CGX: Iron Program Day 32: Upper Body

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 tough upper body workout. Those cluster sets are killer! There is some unilateral work and Caroline uses that really fries the muscle group. After I finished this workout I did CGX: 10 Min Sit Up Abs. Even though the ab work does not work you back, I felt everything I did throughout my lats. So this workout really woke them up!

This workout is done interval style. The interval and recovery times are all different 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 the workout time as a percentage.

Upper Body is 39:25 minutes (this time does not include the optional 5:52 minute warm up or the 5:13 minute intro, also optional) with a 2:20 minute stretch. Equipment: dumbbells, a chair, and a fitness mat. Caroline is using 15kg/33 pound, 10kg/22 pound and 5kg/11 pound dumbbells. The weights listed below are what I used.

1. Hammer press for 45 seconds (seated shoulder press, palms face each other) (25# DBs)
2. 30 second rest
3. Repeat #1 & 2 two more times (22.5# DBs)
4. x1 arm momentum row for 60 seconds (single arm row, pull DB up with force and lower slowly, Caroline rests one hand and knee on chair) (one 50# DB)
5. 10 second rest
6. Repeat #1 for 20 seconds
7. Repeat #5 & 6 three more times
8. 20 second rest
9. Repeat #4-7 on other arm
10. 30 second rest
11. Chest fly for 75 seconds (25# DBs)
12. 30 second rest
13. Repeat #11
14. 20 second rest
15. Diamond press for 60 seconds (similar to a chest press but DBs are pressed together over chest) (22.5# DBs)
16. 10 second rest
17. Repeat #15 for 20 seconds
18. Repeat #16 & 17 three more times
19. 30 second rest
20. Arnold press for 45 seconds (seated) (20# DBs)
21. 30 second rest
22. Repeat #20 & 21 two more times (18# DBs)
23. Palm behind rear delt fly for 60 seconds (bent over single arm rear delt fly, palm faces behind you, one hand and knee rest on chair) (one 9# DB)
24. 10 second rest
25. Repeat #23 for 20 seconds
26. Repeat #24 & 25 three more times
27. 20 second rest
28. Repeat #23-26 on other arm
29. 30 second rest
30. Pullover for 75 seconds (one 45# DB)
31. 30 seconds rest
32. Repeat #30
33. 20 second rest
34. Momentum lateral raise for 60 seconds (raise with power) (9# DBs)
35. 10 second rest
36. Repeat #34 for 20 seconds
37. Repeat #35 & 36 three more times
38. 30 second rest

Finisher: Standing chest press (Svend press) for 60 seconds (hold one DB by bar with both hands, push DB straight in front of you and pull it back to chest (one 20# DB)