CGX: K5 series season 1 | Day 1: Glutes & Hamstrings with Abs Included

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

This kettlebell workout was intense! Caroline sprinkles kettlebell swings throughout and they serve (for me at least) as a HIIT. My Apple watch shows a total of 3 minutes spent in my peak heart rate zone (Zone 5) and 24 minutes spent in Zone 4 (cardio zone)! So this workout was very metabolic. And there are definite peaks and valleys in my heart rate graph, with my heart rate dropping during the core work then building during the lunges and squats and spiking during the kettlebell swings. Caroline works your lower body very well with a focus on glutes and hamstrings–but everything in the lower body is hit in this workout. I have not done kettlebell swings in a long time so I am nervous about the DOMS I might have tomorrow. I will never forget the severe DOMS I had after the first time I ever did a kettlebell workout. It has never been that bad since but I also haven’t done a kettlebell workout in a year or more and it is the swings that did it; and there are a lot of swings in this workout.

This workout is one long circuit that is repeated 3 times. The exercises are done interval style. Most of the exercises are done for 60 seconds of work followed by 30 seconds of recovery.  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 1 Glutes & Hamstrings w/ Abs is 51:15 minutes (this time does not include the optional 5:55 minute warm up or 3:57 minute intro, also optional) with a 2:40 minute stretch. Equipment: kettlebells, 2 yoga blocks, heel wedge, bench/step and fitness mat. Caroline is using 20kg/44 pound, 10kg/22 pound and 8kg/17.6 pound kettlebells. The weights listed below are what I used.

1. Toe reach for 60 seconds (lay on back with legs extended straight to ceiling, hold one KB in both hands, arms/KB also extended to ceiling, crunch upper body reaching KB to feet) (15# KB)
2. (no rest) Leg lower for 60 seconds (still on back and hold one KB in both hands with arms/KB extended to ceiling, legs extended straight to ceiling, lower legs until they are a few inches from mat then raise them back to ceiling–arms/KB remain stationary throughout) (15# KB)
3. (no rest) Toe reach to leg lower for 60 seconds (set KB aside, still on back with legs extended to ceiling, lower straight legs until they are a few inches from the floor, return them to start then crunch upper body reaching hands to feet)
4. 30 second rest
5. Double arm KB swing for 60 seconds (30# KB)
6. 30 second rest
7. Sumo squat (stand with each foot on a yoga block, legs are wide, hold one KB by handles in front of you, lower into a deep squat reaching KB toward floor) (55# KB)
8. 30 second rest
9. Forward tilt Bulgarian lunge for 60 seconds (stationary lunge, back leg is elevated on bench behind you, toes of front foot are elevated on heel wedge, hold one KB in same side hand as back leg, torso hinges forward over front leg) (20# KB)
10. 30 second rest
11. Repeat #9 & 10 on other leg
12. Double arm KB swing for 60 seconds (30# KB)
13. 30 second rest
14. Sumo deadlift squat for 60 seconds (repeat #7 but this time torso hinges forward deadlift style) (55# KB)
15. 30 second rest
16. Rear step lunge for 60 seconds (reverse step back lunge, front foot is elevated on yoga block, hold one KB in rack position at same side shoulder as front/working leg) (20# KB)
17. 30 second rest
18. Repeat #16 & 17 on other leg
19. Repeat #1-18 two more times

Finisher:

1. Double arm KB swing for 30 seconds (30# KB)
2. 10 second rest
3. Repeat #1