CGX: Calisthenics Series Day 5: Lower Body – ‘No Repeat!’

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

This workout completely fried my legs. And with no dumbbells! Though this is mostly a bodyweight workout, you are using resistance for some exercises in the form of a booty/glute band. And lots of props for most of the other exercises. She burns your muscles out with long intervals and lots of tempo variations. Caroline was kicking her own butt because she has to take quite a few mini breaks in the midst of an interval to thaw out her own muscles. I feel like Caroline hit nearly every muscle group in the lower body in some fashion. Though the title says no repeat, that really isn’t accurate. For instance, you will do Bulgarian lunges multiple times but the first time they will be regular Bulgarian lunges and the next time you do them you will be hinged forward over your front thigh to hit the glutes more. This was a very challenging lower body endurance workout.

This workout is done interval style. The interval and recovery times vary so they are noted below in the breakdown. There is a timer in the upper right hand side of the screen counting down your intervals and recoveries. During the recovery Caroline previews the next exercise. There is also a little bar at the bottom of the screen that counts down the entire workout time as a percentage.

Lower Body – No Repeat is 54:41 minutes (this time does not include the optional 5:55 minute warm up or the 1:07 minute intro, also optional) with a 3 minute stretch. Equipment: glute band, bench/step, yoga block, heel wedges and a fitness mat.

1. Slow lying side abduction for 60 seconds (glute band is around thighs above knees, lay on side on mat with knees bent and legs together, keeping insoles of feet together, slowly open knees)
2. (no rest) Small pulses for 30 seconds (same position as #1, keep legs open against band and pulse top knee upward)
3. (no rest) Repeat #1 at a normal tempo for 45 seconds
4. 15 second rest
5. Repeat #1-4 on other leg
6. Slow single leg hip thrust for 75 seconds (lay on back with one knee bent and foot on mat close to glutes, other leg is raised, slowly raise and lower hips in bridge)
7. (no rest) Small pulses for 15 seconds (same position as #6, keep hips lifted at top of bridge and pulse them upward)
8. (no rest) Repeat #6 to a regular tempo for 45 seconds
9. 15 second rest
10. Repeat #6-9 on other leg
11. Slow single leg hamstring lift for 75 seconds (same as #6 except leg is extended out further with heel on mat)
12. (no rest) Small pulses for 15 seconds (same position as #11, keep hips lifted and pulse them upward)
13. (no rest) Repeat #11 to a regular tempo for 45 seconds
14. 15 second rest
15. Repeat #11-14 on other leg
16. Bulgarian lunge for 60 seconds (static/stationary lunge, back foot is elevated on step/chair behind you, front foot is elevated on yoga block)
17. (no rest) 1.5 reps for 30 seconds (same as #16, lower to bottom of lunge, raise halfway, lower to bottom of lunge, raise all the way)
18. 30 second rest
19. Repeat #16-18 on other leg
20. Paused forward tilt Bulgarian lunge for 60 seconds (same position as #16 but with torso hinged forward over front thigh, pause briefly at bottom of lunge)
21. (no rest) Continue #20 at regular tempo for 30 seconds
22. 30 second rest
23. Repeat #20-22 on other leg
24. Slow static lunge for 60 seconds (stationary lunge, front foot is elevated on yoga block)
25. (no rest) Small pulses for 15 seconds (same as #24, remain at bottom of lunge and pulse)
26. (no rest) Repeat #24 to a regular tempo for 45 seconds
27. 30 second rest
28. Repeat #24-27 on other leg
29. Slow curtsy lunge for 60 seconds (stationary cross-back lunge, front foot is elevated on yoga block)
30. (no rest) Small pulses for 30 seconds (same position as #29, remain at bottom of lunge and pulse)
31. (no rest) Repeat #29 at a regular tempo for 30 seconds
32. 30 second rest
33. Repeat #29-32 on other leg
34. Paused rear step forward tilt curtsy for 60 seconds (step back cross back lunge, front foot is elevated on yoga block, torso is hinged forward over front thigh, pause briefly at bottom of lunge)
35. (no rest) Static 1/2 reps for 30 seconds (same position as #34, stationary lunge, remain at bottom of lunge and only raise halfway)
36.  (no rest) Repeat #34 to a regular tempo, full range, no pauses for 30 seconds
37. 30 second rest
38. Repeat #34-37 on other leg
39. Abduction for 60 seconds (place glute band around thighs above knees, lay on back with knees bent and feet on mat, open knees against band)
40. (no rest) Slow bridge with constant abduction for 60 seconds (same position as #39, keep legs wide against band, raise and lower hips slowly)
41. (no rest) Pulses for 15 seconds (same position as #40, keep hips lifted at top of bridge and pulse hips upward)
42. (no rest) Repeat #40 to a normal tempo for 45 seconds
43. 30 second rest
44. Pistol squats for 60 seconds (single leg squat, heel of working leg is elevated on heel wedge, other leg is extended in front of you and elevated off floor–she also shows an alternative where you hold a chair for balance)
45. 30 second rest
46. Repeat #44 & 45 on other leg
47. Top range elevated squats for 30 seconds (heels are elevated on heel wedges, lower into partial squats)
48. (no rest) Bottom range for 30 seconds (same position as #47 but lower to bottom of squat and only raise partway out of squat so there is constant tension on legs)
49. (no rest) Full range for 30 seconds (heels are still elevated on heel wedges, do a full range squat)
50. 30 second rest
51. Pausing at halfway & at bottom elevated squats for 90 seconds (heels are still elevated on heel wedges, lower into a partial squat and pause briefly, lower to bottom of squat and pause briefly, raise halfway and pause briefly, raise all the way out of squat)

30 second rest

Finisher:

1. Heels are still elevated on heel wedges, lower to bottom of squat and hold for 15 seconds
2. (no rest) Full range squat for 15 seconds (heels still elevated on heel wedges)
3. (no rest) Repeat #1 & 2
4. (no rest) Full range regular squat with both feet on floor for 15 seconds (no heel wedges)
5. (no rest) Hold isometrically at bottom of squat for 15 seconds
6. (no rest) Repeat #4 & 5
7. (no rest) Repeat #4