CGX: Unleash Series Day 6: Lower Body

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 tough lower body workout! Right out of the gate Caroline hits you with deadstop lunges. And you will alternate two sets of deadstop lunges with two sets of bridges for the first 60% of the workout. And if your legs aren’t burned out then, Caroline will fix that with a 5:15 minute giant set of squats, lunges and squat jumps. That you do twice! Luckily, Caroline does give you some longer recoveries but that does not stop this from being a very intense and metabolic workout.

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 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.

Lower Body is 42:32 minutes (this time does not include the optional 5:55 minute warm up or the 2:40 minute intro, also optional) with a 3:30 minute stretch. Equipment: dumbbells, a yoga block, heel wedges and a fitness mat. Caroline’s barbell is at 68kg/150 pound and she also uses 15kg/33 pound and 10kg/22 pound dumbbells. The weights listed below are what I used.

1. Deadstop lunges for 75 seconds (stationary lunges w/ front foot elevated on yoga block, at bottom of lunge lower back knee so it rests on mat briefly before raising out of lunge) (20# DBs)
2. 45 second rest
3. Repeat #1 & 2 on other leg
4. Repeat #1-3
5. 45 second rest
6. Bridges for 90 seconds (lay on back on mat, knees bent and feet close to glutes, barbell or heavy DB rests on hips, raise and lower hips) (one 80# DB)
7. 30 second rest
8. Repeat #6 for 75 seconds
9. 45 second rest
10. Repeat #1-9
11. Heel elevated squats for 60 seconds (squats with heels elevated on wedges, DBs resting on shoulders) (30# DBs)
12. (no rest) Rear step lunge x1 dumbbell for 60 seconds (step back reverse lunge holding one DB at same side shoulder as front leg) (one 30# DB)
13. (no rest) Repeat #12 on other leg
14. (no rest) Rear foot lift lunge for 60 seconds (body weight stationary/static lunge, when raising out of lunge, lift back foot off floor)
15. (no rest) Repeat #14 on other leg
16. (no rest) Squats/jumps for 15 seconds (squat jumps or air squats)
17. 45 second rest
18. Repeat #11-16

30 second rest

Finisher: (2 minutes; no rest/recoveries)

1. Slow squats for 30 seconds  (body weight)
2. Squat jumps/regular squats for 15 seconds
3. Repeat #1 & 2
4. Repeat #1