CGX: Back Workout

This is a workout from Caroline Girvan‘s CGX app. For more info on Caroline’s App, see the CGX App page. Wow! What an excellent back workout! I love her CGX: Back Circuit, too. I am not sure which one I like better! They both are excellent! These two back workouts (and the chest and triceps workout) will probably get the most use from me. I love their length and how you can stack them with other workouts to make sure you are hitting every muscle group.

This workout is done interval style. The interval times are all different so they are noted below in the breakdown. The rest/recoveries are usually 20 seconds. The only time they are not 20 seconds is when you change position from single arm row to a pullover. Then you get 30 seconds. That happens 3 times in the course of the workout. There is a timer in the upper right hand corner of the screen counting down your intervals and recoveries. During the recoveries Caroline previews the next exercise. There is also a progress bar at the bottom of the screen, counting down thee workout time as a percentage. Caroline uses a regular bench (as in, one you would have in your living room). I used a workout bench. You can also use a step bench or you can just do the pullovers on the floor and the rows with your knee resting on a chair.

Back Workout is 24:05 minutes (this time does not include the optional 5:53 minute warm up) with a 3 minute stretch. Equipment: dumbbells, bench or fitness mat. Caroline is using one 15kg/33 pound dumbbell. The weights listed below are what I used.

1. Single arm row for 40 seconds (one knee rests on bench) (one 47.5# DB)
2. Repeat #1 on other arm
3. Repeat #1 & 2
4. Slow eccentric pullover for 60 seconds (lay on bench, lower DB slowly and lift DB at regular speed) (one 35# DB)
5. Repeat #4
6. Single arm supine row for 40 seconds (one knee rests on bench, palm faces forward) (one 42.5# DB)
7. Repeat #6 on other arm
8. Repeat #6 & 7
9. Pause at bottom pull over for 60 seconds (one 35# DB)
10. Repeat #9
11. Single arm rotational row for 40 seconds (one knee rests on bench, at bottom of row palm faces behind you, rotate DB as you row upward so palm faces in front of you at top of row) (one 40# DB)
12. Repeat #11 on other arm
13. Repeat #11 & 12
14. Pullover for 60 seconds (one 40# DB)
15. Repeat #14