This is a workout from Caroline Girvan‘s CGX app. For more info on Caroline’s App, see the CGX App page. Though the focus of this workout is the quads, I felt this in my hamstrings, too. That’s probably because of the step ups. This is a solid lower body strength workout, perfect for when you are short on time. I paired this with her CGXmas Day 1: Glutes & Hamstrings. Between the two workouts, my lower body was well worked this morning.
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 corner of the screen counting down your intervals and recoveries. During the recoveries Caroline previews the next superset. There is also a progress bar at the bottom of the screen, counting down the workout time as a percentage.
Supersetted Quads is 23:56 minutes (this time does not include the optional 9 minute warm up or the 3:18 minute intro, also optional) with a 1:30 minute stretch. Equipment: dumbbells, high step or box, heel wedges, yoga block and a fitness mat. Caroline is using 20kg/44 pound and 10kg/22 pound dumbbells. The weights listed below are what I used.
- Goblet squat for 60 seconds (one 50# DB)
- Bodyweight elevated squats for 60 seconds (heels are elevated on wedges)
- 45 second rest
- Repeat #1-3 two more times
- Close lunge for 75 seconds (front foot is elevated on yoga block, stationary/static lunge with legs closer together than a normal lunge) (25# DBs)
- Body weight step ups for 60 seconds (one foot remains on high step/box entire interval, raise up onto step then lower non-working foot back to floor)
- 30 second rest
- Repeat #5-7 on other leg
- Repeat #6-8
Finisher: (2 minutes; no rest/recovery between exercises)
- Paused close lunge for 30 seconds (front foot is on yoga block, stationary/static lunge w/ legs closer together than a normal lunge, lower to bottom of lunge and pause briefly) (25# DBs)
- Bodyweight full range lunge for 30 seconds (repeat #1 w/ no DBs and no pause)
- Repeat #1 & 2 on other leg
