Cathe Live Review: Total Body Giant Sets (#108)
Total Body Giant Sets is a challenging and intense total body strength workout. This routine is based on Cathe’s DVD, of the same name, from the Strong & Sweaty series. However, for me, this one is even better as it also includes two giant sets for core, unlike the DVD version that only includes upper and lower body giant sets. There are also two other versions of this workout in the Live archive – Total Body Giant Sets 2 #214 (review HERE) and Total Body Giant Sets 3 #251 (review HERE). All of which are excellent and tough workouts.
This workout, like the other Live versions, consists of two upper body, two lower body and two core giant sets. The concept of a giant set, in this case, is a group of exercises for either upper, lower or core. This workout has four exercises in each giant set and you then repeat the giant set two more times, for upper body, and one more time for lower body and core. The exercises are all moderate reps, generally 10 to 12 reps for upper body / core and 12 to 24 reps for lower body. There are often no breaks between exercises and only very short rest between sets. I was absolutely drenched by the end as it also has a really good cardio effect and you just go, go, go!
The strength work uses dumbbells, a barbell (I used dumbbells throughout with no issues) and two gliding devices. Cathe hits every muscle group, at least once, but some more than others. Shoulders and biceps get the most work for the upper body. The back wasn’t hit that much so I went heavier on the renegade rows, in the core giant set, to get a little more work here too. I did increase on a few of the weight selections but found it quite challenging for the upper body moves, as the work compounds with the little to no rest so you really start to feel the work early on. The lower body, in my opinion, isn’t hit quite so hard but the different exercises still worked all of the muscles in the lower body well. The core work alternates plank based moves with lying core moves to give the wrists a bit of break. Both giant sets include the use of the gliding devices for core and this provides an extra challenge and worked my core well. The plank moves also work those tired upper body muscles, a little more too, and for the final set of spiderman climbers I was also feeling my arms and shoulders quite a lot.
Overall, this is a really excellent and highly effective total body challenge that will target every muscle group. This is definitely one I will return to often.
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The Workout
Total Body Giant Sets is a pure strength, total body, workout consisting of six giant sets – two for upper body, two for lower body and two for core.
What You Need to Know
(Rating scale – 1= lowest & 5 = highest).
The Moves
Total Body Giant Sets is 59 minutes long and originally aired on 30th June 2016 (#108). The workout starts with a 5:30 minute warm-up, during which you pick up 5 pound dumbbells for some of the moves, before a quick water break and then moving into the first giant set for upper body. The barbell, if you are using one, is set up with 45 pounds at the start of the routine. You will need to ensure that you have all of your equipment handy, as you will be moving quickly between one exercise and the next.
Upper Body
Giant Set 1a
Overhead press – two 10# Dbs (I used 12’s) – 12 reps
Rear delt flys – two 10# Dbs – 12 reps
Upright rows – two 10# Dbs (I used 12’s) – 12 reps
Overhead tricep extensions – two 10# Dbs – 12 reps
Giant Set 1b
Overhead press – two 12# Dbs – 12 reps
Rear delt flys – two 12# Dbs – 12 reps
Upright rows – two 12# Dbs – 12 reps
Overhead tricep extensions – two 12# Dbs – 12 reps
Giant Set 1c
Overhead press – two 12# Dbs – 8 reps
Rear delt flys – two 12# Dbs – 8 reps
Upright rows – two 12# Dbs – 8 reps
Overhead tricep extensions – two 12# Dbs – 8 reps
Lower Body
Giant Set 2a
Side slide pickup lunges – one 10# Db (I used 1x 12) & one gliding device - 12 reps each side
Squats - two 15# Dbs (I used 20’s) - 12 reps
Deadlifts - 45# BB (I used 2x 22# Dbs) – 12 reps
Rear slide lunges – two 10# Dbs & one gliding device- 12 reps each side
Giant Set 2b
Side slide pickup lunges – one 15# Db & one gliding device - 24 reps each side
Squats - two 15# Dbs (I used 20’s) - 16 reps
Deadlifts - 45# BB (I used 2x 22# Dbs) – 12 reps
Rear slide lunges – two 12# Dbs & one gliding device- 12 reps each side
Core
Giant Set 3a
Renegade rows – one 15# Db (I used 1x 20) & mat – 12 reps each side
1 Arm sit-up – mat – 10 reps each side
Plank slide in & plank jack – two gliding devices- 10 reps
Pullover into situp & 1 arm overhead press – two 8# dbs (I used 10’s) & mat - 10 reps
Giant Set 3b
Renegade rows – one 15# Db (I used 1x 20) & mat – 12 reps each side
1 Arm sit-up – mat – 10 reps each side
Plank slide in & plank jack – two gliding devices- 10 reps
Pullover into sit-up & 1 arm overhead press – two 8# dbs (I used 10’s) & mat - 10 reps
Change barbell to 25 pounds
Upper Body
Giant Set 4a
Barbell bicep curls - 25# BB (I used 2x 15# Dbs)– 12 reps
Hammer curls – two 12# Dbs (I used 15’s) – 12 reps
Lateral raises – two 5# Dbs – 16 reps
Push-ups – mat – 12 reps
Giant Set 4b
Barbell bicep curls - 25# BB (I used 2x 15# Dbs)– 12 reps
Hammer curls – two 12# Dbs (I used 15’s) – 12 reps
Lateral raises – two 8# Dbs – 16 reps
Push-ups – mat – 12 reps
Giant Set 4c
Barbell bicep curls - 25# BB (I used 2x 15# Dbs)– 8 reps
Hammer curls – two 12# Dbs (I used 15’s) – 8 reps
Lateral raises – two 5# Dbs – 8 reps
Push-ups – mat – 8 reps
Change barbell back to 45 pounds
Lower Body
Giant Set 5a
Crossback slide lunges – one 10# Db (I used 1x 15) & one gliding device – 12 reps each side
Wide stance deadlifts – 45# BB (I used 2x 22# Dbs)- 12 reps
Alternating forward diagonal lunges - two 10# Dbs(I used 12’s) - 20 reps
Plie squats – two 15# Dbs – 6x 8 pulses & 16x singles
Giant Set 5b
Crossback slide lunges – one 12# Db (I used 1x 15) & one gliding device – 12 reps each side
Wide stance deadlifts – 45# BB (I used 2x 22# Dbs)- 12 reps
Alternating forward diagonal lunges - two 12# Dbs- 24 reps
Plie squats – two 15# Dbs – 6x 8 pulses & 16x singles
Core
Giant Set 6a
Tricep kickbacks in plank – one 12# Db & mat- 12 reps each side
Sit-ups raising 1 leg at a time – one 10# Db & mat - 16 reps
Sliding spiderman climbers – two gliding devices - 24 reps
Russian twists – one 12# Db & mat - 36 reps
Giant Set 6b
Tricep kickbacks in plank – one 10# Db & mat- 12 reps each side
Sit-ups raising 1 leg at a time – one 10# Db & mat - 16 reps
Sliding spiderman climbers – two gliding devices - 24 reps
Russian twists – one 12# Db & mat - 32 reps
The workout ends with a 3:30 minute cool down and stretch.
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If you liked this workout, check out my review of Cathe Live: Supersets Live (#209) – HERE.
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