This is a workout from Caroline Girvan‘s CGX app. For more info on Caroline’s App, see the CGX App page.
This is an excellent and killer lower body strength workout. You do 4 sets of many of the exercises but Caroline gives you a long rest between sets–at least at the beginning. Around the halfway mark the recoveries drop to her usual 30 seconds. My glutes were definitely feeling it. I am astounded by the weight Caroline uses. 44 pounds for lunges?!?! I cannot fathom. I considered attempting to lift heavier but the fact I knew ahead of time that we do 4 sets of most of the exercises held me back. But in retrospect, I could have started with a heavier weight then dropped to something lighter in subsequent sets. This workout kicked my butt regardless.
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.
For the stability ball roll outs Caroline gives the option of doing hamstring bridges with a barbell/dumbbell.
Lower Body is 47:46 minutes (this time does not include the optional 5:55 minute warm up or the 3:04 minute intro, also optional) with a 3 minute stretch. Equipment: barbell, dumbbells, step or bench, yoga block, stability ball and a fitness mat. Caroline’s barbell is at 58kg/128 pounds. She also uses one 40kg/88 pound and 20kg/44 pound dumbbells. The weights listed below are what I used.
- Sumo deadlift squat for 60 seconds (stand with legs wide and toes turned out, hold one heavy DB in both hands by bar, hinge torso forward deadlift style as you squat) (one 70# DB)
- 45 second rest
- Repeat #1 & 2 three more times
- Hip thrust for 60 seconds (lean back against your bench or step, place one heavy DB or barbell on hips, knees are bent and and feet on floor w/ knees in line w/ ankles, raise and lower hips slowly) (barbell @ 110#)
- 45 second rest
- Repeat #4 & 5 three more times
- Static lunge for 60 seconds (stationary lunges) (25# DBs)
- 30 second rest
- Repeat #7 & 8 on other leg
- Repeat #7-9
- RDL for 75 seconds (Romanian deadlift) (hex deadlift bar @ 100#)
- 30 second rest
- Repeat #11 & 12
- Stability ball roll out for 75 seconds (lay on back on mat with both heels on ball, raise hips/glutes, roll ball out then back in keeping hips raised entire interval)
- 30 second rest
- Repeat #14 & 15
- Repeat #11-16
- Repeat #7
- (no rest) Bodyweight close lunge for 90 seconds (static/stationary lunge, legs are closer together than a normal lunge, front foot is elevated on yoga block, Caroline does the reps very slowly, pausing at bottom of lunge)
- 30 second rest
- Repeat #18-20 on other side of body
Finisher: (4 minutes)
- Sit up, 10 reps (lay on back on mat with knees bent and feet on mat, arms are crossed over chest with hands resting on opposite shoulders, full sit ups bringing elbows to knees)
- Crunch, 20 reps (same position as #1 but only crunch upper body)
- Repeat #1 & 2 as many times as possible in 4 minutes
