Cathe Live Review: Strong Upper Body Express (#70)

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Cathe Live Review: Strong Upper Body Express (#70)

Strong Upper Body Express is a really excellent and time efficient upper body and core strength workout.

The workout consists of five groups of exercises, by muscle group, so back, biceps, chest, triceps, shoulders and finishes with a further set of exercises for the core. Each group of exercises for the upper body has two moves, which are then repeated. You then have a ‘finisher’ exercise that works the same muscle group. The first two upper body exercises use dumbbells and the finisher uses bodyweight, dumbbells and or a resistance band.

The strength exercises are all traditional upper body moves and are performed at a slow and controlled pace so you can heavy up, if you want to. Also as there are generally 12 reps for each exercise, except for the finishers, this is definitely possible. Cathe used light to moderate weights and I increased on a few, particularly chest and this worked well for me.

The routine ends with a good core section that includes nine different exercises that you do one after the next so there is very little rest in between. This keeps the core fired up nicely and I was starting to really feel it by the time we got to the plank holds.

Overall, this is a fantastic and effective, upper body and core strength workout that I loved. It also has less repetition, than some of Cathe’s other upper body workouts, so it just flew by and with such a lot packed into the 40 minutes - you feel really well worked by the end.

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The Workout

Strong Upper Body Express is a pure strength workout for the upper body and core. Cathe used light to moderate dumbbells, a medium tension resistance band, a full size step with three risers on each side and a mat for this routine. (If you don’t have a step you could do the moves on the floor instead).

What You Need to Know

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

The Moves

Strong Upper Body Express is 40 minutes long and originally aired on 24th September 2015 (#70). The workout starts with a 3:30 minute warm-up, using 5 pound dumbbells (which you pick up part way through the warm-up), before moving into the first exercise for Back. The step, with three risers on each side, is set up horizontally in front of you at the start of the workout and is only used as a weight bench.

Back

• 1 Arm rows - Cathe used two 12# Dbs in one hand (I used 1x 20) – 12 reps

• Pullovers - two 15# Dbs & step – 2x 4/4 & 8x 2/2 counts

• 1 Arm rows - Cathe used two 12# Dbs in one hand (I used 1x 20) – 12 reps

• Pullovers - two 15# Dbs & step – 4x 4/4 & 10x 2/2 counts

• Finisher: T band pulls – resistance band & mat – 4x singles, 2x 7 pulses, 1x 15 pulses, 8x singles, 2x 7 pulses & 1x 15 pulses

Biceps

• Bicep curls – two 15# Dbs - 12 reps

• 1 Arm sweeping curls – two 12# Dbs (I used 15’s) - 12 reps total

• Bicep curls – two 12# Dbs (I used 15’s) - 12 reps

• 1 Arm sweeping curls – two 15# Dbs (part way thru Cathe changed to 12’s. I used 15’s) - 24 reps total

• Finisher: Bicep curls – two 5# Dbs & resistance band under foot (I used 15’s & no band) – 12 reps then up & down ½ way & hold

Chest

• Bench press – two 15# Dbs (I used 20’s) & step - 12 reps

• Chest flys (you go straight into these after bench press) – two 15# Dbs (I used 20’s) & step - 12 reps

• Bench press – two 15# Dbs (I used 20’s) & step - 12 reps

• Chest flys – two 15# Dbs (I used 20’s) & step - 12 reps

• Finisher: Drop set push-ups – mat - 12 reps, 10 reps & 8 reps

Triceps

• Standing overhead tricep extensions – two 12# Dbs - 12 reps

• Lying tricep extensions – two 10# Dbs (I used 12’s) & step - 12 reps

• Standing overhead tricep extensions – two 12# Dbs - 12 reps

• Lying tricep extensions – two 10# Dbs & step - 12 reps

• Finisher: Tricep kickbacks - resistance band – 8x singles & 1x 15 pulses (1st side) & 8x singles, 2x 15 pulses (2nd side)

Shoulders

• Overhead press – two 15# Dbs - 12 reps

• Rear delt flys – two 12# Dbs - 12 reps

• Overhead press – two 15# Dbs - 12 reps

• Rear delt flys – two 12# Dbs - 12 reps

• Finisher: Lateral raises – two 5# Dbs – 8x singles & 6x 3.5’s

Quick water break & get out mat for core at 30:20 minutes

Core on mat

• Basic crunches / pulsing crunches (hands towards knees) – mat

• Crunches w/ knees raise off floor – mat

• Straight arm & leg crunches (like X-crunches but straight arms & legs) - mat

• Bike manoeuvre - mat

• Single leg stretch double pump - mat

• Leg chasers – mat

• Windshield wipers (legs bent & then straight) - mat

• L crunches (straight legs raised in an “L” position, pulse head/shoulders up 1x, then 2x, then 3x, then 4x; change legs and repeat) – mat

• Elbow plank hold & punch / plank marches / soldier planks (in elbow plank alternate punching arms straight in front of you x12; walk feet out & in x4; raise opposite arm & leg - hold for 8 counts x2) - mat

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

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If you liked this workout, check out my review of Cathe Live: Strong Express Upper Body – HERE.

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