CGX: Max Program Day 4: It will have been those sumos!

This is a workout from Caroline Girvan‘s CGX app. For more info on Caroline’s App, see the CGX App page.

This workout is done PHA style. For more information on PHA, see Day 1’s post.

Another awesome and thorough total body strength workout! I loved this one! Like Day 1 and Day 3, this one is full of some of my favorite exercises. I think I enjoyed this one as much as I enjoyed Day 1. I have noticed a theme, at least this first week. The finishers are all lower body focused and this one was a thigh burner! Though I haven’t done Day 5 yet (and won’t until Saturday) I do know that the finisher is finally an upper body exercise.

This workout is done interval style. The exercise interval and recovery times vary and are noted below in the breakdown. There is an onscreen timer 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.

Day 4 is 39:24 minutes (this time does not include the optional 9:18 minute warm up or 3:45 minute intro, also optional) with a 1:55 minute stretch. Equipment: dumbbells, barbell, chair/bench, glute band, and fitness mat. Push up bars are optional. You are also using the glute band and light dumbbells for the warm up. Caroline is using 4kg/8.8 pound dumbbells for the warm up. For the actual workout, Caroline is using a barbell at 58kg/128 pounds. She is also using one 30kg/66 pound, 17.5kg/38.5 pound, 15kg/33 pound, and 10kg/22 pound dumbbells. The weights listed below are what I used.

1. Sumo squats for 60 seconds (stand with legs wide and toes turned out, hold one heavy DB in both hands by bar) (one 70# DB)
2. 15 second rest
3. Push ups for 45 seconds (Caroline is using push up bars, I used DBs)
4. 30 second rest
5. Repeat #1-4 two more times
6. Staggered RDL for 60 seconds (single leg deadlift, hold one DB in same side hand as working leg, other knee rests on bench or chair seat) (one 37.5# DB)
7. 30 second rest
8. Repeat #6 & 7 on other leg
9. Arnold press for 60 seconds (seated in high back chair) (20# DBs)
10. Repeat #6-9 two more times
11. 60 second rest
12. Banded hip thrusts for 60 seconds (lean back against your bench or step with barbell on hips, knees are bent and heels are in line with knees, glute band is around thighs just above knees, legs are open wide enough so there is constant tension on band, raise and lower hips slowly) (barbell @110#)
13. 30 second rest
14. One arm supine row for 60 seconds (single arm row, one knee and same side arm rest on step/bench, palm faces forward and arm is kept close to side, row up leading with elbow) (one 40# DB)
15. 30 second rest
16. Repeat #14 & 15 on other arm
17. Repeat #12-16 two more times

Finisher:

1. One slow sumo squat (stand with legs wide and toes turned out, hold one heavy DB in both hands by bar–this is done to a slow pace so you are only able to complete one full rep in 15 seconds) (one 60# DB)
2. (no rest) Repeat #1 three more times with no rest between (4 slow sumo squats total)
3. (no rest) Body weight 3/4 sump squat for 15 seconds (lower to bottom of squat but only raise 3/4 of the way so there is constant tension in legs)
4. Stand briefly and repeat #3