Cathe Live Review: Total Body Cardio Blast (#324)
Total Body Cardio Blast is a really straight forward and effective, cardio and strength, circuit workout. I really liked this routine, as there’s nothing fancy or awkward in here – it’s all just basic moves that get the job done nicely. This isn’t a super intense workout but I was nice and sweaty by the end. You could easily increase the intensity a little more though, by using heavier weights and adding more speed and impact to the cardio moves.
The workout is structured into six circuits. Each circuit starts with a cardio move that is usually repeated for two or more sets. You then have a mix of 3 or 4 strength moves that incorporate lower body, upper body and a little core. The cardio moves are all easy to follow and very familiar Cathe moves, such as, line taps, squats in a box and halo slams. They are not too high rep but just enough to get you breathing a little harder and that heart rate up a little more. The cardio intervals are a mix of higher and lower impact so I just modified a few of the higher impact moves, such as, tuck jumps, as I am still recovering.
The strength exercises are a mix of compound and more isolation type moves. They generally target either the lower or upper body with just two core specific moves and another move that works both the core and upper body together (chest flys with leg extensions). However, you are engaging your core in every exercise anyway so it still gets some good work. Cathe used more moderate weights for this one – between 5 and 15 pounds. I used the same, as I am still not feeling great and this worked well today. However, as the pace is fairly controlled, for all of the moves, you could easily go a bit heavier, if you wanted to. The rep ranges vary but are often between 12 and 16 reps with some much higher for the lighter weight moves. The whole workout is fairly metabolic and you are moving reasonably quickly from one thing to the next. Cathe describes this as more of a “breathy” workout that focuses more on challenging your stamina and improving muscular strength and endurance. I didn’t actually find it as “breathy” as I was expecting, as many of her other workouts are far more metabolic, but I did get a nice workout.
Overall, an enjoyable cardio and strength workout that targets the whole body.
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The Workout
Total Body Cardio Blast is a cardio and strength circuit workout consisting of six rounds of one cardio interval and three or four strength moves.
What You Need to Know
(Rating scale – 1= lowest & 5 = highest).
The Moves
Total Body Cardio Blast is 52 minutes long and originally aired on 3rd December 2020 (#324). The workout starts with a long and fairly active 8 minute warm-up. You pick up 5 pound dumbbells towards the end of the warm-up to work the upper body a little more. You will need to have your equipment handy, as you move quite quickly from one thing to the next. Cardio moves shown in bold italics below.
Circuit 1
Scoop water out of the pool (line taps w/ scooping arms)
Squat press – two 10# Dbs – 8 sets (2x single arm, 1x both & 1 press)
Front raise & alternating tap back / front raise – two 5# Dbs – 8 sets (2x single arms & 2x both arms) & 8x both arms (no tap)
Push-ups – mat – 10 reps, 8 reps & 6 reps
Circuit 2
4 Broad jump forward & run back / 8 attacks & 8 heel clicks – 2 sets
Plie squat & upright row – two 15# Dbs – 16 reps
Rear delt flys – two 10# Dbs – 10 reps, 9 reps & 10 reps
1 Arm tricep kickback in plank – one 12# Db – 2 sets of 8 reps on each side
Circuit 3
Squats in a box / 4 lateral jump & tuck – 4 sets
Alternating front lunge w/ lateral raise / stand & lateral raise – two 5# Dbs – 16 reps
Squat & twist – one 10# Db – 28 reps
Sweeper curls – two 15# Dbs – 10 reps
Sweeper curls – two 12# Dbs – 12 reps
Sweeper curls – two 10# Dbs – 16 reps
Circuit 4
Straight jumps (pencil jumps) – 24 reps & 10 reps
Alternating back lunge & calf raise – two 15# Dbs – 16 reps
Alternating back touch down lunge (touching Db towards floor) – one 15# Db – 16 reps
1 Arm row – two 12# Dbs (I used 1x 20) – 16 reps each side
Side plank hip dips – mat – 16 reps each side
Circuit 5
8 Prisoner line taps / 8 long reach lunges – 3 sets on each side
Crossback lunge & W curl – two 12# Dbs – 16 reps
Overhead tricep extensions – two 12# Dbs – 16 reps
Sit-up into 1 arm reverse table – mat – 12 reps
Circuit 6
Halo slams – 20 reps & 21 reps
2 Deadlifts / 3 double arm rows – two 15# Dbs – 8 sets
Chest fly w/ alternating 1 leg extension – two 15# Dbs & mat – 22 reps
Sit-up & Russian twist (sit-up; pick up Db & twist to each side 3x, 7x or 1x then set Db down & lay back) – one 15# Db & mat – 4x 3 twists, 2x 7 twists & 8x 1 twist
The workout ends with a 4 minute cool down and stretch.
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If you liked this workout, check out my review of Cathe Live: Touch Up Training (#294) – HERE.
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Int/Adv. Completed 12/02/21