CGX: Iron Program Day 25: It’s Arm Day!

This is a workout from Caroline Girvan‘s CGX app. For more info on Caroline’s App, see the CGX App page. My arms are fried after doing this workout! It was frying Caroline’s arms, too, I assume, since she had to take several breaks in the course of several intervals. Before doing this workout I did her CGXmas Biceps & Back workout, so my biceps were already pumped when I came to this workout. Luckily this workout starts with triceps. And I was feeling strong in the beginning but by the halfway mark I was dropping to lighter dumbbells. I fear my arms will be so sore tomorrow they will be useless.

Most of the exercises in this workout are done interval style: 60 seconds of work followed by 30 seconds of rest. A few have different interval and rest times and those are noted in the breakdown. If it is not noted then it is 60/30. 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.

It’s Arm Day is 34:58 minutes (this time does not include the optional 5:52 minute warm up or the 3:51 minute intro, also optional) with a 1:20 minute stretch. Equipment: dumbbells, a chair and a fitness mat. Caroline is using  12.5kg/27.5 pound, 10kg/22 pound, 7.5kg/16.5 pound, and 5kg/11 pound dumbbells. The weights listed below are what I used.

1. Tricep press (like a chest press but palms face each other and arms/elbows are kept close to sides) (27.5# DBs)
2. Repeat #1
3. Skull crushers (15# DBs)
4. Repeat #3
5. Seated overhead tricep extension (French press) (one 30# DB)
6. Repeat #5 (one 25# DB)
7. Palms up bicep curl (20# DBs)
8. Hammer curl (20# DBs)
9. Cross body curl (arms/DBs start at sides in hammer style, when you curl DBs up, bring DBs together in front of chest) (18# DBs)
10. Repeat #7-9 (18# DBs for all 3)
11. Single arm tate press for 70 seconds (lay on back, arm extended straight to ceiling, bend at elbow bringing DB toward opposite shoulder or to mat just past shoulder) (one 13# DB)
12. 10 second rest
13. Repeat #11 on other arm
14. Repeat #11-13 (except #12 is a 20 second rest)
15. Concentration curl for 70 seconds (sit on bench or chair, hold one DB in one hand, legs are wide, lean forward with tricep against inner thighs, do bicep curls in this position) (one 18# DB)
16. 10 second rest
17. Repeat #15 on other arm
18. Repeat #15-17 (except #16 is a 20 second rest) (one 16.5# DB)

Finisher: (2:30 minutes)

1. Skull crusher for 45 seconds (x1 dumbbell) (hold one DB in both hands) (one 20# DB)
2. Overhead extension for 45 seconds (still holding one DB in both hands, extend arms out further so DB lowers toward mat past head) (one 20# DB)
3. 15 second rest
4. Alternating supination curls for 60 seconds (arms start hammer style with palms facing each other, as you curl, rotate palms/DB so palm faces ceiling) (16.5# DBs)