CGX: Iron Program Day 28: Glute Focused Circuit

This is a workout from Caroline Girvan‘s CGX app. For more info on Caroline’s App, see the CGX App page. This was a very tough glute/hamstring workout. Caroline created a very challenging circuit filled with supersets, cluster sets and short rests that you repeat 3 times. I was working very hard throughout this workout. I increased the weight I use, too. By the finisher my legs were so fatigued that even the band only exercises were challenging! The stretch at the end was very welcome because Caroline includes pigeon pose to really stretch out those fatigued glutes.

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 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.

The first exercise and recovery are messed up. There is no timer and the preview shows Caroline doing the exercise with a barbell (she is not; the first exercise is band only). After that there is no recovery timer and the preview shows Caroline doing the exercise without the barbell (second exercise uses a barbell). So something got mixed up. But after that everything plays out correctly.

Glutes Focused Circuit is 42:05 minutes (this time does not include the optional 9 minute warm up or the 1:22 minute intro, also optional) with a 3:10 minute stretch. Equipment: dumbbells, a barbell, a chair or bench, a booty band, and a fitness mat. Optional is a towel to protect your hips or a barbell pad. Caroline’s barbell is at 48kg/105.8 pounds and she is using 15kg/33 pound dumbbells. The weights listed below are what I used.

1. Glute activation for 60 seconds (banded hip thrust–booty band is around thighs just above knees, lean back against your bench or step, knees bent and open so there is tension on band, and feet on floor, raise and lower hips slowly)
2. 28 second rest
3. Banded hip thrust for 60 seconds (repeat #1 but with barbell on hips) (barbell @ 85#)
4. (no rest) Repeat #1 for 45 seconds
5. 15 second rest
6. Banded forward and back walk for 60 seconds (band is still around thighs, walk forward the length of your space then walk backward back to start)
7. 30 second rest
8. Repeat #3
9. 30 second rest
10. Hip thrust clusters (repeat #3 for 20 seconds followed by 20 seconds of rest; repeat this 20/20 interval/rest 3 more times) (barbell@ 80#)
11. 20 second rest
12. Forward tilt Bulgarian lunges for 60 seconds (stationary/static lunge, back leg is elevated on step/bench behind you, hold one DB in same side hand as front leg, torso is hinged forward over front leg) (one 30# DB)
13. (no rest) Repeat #12 for 30 seconds, bodyweight only
14. 15 second rest
15. Repeat #12 & 13 on other leg
16. 30 second rest
17. Repeat #3-16 two more times

Finisher: (135 seconds)

1. Body weight banded hip thrusts for 45 seconds
2. Banded forward and back walk for 45 seconds
3. Repeat #1