CGX: Iron Program Day 13: Glutes & Abs

This is a workout from Caroline Girvan‘s CGX app. For more info on Caroline’s App, see the CGX App page. This workout kicked my butt! Which is the point since it is a glute workout. I had to lower the weight on my barbell because the hip thrusts were killing me. This was the second workout I did this morning. I started with CGX: Sumo Leg Day. No hip thrusts in that workout but it still fried my lower body. Caroline is seriously a beast. She did 105.8 pounds the entire workout and I wimped out on 80 pounds. However, I slept poorly last night. So maybe that had something to do with my struggle during this workout. **Note for myself when/if I return to the Iron Program (and I probably will): I felt horrible all day yesterday and was pretty useless–so I am pretty sure that is why I was struggling so much more than usual during this workout. It’s the next day and I feel much better and I was strong during my workout this morning.**

This workout is done interval style. The interval and recovery times vary so they are noted below in the breakdown. 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.

Glutes & Abs is 35:59 minutes (this time does not include the optional 9 minute warm up or the 1:44 minute intro, also optional) with a 3 minute stretch. Equipment: dumbbells, booty/glute band, a barbell with a barbell pad, a bench and a fitness mat. Caroline is using one 40kg/88 pound dumbbell and a 48kg/105.8 pound barbell. The first time through the circuit I used an 80 pound barbell for the hip thrusts. The second time through the circuit I had to drop my barbell weight to 65 pounds. I used a 70 pound dumbbell for the sumo squats.

1. Walking lateral abduction for 60 seconds (place glute band around thighs just above knees, side step the length of your space and back)
2. 20 second rest
3. Hip thrust slow eccentric for 60 seconds (place booty band around thighs, lean back against your bench or step, place one heavy DB or barbell on hips, knees bent and open so there is tension on band, and feet on floor, thrust hips up with power and lower hips slowly)
4. 30 second rest
5. Hip thrust to a normal pace for 60 seconds (raise and lower hips at the same tempo)
6. 30 second rest
7. Narrow stance hip thrust for 60 seconds (remove booty band and repeat #5)
8. 30 second rest
9. Wider stance hip thrust for 60 seconds (repeat #7 with legs wider)
10. 30 second rest
11. Sumo deadlift squat for 60 seconds (legs are wide, toes turned out, torso is hinged forward deadlift style, hold one DB by bar with both hands)
12. (no rest) Sump deeadlift squat bodyweight/no DB for 60 seconds
13. 20 second rest
14. Butterfly crunch for 60 seconds (lay on back on mat, soles of feet are together, knees open wide with heels pulled in close to groin, crunch upper body reaching arms between thighs)
15. (no rest) Clockwise crunch for 60 seconds (lay on back with knees bent and feet on mat, hands are behind head, do an upper body crunch but you circle your upper body in a clockwise direction)
16. (no rest) Repeat #15 in an anti/counter clockwise direction
17. (no rest) Alt toe reach for 60 seconds (lay on back with legs extended straight to ceiling, reach for one toe with opposite hand while crunching upper body, alternate sides)
18. (no rest) Hover alternating foot reach (scissor straight legs keeping head/shoulders elevated, when one leg is extended to ceiling, reach for toe with opposite hand)
19. 30 second rest
20. Repeat #1-19

Finisher: (2 minutes)

1. Banded hip thrust for 45 seconds (place booty band around thighs, lean back against your bench or step, place one heavy DB or barbell on hips, knees bent and open so there is tension on band, and feet on floor, raise and lower hips to a brisk pace)
2. 15 second rest (remove barbell or DB)
3. Repeat #1 with just booty band for 60 seconds