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 solid shoulder workout that hits every muscle group in the shoulder area. Thankfully it was not brutal like some of the other Unleash workouts I’ve done this week. But it was challenging. You do 3 sets of the single arm overhead press/push press (#6-9 below) and each set I had to drop to a lighter dumbbell. I dropped to my lightest weight for the finisher, but after doing it I definitely felt like I could have used my 9 pound dumbbells instead of my 8s. Regardless, my shoulders feel very well worked! During the first half of the workout Caroline’s precious dachshund is there for our viewing pleasure. He is also wanting some love from his mommy but she is busy lifting iron.
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.
Shoulders is 42:30 minutes (this time does not include the optional 4 minute warm up or the 3:33 minute intro, also optional) with a 1:50 minute stretch. Equipment: dumbbells, a chair/bench and a fitness mat. Caroline is using 10kg/22 pounds, 7.5kg/16.5 pound and 4kg/8.8 pound dumbbells. The weights listed below are what I used.
- Seated Arnold Press for 60 seconds (20# DBs)
- 30 second rest
- Upright row for 60 seconds (15# DBs)
- 30 second rest
- Repeat #1-4 three more times
- Single arm overhead press/push for 60 seconds (for 30 seconds it is an overhead press; the last 30 seconds you change to push press, using lower body to assist) (one 25# DB)
- 30 second rest
- Repeat #6 & 7 on other arm
- Repeat #6-8 two more times (one 22.5# DB; last set one 20# DB)
- Diagonal rear delt raise for 75 seconds (sit on chair or bench, legs together and torso hinged forward over thighs, palms face legs, sweep DBs up behind you and on a diagonal away from body) (10# DBs)
- 15 seconds
- Lateral raise for 60 seconds (9# DBs)
- (no rest) Alternating lateral raise for 30 seconds (9# DBs)
- 30 second rest
- Frontal raise for 60 seconds (straight arm front raise w/ palms facing floor, keep ends of DBs close together and raise a little higher than shoulder level) (9# DBs)
- (no rest) Alternating frontal raise for 30 seconds (9# DBs)
- 30 second rest
- Single arm rear fly for 60 seconds (one knee and one arm rests on bench, do a single arm rear delt fly with palm facing behind you) (one 10# DB)
- (no rest) Partials for 15 seconds (same as #18 but only lift arm/DB halfway) (one 10# DB)
- 15 second rest
- Repeat #18-20 on other arm
- Repeat #10-21
Finisher: (2 minutes; no rest/recovery between exercises)
- Full range lateral raise for 60 seconds (start w/ palms facing thighs, raise arms to side w/ palms facing floor, continue raising arms overhead, palms facing in front of you, reverse this motion, bringing DBs back to start in front of thighs) (8# DBs)
- Alternating lateral raise for 60 seconds (8# DBs)
