I need more barbell!

Today's workout was brought to you by my barbell:

Don't get all excited--there's only 25 lbs on that bar.

I busted out some barbell action this morning with Cathe's Muscle Endurance workout.  It's an oldie (from around 2005) but a goodie, with tons of barbell work at the beginning until she works the smaller muscle groups at the end with some light dumbbells.  Here's a quick breakdown of the workout:

PROS: 

• I got to use my barbell.  A lot.  At one point I had 40 pounds on the thing until I realized that if I blew my back out I could not climb upstairs to get my husband to take me to the hospital.
• She really works the legs--all aspects of it.  I like this because there was some decent glute and hamstring work, without overloading the quads.  As a runner who suspects her glutes are being total lazy-asses and need to firm up, I'm all over this.  I also like that she doesn't just work the muscles in front. 
• You can use the weight that works for you.  I went heavier on some of the dumbbell portions at the end than Cathe did, but lighter on some of the barbell exercises because my legs were still kind of trashed from the 14 mile run I did on Saturday.  
• Did I mention I got to use the barbell a lot?  If I didn't, I'd like you to know it was definitely a "pro" of this workout.
• Not a ton of equipment was needed.  Unlike some of her other workouts, I didn't feel as if I was using a plethora of equipment just for "variety."  Sometimes just a barbell and two sets of dumbells are all you need.
• I felt totally badass doing lat rows and deadlifts with my barbell.  Bad.  Ass.

CONS:

• Leg presses on the high step.  Lots of them.  One round was more than enough.
• She really worked the triceps and shoulders with multiple exercises for those muscle groups, but only did one exercise for the biceps (barbell curls).  My biceps beg for more abuse, Cathe.
• The atrocious set design.  I think it was meant to feel as if you were back in ancient Greece or Rome, working out with the gods or something, but I felt like I was on a cheap set made to look like ancient Greece or Rome.

Overall, I dig it as a workout, and will be doing this one more often--mainly because what all of my workouts need is more barbell.