Cathe Live Review: Total Body Sculpt (#19)
Total Body Sculpt is a fantastic and comprehensive total body strength workout. I loved this routine – it’s really challenging and works the body so well.
This is one of Cathe’s longest workouts at 71 minutes but it is so worth making the time to do it. It is a really comprehensive routine that hits every muscle group effectively, burning them out before moving onto the next one.
The workout starts with all of the lower body exercises. These are lighter weight, high rep exercises that work the muscles well. There is lots of variety here, in the different moves, and the rep patterns varying constantly so it keeps it interesting while challenging your body.
The routine then moves into upper body, which is heavier weights and less reps. This section is set up by muscle groups so you start with a giant set for shoulders then move onto groups of exercises for back, chest, triceps and finally biceps. The shoulder giant set includes four different exercises that you run through at a very fast pace three times. There are basically no breaks between the exercises and only a tiny breather between sets. I was really struggling on the last set of lateral arc raises. Cathe does decrease her weights on some of the later sets but was still struggling too. The rest of the muscle groups consist of individual exercises that you then usually repeat, for two or more sets, before moving onto the next exercise. Again many of the reps have varying tempos and partials included so you will really be feeling these moves. One thing to note, is that for most of the upper body moves, Cathe actually tells you how many reps and sets you will be doing and this really helps you to select the right weights from the outset.
The workout ends with a core section on the mat. I really enjoyed this group of moves as there is lots of variety and it worked my core well.
Overall, this is a tough and long strength workout that will fry every muscle group. This is definitely one I will return to regularly.
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The Workout
Total Body Sculpt is a pure strength total body workout that ends with a core section on the floor.
What You Need to Know
(Rating scale – 1= lowest & 5 = highest).
The Moves
Total Body Sculpt is 71 minutes long and originally aired on 4th September 2014 (#19). The workout starts with an 8:30 minute warm-up, before moving into the first lower body exercise. The barbell, if you are using one, is set up with 35 pounds at the start of the workout. The step, with three risers on each side, is set up horizontally in front of you. It is only used as a weight bench for upper body and the step height does not change during the routine.
Lower Body
Squat & overhead press – two 10# Dbs – 16x 1 arm & 8x both
Pulsing sumo squats / marching sumos – one 10# Db (I used 1x 15) – alternating 8x pulses & 8x marches
Squats - 35# BB (I used two 20# Dbs) – lots of reps (various tempos)
Pulsing plie squats – one 10# Db – lots of reps (passing Db from one hand to other)
1 Arm clean & press (squat w db at shoulder, pivot & stand w 1 arm O/H press) – one 10# Db (I used 1x 12) – 16 reps each side
Plie squats - 35# BB (I used 35# kettlebell) - lots of reps (various tempos)
Wide stance deadlifts - 35# BB (I used two 20# Dbs) – 18 reps
Change barbell to 25 pounds
Narrow stance squats - 25# BB (I used two 20# Dbs) – 28x singles, 4x 3.5’s & 8x singles
Single leg deadlifts - one 12# Db (I used two 15’s) – 16 reps each side
Change barbell to 15 pounds
Static lunges - 15# BB (I used two 12# Dbs) - lots of reps (various tempos)
Shoulders
Overhead press – two 15# Dbs – 10 reps
Rear delt flys – two 12# Dbs – 10 reps
Front raise – one 10# Db (I used 1x 12) – 10 reps
Lateral arc raise (palms facing forward) – two 8# Dbs– 10 reps
Overhead press – two 15# Dbs – 10 reps
Rear delt flys – two 12# Dbs – 10 reps
Front raise – one 10# Db (I used 1x 12) – 10 reps
Lateral raises – two 8# Dbs – 10 reps
Overhead press – two 12# Dbs – 10 reps
Rear delt flys – two 10# Dbs (I used 12’s) – 10 reps
Front raise – one 10# Db (I used 1x 12) – 10 reps
Lateral arc raise (palms facing forward) – two 8# Dbs– 10 reps
Back
1 Arm rows - Cathe held two 12# Dbs in one hand (I used 1x 22) – 16 reps & 12 reps each side
Pullovers – two 15# Dbs & step - 2 sets of 12 reps
Chest
Chest flys – two 15# Dbs (I used 20’s) & step - 1x 4/4, 8x 2/2 count & 10x singles
Chest flys – two 12# Dbs (I used 15’s) & step – 4 sets (down 4 counts, 5x partials & up 2 counts)
Push-ups (fast) – mat - 8 reps, 10 reps, 8 reps & 10 reps
Change barbell to 25 pounds
Triceps
Lying tricep extensions – 25# BB (I used two 12# Dbs) & step – 1x 4/4 & 16x singles
Lying tricep extensions – 25# BB (I used two 12# Dbs) & step – 4x 3/1, 4x 2/2, 4x 3/1 & 4x 2/2
Tricep dips – step - 4 sets of 16 reps
Standing overhead tricep extensions – two 12# Dbs- 12 reps
Biceps
Sweeper curls – two 15# Dbs - 16 reps
Hammer curls – two 10# Dbs (I used 15’s) - 10 reps
Isolation curls (1 db held at ½ way & 5x 1 arm curls on other arm; then switch sides & repeat) – two 12# Dbs – 2 sets
Reverse curls (do bicep curl up, then turn palms to do a reverse curl down) – two 8# Dbs (I used 10’s) - 7 reps
Reverse curls (reverse curl up, then traditional bicep curl down) – two 8# Dbs (I used 10’s) - 8 reps
Quick water break & get mat out for core at 57:50 minutes
Core on mat at 58:25 minutes
Superman variations - mat – 38 reps (various patterns)
Elbow plank hold / elbow plank marches – mat
Crunches – mat
Crunches w/ 1 leg & arm raised (same side) – mat
Butterfly crunches (soles of feet together & knees out to side) - mat
Pulsing crunches (knees bent & 1 arm or both arms raised to ceiling) - mat
Windshield wipers (lying on back, arms out to sides & legs straight up in the air, move legs side to side, bringing legs 12-18” from floor) – mat - 12 reps
Bike manoeuvre – mat
Russian twists – one 8# Db & mat - 8 reps (low), 8 reps (middle) & 8 reps (high) then 8 reps (middle) & 8 reps (low)
The workout ends with a 3 minute cool down and stretch.
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If you liked this workout, check out my review of Cathe Live: Barbell Total Body (#259) – HERE.
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