CGX: Max Program Day 26: Slow to lower & exploding to lift

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.

I always enjoy returning to the Max Program after weeks of Intent and P.E. This was another fabulous total body strength workout. Like the other first day of the week Max workouts, this one is structured to give you sufficient rest between muscle group sets so you can lift heavier. Caroline hits every muscle group with lots of compound moves. As usual the stretch is super short so I added on a longer one.

This workout is done interval style. Most of the exercises are done for 60 seconds followed by a 30 second recovery. If the times vary it is noted in the breakdown 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.

Day 26 is 36:10 minutes (this time does not include the optional 9:18 minute warm up or 3:02 minute intro, also optional) with a 2:05 minute stretch. Equipment: dumbbells, barbell, chair/bench, yoga block and fitness mat. A glute band is used in the warm up. You will also be using 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 58kg/128 pounds. She is also using one 30kg/66 pound, 17.5kg/38.5 pound, 15kg/33 pound and 10kg/22 pound. The weights listed below are what I used.

1. Paused sumo deadlift squat (legs are wide with toes slightly turned out, hold one heavy DB by bar with both hands, torso is hinged forward deadlift style, pause briefly at bottom of squat) (one 70# DB)
2. Pullover (one 40# DB)
3. Repeat #1 & 2 two more times
4. Static lunge (stationary lunge with front foot elevated on yoga block) (30# Dbs)
5. Repeat #4 on other leg
6. Deadstop chest press (lay on back on floor, at bottom of press the back of the arms/triceps rest on the floor briefly before pushing DBs back to ceiling) (30# DBs)
7. Repeat #4-6 two more times
8. Slow eccentric bridge for 45 seconds (lay on back on mat, knees bent and heels close to glutes, barbell or heavy DB rests on hips, raise hips with power and lower hips slowly) (barbell @ 105#)
9. 5 second rest
10. Rep it out for 10 seconds (fast hip thrusts) (barbell @ 105#)
11. Arnold press (seated in a chair with a back) (20# DBs)
12. Repeat #8-11 two more times

Finisher:

1. Slow lower than explode sumo deadlift squat for 60 seconds (“explode”=raise out of squat with power) (one 65# DB)
2. Bodyweight only pause then explode for 60 seconds (hold briefly at bottom of squat then raise out of squat with power)