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 thorough upper body workout that will really give your biceps and triceps a good pump, especially at the end. The format is one long circuit that is repeated 3 times. Caroline gives good attention to all upper body muscle groups. As usual, I do think the shoulders get a little more attention, that is until the finisher. The finisher gives the bis and tris that final pump. My arms did feel swollen at the end.
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 along the bottom of the screen, counting down the workout time as a percentage.
Upper Body is 45:47 minutes (this time does not include the optional 3:55 minute warm up or the 3:28 minute intro, also optional) with a 1:45 minute stretch. Equipment: dumbbells, chair/bench and mat. Caroline is using 10kg/22 pound, 7.5kg/16.5 pound and 4kg/8.8 pound dumbbells. The weights listed below are what I used.
- Supine row for 60 seconds (double arm bent over row w/ palms facing forward) (30# DBs)
- 30 second rest
- Chest fly for 90 seconds (20# DBs)
- 30 second rest
- Seated lateral raise for 45 seconds (9# DBs)
- (no rest) Standing lateral raise for 45 seconds (9# DBs)
- 30 second rest
- Supine front raise for 45 seconds (double arm front raise with palms facing in front of you) (8# DBs)
- (no rest) Arc raise for 45 seconds (straight arm front raise w/palms facing each other, at top of raise arc ends of DBs towards each other) (8# DBs)
- 30 second rest
- Rear delt fly (palms facing in) 45 seconds (seated with chest hinged forward over thighs) (8# DBs)
- (no rest) Partials for 45 seconds (same as #11 but only raise arms/DB partway) (8# DBs)
- 30 second rest
- Palms up bicep curl for 60 seconds (20# DBs)
- 30 second rest
- Skull crushers for 60 seconds (15# DBs)
- (no rest) Tricep press for 30 seconds (lay on back with a DB in each hand, palms facing each other and arms/elbows kept close to sides, push DBs to ceiling) (20# DBs)
- 30 second rest
- Repeat #1-18 two more times
Finisher: (4 minutes)
- Hammer curl, 12 reps (16.5# DBs)
- Overhead tricep extension, 12 reps (French press) (one 20# DB)
- Repeat #1 & 2 as many times as possible in 4 minutes
I like the look of these circuits and will do this next upper day. She doesn’t seem to do overhead triceps extension that much so am always excited to see it. Your write ups are definitely helpful in choosing what workouts to do next- no hype, just the facts!
nearly halfway through Intent- congrats! I find these workouts really fatiguing.
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I’m so glad they are helpful! I am really looking forward to next week–my first week of Max!! Then the week after I finish the first half of P.E. I am looking forward to the second half of P.E. because I think it is supposed to be a little easier!
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1. Yay! Exciting. I bet you’ll like Max. Some people complain it’s not great on arms or back or whatever (one girl on Facebook said it’s only glutes+shoulders, which was my initial complaint about Full Body Split day 2) but Max is short enough that there’s time for whatever add ons you need. People shouldn’t need to be spoon-fed every part of their training by now.
2. Yes, the second half of PE is so much better IMO (have not done it all though- working on it!). You can lift heavier and get through more reps. And there are some very challenging cardio bursts here and there. Who knew it was harder to do jumping lunges staying on the same leg than to do ordinary switch jump lunges?🥵
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