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 great upper body workout that hits everything. The only muscle group that doesn’t get targeted is biceps but they assist when doing rows, so they are not neglected. However, the back, chest, triceps and shoulders are all targeted in this workout and are worked well. I am still recovering from being sick so I lifted lighter than I normally would for some of the exercises but it still fried whatever muscle groups was being worked, even with the lighter weights.
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 side of the screen counting down your intervals and recoveries. During the recovery Caroline previews the next exercise. There is also a little bar along the bottom of the screen that counts down the entire workout time as a percentage.
Upper Body is 45:54 minutes (this time does not include the optional 3:55 minute warm up or the 3:44 minute intro, also optional) with a 2:10 minute stretch. Equipment: dumbbells, a chair or bench and a fitness mat. Caroline is using 15kg/33 pound, 10kg/22 pound, 7.5kg/16.5 pound and 4kg/8.8 pound dumbbells. The weights listed below are what I used.
- Arc row for 60 seconds (single arm row, one knee and non-working hand rest on bench, as you row, raise DB in an arc fashion by letting the DB arc forward more at bottom of row) (one 40# DB)
- 30 second rest
- Repeat #1 & 2 on other arm
- Repeat #1-3 two more times
- Upright row for 75 seconds (15# DBs)
- 15 second rest
- Arnold press for 75 seconds (seated in chair) (18# DBs)
- 15 second rest
- Rear delt diagonal raise for 60 seconds (still seated in chair, hinge forward over thighs, raise arms/DBs behind you with elbows slightly bent and arms opening away from you on a diagonal) (8# DBs)
- 30 second rest
- Repeat #7-10 two more times
- Slow eccentric & pause diamond press for 75 seconds (similar to a chest press, but DBs are pressed together over chest and arms/elbows are kept close to sides the entire time, push DBs to ceiling then lower slowly pausing briefly at bottom) (18# DBs)
- 15 second rest
- Chest press for 60 seconds (25# DBs)
- 30 second rest
- Repeat #12-15 two more times
- Full range lateral raise for 60 seconds (stand w/ a DB in each hand, palms against front of thighs, raise DBs into a lateral raise then continue raising DBS overhead rotating wrists so palms face in front of you) (8# DBs)
- (no rest) Partial lateral raise for 60 seconds (only lift DBs/arms partway) (8# DBs)
- 30 second rest
- Lateral raise for 60 seconds (8# DBs)
- (no rest) Repeat #18
- 30 second rest
- Momentum lateral raise for 60 seconds (raise DBs with force and lower slowly) (8# DBs)
- (no rest) Repeat #18
30 second rest
Finisher: (4 minutes)
- Alternating leg extension, 20 reps (lay on back with hands behind head and head/shoulders elevated, bicycle the legs)
- Alternating hand to foot reach, 20 reps (lay on back with head/shoulders elevated, alternate raising and lowering straight legs, reach opposite hand to foot when leg is extended to ceiling)
- Repeat #1 & 2 as many times as possible in 4 minutes
