CGX: Iron Program Day 38: Posterior Chain

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 workout. I think that is mostly due to the short or non-existent rest periods. You start with a nice 60/30 interval but then it just gets tougher from there. And the single arm pullovers really highlighted for me how one arm is weaker than the other. I had to give my left arm an assist by the end of the interval.

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.

Posterior Chain is 39:52 minutes (this time does not include the optional 11:38 minute warm up or the 1:45 minute intro, also optional) with a 2:45 minute stretch. Equipment: dumbbells, barbell, bench, glute/booty band and a fitness mat. Caroline’s barbell is at 48kg/105.8 pound and she also uses 17.5kg/38.5 pound and 7.5kg/16.5 pound dumbbells. The weights listed below are what I used.

1. Hip thrusts for 60 seconds (lean back against your bench or step, place barbell on hips, knees bent at 90 degrees w/ knees over ankles, raise and lower hips slowly) (barbell @ 86#)
2. 30 second rest
3. Repeat #1 & 2 two more times
4. Single arm row for 40 seconds (place one knee and one hand on bench, hinge forward) (one 50# DB)
5. (no rest) Momentum row for 20 seconds (same position as #4, row DB up with power and lower slowly) (one 50# DB)
6. 20 second rest
7. Repeat #5 & 6 on other arm
8. 20 second rest
9. Repeat #5-7
10. 30 second rest
11. Staggered hip thrust for 60 seconds (same position as #1, except one leg is extended out further w/ heel on floor so most of the weight is on the leg w/ knee bent at 90 degrees and foot flat on floor) (barbell @ 86#)
12. 30 second rest
13. Repeat 11 w/ foot positions swapped
14. 30 second rest
15. Repeat #11-13 two more times
16. 15 second rest
17. Single arm pull over for 60 seconds (one 20# DB)
18. Repeat #16 & 17 on other arm
19. Repeat #16-18
20. 15 second rest
21. Sweeps for 60 seconds (one knee and same side hand 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)
22. Repeat #20 & 21 on other arm
23. Repeat #20-22
24. Single leg hip thrust for 60 seconds (lean back against your bench or step, one foot on floor w/ knee bent at 90 degrees, other leg is raised, raise and lower hips slowly)
25. (no rest) Repeat #24 on other leg
26. (no rest) Single leg hamstring thrust for 30 seconds (same position as #24 except foot on floor is extended out further w/ heel pressed into floor)
27. (no rest) Repeat #26 on other leg
28. (no rest) Repeat #24 & 25

30 second rest

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

1. Banded lateral walk for 30 seconds (place booty/glute around thighs just above knees, side step the length of your space and back)
2. Walk forward and back for 30 seconds (walk forward the length of your space then walk backward)
3. Repeat #1 & 2