CGX: Intent Program Day 27: Lunges & Bridges and Abductions 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 is an endurance level/high rep lower body workout. The intervals are long so lighter weights are appropriate. I am also getting over a URI so I stuck with 20 pound dumbbells for everything except the bridges. Because of that I didn’t find this workout as killer as I probably normally would have but that is okay. I am recovering and don’t need to overdo anything. I still felt like my lower body was well worked.

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.

The timer gets a little messed up at the end. It seems like Caroline started early at one point during the supersets. For most of the supersets she is running about 15 seconds ahead of the timer. However, she does not do the exercises any more or less time than they are supposed to be done. You can either follow Caroline or follow the timer. I just followed the timer.

Lunges & Bridges and Abductions Lower Body is 48:05 minutes (this time does not include the optional 5:55 minute warm up or the 2:31 minute intro, also optional) with a 3 minute stretch. Equipment: dumbbells and/or a barbell, a chair or bench, booty/glute band, yoga block, heel wedge and a fitness mat. Caroline’s barbell is at 58kg/128 pounds. She is also using 10kg/22 pound dumbbells. The weights listed below are what I used.

1. Bulgarian lunge for 90 seconds (static/stationary lunge with back leg elevated on step/bench behind you) (20# DBs)
2. 30 second rest
3. Repeat #1 & 2 on other leg
4. Rear step lunge for 90 seconds (reverse step back lunges with front foot on yoga block) (20# DBs)
5. 30 second rest
6. Repeat #4 & 5 on other leg
7. Repeat #1-6
8. Banded bridge for 75 seconds (lay on back on mat, knees bent and heels close to glutes, glute band is around thighs just above knees, legs are open wide enough so there is constant tension on band, barbell or heavy DB rests on hips, raise and lower hips) (barbell @ 96#)
9. 45 second rest
10. Repeat #8 & 9
11. Repeat #8 & 9 two more times w/out glute band
12. Forward tilt Bulgarian lunge for 45 seconds (static/stationary lunge w/ back leg elevated on step/bench behind you, hold one DB in same side hand as back leg, torso is hinged forward over front thigh) (one 20# DB)
13. (no rest) Repeat #12 w/out DB for 45 seconds
14. 30 second rest
15. Repeat #12-14 on other leg
16. Repeat #4 holding one DB in same side hand as back leg for 45 seconds
17. (no rest) Repeat #16 w/out DB for 45 seconds
18. 30 second rest
19. Repeat #16-18 on other leg
20. Repeat #12-19 but this time the toes of the front foot are elevated on a heel wedge (f0r all exercises)

Finisher: (4 minutes)

1. Banded bridge, 20 reps (lay on back on mat, knees bent and heels close to glutes, glute band is around thighs just above knees, legs are open wide enough so there is constant tension on band, raise and lower hips)
2. Abduction, 20 reps (lay on back on mat, knees bent and heels close to glutes, glute band is around thighs just above knees, open and close knees)
3. Repeat #1 & 2 as many times as possible in 4 minutes