CGX: P.E. Program Day 43: ‘Less about WHAT we do…more about HOW we do it!’ (Lower Body)

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

This was an intense lower body workout. It was very metabolic, too. I burned 500 calories! The workout starts with a superset containing jump squats. So your heart rate immediately spikes. Then she keeps it elevated the rest of the workout with lots of lunge variations. And for each superset in this workout she fries the muscle by doing some kind of bodyweight pulse or partial rep (or jump squat) after the weighted interval to finish the muscles off.

This is a superset workout. You will do 2 exercises back to back before you get a 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 progress bar along the bottom of the screen that counts down the entire workout time as a percentage.

Lower Body is 48:45 minutes (this time does not include the optional 5:55 minute warm up or 3:32 minute intro, also optional) with a 2:15 minute stretch. Equipment: dumbbells, barbell, yoga block, glute and fitness mat. Caroline is using a barbell at 58kg128 pounds. She is also using 15kg/33 pound and 10kg/22 pound dumbbells. The weights listed below are what I used.

1. High squat form 60 seconds (DBs held at shoulders) (30# DBs)
2. (no rest) Paused 3/4 rep squats / Jump squats for 45 seconds (Caroline shows both options; paused 3/4 rep squats=lower to bottom of squat, pause briefly then only raise 3/4 of the way out of squat)
3. 45 second rest
4. Banded bridge for 60 seconds (band is around thighs just above knees, lay on back with knees bent and feet on mat close to glutes, legs open so there is constant tension on band, barbell or one heavy DB on hips, raise and lower hips in bridge) (barbell @ 105#)
5. (no rest) Pulses for 15 seconds (keep hips raised at top of bridge and pulse upward) (barbell @ 105#
6. Repeat #3-5 w/out the band
7. 45 second rest
8. Repeat #1-7 two more times
9. Curtsy lunge for 60 seconds (static/stationary curtsy/cross-back lunge, hold one DB at same side shoulder as working/front leg, front/working foot is elevated on yoga block) (one 22.5# DB)
10. (no rest) Bodyweight paused 1/2 reps for 30 seconds (bodyweight, same position as #9, lower to bottom of lunge and hold briefly then only raise halfway)
11. 30 second rest
12. Repeat #9-11 on other leg
13. Bulgarian lunge for 60 seconds (static/stationary lunge, back leg is elevated on chair or bench, hold one DB at same side shoulder as front/working leg) (one 22.5# DB)
14. (no rest) Bodyweight time in hole for 30 seconds (same as #13, lower to bottom of lunge and hold briefly before rising quickly and lowering back into lunge quickly)
15. 30 second rest
16. Repeat #13-15 on other leg
17. Repeat #9-16
18. Repeat #9
19. (no rest) Body weight partials for 30 seconds (same position as #9 w/out the DB, lower to bottom of curtsy lunge and pulse)
20. 30 second rest
21. Repeat 18-20 on other leg
22. Repeat #13
23. (no rest) Body weight partials (same position as #13 w/out the DB, lower to bottom of lunge and pulse)
24. 30 second rest
25. Repeat #22-24 on other leg

Finisher:

1. Goblet squat for 30 seconds (one 35# DB)
2. (no rest) Hold isometrically at bottom of squat for 10 seconds (one 35# DB)
3. (no rest) Repeat #1 & 2
4. (no rest) Set DB aside and continue holding isometrically at bottom of squat for  5 seconds
5. (no rest) Bodyweight squats for 15 seconds
6. (no rest) Repeat #4 & 5