This is a workout from Caroline Girvan‘s CGX app. For more info on Caroline’s App, see the CGX App page. This was an excellent and thorough total body strength workout. Though no dumbbells are used, you do need a good bit of other equipment. This is also a no repeat workout, so lots and lots of variety but the intervals are long (especially the core work) so it can get tedious at times. You get 11 solid minutes of core work at end (18% of the workout if you follow the progress bar on the screen). For this workout Caroline is using various resistance bands; large resistance loops in various strengths, a resistance band with handles and a glute band. I used resistance loops in 3 different strengths which I noted below in the breakdown, my heavy glute band and my lightest resistance band with handles. This is an endurance workout–high rep. However, Caroline does most of the exercises at a slow and controlled pace and often pauses at the most difficult part of a move. So if you are following along with her pace, you may start burning. I know I did and Caroline did, too! She had to take a few personal breaks at times to thaw her muscles out to continue. I was glad it wasn’t just me! The finisher includes a “sissy squat” which I have never done and looks very advanced. Luckily she gives an alternative of heel elevated squats. If you do the alternative then that is the only exercise that is actually repeated in 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.
1 Hour Calisthenics with Bands is 63:43 minutes (this time does not include the optional 4:41 minute warm up or the 3:25 minute intro, also optional) and 2:40 minute stretch. Equipment: resistance bands in various strengths (light to heavy), chair/bench, glute/booty band, yoga block, heel wedges and fitness mat.
- Lunge for 90 seconds (static/stationary lunges w/ front foot elevated on yoga block)
- 20 second rest
- Repeat #1 & 2 on other leg
- Paused Bulgarian lunges for 90 seconds (static/stationary lunge w/ back leg elevated on step/chair behind you, lower to bottom of lunge and hold briefly before rising)
- 20 second rest
- Repeat #4 & 5 on other leg
- 20 second rest
- Bent over row for 90 seconds (stand on band holding one end in each hand, back is flat, keep arms close to sides and row, pulling elbows up behind you) (I used 60-70# loop)
- 20 seconds rest
- Rear delt contraction for 90 seconds (hold one end of large loop in each hand in front of chest, hands are about 30 inches apart, keeping arms at chest level in front of body, pull band open wider) (I used 18-25# loop)
- 20 second rest
- Heel elevated squat for 90 seconds (heels are elevated on wedges)
- 20 second rest
- Regular squats for 90 seconds (feet on floor)
- 20 second rest
- Uneven push up for 45 seconds (one hand on yoga block and one on floor)
- (no rest) Repeat #16 w/ yoga block under other hand
- 20 second rest
- Upright row for 90 seconds (stand on inside of large loop holding top of loop in both hands, do upright rows) (I used 30-40# loop)
- 20 second rest
- Rear step curtsy lunge for 45 seconds (step back cross-back lunge w/ front foot elevated on yoga block)
- (no rest) Static/stationary curtsy lunge for 45 seconds (front foot is still on yoga block)
- 20 second rest
- Repeat #21-23 on other leg
- Close lunge for 90 seconds (static/stationary lunge with legs closer together than a normal lunge, front foot is elevated on yoga block)
- 20 second rest
- Repeat #25 & 26 on other leg
- Lateral raise for 90 seconds (step one foot on band holding a handle in each hand, straight arm side raises) (I used my lightest/red band w/ handles)
- 20 second rest
- Frontal raise for 90 seconds (same starting position as #28 but lift straight arms to the front) (I used my lightest/red band w/ handles)
- 20 second rest
- Banded hip thrusts for 90 seconds (glute band is around thighs above knees, lean back against chair/bench, knees are bent at 90 degrees and feet are on floor, slowly raise and lower hips/glutes while also keeping legs open so there is constant tension on the band)
- 20 second rest
- Forward and back walks for 90 seconds (band is still around thighs above knees, walk forward the length of your space then walk backwards back to start)
- 20 second rest
- Bridges for 90 seconds (band is still around thighs above knees, lay on back on mat with heels close to glutes, raise and lower hips while also keeping legs open so there is constant tension on the band)
- 20 second rest
- Plank ladder for 45 seconds (get into wide leg straight arm plank, lower one elbow/forearm to floor then return to straight arm plank–other arm remains in straight arm plank the entire time)
- (no rest) Repeat #38 raising and lower w/ other arm
- 20 second rest
- Cobra push up for 90 seconds (lay on stomach with hands on mat under shoulders, keeping hips and legs pressed into mat, do push ups cobra-style)
- 20 second rest
- Forward tilt Bulgarian lunge for 90 seconds (static/stationary lunge w/ back leg elevated on step/chair behind you, torso is hinged forward over front thigh)
- 20 second rest
- Same side single leg hip thrust for 90 seconds (lean back against chair/bench, knees are bent at 90 degrees, one foot is on floor in line with knee, other leg is raised entire interval, slowly raise and lower hips/glutes)
- 20 second rest
- Repeat #43-46 on other leg
- Partial lateral raises for 90 seconds (same as #28 but only lift arms partway) (I used my lightest/red band w/ handles)
- 20 second rest
- Alternating dead bug for 100 seconds (lay on back, legs and arms are extended straight to ceiling, lower one arm overhead while also extending the opposite leg straight)
- 10 second rest
- Tuck to hollow for 100 seconds (lay on mat, extend arms overhead and legs straight in line with hips and elevated a few inches off the floor (this is hollow), pull knees into chest and placing hands on shins then return to hollow)
- 10 second rest
- Leg lower for 100 seconds (lay on back on mat with hands behind head and head/shoulders elevated, legs are extended straight to ceiling, lower straight legs until they are a few inches off the mat then raise back to ceiling)
- 10 second rest
- x3 point crunch for 100 seconds (lay on back on mat w/ knees bent and feet close to glutes, crunch upper body and hold tapping fingers to knees then to heels then back to knees then lower upper body back to mat)
- 10 second rest
- Clockwise crunch for 50 seconds (lay on back on mat w/ knees bent and feet close to glutes, hands are behind head with elbows out to sides, crunch upper body in a circular fashion clockwise)
- (no rest) Repeat #58 rotating in the opposite direction
- 10 second rest
- Tuck to extend with rotation for 100 seconds (place a yoga block on its small end in front of you, lean back on elbows on mat with legs elevated, pull knees into chest, as you push them out lean hips to one side while pushing both legs out beside yoga block, pull knees back onto chest and when you push them out again, lean on other hip and push legs out to other side of yoga block)
15 second rest
Finisher:
- Sissy squat/elevated squat for 60 seconds (do one or the other–sissy squat: hold onto something for balance, raise onto toes and lean torso back while bending knees and lowering knees toward floor, when knees are a few inches above floor, raise back to start; elevated squats: regular squats w/ heels elevated on wedges)
- (no rest) Push ups for 35 seconds (done to a very brisk pace)
