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 upper body strength workout. Though the focus is the back, you are doing compound exercises that hit every muscle group in your upper body. I felt this workout the most in my back and shoulders. You can do this workout when you are short on time or do like I did this morning and combine it with another workout. I followed this one up with CGX The Chest–another excellent upper body workout that hits more than the title muscle group. My upper body feels well worked!
This workout is done interval style. The exercise and interval times vary and are 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 at the bottom of the screen, counting down the workout time as a percentage.
The Back is 22:28 minutes (this time does not include the optional 3:56 minute warm up) with a 1:15 minute stretch. Equipment: dumbbells, bench, and a fitness mat. Caroline uses 25kg/55 pound, 17.5kg/28.5 pound, 15kg/33 pound and 4kg/8.8 pound dumbbells. The weights listed below are what I used.
- Landmine row for 45 seconds (stand with legs wide and torso hinged forward with back flat, hold one DB in both hands by bar, row DB up to chest) (one 60# DB)
- 30 second rest
- Pullover for 60 seconds (one 40# DB)
- 60 second rest
- Repeat #1-4 two more times (Carolyn increases her weight for the pullovers)
- Rear delt row for 60 seconds (sit on bench/step, hinge torso forward over thighs, arms are away from sides, do a wide row, arms out to sides, and leading with elbows while remaining hinged forward) (10# DBs)
- 30 second rest
- Sweeps for 60 seconds (seated on bench or chair, hinge forward, keeping arms mostly straight and close to sides, sweep arms upward behind you) (10# DBs)
- 45 second rest
- Repeat #6-9
- Repeat #6-8
15 second rest
Finisher:
- Rear delt row partials for 30 seconds (only lift arms partway) (9# DBs)
- (no rest) Sweep partials for 30 seconds (only lift arms partway) (9# DBs)
