It kinda sucks how it’s always either almost time to wear a bathing suit or already time to wear a bathing suit. (Except for maybe a couple of months in the Fall when you’re allowed to blissfully forget bathing suits exist.)

The Super Cuts workout with Cathe Friedrich will leave your body sculpted and beautiful—and ready for any bathing suit.

This is the routine I do when I really just want to eat cheesecake but know that eventually I’ll have to put on a bathing suit again.

Here’s what Super Cuts looks like:

Super Cuts is compound training at its best.

With only light weights and a few other accessories you’ll be completely shocked at just how intense this routine is.  Super Cuts is a MUST for anyone who wants to look (and feel) like a badass.

Let me explain…

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Instructor-Cathe Friedrich

Category-Strength+

Length-46 minutes

Equipment–

5 & 8 lb. dumbbells

light/medium resistance tubing* (the kind with handles)

discs

exercise loop

dixie cups

mat

The dixie cups are optional (you can just pretend to have them) and are only used once.

*The exercises using the tubing aren’t easy to do with tubing.  I use an exercise band, instead.

HRM-325 calories

Choreography-Simple+

You’ll need some coordination but the moves aren’t complicated.

My rating- A

Important Stuff about Super Cuts with Cathe Friedrich

This is a review of the main workout on Super Cuts.  I’ve reviewed Super Cuts Extreme + Core 1 (one of the premixes on this video), too.  If you don’t think this routine is hard enough then move on to that premix.

The entire workout is metabolic training made up of compound exercises with weights.  That means you’ll be working more than one body part.  The exercises are done fast to keep your heartrate up and burn more calories.

Use light weights as recommended.  The exercises are done fast.  You may throw something out if you try to use too much weight.

I love Super Cuts because the exercises are unique and there’s virtually no repetition so you’ll never get bored.

There are 13 Premix routines included on this video.  Score!  That means you’ll have 14 workouts to choose from.  (Premix workouts are additional routines included on almost all Cathe Friedrich videos.  Some are shorter and some are longer than the main workout.)

Warm-Up

The warm-up is about 4 minutes long and has low-impact exercises, squats, and a few push-ups.  You won’t need any equipment for the warm-up.

Main Workout (The Exercises in Super Cuts)

SQUAT PRESSES

8 lb. dumbbells (DB’s)

16 reps

Notice how she rotates her hands at the top of the move.

LATERAL SUMO WALKS

8 lb. DB’s

There are 4 passes

Pay attention to how deep Cathe does her squats.  Try to do it like she does.

SQUAT PRESS WITH ALTERNATING LEG ABDUCTIONS

8 lbs. DB’s

16 reps

WALKING LATERAL SQUATS WITH A BICEP CURL/OVERHEAD PRESS

Exercise Loop and 8 lb DB’s

There are 8 passes

If you don’t have an exercise loop then you can tie an exercise band around your legs, instead.

TWO-HAND PULL ACROSS CHEST

Tubing* (the kind with handles)

*This is one of the exercises where I use my band, instead.

16 reps per side

Notice the way her hands are gripping the handles.  You should feel this in your shoulders and core (mostly your shoulders).  The handles on my tubing always scrape my knuckles when I do this exercise (and one reason I use the band)

SQUAT KICK/SQUAT BACK LUNGE

No equipment

16 per side

Noice that she kicks with one leg and lunges back with the opposite leg. Keep your chest up.  Lunge deep.

LONG LEVER LATERAL RAISE

5 lb. DB’s

3 sets of 8

Try hard not to bounce.  Little fires will ignite in your shoulders.  That’s a sign you’re doing it right.

SQUAT KICK/SQUAT BACK LUNGE (on the other side)

No equipment

16 reps

REAR DELT FLYS

8 lb. DB’s

There are 16 reps

It’s hard not to bounce on this exercise but try to keep it controlled.

BURPEE WITH 2 JACK PUSH-UPS

Two Discs

6 sets

Your toes will be on the discs for this exercise.

ALTERNATING FRONT LUNGES (FORWARD LEANING LUNGES)

Dixie Cups (or nothing)

CHEST PRESS

Tubing (or a band)

12 reps

Good luck with this one.  You’ll notice that Cathe’s team really struggles through every rep because their tubes are too tight.  If you have the same problem then just do push-ups or use a band for this exercise.

ROW AND ARROWS

One 5 lb. DB

20 reps

ALTERNATING SIT-OUTS

No equipment

20 reps

Listen to the form pointers (and watch a few reps), if you’ve never done this exercise before.  Your butt should NOT hit the floor.  This is for your core (you’ll realize that by the 10^th rep).

ROW AND ARROWS (on the other side)

One 5 lb. DB

20 reps

ALTERNATING KICK-OUTS

No equipment

20 reps

This exercise is only slightly different than the sit-outs but it makes a difference.  This time you’ll need to find some balance.  It’s harder than the sit-out.  It looks like they’re moving slow until you try to keep up with them.

SPRING SHOOTERS

No equipment

16 reps per side

This exercise is a vertical jump with your legs split in a lunge

WOOD CHOP (with a side swing)

One 8 lb. DB

I think there are 8 sets

This move is for your core.  Keep your abs tight.  Don’t slam that weight into your leg. (When I give a warning like that it’s because I’ve already made the mistake).

STANDING WINDMILLS

5 lb. DB’s

10 per side

Look at how her feet are pointed and which way her palms are facing.  This is another exercise for the core.

CROSS BACK LUNGE

Two Discs

Cathe starts out doing pulses of 3 and then transitions into singles with changing arm positions

BACK LUNGE WITH A BICEP CURL

One Disc and one 8 lb. DB

8 per side

SINGLE LEG DEAD LIFT

8 lbs. DB’s

12 per side

There’s an awkward moment when Cathe gives Jai (the girl over Cathe’s left shoulder) a hard time for doing the one-leg version of this exercise but that’s the way I always try to do it.  If you can pull it off you’ll really feel your hamstring fire.  Of course, somedays my balance is terrible so I have to keep both feet on the ground.

TRICEP EXTENSION

Tubing (or a band, or 8 lb. DB’s)

16 reps

It’s pretty obvious that the tubing is too stiff for everyone on the set (except Cathe) on this exercise.  Grab your 8’s (or a band) if the tubing is too tight for you, too.  Try to keep your hands close together.

*In the premix I review (Super Cuts Extreme+Core 1), this is where the routine stops and go back to the beginning starting with the squat/overhead press and ending with the spring shooters, before going on.

SIT-UP WITH WIDE FLY

Tubing (or a band)

10 reps

The tube (if you have it) works fine for this exercise. If the tube is too hard to pull back then don’t cross it over your feet (or bend your legs) so there’s less tension.  You can also use a band, instead.

PRONE TOTAL BODY COMPLEX

One 5 lb. DB

12 per side

Cathe gives this exercise a fancy name but it’s not hard.  Watch her for the set-up (you just get on all fours).  You do have to balance.  I never can get my leg to go up as high as her team.

CORE

This core section is so much fun.  You do 5 sit-ups and then flip over and immediately do 5 push-ups.  There are 8 sets.  Don’t let your belly sag on those push-ups!  Stay strong and do every rep (even if you finish after Cathe and her team).  This works everything and is a great way to finish.

*In the Super Cuts Extreme + Core 1 premix, there’s another set of sit-ups after this!  It’s tough and will make you want to cry a little.  Be glad you didn’t do that premix today.

Cool Down/Stretch

Do the cool down/stretch.  You need it.  Never skip the stretch.

Now What?

Super Cuts is an amazing workout in under an hour.  I love the originality and all the premixes.  If you’re looking to add resistance training to your workouts (you should) then Super Cuts is a great option.

You can find Super Cuts on:

Cathe’s site

Amazon

Collage Video

And don’t forget you can access ALL of Cathe Friedrich’s routines/programs with a membership to Cathe on Demand.  

Read, How to Sign Up for Cathe Live or Cathe on Demand + Live, for more information.

Thanks for reading!