Cathe Live Review: Strong & Lean Reps (#134)
Strong & Lean Reps is another excellent and tough total body endurance workout.
I loved this workout, it is really challenging and works the body very well. This is a high rep routine with lots of tempo changes and rep patterns, including 2/2, 3/1, partials, holds etc. This helps to keep you focused and makes the workout more interesting.
The workout consists of groups of exercises, by body part, so that you completely burn out one muscle group before moving onto the next one. Lower body exercise are sprinkled throughout the upper body ones and these are also very high rep and work the legs well. The upper body groupings have a number of different exercises for each body part and very little break in between the different moves. My triceps were completely fried and Cathe just kept moving onto the next tricep exercise. Every muscle group is worked well and I felt pretty exhausted by the end. Cathe used a barbell and dumbbells for this routine. I, as usual, only used dumbbells and a kettlebell (for plie squats) and had no issues. The step is only used for one lower body move, which is elevated lunges, a move I really don’t like. However, they actually weren’t quite as high rep, as I was expecting, and it always helps that Cathe’s count was even on both sides.
As with any high rep routine, the key here is to get the right weights and this may take some trial and error. I find having a print out, of the exercises, makes it easier so that I can mark what worked and what didn’t. This allows you maximise the benefits from this type of workout.
The routine ends with a fairly tough core section that starts standing and then moves to the floor for sit-ups, Russian twists, reverse crunches, bike manoeuvre and ends with planks. This finished off my core nicely.
Overall, a tough and challenging, total body, high rep strength workout that will fry those muscles.
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The Workout
Strong & Lean Reps is a pure strength, high rep workout for the whole body that ends
with a short core section.
What You Need to Know
(Rating scale – 1= lowest & 5 = highest).
The Moves
Strong & Lean Reps is 62 minutes long and originally aired on 26thJanuary 2017 (#134). The workout starts with a 5:30 minute warm-up, using the barbell at 20 pounds. (Note: Cathe and crew are already holding the barbell as the class starts). The step, with three risers on each side, is set up horizontally in front of you and is only used for elevated lunges and then as a weight bench for upper body only. (The step height does not change).
Change barbell to 25 pounds
Squats - 25# BB (I used two 15# Dbs) – lots of reps (various tempos)
Elevated lunges (back foot on step) - one 15# Db & step – 16x singles, 2x 7 pulses, 2x 3.5’s & 8x singles each side
Change barbell to 20 pounds
Upright rows - 20# BB (I used two 10# Dbs) – 15 reps
Overhead press - 20# BB (I used two 10# Dbs) – 16 reps
Upright rows & overhead press - 20# BB (I used two 10# Dbs) – 1 set (3x row & 7x O/H) & 4 sets (3 of each)
Upright rows - 20# BB (I used two 10# Dbs) – 1x 8 pulses, 2x 3 pulses & 8x singles
Straight arm lateral raises – two 5# Dbs – 4x singles & 4 sets (2x 1 arm & 1x both arms)
Iron cross (front raise, open arms to side, return to front & lower) – two 5# Dbs – 4 reps
Straight arm lateral raises – two 5# Dbs – 3x 3.5’s
Side straight arm circles – two 5# Dbs – 2 sets of 8 reps (forward then back)
Side lateral raise, bring arms to front, then return to sides & lower (keeping arms straight) – two 5# Dbs – 6 sets
W curls – two 12# Dbs – 10 reps
Isometric bicep curl & 1 arm sweeper / hammer curl (hold 1 arm at ½ way & do sweeper curl (or hammer curl) w/ other arm) – two 10# Dbs (I used 12’s) – 4x sweeper & 4x hammer each side
Hammer curls – two 10# Dbs (I used 12’s) – 4x 2/2 & 4x hold at top
Bicep curls - 20# BB (I used two 12# Dbs) – lots of reps (various tempos – holds, pulsing etc)
Change barbell to 30 pounds
Plie squats - 30# BB (I used 35# kettlebell) – lots of reps (various tempos)
Lateral plié walks (4 to each side) – two 10# dbs (I used 12’s) – 8 sets
Crossback lunges - one 15# Db – 4x 3 pulses, 8x singles (each side), 2x 7 pulses & 4x singles (each side)
Plie squats - 30# BB (I used 35# kettlebell) – lots of reps (various tempos)
Change barbell to 25 pounds
Lying tricep extensions - 25# BB (I used two 12# Dbs) & step – 24 reps. 5 sets (down 2, hold 2 & up 4 counts). 3 sets of 2 partials.
Tricep dips w/ BB on hips - 25# BB (I used two 12# Dbs) & step – 3 sets of 8 reps
Seated overhead tricep extensions – two 10# Dbs & step – 8x 2/2, 4x partials & 4x 2/2 count
Incline push-ups (hands on step) – step – 4 sets (1x 2/2 & 2x singles) & 4 sets (1x 2/2 & 2x singles)
Chest flys – two 15# Dbs (I used 20’s) & step – 12 reps
Narrow grip chest press - 25# BB (I used two 15# Dbs) & step – 12 reps & 4x 2 partials
1 Arm row - Cathe used one 15# & one 5# Db in one hand (I used 1x 20) – 16 reps each side
Pullovers - 25# BB (I used two 15# Dbs) & step – 6 sets
Narrow grip chest press into pullover - 25# BB (I used two 15# Dbs) & step – 3 sets (up 4 down 4) & 3 sets (up 2 down 4 & 2x singles narrow grip)
Rear delt flys – two 10# Dbs – 3 sets of 10 reps
Change barbell to 40 pounds
Deadlifts - 40# BB (I used two 20# Dbs) – 16 reps
Static lunges - one 15# Db – 2x 23 pulses, 2x 15 pulses, 2x 7 pulses & 1x 8 singles (on each side)
Narrow stance deadlift - 40# BB (I used two 20# dbs) – 16 reps
Core at 53:55 minutes
Standing side bend crunches - Cathe held two 10# Dbs in one hand (I used 1x 20) – 16 reps each side
Butterfly sit-ups - one 10# Db (leaning on feet) & mat – 10 reps
Russian twists - one 10# Db & mat – in 4’s, 2’s & singles
Reverse crunch - mat
Bicycle manoeuvre – mat
Elbow plank hold / elbow plank march - mat
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: Ramped Up Total Body (#281) – HERE.
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