Cathe Live Review: Upper Body w Ball (#52)

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Cathe Live Review: Upper Body w Ball (#52)

Upper Body w Ball is a tough, pure strength, workout for the upper body using the stability ball.

The workout consists of three groups of exercises for the upper body, one total body complex and two groups of exercises for core. Most of the exercises use the ball, including the second grouping for the core.

The upper body circuits each include two, three or four exercises that are then repeated, two more times, before moving onto the next group. The first is for chest and back, then shoulders and finally biceps and triceps. This is fast paced workout and there is very little rest between the exercises or even between sets. This was a little frustrating at times, as for example, in the first tri-set Cathe does chest flys and pullovers with no break in between. As I wanted to use a heavier weight for flys than pullovers, I had to pause to quickly change weights here. Each move is done for generally 12 reps but Cathe’s counting is sometimes a little off and you do a few more. I found all of the upper body groupings very challenging, as my muscles were burned out with little to no rest. The ball push-ups and the shoulder circuit were particularly brutal.

After completing the three upper body circuits, you then move into a total body complex. This was a really interesting mix of different moves, including a squat thrust, push-up, renegade rows and overhead tricep extension.This has a good cardio effect too and I was breathing a little harder at the end of this.

The final section is core work. The first superset starts standing and then goes to the floor for a non-weighted move. The second group uses the stability ball for three different moves. Again each of these groups are repeated for a total of three sets before moving on. If I am honest, I really didn’t like this core section, I found several of the moves awkward and because of that I didn’t really feel like they were targeting my core properly. The side leaning oblique crunches, with no hands, I found particularly awkward and so instead did Cathe’s usual version of these, with one hand on the ball and one behind my head. This way I found that my range of motion was far better and the move far more effective.

Overall, although it is a challenging workout, I didn’t really enjoy it and it is probably not one I will return to as, for me, Cathe has so many other better ones.

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The Workout

Upper Body w Ball is a pure strength, upper body workout that ends with two groups of core exercises. The majority of the exercises are performed a total of three times before moving onto the next group of exercises.

What You Need to Know

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

The Moves

Upper Body w Ball is 49 minutes long and originally aired on 21st May 2015 (#52). The workout starts with a 4:30 minute warm-up, before moving into the first tri-set. You will need your equipment handy, as you will be moving quickly from one thing to the next.

Chest & Back

• Chest Flys – two 15# Dbs (I used 20’s) & ball - 13 reps

• Pullovers – two 15# Dbs & ball – 2x 4/4 count & 10x 2/2 count

• Push-ups w/ feet on ball – ball - 12 reps

• Chest Flys – two 12# Dbs (I used 20’s) & ball - 12 reps

• Pullovers – two 12# Dbs (I used 15’s) & ball - 10 reps (2/2 count)

• Push-ups w/ feet on ball – ball - 12 reps

• Incline chest Flys – two 12# Dbs (I used 15’s) & ball - 12 reps

• Pullovers – two 12# Dbs (I used 15’s) & ball - 10 reps

• Push-ups w/ feet on ball – ball - 12 reps

Shoulders

• Seated overhead press – two 12# Dbs & ball- 12 reps

• Incline front raise arcs – two 8# Dbs & ball– 12 reps

• Seated lateral raises – two 8# Dbs & ball- 12 reps

• Smile rear flys (palms facing back & arc Dbs out to side) – two 8# Dbs & ball - 12 reps (fast)

• Seated overhead press – two 12# Dbs & ball- 12 reps

• Incline front raise arcs – two 5# Dbs (I used 8’s) & ball – 12 reps

• Seated lateral raises – two 5# Dbs & ball- 12 reps

• Smile rear flys – two 8# Dbs & ball - 12 reps (fast)

• Seated overhead press – two 12# Dbs & ball- 12 reps

• Incline front raise arcs – two 5# Dbs (I used 8’s) & ball – 12 reps

• Seated lateral raises – two 5# Dbs & ball- 12 reps

• Smile rear flys – two 8# Dbs & ball - 12 reps (fast)

Biceps & Triceps

• Incline hammer curls – two 12# Dbs & ball- 12 reps

• Seated overhead tricep extensions – two 12# Dbs & ball - 12 reps

• Incline bicep curls – two 10# Dbs (I used 12’s) & ball - 12 reps

• Seated overhead tricep extensions – two 12# Dbs & ball - 12 reps

• Incline sweeper curls – two 10# Dbs (I used 12’s) & ball - 12 reps

• 1 Arm tricep kickbacks – one 10# Db (I used 1x 12) & ball - 12 reps

Total Body Complex (no stability ball)

• Squat thrust / 1 push-up / 2 renegade rows / jump feet in to stand up, curl & overhead tricep extension – two 10# Dbs (I used 12’s) – 9 reps (Cathe says 8 reps but then adds a bonus on the end)

Core Group 1 - No stability ball at 30:25 minutes

• Standing side bends – Cathe used one 15# & one 5# Db in one hand (I used 1x 20) - 12 reps each side

• Lying up & overs (both legs raise & lower over 15# Db lying on floor; head raised) – one 15# Db (as a marker only) & mat – 12 reps

• Standing side bends – Cathe used one 15# & one 5# Db in one hand (I used 1x 20) - 12 reps each side

• Lying up & overs (both legs raise & lower over 15# Db lying on floor; head raised) – one 15# Db (as a marker only) & mat – 10 reps

• Standing side bends – Cathe used one 15# & one 5# Db in one hand (I used 1x 20) - 12 reps each side

• Lying up & overs (both legs raise & lower over 15# Db lying on floor; head raised) – one 15# Db (as a marker only) & mat – 8 reps

Core Group 2 - With stability ball

• Sit-up & flutter kicks (tapping ball w/ feet) – ball & mat - 12 reps

• Side leaning oblique crunches (leaning on ball & arms straight over head; crunch up & down) – ball - 12 reps each side

• Reverse crunches (ball on shins) – ball & mat– 47 reps

• Sit-up & flutter kicks (tapping ball w/ feet) – ball & mat - 12 reps

• Side leaning oblique crunches (leaning on ball & arms straight over head; crunch up & down) – ball - 12 reps each side

• Reverse crunches (ball on shins) – ball & mat– 48 reps

• Sit-up & flutter kicks (tapping ball w/ feet) – ball & mat - 12 reps

• Side leaning oblique crunches (leaning on ball & arms straight over head; crunch up & down) – ball - 12 reps (1stside) & 14 reps (2nd side)

• Reverse crunches (ball on shins) – ball & mat– 64 reps

The workout ends with a 3 minute cool down and stretch.

Take Action

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If you liked this workout, check out my review of Cathe Live: Upper Body Challenge w Ball (#136) – HERE.

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