Cathe Live Review: Better Body Bootcamp (#257)

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Cathe Live Review: Better Body Bootcamp (#257)

Better Body Bootcamp is a cardio and strength workout using the step. As Cathe says at the start of the routine, this is not your hardest nor your easiest bootcamp workout and she was right it’s somewhere in between in terms of intensity. Definitely not too tough but not that easy either.

The workout consists of six rounds of a step cardio interval followed by three weight training exercises. The step cardio are straight drills – so no choreography. They are just one move repeated for a set number of reps. These definitely get the heart rate up and you breathing a bit harder. They are not the toughest intervals but some do go on for quite a while. I am not the biggest fan of jumping on and off the step so this wasn’t as fun for me as some of Cathe’s other bootcamp workouts.

The weight training exercises use dumbbells, resistance tubing and your own bodyweight. They are generally not very high rep and it is certainly not very comprehensive in terms of real strength training. Many of the moves are compound though and some of the lower body moves use the step too so this really helps to keep the heart rate up, a little more, during the whole workout. Quite a few of the moves are also done at a very fast pace, including the 1 arm push presses, and with a 15 pound dumbbell this felt a little out of control. However, it is definitely a slightly different and interesting mix of exercises than Cathe’s usual format. There are obviously more familiar moves too but for me it just wasn’t quite as effective as many of her other workouts.

Overall, this was interesting cardio and strength bootcamp style workout. I am not sure I will be returning to it though, as for me it lacked some of the fun factor and effectiveness of some of Cathe’s other bootcamp workouts. As Cathe has so many other fantastic cardio and strength workouts, in future, I think I would probably pick one of those over this one.

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The Workout

Better Body Bootcamp is a cardio and strength workout consisting of six rounds. Each round has a step cardio interval and three strength exercises. Cathe used dumbbells, medium tension resistance tubing (I used a resistance band) and a step at 8” for this workout.

What You Need to Know

(Rating scale – 1= lowest & 5 = highest).

The Moves

Better Body Bootcamp is 50 minutes long and originally aired on 25th July 2019 (#257). The workout starts with a 6 minute warm-up that also uses the step for a few moves (not choreography). You will need your step, with two risers each side, set up horizontally in front of you at the start of the workout. You will also need room all around your step, as you will be moving round for both cardio and lower body exercises. Step remains at 8” throughout the workout. Cardio moves shown in bold italics below.

Round 1

• Knee off the side & 6 lateral hops across step – step – 6 sets

• 1 Arm push press (fast) – one 10# dumbbell – 12 reps

• 1 Arm push press (fast) – one 15# dumbbell – 12 & 8 reps

• Squat & lunge combo (with little jumps) – 24 reps

• Bicep curls – two 5 # dumbbells & resistance tubing (I used two 15# dumbbells & no tubing) – 29 reps

Round 2

• Power 7’s around the world (on each corner of the step) – step - 2 sets

• Back lunge with knee raise & 1 arm overhead press (fast) – one 5# dumbbell – 16 reps each side

• Band pulls & 1 leg raise – resistance tubing – 28 reps alternating legs / 24x pulses each side

• Tricep push-ups (on knees) – mat – 8 sets (1x 2/2 count & 2x singles)

Round 3

• Straddle jumps – step – 4 sets of 8 reps

• Deadlifts & upright rows – two 10# dumbbells - 7 sets

• Deadlifts & upright rows – two 15# dumbbells – 8 sets / 2 sets of 4 reps (single & both arms)

• Marching sumo squats – one 15# dumbbell – 66 reps

• T-Band pulls – resistance tubing & mat – 28 reps & 4x 7 pulses

Round 4

• Wide box jump & plyo jack (fast) – step - 10 reps & 8 reps

• Leg abduction & 1 arm front raise – one 10# dumbbell & step – 16 reps each side

• Rear lunges off back of step – two 10# dumbbells & step – 6 sets (1x 3 pulses & 2x singles) each side

• Narrow grip chest press & bench press – two 15# dumbbells & step – 8x alternating / 8x bench / 8x narrow grip / 4x alternating

Round 5

• Swim lunges (high & low) – step – 8 sets of 8 reps

• Straight arm kickbacks – resistance tubing – 71 reps

• Crossback lunges – one 15# dumbbell & step – 24 reps each side

• Chest flys with leg extension – two 15# dumbbells & step – 17 reps / 8 reps (fast with feet down)

Round 6

• Step knee, touch down – step – 24 reps (1st side) / 32 reps (2nd side)

• 1 Arm bicep curl – resistance tubing (stand on tubing & hold handles in one hand. I used one 15# dumbbell & no tubing) – 16 reps & 16x pulses (each side)

• Push-ups – mat – 6 sets (1x 2/2 count & 2x singles) / 8x singles

• Tricep dips with leg extension – step – 2 sets of 32 reps

The workout ends with a 2:30 minute stretch and cool down.

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