CGX: Max Program Day 45: That time of the week for lots of isolating!

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

Like all of the other final workouts of the week in this program, this workout focuses on upper body smaller muscle groups and the core. There is also some lower body work using a booty/glute band as resistance. The last workout of the week is usually my least favorite but I did enjoy this one more than I normally do. I think the core work was easier than it normally is and I enjoy working my lower body with a booty band. This workout is one long circuit that is repeated 3 times. The third time it is repeated Caroline changes up some of the exercises by adding pulses to really fry your muscles.

This workout is done interval style. The exercise interval and recovery times vary and are noted below in the breakdown. There is an onscreen timer 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 45 is 37:01 minutes (this time does not include the optional 9:18 minute warm up or 2:35 minute intro, also optional) with a 1:10 minute stretch. Equipment: dumbbells, chair/bench, glute/booty band and fitness mat. 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 7.5kg/16.5 pound and 4kg/8.8 pound dumbbells. The weights listed below are what I used.

1. Toe reach for 60 seconds (lay on back with legs extended to ceiling, crunch upper body with hands reaching to toes)
2. (no rest) Small tuck for 60 seconds (lay on back w/ head on mat, knees bent and legs raised, do a small reverse crunch)
3. (no rest) Crunch for 60 seconds (basic upper body crunch with knees bent and feet on mat)
4. 15 second rest
5. Around the world for 60 seconds (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)
6. (no rest) Lateral raise for 45 seconds (8# DBs)
7. 15 second rest
8. Seated abduction for 60 seconds (sit on mat with bench behind you, glute band is around thighs just above knees, open legs wider against band)
9. (no rest) Banded hip thrusts for 60 seconds (lean back against bench, knees bent at 90 degrees with heels in line with knees, band is still around thighs, raise and lower hips/glutes keeping legs wide so there is constant tension on band)
10. (no rest) Repeat #8 for 30 seconds
11. 15 second rest
12. Palm up bicep curls for 45 seconds (18# DBs)
13. (no rest) Hammer curls for 30 seconds (18# DBs)
14. 15 second rest
15. Tricep dips for 60 seconds (hands on edge of chair/bench behind you)
16. (no rest) Overhead tricep extension for 60 seconds (seated French press) (one 22.5# DB)
17. 15 second rest
18. Repeat #1-17
19. 1/2 rep toe reach for 60 seconds (same as #1 but shoulders/head never lower back to the mat–only lower halfway)
20. (no rest) Repeat #2
21. (no rest) Crunch pulses for 60 seconds  (basic crunch but keep shoulders/head elevated the entire interval and pulse upward)
22. 15 second rest
23. Repeat #5
24. (no rest) Partial rep lateral raise for 45 seconds (only lift DBs/arms partway)
25. Abduction pulses for 30 seconds (same as #8 but keep legs open and pulse them outward against band)
26. (no rest) Repeat #9
27. (no rest) Pulses for 30 seconds (same as #9 but keep hips raised at top of thrust and pulse upward)
28. 15 second rest
29. Repeat #12-14

Finisher:

1. Tricep dips for 60 seconds
2. (no rest) Diamond cobra push ups for 60 seconds (hands together under chest with thumb and first fingers forming a diamond, push up into cobra keeping thighs on mat)