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 thorough and tough upper body strength workout. Kettlebells are deceptive. I can actually use heavier dumbbells for pullovers but just the 35 pound kettlebell was burning my muscles. That is due to the way you are forced to hold the kettelbell. Part of it is due to the interval being very long but I was burning pretty quickly so it’s not just that! My upper body feels very well worked. And my core too! 6+ minutes of non-stop core work at the end!
The exercises are 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. Caroline gives a lot of good form pointers during the intro specific to doing the exercises with a kettlebell.
Kettlebell Upper Body is 46:20 minutes (this time does not include the optional 3:55 minute warm up or the 2:56 minute intro, also optional) with a 2 minute stretch. Equipment: kettlebells and fitness mat. Caroline is using one 16kg/35 pound and one 10kg/22 pound kettlebell. The weights listed below are what I used.
- Pullovers for 120 seconds (35# KB)
- 40 second rest
- Single arm row for 60 seconds (40# KB)
- 20 second rest
- Repeat #3 on other arm
- 20 second rest
- Deadstop row for 60 seconds (same as a single arm row but at bottom of row, KB rests briefly on floor) (40# KB)
- 20 second rest
- Repeat #7 on other arm
- 20 second rest
- Press for 60 seconds (single arm shoulder press done Arnold press style) (20# KB)
- 20 second rest
- Repeat #11 on other arm
- 20 second rest
- Clean to press for 60 seconds (hold KB in one hand, swing KB between legs, at top of swing rack KB at shoulder and do one single arm overhead press) (20# KB)
- 20 second rest
- Repeat #15 on other arm
- 20 second rest
- Single arm upright row for 60 seconds (15# KB)
- 20 second rest
- Repeat #19 on other arm
- Diamond press for 120 seconds (lay on mat holding KB by handle with both hands over chest, push KB to ceiling keeping arms close to sides) (20# KB)
- 40 second rest
- Repeat #1-22
20 second rest
Finisher: (6:20 minutes)
- Leg lower for 60 seconds (lay on back holding KB by handle with both hands, arms/KB are extended to ceiling and held there isometrically, legs are extended straight to ceiling, lower legs a few inches off the mat and return to start) (20# KB)
- Crunch for 80 seconds (still laying on back w/ knees bent and feet on mat, bell of KB rests on chest still holding handle with both hands, crunch upper body in this position) (20# KB)
- Repeat #1 for 80 seconds
- Repeat #2 & 3
