CGX: Max Program Day 10: Only one movement for the quads..but it’s highly isolating!

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

I found this workout tougher than I expected. Just like the first week Caroline is mixing things up with the last workout of the week. For upper body you are hitting smaller muscle groups and for the lower body you are focusing on the quads. You also get core work. Though the intervals are not especially long, the recoveries are short, plus there are super sets and a triset. I was definitely feeling the burn. It is one long circuit that is repeated 3 times. I did not find this workout particularly enjoyable like most of the other Max workouts so far, but it definitely does a great job of giving you a solid full body workout to round out your week.

This workout is done interval style. The exercise intervals times vary and are noted below in the breakdown. Each interval is followed by a 15 second recovery. 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.

Day 10 is 38:46 minutes (this time does not include the optional 9:18 minute warm up or 3:36 minute intro, also optional) with a 1:40 minute stretch. Equipment: dumbbells, chair/bench, heel wedges, and fitness mat. You are also using a 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 10kg/22 pound, 7.5kg/16.5 pound and 4kg/8.8 pound dumbbells. The weights listed below are what I used.

1. Plank saw for 60 seconds (in elbow plank, shift body forward and back using feet)
2. (no rest) Hip twist for 60 seconds (still in forearm plank, shift hips side to side, lowering hips toward mat)
3. (no rest) Toe reach to leg lower for 60 seconds (lay on back, legs are extended to ceiling, crunch upper body reaching hands to feet then lower straight legs until they are a few inches off the floor)
4. 15 second rest
5. Alternating rotational curls for 75 seconds (arms/DBs start at sides hammer style, as you curl rotate hands/DBs so palms face upward into a traditional bicep curl) (16.5# DBs)
6. 15 second rest
7. Skull crusher for 60 seconds (15# DBs)
8. (no rest) Skull crusher holding one DB in both hands for 45 seconds (one 15# DB)
9. 15 second rest
10. Slow eccentric 3/4 rep heel elevated squats for 60 seconds (heels are elevated on heel wedges, hold one DB at chest under chin, lower slowly to bottom of squat but only raise 3/4 of the way out of squat so there is constant tension on legs) (one 35# DB)
11. (no rest) Bodyweight slow eccentric full range for 60 seconds (heels still elevated on heel wedges)
12. 15 second rest
13. Partial rear delt flys (palms behind) for 60 seconds (seated on bench/step, torso hinged forward over thighs) (8# DBs)
14. (no rest) Partial diagonal raise for 60 seconds (standing, lifting straight arms in a V, but only lift partway) (8# DBs)
15. 15 second rest
16. Repeat #1-15 two more times

Finisher:

1. Time in hole for 60 seconds (bodyweight squat with heels elevated on heel wedges, lower slowly to bottom of squat and hold for a few seconds before raising quickly out of squat and immediately lowering again)
2. (no rest) Pausing at halfway intervals for 60 seconds (heels are still elevated on wedges, lower halfway into squat and hold briefly, lower to bottom of squat and hold briefly, raise back to halfway point and hold briefly then raise all the way out of squat)
3. (no rest) Rep it out for 30 seconds (full range bodyweight squats with heels still elevated on heel wedges at a brisk pace)