Cathe Live Review: Circuit Works Plus Barre & Core (#127)

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Cathe Live Review: Circuit Works Plus Barre & Core (#127)

Circuit Works Plus Barre & Core is a cardio and metabolic strength workout that ends with a short barre and core section. I loved this routine it was so much fun and has so much variety that the workout just flew by.

The workout starts with circuit training, which alternates cardio intervals with metabolic strength training. The cardio intervals are a mix of Hiit drills and more steady state cardio, such as, jacks. Some of them also use the resistance loop, around your ankles, to increase the challenge and provide more lower body training. These got my heart rate up nicely and offered lots of variety.

The strength training exercises are mainly compound moves, combining both the upper and lower body. None of these are too high rep but just enough to start feeling the work. Cathe used lighter weights, mainly 10 pounds, and I increased on a few of the moves, shown below. I think it would be difficult to go too much heavier though, as you are moving quickly both within the exercises and from one thing to the next.

The routine then moves on to a short barre section. You do a number of different moves on one side of the body and then repeat them on the other side. Each group is finished with a cardio drill of plie squat jumps. You then do more barre work ending with high and tight pulses. None of these moves are too high rep, unlike many of Cathe’s barre routines, so these just pleasantly worked my legs without burning them out completely.

The final section is a reasonably tough core section on the mat. You start with ankle grabber sit-up / push-up combo, however, this time it is only 4 sets so not quite as brutal as usual. This section also works the chest and back, a little more, through push-ups and a chest fly / pullover combo. You end with Pilates presses and an elbow plank series that works the core well.

Overall, this was a highly enjoyable and effective circuit workout that provides a nice metabolic challenge. This is definitely one that I will return to frequently.

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The Workout

Circuit Works Plus Barre & Core is a cardio and strength workout consisting of circuit training, barre lower body work and core.

What You Need to Know

(Rating scale – 1= lowest & 5 = highest).

The Moves

Circuit Works Plus Barre & Core is 54 minutes long and originally aired on 1st December 2016 (#127). The workout starts with a fairly active 6 minute warm-up, before moving into the first cardio drill. Cardio shown in bold italics below.

Circuit Training

• Split lunge jumps & plié jacks – 3 sets

• Side lunge & upright row – two 10# Dbs (I used 12’s) – 16 reps

• Plie squats & upright row / 1 arm snatches – two 10# Dbs (I used 12’s) – 4 sets

• Jacks & twist travel – resistance loop (around ankles) – 20x jacks, 6 sets travel & 16x jacks

• Squat lunge combo (hopping) – two 5# Dbs – 18 reps

• 1 Arm clean & press (squat w db at shoulder, pivot & stand w 1 arm O/H press) – one 10# Db (I used 1x 12) – 14 reps each side

• Jacks & scissors – 2 sets

• Squat toss (transfer one Db from hand to hand as you squat) - one 10# Db – 24 reps (double pulsing)

• Static lunges & overhead tricep extensions - one 10# Db – 2 sets of each

• Overhead tricep extensions – two 10# Dbs – 4 sets (2x singles & 1x 2/2 count)

• Squat jump forward / back & plié jacks – resistance loop (around ankles) – 2 sets of 6 reps

• 2 Squat & 1 hammer curl / 2 squat & 1 sweeper curl – two 15# Dbs – 4 sets (1 of each) & 4x sweeper curl only

• Lateral skates – two 3# Dbs as markers – 32 reps & 24 reps

• Forward lunges & straight arm lateral raises / lateral raises – two 5# Dbs – 4x 3’s, 4x singles & 2x 7 partials (raise only)

• Plie drop squat jump & overhead press – two 10# Dbs – 11 reps

• Rear delt flys – two 10# dbs – 10 reps

• Plie drop squat jump & overhead press – two 10# Dbs – 6 reps

• Rear delt flys – two 10# dbs – 10 reps

• Lateral bunny hops - one 10# Db – 10 reps, 10 reps & 8 reps

• Alternating crossback lunges & hammer curls – two 10# Dbs (I used 12’s) – 6 sets (3 pulses) & 4 sets (1x 3 pulses & 2x singles)

• Single leg deadlifts & front raise – two 10# Dbs (I used 12’s) – 4 sets on each side (change Dbs quickly for next exercise, if using different weight)

• Upright rows / 1 arm front raise – two 10# Dbs – 4 sets (1 of each) & 8x 1 arm front raise only

• 3 Power hops forward & 4 jacks back – resistance loop (around ankles) – 7 sets

• Step out squats – resistance loop (around ankles) – 4x 3 squats & 8x singles

• Jacks – resistance loop (around ankles) – 15 reps

• 1 Arm rows - Cathe used one 15# & one 5# Db in one hand (I used 1x 20) – 16 reps each side

Quick water break, stretch & get out chair or barre at 32:45 minutes

Barre at 34:10 minutes (using barre or chair)

• Side leg lifts – barre – 32 reps (toe pointed) & 32 reps (flex)

• Calf raises – barre – 12 reps, 16 reps (1 leg) & 16 reps (other leg)

• Plie pulls – barre – 28 reps

• Side leg lifts (other leg) – barre – 32 reps (toe pointed) & 32 reps (flex)

• Calf raises – barre – 16 reps, 16 reps (1 leg) & 16 reps (other leg)

• Plie pulls – barre – 40 reps

• Straight leg raises (bend forward, hands on barre; raise & lower straight leg behind) / 1 leg push dips (1 leg squats w back leg bent & raised; pulse down) – barre – 12x leg raise, 40x pulses & 28x push dips (1st side). 24x leg raise, 32x pulses & 28x push dips (2nd side)

• High & tight (feet together) – barre – 40x pulses, 4x 1.5’s & 24 pulses

Quick stretch & get out mat for core at 44:45 minutes

Core on the mat at 46 minutes (have 10# Dbs (I used 12’s) handy)

• 5 Ankle grabber sit-ups / 5 push-ups – mat - 4 sets

• Chest fly / pullover combo w/ leg extensions – two 10# DBs (I used 12’s) & mat – 9 sets

• Reverse crunch & pilates press (lying on back, do reverse crunch (straight leg hip lift) then hold legs straight out a few inches off floor; raising head / shoulders & pump straight arms down to sides) – mat – 5 sets

• Elbow plank march / swimmer stroke plank – mat – 4 sets & 4 sets

The workout ends with a 1:30 minute cool down and stretch.

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If you liked this workout, check out my review of Cathe Live: Fit Tower Bootcamp (#142) – HERE.

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