Anyone else doing Caroline Girvan's EPIC programme?

Thanks @ManxRhyme, I’ll do both today before going out. No EMOM for me today, I’ve decided! I’m a bit achey from the full body yesterday.

Well done @stilllockeddownnowheretogo for getting to day 46. Yes, 10 secs rest doesn’t even give me time to shift position or take a sip of water. How does one get to do anything in 10 secs??? I will admit to having paused a few rests so I can get extra seconds in, to actually breathe.

Day 46 completed here. Not too many left! Today was arms, and not too bad at all. I enjoyed it.

@BigButtons, @Melassa, yep, I've definitely noticed the longer exercise periods and shorter rests! Lots of 10 second rests which barely gives me time to put the weights down
I've also noticed the actual videos getting longer, but I think that's mostly a longer explanation at the beginning - what exercises are coming up and good form tips. I think there was less of that in the first videos.

@Melassa here you go. Two separate ones but I think they complement each other well.

@ManxRhyme can you link to the CG weighted abs and plank please? I found a plank only session but the weighted abs one didn’t come up in my search, weirdly

@Melassa that sounds hard core 😬. Bet you feel fabulous though!

I am meant to be on day 17 of Heat but opted to do the CG weighted abs and plank variations again today alongside a short HIIT by Heather Robertson. I like the occasional pick and mix day and I've decided this time round I'll do some core focused work at least once a week even if it means slowing down on the HEAT progression. All those planks after yesterday's shoulder and tricep Heat session was a bit taxing on the shoulders though, I need to talk DH into a shoulder massage tonight 😂

Day 23 done last night and 24 this morning. The complexes were tiring and the maker marathon at the end taxing, but I survived and feel great! Also less guilty.😬

Tomorrow should be EMOM but we’re going out for a hike so I might miss it. I will see if I have the energy.

Yes, the exercises are getting longer and the breaks shorter, yesterday was 50 + 50 then 20 secs rest, today 3 minutes! At this rate we will have a solid block of 30 mins with no rest by the end!

Didn’t do yesterday as got back too late and too hungry. I meant to do day 23 today but didn’t even manage a lunch break, then needed to go out to meet friends (posh jumper checked on over sports bra). I now feel guilty so will do day 23 shortly, as soon as the Bloody Mary has worn off 😳

Then on to full body tomorrow, hopefully!

Thanks @ManxRhyme

jakedupree.com/photos

Back onto Heat though I did day 13 as I accidentally skipped it last week. DH surprised me with a fitness band and I'm planning to try it out tomorrow. Darker mornings make it harder for me to get out of bed on time to exercise. Then I miss a day and I feel grumpy all day.

@FlowerArranger saw this and thought of you!

Heat day 43 done yesterday - legs are sore today!
Day 44 to complete later...

No idea about sports gloves, sorry. I'm only using 3 or 5 kg weights at the moment.

Day 22 done! Not too bad, managed most including the push ups. Has anyone noticed that the session length in Heat are starting to creep up? 42 minutes today.

I also do hip thrusts on the sofa and I hold the weight steady, although I’ve found since using a beach towel I can bunch it up around the weight and it tends to stay put. Occasionally I do bridge thrusts on the floor instead, but struggled with holding the weight still, so gave up and went back to the regular hip thrusts (which I will hate forever).

I think it’s interesting how we all struggle with different things, or find them easy when others found them hard. I don’t know if it also depends on the day (some days I’m more disinclined than others). I’m about to do day 22 but I’m not really in the mood, so may get less out of it.

For lifting heavier weights in general, as the issue is that my hands and wrists hurt more from the heavier weights, I’m being advised to get special gloves with a wrist support. Have any of you ever used this? Does it work? Just wondering before shelling out.

@Anjelika, this is very promising! Maybe I can try EPIC III next. 52 minutes (for the original EPIC) is just too much for me . I'd have to get up too early!

@wetpants, the full body sessions are my favourite too I think. There were a couple that I really enjoyed, I think in the second half of Heat, so you're coming up to them soon.

My dumbbell has hexagonal ends, so doesn't really roll around... I do steady it with my hand a bit too.

@BigButtons lol I am on that FB group too and that is where I got the impression it was WAY harder than Heat and YES the high weights they use on there!!! Makes me think I should be lifting heavier. I probably should for legs but can still feel it the day afterwards.

To be fair I don't do any of her HIIT routines and those do seem quite tough. I run twice a week and just want to supplement the running with some strength training.

@stilllockeddownnowheretogo I use a Bosu ball for hip thrusts. We do have a padded gym bench at home too but I prefer the bosu ball.

This reminds me of something that I wanted to ask here too - when doing hip thrusts or anything else where you need to place the dumbell on your lap - how do you stop it rolling up and down? I’ve tried with a towel and without but my dumbell doesn’t stay in place at all.

Hi, I haven’t checked in for a while but have been toiling away with Epic Heat. Completed day 27 today which means I’m half way through!

I didn’t do Day 25 EMOM, it looked way too jump heavy for my sensibilities. I used our Carol bike instead, followed by the 3 min Bowflex plank. In fact I have decided to do that instead of the Hiit/Emom sessions. At least for the time being.

EH day 24 (Beastmode full body)was tough in my books. Made me really ache afterwards. It may have contributed for me to ditch the EMOM day . Having said that, I quite enjoyed the sesh and I’ve noticed the tough full body sets give me the best euphoria hit for the day.

@stilllockeddownnowheretogo I was dreading trying the Epic III ones as a) they are longer and b) from what I've read online they are supposed to be pretty tough! The 2 I've done this week were only about 45 mins each and didn't feel noticeably longer. The leg pyramids day 21 wasn't that hard really. CG only uses 1 dumbbell for each exercise and I did the same. It was my heaviest but was I think maybe a bit too light. If I did that one again I would have 2 for the squats and stick with 1 for the Bulgarian lunges!

Yesterday I did day 22 upper body complexes and it was fine. I didn't attempt the pike press-ups though and my triceps didn't feel particularly challenged. It was more about the shoulders. I'm WFH this week so it's way easier for me to fit in the slightly longer sessions. Saying that, over the past few weeks I've been picking out routines from Epic II to do and these were 52 mins each.