This is a workout from Caroline Girvan‘s CGX app. For more info on Caroline’s App, see the CGX App page.
This is the final lower body workout in Caroline’s Sunrise Collection of vacation/holiday workouts. I will be doing 4 more of these workouts over the next few weeks (2 upper body and 2 full body). All of these workouts are set outdoors and are primarily bodyweight workouts using minimal equipment. In the case of this workout, Caroline is using outdoor objects. In the picture you can see she is sitting on a sort of wall. She uses that for Bulgarian lunges and step ups. You can use a park bench if you are also outdoors, or if you are in a hotel room you can just use a chair. Or if you are at home like me you can use a high step for the step ups and a bench for the Bulgarian lunges.
This is another tough endurance workout that will work your entire lower body. It is short but thorough. It even started to get a bit metabolic (for me at least) but it is short, so my heart rate never got super high. But it was climbing!
This workout consists of complexes; each complex contains 2 exercises. What this means is you are doing 2 exercises with no rest between the exercises and you do not stop alternating those two exercises until the time is up. Each complex is done for 2 minutes then you get a 20 second rest before moving on to the next complex. The complex you are working through is listed in the lower right hand corner of the screen for your reference. It lists each exercise you are doing and the amount of reps you do for each exercise. This is especially useful if you cannot keep pace with Caroline then you can still keep track of your complex. Additionally, this workout contains a staple exercise that is done for 60 seconds followed by 30 seconds of recovery. It appears 3 times. There is a timer in the upper right hand corner of the screen, counting down your 2 minutes of work as well as the staple exercise interval and the recoveries. Caroline previews your next complex (or staple) during the recovery. There is also a bar along the bottom of the screen that counts down the entire workout time as a percentage.
Lower Body as the Sun is Rising is 22:46 minutes (this time does not include the optional 5:55 minute warm up) with a 1:15 minute stretch. Equipment: chair/bench or so other stationary object for Bulgarian lunges and step ups, sliding devices and towel. The towel is used like a fitness mat.
Complex 1:
- Paused Bulgarian lunges, 5 reps (stationary lunge, back foot is elevated on chair or other structure, lower to bottom of lunge, pause briefly before rising)
- Repeat #1 to a faster tempo w/ no pauses, 5 reps
- Repeat #1 & 2 as many times as possible within 2 minutes
- 20 second rest
- Repeat #1-4 on other leg
Staple: Sliders for 60 seconds (lay on back on towel/mat with sliding devices under heels, raise hips and keep them elevated entire interval as you slide legs out then back in)
Complex 2:
- Forward tilt Bulgarian lunge, 10 reps (stationary lunge, back foot is elevated on chair or other structure, torso hinged forward over front thigh)
- Rear step lunge, 10 reps (reverse step back lunges)
- Repeat #1 & 2 as many times as possible within 2 minutes
- 10 second rest
- Repeat #1-4 on other leg
Staple: Sliders for 60 seconds
Complex 3:
- Step up, 10 reps (stand facing chair or other stable elevated surface, place one foot on chair and step up onto it then step down)
- Repeat #1 on other leg
- Repeat #1 & 2 as many times as possible within 2 minutes
- 20 second rest
Complex 3:
- Alternating step up, 10 reps (same as complex 3 but alternate legs when stepping up)
- Alternating rear lunge, 10 reps (alternating reverse step back lunges)
- Repeat #1 & 2 as many times as possible within 2 minutes
- 20 second rest
Staple: Sliders for 60 seconds
Finisher:
- 1/2 rep stationary lunges for 20 seconds (lower to bottom of lunge but only raise halfway)
- (no rest) Remain at bottom of lunge and hold isometrically for 20 seconds
- (no rest) Full range stationary lunges for 20 seconds
- (no rest) Repeat #1-3 on other leg
