CGX: P.E. Program Day 32: ‘Weakening… but finished feeling strong!’ (Upper 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 another killer upper body workout. In this workout Caroline fries your back and biceps. It was tough! I had back up weights ready for almost every exercise but I only used them for one–the neutral row (#26). I started with 16.5 pound dumbbells but 20 seconds into the interval I had to swap them out for my 12 pound dumbbells. I do think that is an exercise I could have lifted heavier than 12 pounds but by that point in the workout my muscles were very fatigued. This workout is also pretty metabolic for an upper body workout. I burned a total 413 calories.

This is a superset workout. You will do 2 exercises back to back before you get a 30 second recovery. 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 superset. There is also a bar at the bottom of the screen that counts down the entire workout time as a percentage.

Upper Body is 47:03 minutes (this time does not include the optional 3:55 minute warm up or the 2:58 minute intro, also optional) with a 1:35 minute stretch. Equipment: dumbbells, chair or bench, and fitness mat. Caroline is using 17.5kg/38.5 pound, 15kg/33 pound, 10kg/22 pound, 7.5kg/16.5 pound, and 5kg/11 pound. The weights listed below are what I used.

1. Pullover for 90 seconds (one 35# DB)
2. (no rest) Diagonal sweeps for 60 seconds (seated on chair or bench, torso hinged forward over thighs, w/ elbows slightly bent, raise arms/DBs up behind you while also opening arms away from sides) (9# DBs)
3. 30 second rest
4. Renegade row for 60 seconds (alternate arms) (30# DBs)
5. (no rest) Rear delt row for 60 seconds (seated in chair or bench, torso hinged forward over thighs, arms are extended to sides with palms facing behind you, row DBs, keeping arms wide and leading with elbows, elbows are bent at 90 degrees at top of row) (12# DBs)
6. 30 second rest
7. Repeat #1-6 two more times
8. Double arm bent over supine row for 60 seconds (palms face forward) (30# DBs)
9. (no rest) Palms up bicep curls for 60 seconds (16.5# DBs)
10. 30 second rest
11. Double arm bent over neutral grip row for 60 seconds (DBs come together in a V in front of you at bottom of row, when you row arms/elbows are slightly open) (30# DBs)
12. (no rest) Hammer curl for 60 seconds (16.5# DBs)
13. 30 second rest
14. Repeat #8-13
15. Repeat #8
16. (no rest) Partials palms up bicep curls for 30 seconds (raise DBs to 90 degrees and pulse) (16.5# DBs)
17. 30 second rest
18. Repeat #11
19. (no rest) Partials hammer curl for 30 seconds (raise DBs to 90 degrees and pulse) (16.5# DBs) (16.5# DBs)
20. 30 second rest
21. x1 arm pause in stretch row for 60 seconds (single arm row w/ non-working hand and same side leg resting on bench, at bottom of row, stretch arm long) (one 35# DB)
22. (no rest) Momentum row for 30 seconds (row DB w/ power and lower at normal tempo) (one 35# DB)
23. 30 second rest
24. Repeat #21-23 on other arm
25. Repeat #21-24
26. Neutral row (lighter weight) for 60 seconds (seated double arm row) (12# DBs)
27. (no rest) Momentum rotational curl for 60 seconds (start w/ DBs at your side like a hammer curl, as you curl DBs, rotate them so palms face the ceiling, lift w/ power) (16.5# DBs)
28. 30 second rest
29. Repeat #26-28

Finisher:

1. Alternating rotational curl for 60 seconds (16.5# DBs)