This is a workout from Caroline Girvan‘s CGX app. For more info on Caroline’s App, see the CGX App page.
This was another tough lower body workout. The focus for this one is your quads, though your entire lower body is nicely worked. I increased the height of my high step and I definitely felt the difference. Some of the exercises will challenge your balance. Caroline grabbed the wall a few times! You might want to have something nearby to steady yourself. I had a chair close by when doing the heel elevated Bulgarian lunges that I could grab onto if necessary to steady myself.
This is a superset workout. You will do 2 exercises back to back, each for 60 or 45 seconds before you get a 30 or 45 second recovery. 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 superset. There is also a bar along the bottom of the screen that counts down the entire workout time as a percentage.
Lower Body is 47:19 minutes (this time does not include the optional 5:55 minute warm up or 2:43 minute intro, also optional) with a 2:10 minute stretch. Equipment: dumbbells, chair/bench/stepper, heel wedges, yoga block, and fitness mat. Caroline is using 15kg/33 pound and 10kg/22 pound dumbbells. The weights listed below are what I used.
- Pause in hold 3/4 rep bodyweight elevated squat for 60 seconds (heels are elevated on wedges, lower to bottom of squat, hold briefly then only raise 3/4 of the way so there is constant tension in legs)
- (no rest) Full range weighted version for 45 seconds (heels still elevated on wedges, DBs at shoulders, full range squat) (30# DBs)
- 45 second rest
- Repeat #1-4 two more times
- Bodyweight paused staggered squat for 60 seconds (single leg squat, working leg is elevated on yoga block, back leg is in kickstand, pause briefly at bottom squat)
- (no rest) Close lunge for 60 seconds (stationary/static lunge w/ front foot elevated on yoga block and DBs at shoulders, legs are closer together than in a traditional lunge) (25# DBs)
- 30 second rest
- Repeat #5-7 on other leg
- Repeat #5-8 two more times
- Slow lift step up for 60 seconds (stand beside high step/box, foot of leg closest to box is on box and remains there the entire interval, slowly step up onto step then lower)
- (no rest) Quad emphasized Bulgarian lunge for 60 seconds (static/stationary lunge w/ back foot elevated on step behind you, top of foot is on step and legs are closer together than a traditional Bulgarian lunge, hold one DB at shoulder of front/working leg) (one 25# DB)
- 30 second rest
- Repeat 10-12 on other leg
- 30 second rest
- Less assistance step up for 60 seconds (same starting position as #10 but this time also lower slowly–looks like a pistol squat when Caroline does it)
- (no rest) Paused bodyweight Bulgarian lunge for 60 seconds (same position as #11 but front heel is elevated on heel wedge, lower to bottom of lunge and pause briefly)
- 30 second rest
- Repeat #15-17 on other leg
- Momentum step up for 60 seconds (same starting position as #10 but push up fast, w/ force and lower at a normal pace)
- (no rest) Regular tempo Bulgarian lunge for 60 seconds (same position as #16, still bodyweight but full range w/ no pauses)
- 30 second rest
- Repeat #19-21 on other leg
- Lunge to squat for 60 seconds (no DBs, front foot is elevated on yoga block, do one reverse lunge then bring foot forward into squat, continue alternating these two moves)
- (no rest) Static lunge for 60 seconds (stationary lunge, foot still elevated on yoga block, one DB rests at same side shoulder as front leg) (25# DBs)
- 30 second rest
- Repeat #23-25 on other leg
Finisher:
- Heel elevated squat for 30 seconds (heels are elevated on heel wedges, hold one DB in both hands at chest) (one 30# DB)
- (no rest) Pause in hold goblet squat for 60 seconds (feet on floor, holding one DB in both hands at chest, lower to bottom of squat and pause briefly) (one 30# DB)
