CGX: Intent Program Day 48: ‘Change in ROM & Tempo’ Upper Body

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

My arms and shoulders were fried by the end of this workout. Caroline does hit every muscle group in the upper body in some fashion but the arms and the shoulders get a lot of focus. You do need a bench for this workout to get full range of motion for the tricep extensions (#12 below).

This workout is one long circuit that is repeated 3 times. The exercises are done interval style. The interval and recovery times vary so they are noted below in the breakdown. 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 at the bottom of the screen, counting down the workout time as a percentage.

Upper Body is 47:58 minutes (this time does not include the optional 3:55 minute warm up or the 3:37 minute intro, also optional) with a 1:50 minute stretch. Equipment: dumbbells, chair, bench, and fitness mat. Caroline is using 12.5kg/27.5 pound, 7.5kg/16.5 pound, and 5kg/11 pound dumbbells. The weights listed below are what I used.

1. ‘No meet in the middle” chest flys for 75 seconds (traditional chest flys but do not bring DBs together over chest so there is constant tension on chest) (20# DBs)
2. 30 second rest
3. Pullover for 75 seconds (one 35# DB)
4. 30 second rest
5. Hammer press for 60 seconds (shoulder press seated in chair, palms face each other framing face) (18# DBs)
6. 30 second rest
7. Lat sweep for 75 seconds (sit on chair or bench, torso hinged forward over thighs, keeping arms close to sides sweep arms/DBs up behind you keeping elbows slightly bent) (10# DBs)
8. 30 second rest
9. Skull crushers for 60 seconds (15# DBs first set, 13# DBs last 2 sets)
10. (no rest) Repeat #9 holding one DB in both hands (one 15# DB)
11. 15 second rest
12. Overhead tricep extension for 75 seconds (still holding one DB in both hands, extend arms overhead and behind you, in this position, bend and straighten elbows–similar to a skull crusher, but elbows are extended further back so DB is lowered behind head rather than to the forehead) (one 15# DB)
13. 30 second rest
14. ‘Power up, slow down’ hammer curls for 60 seconds (raise DBs fast/with power and lower slowly) (16.5# DBs)
15. 30 second rest
16. Repeat #14 but with palms facing ceiling
17. 30 second rest
18. Repeat #1-16 two more times

Finisher: (4 minutes)

1. Tricep dips, 20 reps (off bench or chair, legs extended straight)
2. Hammer curls, 10 reps (16.5# DBs)
3. Repeat #1 & 2 as many times as possible in 4 minutes