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 made up of one long circuit that is done mostly PHA style. PHA stands for Peripheral Heart Action. What this means in training terms is you alternate between upper and lower body resistance exercises. Switching between upper and lower body exercises maximizes blood flow to all parts of the body and reduces build up of lactic acid. This gives muscle groups plenty of rest between sets; in theory, your upper body is resting while your lower body is working, and your lower body is resting while your upper body is working.
This full body workout works all of the large muscle groups in the body in some fashion but the focus of the upper body is shoulders. The chest and back do get some work but not a lot. Unlike the other workouts in this program (so far at least), the intervals are longer and the rests are shorter. But again, the PHA factor gives muscle groups longer rests anyway. I found this to be an enjoyable workout and a nice way to end my workout week. Caroline doesn’t use the full body workouts in this program to end the week, but I re-arranged the workouts because I prefer that kind of structure to my week: muscle splits the first 4 days of the week, a cardio day, a full body workout then end the week with a recovery day workout.
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 4 is 42:05 minutes (this time does not include the optional 9:59 minute warm up or 2:53 minute intro, also optional) with a 2:05 minute stretch. Equipment: dumbbells, barbell, chair/bench, glute band, heel wedge and fitness mat. Optional is push up bars. You are also using the glute band and light dumbbells for the warm up. Caroline is using 4kg/8.8 pound and one 7.5kg/16.5 pound dumbbells for the warm up. For the actual workout, Caroline is using a barbell at 48kg/106 pounds. She is also using 15kg/33 pound, 10kg/22 pound, 5kg/11 pound, and 4kg/8.8 pound dumbbells. The weights listed below are what I used.
- 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#)
- 30 second rest
- Push ups for 30 seconds (Caroline us using push up bars, I used DBs)
- 30 second rest
- Rear step lunge for 60 seconds (reverse step back lunge, toes of front foot are elevated on heel wedge) (20# DBs)
- 30 second rest
- Repeat #5 & 6
- Sweeps for 75 seconds (seated on bench or chair, hinge forward, keeping arms mostly straight and close to sides, sweep arms upward behind you) (9# DBs)
- 30 second rest
- Goblet/front squat for 60 seconds (holding one DB) (one 40# DB)
- 30 second rest
- Arnold press for 60 seconds (seated in chair with back) (20# DBs)
- 20 second rest
- Diagonal Y raise for 60 seconds (front raise but with arms open more so they raise in a V and continue raising arms overhead so they are open overhead in a Y) (9# DBs)
- 60 second rest
- Repeat #1-15
- Repeat #1-4
- 1.5 rep rear lunge (reverse step back lunge, toes of front foot are elevated on heel wedge, hold one DB at same side as front leg, step back into lunge lowering to bottom of lunge, raise halfway, lower all the way then step feet together again) (one 22.5# DB)
- 30 second rest
- Repeat #18 & 19 on other leg
- Repeat #8 for 45 seconds
- (no rest) Mid point partials for 30 seconds (same as #8/21 but only lift arms/DBs partway) (9# DBs)
- 30 second rest
- 1.5 rep goblet/front squat for 60 seconds (lower to bottom of squat, raise halfway, lower to bottom of squat, raise out of squat) (one 35# DB)
- 30 second rest
- Repeat #12-15
Finisher:
- 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#)
- (no rest) Lying abduction for 30 seconds (remove barbell from hips, still laying on back with band around thighs, open thighs against band)
- (no rest) Upright abduction for 30 seconds (same as #2 but sitting upright on mat, knees are bent with feet on mat and hands on mat behind hips)
- Banded bridge burn out for 30 seconds (same as #1 but w/out barbell)
