Total Body Metabolic Strength is part of Cathe‘s Lift, Move & Restore 2: Elevated program (LMR2). It is one of 4 bonus workouts (initially) only available to customers who pre-ordered the program. So while we were waiting for LMR2 to finally be available, she released the bonus workouts to pre-order customers one at a time. Since I pre-ordered, I got the bonus workouts. Although I did the workouts pretty soon after they were released, I did not post the reviews until they were available to everyone. And now they are–everyone can can purchase them via download.
This is a solid total body strength workout. It does get metabolic at times. Cathe doesn’t give you as much rest between exercises as she does in the 3 isolation bonus workouts and there are a lot of compound moves that work both the upper and lower body in the same exercise. That helps to elevate the heart rate but it also limits the amount of weight you can lift. But there are still a few exercises that you can lift moderately heavy weights with. Here is a video trailer for this workout.
If you own the entire program, it also comes with a digital users guide, which includes a rotation that uses the bonus workouts.
Total Body Metabolic Strength is 41 minutes; 1:15 minute intro, 5 minute warm up and 3:50 minute stretch. Equipment: dumbbells, barbell plates to elevate heels and fitness mats. You need 8 pound dumbbells for the warm up. Most of the exercises are done for 10 reps. Below I list both the weight Cathe uses and the weight I use. If I used the same weight as Cathe then just the weight is listed.
- Sumo squat Arnold press, 10 reps (stand with legs wide and toes turned out, holding a DB in each hand with palms facing in front of you, lower into squat, as you raise out of squat do a bicep curl, at top of curl do an Arnold press) (Cathe is using 15# DBs, I used 16.5# DBs)
- Close grip sumo squat, 10 reps (stand with legs wide and toes turned out, hold a DB in each hand with DBs pressed together) (Cathe is using 25# DBs, I used one 65# DB))
- Triple deadrow, 8 reps (hinge forward, do one standard back row, one supine back row (palms facing forward) and another standard back row then straighten again = one rep) (Cathe is using 20# DBs, I used 25# DBs)
- Squat, 10 reps (standard squat holding a DB in each hand at sides) (Cathe is using 25# DBs, I used 30# DBs)
- Front squat, 10 reps (heels are elevated on barbell plates, hold one DB in both hands in front of chest) (Cathe doesn’t reveal her weight but recommends a 25-30# DB, I used one 35# DB)
- Front squat / Tricep extension, 10 reps (hold one DB in both hands at chest, do one squat and when you stand, push DB overhead and do one overhead tricep extension) (one 20# DB)
- (no rest) Continue doing overhead tricep extensions for 4 more reps
- Deadlift, 10 reps (30# DBs)
- Sumo squat / curl / front raise, 10 reps (stand with legs wide and toes turned out, hold one DB by both hands, lower into squat and do one bicep curl, stand and do one straight arm front raise) (one 20# DB)
- Rear lunge / front / V / thumb raise, 8 reps but alternate legs (8 reps upper body, 4 reps each leg) (step back into a reverse lunge and hold, do one double arm front raise + one V raise (similar to a front raise but arms are more open) + one 1.5 straight arms side raise with thumbs facing ceiling and palms facing forward) (Cathe doesn’t share the weight she is using but recommends 5-8# DBs, I used 5# DBs)
- Alternating touch down lunge, 16 reps (8 each leg) (alternating reverse lunge, hold one DB in same side hand as leg that steps back, hinge torso forward and reach DB to floor when you are in lunge, pass DB to other hand when you rise out of lunge) (Cathe does not share the weight she is using but recommends one 25-30# DB, I used one 25# DB)
- Deadlift / shrug / calf raise, 4 reps (one deadlift + 2 shoulder shrugs + 4 calf raises = one rep) (25# DBs)
- (no rest) 2 shrugs + 2 calf raises, 4 reps (25# DBs)
- Wide stance burpee / bicep curl, 10 reps (stand with legs wide and toes turned out holding a DB in each hand, squat and place DBs on floor, jump feet out into plank, jump feet back in to sumo stance and as you raise out of squat do a double arm bicep curl) (Cathe does not reveal the weight she is using but recommends 12-15# DBs, I used 16.5# DBs)
- Alt rear lunge / oblique twist / overhead press, 10 reps (hold one DB in both hands at chest, step back into reverse lunge, remain in lunge and twist DB toward front leg, as you rise out of lunge push DB overhead into an overhead shoulder press, repeat stepping back with other leg) (one 20# DB)
- Lying crossbody kickback, 10 reps (lay on mat with feet on mat close to glutes, lift hips into bridge and hold isometrically, hold one DB in one hand and extend arm straight to ceiling w/ palm facing toward feet, bend elbow bringing end of DB to opposite shoulder; after 4 reps starting lowering and raising hips) (Cathe doesn’t reveal the weight she uses but recommends 12-15# DBs, I used one 12# DB)
- Repeat #16 on other arm
- Bench press, 10 reps (chest press laying on floor) (Cathe does not reveal the weight she is using but recommends 25-30# DBs, I used 30# DBs)
- Sit up with knee bend, 10 reps (lay on mat with legs extended and arms extended overhead, do a full sit up while also pulling one knee in and tapping hands to mat, alternate legs each time you do a sit up)
- Push ups, 10 reps
- Sit up into boat pose, 10 reps (lay on mat with legs extended and arms extended overhead, raise into bent knee boat pose)
- Pullover, 10 reps (press DBs together) (Cathe is using 25# DBs, I used one 35# DB)
- Side plank thread the needle, 10 reps (in side elbow plank with arm/DB extended to ceiling, bring top arm/DB under body) (Cathe is using one 5# DB, I used one 8# DB)
- Repeat #23 on other side of body
- Weighted crunches, 10 reps (lay on back on mat with legs extended straight and holding a DB in each hand, DBs are pressed together over chest, raise head and chest while also pushing DBs up toward ceiling keeping arms bent and raising one leg about a foot off mat, alternate legs) (Cathe is using 5# DBs, I used 8# DBs)
- Hollow hold (same as #25 but lift both legs and hold isometrically (Cathe is using 5# DBs, I used 8# DBs)
