Cathe Live Review: Bands, Loops & Weights - Oh My! (#373)
Bands, Loops & Weights - Oh My! is a metabolic strength workout using the fabric resistance band and loop plus some dumbbells. Cathe calls this an intermediate to advanced level routine, as you can adjust it, as necessary, depending on the strength of the resistance bands that you use. As with many of the routines using the bands, I found my neck was uncomfortable, for some of the moves, so this wasn’t a favourite routine but it was okay, as there is lots of variety and you are not using the band for everything.
This workout is based on Cathe’s Boss Bands & Loops Series, which she released last year (Boss Loops: Glutes & Core – review HERE. Boss Bands: Total Body – review HERE), and uses the fabric loop and long looped resistance band. This is the second Live routine using the Boss bands and loops, as the first was Boss Bands & Loops: Metabolic (#363). This routine, as with the Live #363, is different to the DVDs as you are incorporating dumbbells, as well as the fabric resistance bands.
This routine consists of a series of different metabolic strength exercises that target the whole body. Plus there are also two cardio intervals – spiderman climbers and lateral skates - both of which appear in her DVDs. I wouldn’t really call this a cardio and strength workout though, as they are not done for too long and are certainly not high intensity. I think they are more there to target the core and lower body rather than provide any real cardio.
The strength exercises offer a good variety of different moves that target each of the different muscle groups and vary between using the resistance bands, loop, dumbbells or a combination of fabric resistance and dumbbells. Cathe used medium tension for both her band and loop. Although I don’t have the actual “Cathe” versions of the bands, I used the same strength and this worked well for me. The reps vary considerably with some of the exercises being very high rep so Cathe also kept her weights a bit lighter and I did the same. Some of the resistance band exercises specifically are also often very high rep and I was definitely feeling it when the class said we had another 32 reps of donkey kick pulses, on the second side, so we ended up doing 94 reps as opposed to 80 reps on the first side! Also moves such as the chest press were higher rep again and I was definitely also feeling the triceps moves with the band. Some of the moves are also quite fast paced so be aware of this with your weight selections, for example, the step out hammer curls / upright rows, I found quite fast with 12 pound dumbbells.
The workout ends with a few core moves, using the loop on the mat, so you do hit a little bit of everything.
Overall, a reasonably fast paced, total body, metabolic strength workout using resistance bands, loops and weights. Unfortunately, probably not one I would return to as Cathe has so many I enjoy more.
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The Workout
Bands, Loops & Weights - Oh My! is a metabolic strength workout using fabric resistance bands, loops and dumbbells.
What You Need to Know
(Rating scale – 1= lowest & 5 = highest).
The Moves
Bands, Loops & Weights - Oh My! is 54 minutes long and originally aired on 9th December 2021 (#373). The workout starts with a 9 minute warm-up, using the resistance band. Cardio moves shown in bold italics below. Cathe used a medium tension resistance band and loop throughout this routine.
Static lunge pulse – resistance band (doubled up under one foot) – 8x singles, 16x pulse & 2 sets (4x singles & 7x pulses) each side
Step out sumo squats – one 15# Db & loop – 32 reps
Rear lunge & bicep curl – one 15# Db & loop – 16 reps each side
2 Spiderman climbers & reach up – loop – 8 sets each side
Step out overhead press – two 12# Dbs – 12 reps
Lateral skates – loop – 28 reps
Step out upright row / hammer curl – two 10# Dbs & loop – 3 sets (2 of each)
Step out upright row / hammer curl – two 12# Dbs & loop – 4 sets (2 of each) & 8x upright rows
W curls & heel tap – two 10# Dbs (I used 12’s) – 16 reps
1 Arm row – two 12# Dbs in one hand (I used 1x25) – 16 reps each side
1 Arm rear pull / pulses – resistance band (around 1 foot & held in 1 hand) & mat – 16 reps & 32 pulses each side
Lateral raise / shoulder circles – resistance band (around 1 foot & over 1 hand) – lots reps (lat raise, circles, 1.5’s & pulses)
1 Arm overhead tricep extension – resistance band – 20x singles & 1.5’s
1 Arm tricep pull down – resistance band (doubled up) – 6 reps, 8 reps, 15 pulses & 2 sets (4x singles & 7x pulses)
1 Arm overhead tricep extension (other side) – resistance band – 24x singles & 1.5’s
1 Arm tricep pull down (other side) – resistance band – 4 reps, 8 reps, 15 pulses & 2 sets (4x singles & 7x pulses)
Single leg deadlift – one 15# Db & loop – 8 reps each side
Donkey kick pulses (in tabletop position) – loop & mat – 80 reps
Fire hydrant pulses – loop & mat – 48 reps
Donkey kick pulses (other side) – loop & mat – 94 reps
Fire hydrant pulses (other side) – loop & mat – 48 reps
Chest flys & 1 leg bridge – two 15# Dbs, loop & mat – 15 reps
Bike manoeuvre – loop & mat – 40 reps
Chest press & 1 leg bridge – two 15# Dbs, loop & mat – 24 reps
Lifted leg abductions – loop & mat – 16 reps each side
Plank toe taps / step in & out – loop & mat – 4 sets each side
Superman lat pull down (opening & closing legs) – loop & mat – 14 reps
The workout ends with a 5 minute cool down and stretch using the band.
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If you liked this workout, check out my review of Cathe Live: Blast Barre & Bands (#77) – HERE.
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