Cathe Live Review: Totally Pumped Total Body (#149)
Totally Pumped Total Body is a challenging total body strength workout. This was an excellent routine that worked me hard. As the workout moves quickly from one thing to the next, I also found it pretty metabolic and it got my heart rate up nicely.
The routine alternates between groups of lower body and upper body exercises. All of the moves are traditional exercises and are generally reasonably high rep (often 10 – 16 reps or more) and / or with multiple sets of the same exercises. Therefore, this has a nice compound effect and all my muscle groups were working hard. I particularly found some of the lower body moves pretty tough, as the workout went on, as my arms were already fatigued from the upper body work. The lower exercises were also generally higher rep and using heavier weights.
Cathe uses a barbell and moderate dumbbells. I used dumbbells throughout this routine without any issues. I did go heavier on a few moves, as the pace is reasonable and so you can heavy up if you want to. However, given the number of reps / sets I would have struggled to go too much heavier.
Cathe also uses a step, for some of the lower body moves, in the first group of lower body exercises. This also really gets the heart rate up and I found some of these pretty challenging – particularly the elevated lunges and side leg abduction with front raises.
The workout ends with a tough core section. You are pretty much continuously moving from one thing to the next with little to no rest in between moves. This is good as there is lots of variety and it definitely keeps you focused but the work definitely did start to add up towards the end. The last set of layout crunches I was really feeling and then you move into plank work on the forearms! (Cathe does the core section with a mat on the step, as I find this uncomfortable I just did all of the core moves with the mat on the floor).
Overall, this is a fantastic, tough total body challenge that will get those muscles working hard and that heart rate pumping. I will definitely be returning to this one.
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The Workout
Totally Pumped Total Body is pure strength total body workout. The routine alternates groups of lower and upper body exercises, and ends with a tough core section. Cathe used a barbell at 25 and 40 pounds and a variety of dumbbells. I used dumbbells for everything without any issues. A full size step, with 3 risers each side, is also used for both lower body exercises and as a weight bench for upper body. If you don’t have one you could always do the moves on the floor instead.
What You Need to Know
(Rating scale – 1= lowest & 5 = highest).
The Moves
Totally Pumped Total Body is 50 minutes long and originally aired on 18th May 2017 (#149). The workout starts with a 4 minute warm-up before moving into the first group of lower body exercises. The barbell (if you are using one) is set up at 25 pounds, at the start of the workout, and the step, with 3 risers each side, is set up horizontally in front of you. The step height does not vary during the workout.
Lower Body
Squats - 25# barbell (I used two 15# dumbbells)
Squats & lunges off side of step – one 15# dumbbell & step – 8 sets of both & 8x squats
Elevated lunges – two 12# dumbbells & step – 8x singles, 4x 3 pulses & 8x singles
Side leg abduction & front swing – one 8# dumbbell & step – 16 reps
Push press into upright rows – 25# barbell (I used two 12# dumbbells) – 5 sets
Side sumo squat into 1 arm overhead press – one 10# dumbbell – 16 reps
Shoulders, Back & Chest
Lateral raises – two 5# dumbbells – 6, 8, 6, 6, 6 reps
Shoulder circles – two 5# dumbbells – 8 reps each way
Rear delt flys – two 10# dumbbells – 3 sets of 10 reps
Pullovers – two 15# dumbbells & step – 2 sets of 8 reps
1 arm rows – one 5 & one 15# (I used 1x20) – 16 reps
Chest flys with leg extensions – two 15# dumbbells (I used 20’s) & step – 16 reps
Incline push-ups – step – 2 sets of 8 reps
Chest flys with leg extensions – two 15# dumbbells (I used 20’s) & step – 10 reps
Incline push-ups – step – 8 reps
Lower Body - Change barbell to 40 pounds
Deadlifts – 40# barbell (I used two 20# dumbbells) – 16 reps
4 Squats into 8 pulsing lunges – two 15# dumbbells – 6 sets
Deadlifts - 40# barbell (I used two 20# dumbbells) – 8 reps
Cross back lunges – one 15# dumbbell – 2x 23 pulses, 2x 15 pulses, 2x 7 pulses, 4x 3 pulses & 8x singles
Triceps - Change barbell to 25 pounds
Lying tricep extensions – 25# barbell (I used two 12# dumbbells) & step – 14 reps (2/2 & 3/1) & 4x partial hold
Tricep dips (with barbell on hips) – 25# barbell (I used two 12# dumbbells) & step – 2 sets of 16 reps
Kickbacks – two 10# dumbbells – 12 reps
Lying tricep extensions – 25# barbell (I used two 12# dumbbells) & step – 12 reps
Tricep dips (with barbell on hips) – 25# barbell (I used two 12# dumbbells) & step – 2 sets of 16 reps
Biceps
Bicep curls – 25# barbell (I used two 15# dumbbells) – 12 reps (2/2) & 8 reps (3/1)
W curls – two 12# dumbbells – 12 reps
1 arm alternating hammer curls – two 15# dumbbells – 16 & 8 reps
Isolation curls – 25# barbell (I used two 12# dumbbells) – 3, 2 & 2 sets
Quick stretch
Move mat onto the step for Core (or the floor, if you prefer) at 43:20 mins
Bike manoeuvre
L-crunches
Reverse crunches
Bike manoeuvre
Double pump stretch
Layout crunches
Bike manoeuvre
Leg chasers
Layout crunches
Forearm plank hold
Swimmer planks
The workout ends with a 2 minute cool down and stretch.
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