CGX: Iron Program Day 35: Rows, Pulls and Curls: Back & Biceps

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

Another solid back and biceps workout. Caroline is challenging you right out of the gate with those paused pullovers. I used a lighter dumbbell for those. I had my 45 pound dumbbell ready for when you transition to regular pullovers but those paused ones fatigued my shoulders and back so much I just stuck with the 40. And that finisher was a bicep burner! After I finished this workout I went straight into CGX: Most Intense Chest & Tri Drop. My arms are fried!

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.

Rows, Pulls & Curls is 33:13 minutes (this time does not include the optional 5:52 minute warm up or the 3:32 minute intro, which is not optional) with a 2:10 minute stretch. Equipment: dumbbells, a chair or bench and a fitness mat. Caroline is using one 17.5kg/38.5 pound, one 15kg/33 pound and 7.5kg/16.5 pound dumbbells. The weights listed below are what I used.

1. Paused pullover for 75 seconds (pause briefly at bottom of pullover) (one 40# DB)
2. 30 second rest
3. Repeat #1 & 2
4. Regular pullover for 60 seconds (no pause) (one 40# DB)
5. 30 second rest
6. Repeat #4 & 5
7. Single arm row for 60 seconds (one knee and same side hand rest on bench/chair) (one 50# DB)
8. 15 second rest
9. Repeat #7 on other arm
10. 30 second rest
11. Repeat #7-10
12. Rotational row for 60 seconds (single arm row, at bottom of row palm faces behind you, as you row DB, rotate DB so palm faces in front of you at top of row) (one 40# DB)
13. 15 second rest
14. Repeat #12 on other arm
15. 30 second rest
16. Repeat #12-15
17. Rotational bicep curl for 45 seconds (start w/ DBs at your side like a hammer curl, as you curl DBs, rotate them so palms face the ceiling) (20# DBs)
18. 30 second rest
19. Repeat #17 & 18
20. Hammer curls for 45 seconds (20# DBs)
21. 30 second rest
22. Repeat #20 & 21
23. Sweeps for 60 seconds (one knee and same side arm on bench/chair, torso is hinged forward, keeping arm holding DB partially straight, sweep arm/DB upward w/ palm facing body and arm kept close to side) (one 15# DB)
24. 15 second rest
25. Repeat #23 & 24 on other arm
26. Repeat 23-25

Finisher: (2 minutes; no rest/recoveries between exercises)

1. Hammer curl for 20 seconds (16.5# DBs)
2. Hold for 20 seconds (curl DBs halfway so elbows are bent at 90 degrees and hold isometrically) (16.5# DBs)
3. Repeat #1
4. Rotational curl full>hold>full (repeat #1-3 but as rotational curls) (16.5# DBs)