CGX: Max Program Day 21: One isolation amid the compounds!

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

This workout is done PHA style. For more information on PHA, see Day 1’s post.

My favorite workouts of each Max week that I’ve completed so far is the first day of the week and this one didn’t disappoint. So far they are the workouts you can challenge yourself the most with heavier weights. And I did that this morning using 35 pound dumbbells for lunges. And it was hard but I did it! The PHA factor makes it very doable. Plus, Caroline gives you slightly longer rests in this workout. This is another excellent total body strength workout that I really enjoyed. I needed a longer stretch at the end tho. My glutes and shoulders are feeling very tight and sore these days.

This workout is done interval style. Each exercise is done for 60 seconds followed by a 35 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 21 is 36:52 minutes (this time does not include the optional 9:18 minute warm up or 3:03 minute intro, also optional) with a 1:45 minute stretch. Equipment: dumbbells, barbell, chair/bench, glute band and fitness mat. The glute band is for the warm up. You will also be using light dumbbells for the warm up. Caroline is using 4kg/8.8 pound dumbbells. For the actual workout Caroline is using a barbell at 58kg/128 pounds. She is also using 20kg/44 pound, 17.5kg/38.5 pound and 4kg/8.8 pound dumbbells. The weights listed below are what I used.

1. Static lunge (stationary lunges) (35# DBs)
2. Repeat #1 on other leg
3. Chest press (30# DBs)
4. Repeat #1-3
5. Repeat #1 & 2
6. Pullover (one 40# DB)
7. RDL (Romanian deadlift) (hex deadlift bar @ 100#)
8. Repeat #6 & 7 two more times
9. Around the world (with palms facing forward and hands in front of thighs, keeping arms straight, raise DBs out to sides then overhead, lower DBs out to sides and back in front of thighs) (8# DBs)
10. 1.5 rep hip thrust (lean back against your bench or step, knees bent with feet on floor and knees in line w/ ankles, barbell rests on hips, raise hips, lower halfway, raise hips, lower all the way) (barbell @ 101#)
11. Repeat #9 & 10 two more times

Finisher:

1. Chest press for 60 seconds (30# DBs)
2. 15 second rest
3. Diamond press for 60 seconds (lay on mat holding one DB in both hands by bar over chest, keeping arms close to sides push DB to ceiling) (one 30# DB)