This is a workout from Caroline Girvan‘s CGX app. For more info on Caroline’s App, see the CGX App page.
Another tough upper body workout. Caroline definitely hits the arms hard in this one, especially the triceps, but shoulders get fried, too, with the finisher. The back gets some nice work and even the chest gets worked with the tricep presses. My muscles were definitely burning out and I had to drop to lighter weights for some of the exercises each time the circuit was repeated. For one of the exercises Caroline clearly had a different interval/rest period in mind than what was pictured on the screen. After you complete the tricep press (#10 below) you get 30 seconds of rest then do the diamond press for 60 seconds. However, after 15 seconds of the recovery, Caroline starts doing the diamond press and does it for 75 seconds. She does this every time we repeat the circuit even though the timer gives us a longer rest and a shorter interval. Since she was frying my triceps anyway, I did what the screen said–30 second rest and 60 second interval.
The exercises are 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.
‘Preferentially the Arms’ Upper Body is 47:17 minutes (this time does not include the optional 3:55 minute warm up or the 3:48 minute intro, also optional) with a 3:10 minute stretch. Equipment: dumbbells, chair/bench, and fitness mat. Caroline is using 12.5kg/27.5 pound, 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 (one knee and same side hand rest on bench, single arm back row with arm kept close to side and palm facing forward) (one 40# DB)
- 30 second rest
- Repeat #1 & 2 on other arm
- Hammer curl for 60 seconds (20# DBs)
- 30 second rest
- Alternating curl for 60 seconds (arms/DBs start hammer style, rotate DB so palm faces upward as you curl) (20# DBs)
- 30 second rest
- Slight forward lean lateral raise for 60 seconds (sit on bench with torso leaned forward slightly) (9# DBs)
- 30 second rest
- Tricep press for 60 seconds (similar to a chest press but palms face each other and arms are kept close to sides) (20# DBs)
- 30 second rest
- Diamond press for 60 seconds (same as #10 except DBs are pressed together over chest) (20# DBs first 2 sets, 16.5# DBs last set)
- 30 second rest
- Overhead tricep extension for 75 seconds (French press holding one DB in both hands) (one 25# DB first set, one 20# DB second set, one 16.5# DB last set)
- 30 second rest
- Cobra push ups for 60 seconds (lay on mat with hands on mat under shoulders, keeping arms close to sides do push ups cobra-style keeping hips on mat)
- 30 second rest
- Repeat #1-17 two times
Finisher: (4 minutes)
- Rear delt row, 20 reps (sit on bench/step, hinge torso forward over thighs, arms are away from sides, do a wide row, arms out to sides, pulling elbows up higher than shoulders while remaining hinged forward) (9# DBs)
- 90 degree at elbow lateral raise, 20 reps (bent arm side lateral raises) (9# DBs)
- Repeat #1 & 2 as many times as possible in 4 minutes
