CGX: Max Program Day 20: Our weekly isolation/accessory session!

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

This should have been an enjoyable workout but I was tired and unmotivated this morning. I pushed through anyway and got a great workout. It is the same as the other final workout of the week workouts in the Max Program that I’ve done so far. It is a circuit workout, it is not done PHA style, the rests are short, it focuses on smaller upper body muscle groups and the core, and lower body work does not use dumbbells/barbell. I liked this one more than some of the others so far. I know I wasn’t crazy about Day 5 or Day 10, but I do remember enjoying Day 15.

The exercises are done interval style. The exercise interval and recovery times vary and are noted below in the breakdown. There is an on screen timer 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 20 is 38:17 minutes (this time does not include the optional 9:18 minute warm up or 3:09 minute intro, also optional) with a 1:05 minute stretch. Equipment: dumbbells, glute band, and fitness mat. You are also using the 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 7.5kg/16.5 pound and 4kg/8.8 pound dumbbells. The weights listed below are what I used.

1. Plank hollow walk for 60 seconds (on forearm plank, step each foot back once, do plank saw pushing heels using body then shifting body forward while also stepping feet back to start)
2. (no rest) Hips up & down for 60 seconds (flow between forearm plank and dolphin pose)
3. (no rest) Straight leg reverse crunch for 60 seconds (lay on back with head/shoulders elevated and hands behind head, lower straight legs until they are a few inches off the mat then raise them and do a reverse crunch)
4. 15 second rest
5. Diagonal raise for 75 seconds (straight arm front raise but arms are open and raised in a V) (8# DBs)
6. 15 second rest
7. Lying overhead tricep extension for 60 seconds (hold one DB in both hands, similar to a skull crusher but arms are extended back further and you lower DB behind head) (one 20# DB)
8. (no rest) Tricep press  for 60 seconds (narrow chest press, arms are kept close to sides, palms face each other) (20# DBs)
9. 15 second rest
10. Palm up curl for 70 seconds (concentration curl: sit on bench or chair, hold one DB in one hand, legs are open wide, lean forward with tricep against inner thigh, do a single arm bicep curls in this position) (one 18# DB)
11. 10 second rest
12. Repeat #9 & 10 on other arm
13. Forward & back banded walk for 60 seconds (glute band is around thighs above knees, lower into partial squat with legs wide enough that there is constant tension on legs, walk forward several steps then walk backward)
14. (no rest) Banded 3/4 rep squats for 60 seconds (glute band is still around thighs, legs open so there is constant tension on band, lower to bottom of squat but only raise 3/4 of the way)
15. 10 second rest
16. Repeat #1-8
17. Repeat #9-11 but hold DB hammer style
18. Repeat #12-13
19. Repeat #1-12

Finisher:

1. Forward & back banded walk for 60 seconds (glute band is around thighs above knees, lower into partial squat with legs wide enough that there is constant tension on legs, walk forward several steps then walk backward)
2. (no rest) Banded 3/4 rep squats for 60 seconds (glute band is still around thighs, legs open so there is constant tension on band, lower to bottom of squat but only raise 3/4 of the way)
3. (no rest) Full range squat for 60 seconds (band still around thighs)