CGX: Lots of Lunges!

This is a workout from Caroline Girvan‘s CGX app. For more info on Caroline’s App, see the CGX App page.

The title is no lie! This entire workout is all lunge variations. This was a tough leg workout. Lunges are not my favorite lower body exercise but Caroline structured this workout to keep it interesting. You have a staple exercise: a weighted stationary lunge, and you will alternate that staple with a body weight lunge variation. It made using heavier dumbbells (for me that is–Caroline used much heavier dumbbells than I am capable of using) for every staple easier. Though by the end of the workout I was considering dropping to 25s, but I stuck with 27.5 pound dumbbells the entire workout. You will do the staple a total of 6 times. My legs were definitely fatigued by the end of this workout.

The exercises in this workout are done interval style: 40 seconds of work followed by 20 seconds of rest. There is a timer in the upper right hand side of the screen counting down your intervals and recoveries. During the recovery Caroline previews the next exercise. There is also a little bar at the bottom of the screen that counts down the entire workout time as a percentage.

Lots of Lunges! is 29:17 minutes (this time does not include the optional 8:58 minute warm up) with a 2:30 minute stretch. Equipment: dumbbells, a yoga block, a step/chair/bench and a fitness mat. Caroline is using 17.5kg/38.5 pound dumbbells. The weights listed below are what I used.

1. Weighted lunge (stationary/static lunge holding DBs) (27.5# DBs)
2. Repeat #1 on other side of body
3. Static elevated lunge (body weight stationary lunge, front foot is elevated on yoga block)
4. Repeat #3 on other side of body
5. Repeat #1 & 2
6. Lunge hold (no DBs/lower to bottom of lunge and hold isometrically entire interval)
7. Repeat # 6 on other side of body
8. Repeat #1 & 2
9. Pulses (no DBs/same as #6 but add small pulses)
10. Repeat #9 on other side of body
11. Repeat #1 & 2
12. Bulgarian lunge (bodyweight stationary lunge w/ back leg elevated on chair/bench behind you)
13. Repeat #12 on other side of body
14. Repeat #1 & 2
15. Rear forward tilt lunge (no DBs/reverse lunges, torso is hinged forward over front leg)
16. Repeat #15 on other side of body
17. Repeat #1 & 2
18. Curtsy rear foot lift (no DBs/stationary cross-back lunge, at top of lunge lift back toe off of floor)
19. Repeat #18 on other side of body

Finisher: (100 seconds; no rest/recoveries; all body weight)

1. Close stance lunge hold for 20 seconds (static/stationary lunge but back leg is in closer so at bottom of lunge knee is close to heel of front foot, lower to bottom of lunge and hold isometrically entire interval)
2. Repeat #1 on other side of body
3. Close stance stationary lunges for 20 seconds (partial range, lower to bottom of lunge but only raise halfway)
4. Repeat #3 on other side of body
5. Alternating reverse lunges for 20 seconds