CGX: Cluster Series Day 8: Shoulders

This is a workout from Caroline Girvan‘s CGX app. For more info on Caroline’s App, see the CGX App page. This is a shoulder burner! My triceps are seriously sore from Monday’s workout (Day 6) so I was feeling every exercise in this workout that also hits the triceps in some way. I had to drop to lighter weights several times in the course of this workout. Cluster sets are killer! Caroline was dying by the end of the finisher.

There is a discrepancy in this workout. For #8-13 you do single arm rear delt flys with palm facing in. However, when you repeat it (#14) your palm faces behind you. This is not identified in the words on the screen nor in the preview. In fact, all of the previews show Caroline doing the same exercise (#8-13 single arm rear delt flys and partials with palm facing in) but when Caroline is actually doing the exercise with you, her palm is facing behind her. Something to be aware of while doing this workout so you hit your shoulders from all angles.

This workout is done interval style. Since it is made up of both straight sets and cluster 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. There is also a progress bar at the bottom of the screen, counting down the workout time as a percentage.

Shoulders is 42:16 minutes (this time does not include the optional 3:55 minute warm up or the 2:20 minute intro, also optional) with a 2:05 minute stretch. Equipment: dumbbells, chair/bench and mat. Caroline is using 10kg/22 pound and 5kg/11 pound dumbbells. The weights listed below are what I used.

1. Single arm shoulder press for 60 seconds (arm is open to side with palm facing forward) (one 22.5# DB)
2.  10 second rest
3. Push press for 15 seconds (same as #1 but push DB up with power, using legs to assist) (one 22.5# DB)
4. Repeat #2 & 3 three ore times
5. 30 second rest
6. Repeat #1-5 on other arm
7. Repeat #1-6 (one 20# DB)
8. Rear fly (palm facing in) for 60 seconds (bent over single arm rear delt fly, one knee and non-working arm rest on bench) (one 10# DB)
9. 10 second rest
10. Partials for 15 seconds (same as #8 but only raise arm/DB halfway) (one 10# DB)
11. Repeat #9 & 10 three more times
12. 30 second rest
13. Repeat #8-12 on other arm
14. Repeat #8-13 except palm faces behind you (I dropped to one 8# DB for the partials)
15. Lateral raise for 60 seconds (standing, both arms) (9# DBs)
16. 10 second rest
17. Momentum lateral raise for 15 seconds (raise DBs with power and lower w/ control) (9# DBs)
18. Repeat #16 & 17 three more times
19. 30 second rest
20. Arc raise for 60 seconds (straight arm front raise w/palms facing each other, at top of raise arc DBs towards each other) (8# DBs)
21. 10 second rest
22. Alternating supine front raise for 15 seconds (single arm front raise with palm facing ceiling, alternate arms) (10# DBs)
23. Repeat #20 & 21 three more times
24. 30 second rest
25. Repeat #15
26. 10 second rest
27. Partial lateral raise for 15 seconds (same as #15 but only raise DBs/arms partway) (8# DBs)
28. Repeat #26 & 27 three more times
29. 30 second rest
30. Repeat #21
31. 10 second rest
32. Alternating pronated front raise for 15 seconds (front raise w/ palm facing downward/ground) (10# DBs)
33. Repeat #31 & 32 three more times

30 second rest

Finisher: (one minute; each exercise is done for 15 seconds w/ no rest/recovery)

1. Momentum lateral raise (8# DBs)
2. Partial lateral raise (only raise arms/DBs halfway) (8# DBs)
3. Repeat #1 & 2