Cathe Live Review: Total Body Blast w Step & Ball (#215)
Total Body Blast w Step & Ball is pretty intense cardio and strength routine targeting the whole body.
The routine consists of three sections. The workout starts with cardio step blasts alternated with lower body strength exercises, then you move onto upper body strength exercises, using the stability ball, and finally you finish with core work, also using the stability ball.
The cardio blasts are straight forward cardio drills rather than choreography and really get your heart rate up. As these are alternated with strength exercises, for lower body, using large muscle groups your heart rate stays elevated throughout. I actually found the whole workout pretty metabolic and I was fairly drenched by the end. The lower body section moves quickly and there are only very short rests between exercises. This isn’t heavy strength training for lower body but more metabolic exercises and some feel more like cardio moves too.
The upper body section, I found fairly challenging. The reps are generally pretty high and the added instability of the ball increases the challenge. Cathe used slightly lighter weights due to the speed of the reps and the high volume. I increased on a few exercises or stayed with the same weights for the second sets when she decreased and found I got a good workout. The moves hit all of the major muscle groups and there is very little repetition here.
The routine ends with a short core section using the stability ball again. I found this fairly challenging, as Cathe does the reps faster than usual for some of the exercises. You end the workout with a long set of roll-ins, with your shins, on the ball and I really felt those!
Overall, this was an excellent, effective cardio and strength routine that offers a lot of variety and works the body in different ways.
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The Workout
Total Body Blast w Step & Ball is a cardio and strength workout. The routine starts with cardio step blasts alternated with lower body, then moves into upper body and core using the stability ball. Cathe used light to moderate weights and a full size step, with two risers each side, along with the ball for this workout. If you don’t have a ball, you could use the step instead or do all of the exercises on the floor, if you don’t have either.
What You Need to Know
(Rating scale – 1= lowest & 5 = highest).
The Moves
Total Body Blast w Step & Ball is 53 minutes long and originally aired on 13th September 2018 (#215). The workout starts with a 4:30 minute warm-up, using the step, before moving into the first cardio step blast. The step, with two risers each side, is set up horizontally in front of you at the start of the workout. You will need space all around your step, as it is used for both cardio and strength moves. Cardio moves shown in bold italics below.
Cardio & Lower Body
Plunge lunges – step – 72 reps
Alternating back Lunges off the step – two 12# dumbbells & step – 8x 3 pulses, 6x singles, 2x 3 pulses & 4x singles
Straddle jumps – step – 2 sets of 8 reps & 2 sets of 4 reps
Uneven squats – one 10# dumbbell & step – 18 reps
Uneven squats – one 12# dumbbells & step – 20 reps
Uneven squats – one 15# dumbbells & step – 16 reps
Wide box jumps – step – 24 reps
Squats – two 15# dumbbells (I used 20’s) – 24 reps
1 Arm burpees – step – 20 reps
Squat toss – one 10# dumbbell – 48 reps
Spiderman climbers – step – 28 reps, 24 reps & 32 reps
7 Power turning squats & rock back – step – 4 sets each side
3 Power turning squats & rock back – step – 5 sets (1st side) & 7 sets (2nd side)
Alternating sumo squats – one 15# dumbbell – 46 reps
Knee off the side & 6x lateral hops across the step – step – 6 sets
Alternating crossback lunges – two 15# dumbbells – 32 reps
Upper Body - Chest & Triceps
See saw push-ups – ball – 16 reps & 2x down 2 counts & up 6 counts
Seated overhead tricep extensions – two 12# dumbbells & ball – 8 reps
Seated overhead tricep extensions – two 10# dumbbells & ball – 8 reps
Narrow grip chest press – two 12# dumbbells (I used 15’s) & ball – 26 reps (fairly fast)
Chest flys – two 12# dumbbells (I used 15’s) & ball – 12 reps
Push-ups – mat – 12 reps
Upper Body – Back & Biceps
Sweeper curls – two 15# dumbbells – 12 reps
1 Arm row – one 5 & 15# dumbbells (I used 1x20) – 16 reps each side
Incline bicep curls – two 12# dumbbells & ball (Cathe starts with 10# but quickly changes to 12’s) – 16 reps
Preacher curls – two 12# dumbbells & ball – 12 reps
Pullovers – two 15# dumbbells & ball (Cathe starts with 12’s but quickly changes to 15’s) – 12 reps (4/4 count)
Upper Body – Shoulders
Incline shoulder arcs – two 8# dumbbells & ball – 12 reps
Rear delt flys – two 8# dumbbells & ball – 12 reps
Lateral raises – two 5# dumbbells – 12 reps
Incline shoulder arcs – two 5# dumbbells (I stayed with 8’s) & ball – 12 reps
Rear delt flys – two 5# dumbbells (I stayed with 8’s) & ball – 16 reps
Lateral raises – two 5# dumbbells – 12 reps
Standing overhead press – two 10# dumbbells – 12 reps & 8 reps
Quick stretch & get mat out for core at 44:20 minutes
Core
Ball exchange – ball
Sit-up & twist – ball
Banana holds (ball held in straight arms back over head) – ball
Sit-up & 1 leg lift – ball
Knee roll-ins (shins on the ball, roll knees in under the body) - ball
The workout ends with a 2 minute cool down and stretch.
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