This is a workout from Caroline Girvan‘s CGX app. For more info on Caroline’s App, see the CGX App page.
This is an excellent lower body workout. For most of the exercises the intervals are shorter and the rests are longer so you can lift heavier and really challenge yourself with the weight you use. I bumped up my weight for the hip thrusts and found it very doable thanks to this structure! I wanted to go heavier with the single leg RDLs but it is also a grip strength thing with me. This workout is definitely a winner if your goal is strength and lifting heavy weights.
The exercises are done interval style. Most of the intervals are done for 45 seconds of work followed by 60 seconds of recovery. If the interval or recovery time is different, it is noted below. But if no time is given, just know it is 45/60 interval. There is an on screen 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.
55 Min Glutes & Hamstrings is 58:42 minutes (this time does not include the optional 5:55 minute warm up or 2:43 minute intro, also optional) with a 3:30 minute stretch. Equipment: dumbbells, chair/bench, heel wedge, glute band, stability ball and a fitness mat. Caroline is using a barbell at 78kg/172 pounds and 48 kg/106. She is also using 25kg/55 pound, 20kg/44 pound, and 15kg/33 pound dumbbells. The weights listed below are what I used.
- 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 @ 116#)
- Repeat #1 three more times (Caroline removes 30kg/66 pounds from her barbell for the final set)
- Staggered RDL (single leg deadlift, knee of non-working leg rests on a bench or chair) (one 35# DB)
- Repeat #3 on other leg
- Repeat #3 & 4 three more times (Caroline gets a heavier DB) (one 40# DB)
- Stability ball roll outs for 60 seconds (lay on back on mat, heels on stability ball, raise hips and keep them elevated, roll ball toward glutes then back out)
- 45 second rest
- Repeat #6 & 7 two more times
- Sumo deadlift squats (stand with legs wide and toes turned out, hold one DB by bar with both hands, torso hinges forward deadlift style as you squat) (one 65# DB)
- Repeat #9 three more times
- Forward tilt Bulgarian lunge for 60 seconds (bodyweight static/stationary lunges, back leg is elevated on step/bench, toes of front foot are elevated on heel wedge, torso is hinged forward over front thigh, Caroline holds onto a chair in front of her to go deeper into lunge)
- 45 second rest
- Repeat #11 & 12 on other leg
- Repeat #11-13 but this time hold one DB in same side hand as back leg, intervals and recoveries also return to 45 seconds of work followed by 60 seconds of rest (one 25# DB)
- Repeat #14 two more times
- Banded bridge for 60 seconds (lay on back on mat, knees bent and heels close to glutes, glute band is around thighs just above knees, legs are open wide enough so there is constant tension on band, barbell or heavy DB rests on hips, raise and lower hips) (barbell @ 115#)
- 45 second rest
- Repeat #16 & 17
- Seated upright abduction for 60 seconds (sitting on mat with knees bent and feet on floor close to glutes, band is still around thighs above knees and hands are on mat behind hips to keep torso upright, push thighs open wider against band)
- (no rest) Lying abduction for 60 seconds (same as #19 but now you are lying on your back)
- (no rest) Feet further away abduction for 60 seconds (same as #20 but move feet further away from glutes so knees are only partly bent)
30 second rest
Finisher:
- Banded bridge for 30 seconds (with barbell on hips) (barbell @ 115#)
- 15 second rest
- Partial reps for 30 seconds (same as #1 but only lower hips/glutes partway before raising them again) (barbell @ 115#)
