This is a workout from Caroline Girvan‘s CGX app. For more info on Caroline’s App, see the CGX App page.
In this workout Caroline hits the back, chest and shoulders with slow and controlled movement. For the single arm rotational rows you emphasize the stretch at the bottom of the row, which is a little different that what you’d expect. The pause is at the bottom of the row, not at the top. I had back up weights ready for almost every exercise, but only dropped to a lighter weight on one–the lat sweep. I struggled with the pause at the top of the lift using 15 pound dumbbells so I dropped to a lighter weight so I could maintain good form. I did not care for the finisher. It is a long ab complex. I don’t mind getting in core work like that but these particular exercises I felt more in my quads and hip flexors than I did in my core.
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 side of the screen counting down your intervals and recoveries. During the recovery Caroline previews the next exercise. There is also a little bar at the bottom of the screen that counts down the entire workout time as a percentage.
Take the Harder Route Upper Body is 44:11 minutes (this time does not include the optional 3:55 minute warm up or the 2:41 minute intro, also optional) with a 2:30 minute stretch. Equipment: dumbbells, step bench, chair w/ a back and a fitness mat. Caroline is using 17.5kg/38.5 pound, 7.5kg/16.5 pound and 4kg/8.8 pound dumbbells. The weights listed below are what I used.
- Chest press for 60 seconds (30# DBs)
- 45 second rest
- Repeat #1 & 2 two more times
- 1x arm paused rotational row for 75 seconds (one knee rests on bench, at bottom of row palm faces behind you, rotate DB as you row upward so palm faces in front of you at top of row, lower DB back to start and pause with arm lengthened/stretched) (one 40# DB)
- 30 second rest
- Repeat #4 on other arm
- Repeat #4-6 two more times
- Upright row for 75 seconds (15# DBs)
- 30 second rest
- Repeat #8 & 9 two more times
- 1X arm paused lat sweep for 75 seconds (hinge forward holding one DB in one hand, elbow is slightly bent and arm is kept close to side, sweep DB up behind you and pause briefly at top of sweep) (one 15# DB)
- 30 second rest
- Repeat #11 & 12 on other arm
- Repeat #11-13 (one 12# DB)
- Arnold press for 75 seconds (Caroline is seated in a high back chair) (20# DBs)
- 30 second rest
- Repeat #15 & 16 two more times
- Rear delt row for 75 seconds (seated double arm row, torso is hinged forward over thighs, arms are open out to sides, row DBs keeping elbows in line with shoulders) (15# DBs)
- 30 second rest
- Repeat #18 & 19
Finisher:
- Reverse tuck to extension, 20 reps (lay on back with hands behind head and head/shoulders elevated, extend legs out straight in line with hips and legs elevated off mat, pull knees into chest and raise hips into a reverse crunch)
- Toe taps to extension, 20 reps (lay on back on mat w/ head and arms on mat, raise thighs on a 45 degree angle w/ knees bent, lower feet so toes tap mat then raise back so feet are in line with knees)
- Repeat #1 & 2 as many times as possible within 4 minutes
