This is a workout from Caroline Girvan‘s CGX app. For more info on Caroline’s App, see the CGX App page. This is an awesome back and bicep workout. A real burner. The first 2/3 of the workout is all back work done as straight sets. There are lots of pullovers so your entire upper body is getting worked, too, not just your back. I really felt this workout in my shoulders, too. The last third of the workout is biceps and it is all done as supersets. Caroline was really struggling during the bicep portion of this workout. My biceps are definitely feeling pumped! I had to drop to lighter dumbbells a few times in the course of this workout.
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 exercise. There is also a progress bar at the bottom of the screen, counting down the workout time as a percentage.
Back & Biceps is 41:57 minutes (this time does not include the optional 4 minute warm up or the 3:04 minute intro, also optional) with a 1:55 minute stretch. Equipment: dumbbells, a bench and/or chair and a fitness mat. Caroline is using 20kg/44 pound, 12.5kg/27.5 pound and 7.5kg/16.5 pound dumbbells. The weights listed below are what I used.
- Deadstop row for 60 seconds (single arm row w/ one hand and one knee resting on bench, when you lower DB, set it on floor and release it briefly) (one 50# DB)
- 30 second rest
- Repeat #1 & 2 on other arm
- Repeat #1-3 two more times
- Single arm pullover for 75 seconds (one 20# DB)
- 15 second rest
- Repeat #5 & 6 on other arm
- Repeat #5-7 two more times (one 16.5# DB)
- Rotational row for 60 seconds (single arm row w/ one hand and one knee on bench, palm faces behind you at bottom of row, as you row DB rotate wrist/DB so palm faces in front of you at top of row) (one 42.5# DB)
- 30 second rest
- Repeat #9 & 11 on other arm
- Repeat #9-11
- Pullover for 60 seconds (one 40# DB)
- 30 second rest
- Repeat #13 & 14
- Palms up bicep curl for 45 seconds (20# DBs)
- (no rest) Momentum curls for 15 seconds (curl up with power/force) (20# DBs)
- 30 second rest
- Repeat #16-18
- Hammer curl for 45 seconds (20# DBs)
- (no rest) Momentum hammer curls for 15 seconds (20# DBs)
- 30 second rest
- Repeat #20-22
- Rotational curl for 45 seconds (DBs start w/ palms facing thighs hammer-style, as you curl DBs rotate wrists so palms face up) (16.5# DBs)
- (no rest) Momentum rotational curls for 15 seconds (16.5# DBs)
- 30 second rest
- Repeat #24-26
Finisher: (3:45 minutes; no rest/recoveries between exercises)
- Partial hammer curl for 45 seconds (hold one DB in both hands, curl DB halfway so elbows are bent at 90 degrees, pulse DB in this position) (one 20# DB)
- Hold for 15 seconds (same position as #1 but hold isometrically) (one 20# DB)
- Full range hammer curl for 45 seconds (still w/ one DB) (one 20# DB)
- Repeat #2
- Repeat #1-3 (one 16.5# DB)
