CGX: Max Program Day 24: Short sets of push ups…and clusters of hip thrusts to finish!

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.

Though there are push ups in this workout, the focus is glutes, hamstrings and shoulders. And Caroline heavied up in this workout! She was using 27.5 pounds for her shoulders! I considered heavying up but my shoulders have been bothering me lately and I have a history of shoulder problems so I stuck with my 20s. Which is fine. I have not gotten to a point where 20s are easy for me. My shoulders were still feeling the burn.

This workout is done interval style. Most of the exercise is done for 60 seconds followed by a 30 second recovery. If the interval time is different, it is noted below. 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.

For the stability ball roll outs Caroline also shows two alternatives–one body weight and one using sliding devices under the heels. The staggered RDLs are done for 3 sets. The first set is done without the heel wedge and the last 2 sets use the heel wedge. During the preview of the staggered Caroline only shows the exercise without the heel wedge for all 3 sets.

Day 24 is 37:26 minutes (this time does not include the optional 9:18 minute warm up or 3:54 minute intro, also optional) with a 2:05 minute stretch. Equipment: dumbbells, barbell, chair/bench, heel wedge, stability ball, and fitness mat. Push up bars are optional. 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 a barbell at 68kg/150 pounds. She is also using 17.5kg/38.5 pound, 12.5kg/27.5 pound, and 7.5kg/16.5 pound dumbbells. The weights listed below are what I used.

1. Hip thrusts (lean back against your bench or step with barbell on hips, knees are bent and heels are in line with knees, raise and lower hips slowly) (barbell @ 101#)
2. Shoulder press (seated in high back chair, arms are in goal post at bottom of press) (20# DBs)
3. Repeat #1 & 2 two more times
4. Slower eccentric stability ball roll outs for 90 seconds (lay on back on mat, heels on stability ball, raise hips and keep them elevated, roll ball toward glutes then slowly roll back out)
5. Push ups for 30 seconds (Caroline us using push up bars, I used DBs)
6. Repeat #4 & 5 two more times
7. Staggered RDL (single leg deadlift, hold one DB in same side hand as working leg, other knee rests on bench or chair seat) (one 40# DB)
8. Repeat #7 on other leg
9. Upright rows (15# DBs)
10. Repeat #7 & 8 but this time toes of working leg are elevated on heel wedge
11. Repeat #9
12. Repeat #10 & #9

Finisher:

1. Hip thrusts for 30 seconds (lean back against your bench or step with barbell on hips, knees are bent and heels are in line with knees, raise and lower hips) (barbell @ 101#)
2. 30 second rest
3. Repeat #1 & 2
4. Repeat #1