This is a workout from Caroline Girvan‘s CGX app. For more info on Caroline’s App, see the CGX App page.
This is a high rep endurance level upper body workout. The intervals are long and it gets tough. I had back up weights setting nearby for every exercise but pushed through and didn’t end up using any of them. I was definitely feeling it by the third set of everything though! The focus is the chest, back, shoulders and triceps. My upper body was worked very well.
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 alomg the bottom of the screen, counting down the workout time as a percentage.
Upper Body is 45:04 minutes (this time does not include the optional 3:55 minute warm up or the 4:15 minute intro, also optional) with a 1:45 minute stretch. Equipment: dumbbells, chair/bench and mat. Caroline is using 15kg/33 pound, 10kg/22 pound, 5kg/11 pound, and 4kg/8.8 pound dumbbells. The weights listed below are what I used.
- Chest press for 75 seconds (30# DBs)
- 30 second rest
- Pullover for 75 seconds (one 40# DB)
- 30 second rest
- Repeat #1-4 two more times
- Rear delt row for 75 seconds (sit in chair with torso hinged forward over thighs, row DBs out to side, leading with elbows, elbows are bebt at 90 degrees at top of row) (13# DBs)
- 30 second rest
- Shoulder press for 75 seconds (seated in chair, arms open wide in goal post at bottom of press) (20# DBs)
- 30 second rest
- Rear fly (palms facing) for 75 seconds (rear delt fly, sit in chair with torso hinged forward over thighs) (9# DBs)
- 30 second rest
- Repeat #8 & 9
- Rear fly (palms behind) for 75 seconds (rear delt fly, sit in chair with torso hinged forward over thighs) (9# DBs)
- 30 second rest
- Repeat #8 & 9
- Diamond press for 75 seconds (similar to a chest press but DBs are pressed together over chest, arms are kept close to sides) (20# DBs)
- 30 second rest
- Cobra push ups (slow lowering) for 75 seconds (lower body remains on floor, hands are under shoulders, push ups done cobra-style, Caroline’s hands form a diamond under her chest)
- 30 second rest
- Repeat #16-19 two more times
- Single arm sweep for 90 seconds (pause and slow lower) (one knee and non-working hand rest on bench, “sweep” arm up behind you, elbow slightly bent, arm kept close to side) (0n3 9# DB)
- 15 second rest
- Repeat #21 on other arm
- 15 second rest
- Repeat #21-24
Finisher: (4 minutes)
- Rear delt partials, 20 reps (seated on bench, torso hinged forward over thighs, palms facing behind you, lift arms/DB partway into rear delt fly) (8# DBs)
- Lateral partials, 20 reps (standing lateral raise, only lift arms/DBs partway)
- Repeat #1 & 2 as many times as possible in 4 minutes) (8# DBs)
