Cathe Live Review: Total Body Barre: Intermediate / Advanced (#365)
Total Body Barre: Intermediate / Advanced is a really fun and varied total body, high rep strength workout. This routine uses light weights, a mini ball and your own bodyweight for resistance to challenge the body in different ways. I really liked this routine, as the time flew by even though it is just under an hour long. Cathe hasn’t done a barre workout for a long while and so it was a really nice change.
The routine starts with a long warm-up using the mini ball. This is a non-weighted, inflatable ball that is used in many different ways during the workout and adds a little more fun factor too. Any small ball will do so if you have a yoga / Pilates ball or even a kids’ football that would probably also work. Cathe also challenged your brain with this routine, as you are often incorporating different arm or leg patterns into the exercises and so it really keeps you focused to make sure everything is moving in the right direction!
The main routine consists of three main sections – standing work with the ball and dumbbells, floor work and finally barre work, using a Fit Tower, Barre or chair. This routine is generally a fairly high rep, endurance workout so Cathe is using only light dumbbells – 5 and 8 pounds. Obviously, you can use heavier if you want to but as she said this is designed as a barre workout using lighter weights. Many of the weighted exercises are done in a little series of moves that you transition back and forth between with no rest. So bear that in mind, if you are thinking of going heavier. Even though they were light weights or bodyweight, I did definitely start to feel some of moves, including the upright rows at the start and the bear holds towards the end. As mentioned, many of the strength moves also incorporate other arm and leg movements so you are often doing more compound moves, which keeps it more interesting given the number of reps! Cathe does a reasonable job of working a little bit of everything in this routine, including a little core too.
The second section is on the floor, starting with push-up variations, dips and ending with core. Some of the moves also use the ball or a light dumbbell to add stability challenges or increase the resistance. The only one I found rather awkward was the leaning back bike manoeuvre – this felt very awkward for my back so I just removed the ball and did it on the floor instead.
The workout ends with a short barre section for the lower body. This wasn’t quite as high rep as I was expecting but Cathe definitely did do more reps on the second side so by then I was definitely feeling it, particularly the high and tight, in second position, at the end.
Overall, an enjoyable total body strength workout that targets a little bit of everything and is packed with variety.
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The Workout
Total Body Barre: Intermediate / Advanced is a total body strength workout using light dumbbells, a mini ball and a barre or chair. The routine consists of standing strength exercises, floorwork and ends with a short barre section.
What You Need to Know
(Rating scale – 1= lowest & 5 = highest).
The Moves
Total Body Barre: Intermediate / Advanced is 58 minutes long and originally aired on 7th October 2021 (#365). The workout starts with a long 9:30 minute warm-up, using the mini ball. The main exercises are listed below but know that there are high reps and multiple sets of most of the moves.
Standing Strength
Bicep curls / W Curls / upright rows / shrug – two 8# Dbs
Overhead pulses – two 8# Dbs
Lunge down & diagonal overhead swing – ball
Curl press & overhead tricep extension / add calf raise – two 8# Dbs
Forward lunge (toss ball from 1 hand to other) – ball
Step out plie squats (toss ball from 1 hand to other) – ball
Rear lunge & knee raise (toss ball from 1 hand to other) – ball
Hip hinge & rear delt fly / L raise (front & side raise) / shrug / circle shoulders back – two 5# Dbs
Straight arm front raise & tap back / iron cross (front raise to open) / shrug / circle shoulders back / scarecrow – two 5# Dbs
Straight arm kickbacks – two 5# Dbs
Windmill – two 5# Dbs
Floor Work at 30:05 minutes
Scorpion push-up (tricep push-up on knees lifting 1 leg up) – mat
Push-ups – mat
Tricep dips (1 leg extended) – mat
Bird dog & 1 arm side raise (in tabletop position; lift 1 arm straight out to side while lifting opposite leg up) – one 5# Db & mat
Sit-up w/ 1 leg lift (rolling ball back & forth between hands) – ball & mat
Hip bridge & knee squeeze – ball & mat
Straight leg scissors (passing ball under alternating legs) – ball & mat
Lean back bike manoeuvre – ball (under lower back) & mat
Bear hold & shoulder tap / 1 arm reach (lift into bear hold w/ ball between knees & tap hand to shoulder / reach 1 arm out in front) – ball & mat
Barre Work at 41:30 minutes (optional ball - only Cathe used the ball the rest of the class did not)
Straight leg front raise – barre or chair
Hydrant lift (bent knee raise - optional ball behind knee) – barre or chair
1 Leg dips (optional ball behind knee) – barre or chair
High & tight (toes parallel – optional ball between knees) – barre or chair
Repeat above moves on other side. (Note: Second time - High & tight is with heels together).
The workout ends with a 2:30 minute cool down and stretch.
Take Action
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If you liked this workout, check out my review of Cathe Live: Fit Tower Light Total Body (#210) – HERE.
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