CGX: P.E. Program Day 17: Glutes from all Angles (Lower Body)

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 very tough lower body workout. The entire thing was tough but those Bulgarian lunge variations near the end. OMG. They kicked my butt! And the Finisher–more stability ball work with the band. My glutes and hamstrings are fried! Caroline does give us a nice, well needed stretch at the end that includes pigeon pose.

This is a superset workout. You will do 2 exercises back to back before you get a recovery. The interval and recovery times vary and are noted below. 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 2:14 minute intro, also optional) with a 3 minute stretch. Equipment: dumbbells, barbell, chair/bench, glute band, stability ball, yoga block, and fitness mat. Caroline is using a barbell at 58kg/128 pounds. She is also using 30kg/66 pound and 10kg/22 pound dumbbells. The weights listed below are what I used.

1. Hamstring roll out for 90 seconds (lay on back with both heels on stability ball, raise hips and roll ball into glutes then roll back out, keeping hips raised the entire time)
2. (no rest) Sumo squat for 60 seconds (stand with legs wide and toes turned out, hold one heavy DB by bar with both hands) (one 70# DB)
3. 30 second rest
4. Repeat #1-3 two more times
5. Bodyweight banded bridge for 60 seconds (lay on back mat, glute band is around thighs above knees with legs open so there is constant tension on the band, heels are close to glutes, raise and lower hips in bridge)
6. (no rest) Weighted version for 60 seconds (same as #5 but with a barbell on hips) (barbell @ 91#)
7. 30 second rest
8. Repeat #5-7 two more times
9. Paused bodyweight Bulgarian lunge for 60 seconds  (static/stationary lunge w/ back leg elevated on chair or step behind you, pause briefly at bottom of lunge)
10. (no rest) Forward tilted Bulgarian lunge for 60 seconds (same position as #9, but hold one DB in same side hand as back leg, torso is hinged forward over front leg, done to a slow controlled pace, but no pause) (one 25# DB first set, one 20# DB second set)
11. 30 second rest
12. Repeat #9-11 on other leg
13. Repeat #9-12
14. Bulgarian lunge hold for 60 seconds (same position as #9, lower to bottom of lunge and hold isometrically for 10 seconds)
15. (no rest) Forward tilt Bulgarian lunge hold for 60 seconds (same position as #10, lower to bottom of lunge and hold isometrically for 10 seconds) (one 20# DB)
16. 30 second rest
17. Repeat #14-16 on other leg
18. Forward tilt static curtsy lunge for 60 seconds (cross-back stationary lunge, torso is hinged forward over front leg)
19. (no rest) Forward tilt rear step curtsy lunge for 60 seconds (step back cross-back lunge, hold one DB in same side hand as front/working leg, torso is hinged forward over front leg) (one 20# DB)
20. 30 second rest
21. Repeat #18-20 on other leg
22. 1/2 rep forward tilt curtsy lunge for 60 seconds (same as #18, lower to bottom of lunge but only raise halfway)
23. (no rest) Forward tilt static curtsy lunge for 60 seconds (same as #18 except hold one DB in same side hand as front/working leg) (one 20# DB)
24. 30 second rest
25. Repeat #22-24 on other leg

Finisher:

1. Hold ball roll out (x1 on beep) for 60 seconds (lay on back on mat with glute band around thighs just above knees, heels rest on stability ball and legs are open so that there is constant tension on band, raise hips and keep them raised entire interval, roll ball out, roll back until knees are bent at 90 degrees, hold there for approximately 5 seconds)
2. Banded bridges for 60 seconds (lay on back on mat, band is still around thighs just above knees, legs are open so there is constant tension on band, heels are on stability ball, pull ball in so knees are bent at 90 degrees, raise and lower hips)