This is a workout from Caroline Girvan‘s CGX app. For more info on Caroline’s App, see the CGX App page. Wow! This was a very tough upper body workout! I was glad to see it kicking Caroline’s a$$, too! The first 40% of the workout is straight sets of pullovers and push ups to really warm you up since both are compound exercises that work every muscle in your upper body. Then she hits you with giant sets for the rest of the workout. Each giant set is 3 solid minutes of non-stop work. Luckily she does give you a full minute of recovery between each giant set because you will need it! At least I did!
This workout is done interval style. Since it is made up of straight sets and giant sets, 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 exercise/giant set. There is also a progress bar at the bottom of the screen, counting down the workout time as a percentage.
Upper Body is 38:01 minutes (this time does not include the optional 3:55 minute warm up or the 2:43 minute intro, also optional) with a 2:15 minute stretch. Equipment: dumbbells and a fitness mat. Optional push up bars. Caroline is using 15kg/33 pound, 7.5kg/16.5 pound and 4kg/8.8 pound dumbbells. The weights listed below are what I used.
- Pullover for 90 seconds (one 40# DB)
- 30 second rest
- Push ups for 60 seconds (arms wide, Caroline is using push up bars; I used DBs)
- 30 second rest
- Repeat #1-4 three more times
- Upright row for 30 seconds (15# DBs)
- (no rest) Supine row for 30 seconds (bent over double arm row with palms facing forward) (30# DBs)
- (no rest) Shoulder press for 30 seconds (arms are in goal post) (15# DBs)
- (no rest) Repeat #6-8
- 60 second rest
- Repeat #6-10 two more times
- Rear fly for 30 seconds (bent over rear delt fly with palms facing behind you) (8# DBs)
- (no rest) Lateral raise for 30 seconds (standing) (8# DBs)
- (no rest) Alternating cross hammer raise for 30 seconds (straight arm front raise, arm raises on a diagonal across body, palms face body at bottom of move) (10# DBs)
- Repeat #1-14
- 60 second rest
- Repeat #12-15
30 second rest
Finisher: (1:30 minutes; no rest/recoveries between exercises)
- Slow low then explode up push ups for 30 seconds (lower slowly to bottom of push up, push up back to plank “explosively”, Caroline is using push up bars)
- Deadstop explosive push ups for 60 seconds (lower slowly to the floor, raise hands off floor briefly and push back up to plank explosively, no push up bars)
