out the weight I needed to load my barbell to before I could even start changing plates. So I was still loading plates when she was starting the exercise! I had to use the pause button on my DVD many times in the course of this workout and that was frustrating. It also extended the workout time by several minutes.

This workout also incudes a bonus of several lower body exercises that are included in premixes. The bonus exercises are tough leg burners–especially the Squat Crossovers. I did the premix that adds them into the main workout. It does not tack them onto the end of the workout but intersperses them throughout the main workout. At the bonus breakdown below I will note where the exercises fall in the main workout if you are doing the 59 minute premix so that you (and myself in the future) can be better prepared for it.

Total Body Barbell is 49:47 minutes; 8:30 minute warm up and 2:45 minute stretch. Equipment: barbell, step or bench and a fitness mat. You need the barbell and a 2.5 pound plate (separate from the barbell) for the warm up. Cathe’s barbell is at 15 pounds for the warm up. The step is also set up at 14 inches and used during the warm up.

1. Squats w/ barbell on shoulders (done to various tempos) (Cathe’s barbell is 35#)
2. Deadlifts (Cathe’s barbell is 55#)
3. Rear lunges (alternating reverse/step back lunges, step back into lunge and hold while pulsing 7x then change legs; changes to 3 pulses before changing legs; changes to singles) (Cathe is holding one 10# plate in each hand)
4. Repeat #2
5. Plie squats (hold barbell in underhand grip in front of chest, done to various tempos) (Cathe’s barbell is 35#)
6. Deadrows (hinge forward into deadlift, hold and do one row then stand upright; changes to 3 rows; changes to 7 rows; singles again) (Cathe’s barbell is at 40#)
7. Squat press (hold one barbell plate in both hands in front of chest, squat and when you stand push plate overhead) (Cathe is using one 10# plate)
8. Deadrows (hinge forward into deadlift, hold and row 7x then stand upright; changes to 3 rows; changes to single rows) (Cathe’s barbell is at 40#)
9. Bicep curls (done to various tempos) (Cathe’s barbell is at 25#)
10. Upright row (Cathe’s barbell is at 25#)
11. Repeat #9
12. Overhead press (Cathe’s barbell is at 25#)
13. Alternating rear lunges, when in lunge do one bicep curl (Cathe’s barbell is at 20#)
14. Lateral raises using barbell plates (starts as singles; changes to 1.5s–raise, lower halfway, raise, lower all the way) (Cathe is using 5# plates)
15. Chest press (done to various tempos) (Cathe’s barbell is at 35#)
16. Pec squeeze (hold one plate between both palms in front of chest, push plate and hands straight in front of you then pull them back to chest while also pressing palms against plate) (Cathe is using one 2.5# plate)
17. Close grip bench press (done to various tempos) (hands are approximately shoulder width apart, arms are kept close to sides) (Cathe’s barbell is at 30#)
18. Pullovers (Cathe’s barbell is at 30#)
19. Lying tricep extensions (barbell skull crushers) (done to various tempos) (Cathe’s barbell is at 25#)
20. Tricep dips (barbell rests on lap) (Cathe’s barbell is at 25#)
21. Sit up overhead press (sit on mat on floor, hold one barbell plate in both hands, do a full sit up with a pull over at bottom of sit up and an overhead press at the top of the sit up) (Cathe is using a 10# plate)
22. Seated twist (sit on mat w/ torso leaned back slightly, twist barbell plate side to side/hip to hip; add lifting legs) (Cathe is using a 10# plate)
23. 8 Push ups
24. Forearm plank hold
25. Repeat #21-24

Weight Plate / Barbell Bonus is 10:06 minutes. Equipment: step at 14 inches, barbell, fitness mat and barbell plates separate from barbell. These bonus exercises are used in the premixes below. As noted above, if you are doing the 59:24 minute premix, these exercises are inserted throughout the workout. #1 Step ups is inserted right after #7 Squat Press in the main workout. The good news is you are already holding the 10 pound plate; the bad news is, your mat is probably still resting on your step so you need to quickly remove it. You will go right into the second bonus #3 Squat Crossovers before returning to the main workout at #8 for more deadrows. The final bonus exercise #5 Glute Bridges is inserted after #20 Tricep Dips in the main workout so you will need to add 10 pounds to your barbell (it was at 25# for Tricep Dips and is at 35# for Glute Bridges). After Glute Bridges is finished you return to #21 in the main workout. The good news is, you are already on the floor/mat. However you also need a 10 pound plate handy.

1. Step ups, 16 reps on one leg then repeat on other leg (hold one barbell plate in both hands in front of chest, place one foot on step in front of you, rise up onto step then step back down, working leg/foot remains on step the entire time) (Cathe is using one 10# plate)
2. Repeat #1 for 8 reps each leg
3. (lower step to 8 inches) Squat crossover (stand on step facing side holding one barbell plate in both hands, step one foot off the side of step into a squat and when you step out of squat, leg crosses behind you over the step into a cross-back/curtsy lunge)
4. Repeat #3 on other leg
5. Glute bridge (lay on back on fitness mat, knees are bent with feet close to glutes and barbell across hips, lift hips into bridge and hold isometrically; lift and lower hips; slide one foot out further than other leg into a staggered stance, raise and lower hips; feet are back in starting stance, raise hips into bridge and hold while pulsing hips upward; changes to lifting hips, lowering halfway, lifting hips, lowering all the way) (Cathe’s barbell is at 35#)

Premixes: