Anyone else doing Caroline Girvan's EPIC programme?

On the hip thrusts: do you all do them on a hard dining chair, or a softer sofa?
Seeing Caroline's clear plastic chair, I've been trying to use a dining chair - it has a covered seat but not very cushion-y. And I couldn't do them at all, it hurt too much on the top of my back / the part leaning on the chair, and I really wondered if I was doing them correctly... (I changed to glute bridges from the mat instead)
But then I saw she has a different grey cushioned chair, and I tried the last session of hip thrusts using my sofa instead, and could do them much better - I really felt it on leg muscles.
How do you do the hip thrusts? Do you struggle? Is it ok to use the sofa?

@Anjelika and others, I'd love to hear your review of the EPIC III series, any sessions you do. What is the video / workout length in minutes? Does it seem like a lot longer than the Heat workout...
This morning, when I was about 80% through, I was wondering how I'd feel if I had an extra 10-15 minutes, or worse a double workout to complete! And I couldn't have done it. Are the longer workouts less intense? I think I prefer 30 mins of effort and it's all over.

I agree @BigButtons, I do like her in depth explanations in EH. Thank goodness for no more hip thrusts, although I did some yesterday in the glute session and they weren’t too bad. I do find that some of her sessions are deceptively easy, I can do most of the moves and am not sore the next day, then she hits you with a difficult one and and you!re back to struggling with exercises and soreness/stiffness afterwards.

I got the book today, I’ve just been reading through it and have tried to relieve my knee ache with my thumbs and it seems to have worked. I will see tomorrow in my warm up if it’s really gone or just pretended to go away. It’s been most interesting flicking through the pages.

No exercise for me today, it’s been a long and exhausting day with trying clients. Wine has been drunk but I’m back in the wagon tomorrow.

OMG at that plank @FlowerArranger

I know you-all LOVE a good plank challenge!

So, here is one that's a bit.......... different:

The fun starts about 57 seconds in...

I've switched to doing Epic III but a week behind rather than live as I'm WFH this week so can fit in a longer session. Did Upper body complexes today and found it OK but I do find she focuses a lot on shoulders and not so much on arms. I didn't even attempt her pike push ups though - just did some tricep exercises instead 🤣

Oh, and I agree with @BigButtons! I definitely am fitter / stronger, and think I'm doing great, and then suddenly I'm struggling to do an arm press...
Overall I am fitter / stronger. I am a bit worried about my arm / shoulder muscles which are bigger, but love the effect on my legs / thighs. Could do with some more abs / better waistline.... Have any of you seen your arms / shoulders increasing in size? I don't want to get bulky there, but do want to lose the bingo wings.
I really need to lose some of the fat on top of (what I hope is) muscle, but cannot stay away from the biscuits / crisps / chocolate. Sigh. Maybe this thread will give me motivation!

Thanks everyone! So great to see your responses.

@FlowerArranger, you're right I shouldn't overthink it. But I've done much better at sticking to this program than any others and I want to keep on a roll.
I want to know what I'm doing next, so I don't spend weeks faffing about and not doing any workouts. And I know me, I know that if I don't have someone telling me I must do a glutes workout, or a HIIT, that I will wimp out and do arms / rest day wayyyy too often .
I think I will take a week off and try your suggestions - those are great. My planking is usually terrible - maybe I'll have improved post-EPIC Heat??

@Melassa, interesting you ask about soreness - it really has varied! I was definitely sorest after I did EPIC Beginner. With zero weights. Maybe because I'd been doing different exercise prior - mostly cardio cycling and running.
I haven't really hurt much during EPIC Heat at all - I've had limited weights though so maybe wasn't challenging myself enough. I got new weights in week 6/7 and I had a bit more soreness after that (arms) . There have been weeks / workouts where I've felt amazing and really enjoyed it (a couple of the full body weights sessions in particular), and then there has been a similar workout the next week where I've struggled. I think Caroline really does vary the type / intensity of the workouts so you can never really tell what's coming next.

Hi @stilllockeddownnowheretogo I think Epic 3 is 30 minutes sessions, I remember someone mentioning it further down the thread. I too struggle with fitting anything longer into my day, some days I find it hard finding 30 mins plus warm up, so I do a quick plank or thigh session mentioned by @FlowerArranger

Well done on getting to day 42! I’m still languishing in the first half, did day 21 glutes today, looking forward to the upper body one tomorrow despite my shoulders still being sore from the full body. Can I ask, did you find you were getting fewer sore muscles as you progressed? I think I’m getting stronger with every session then Bam!, a session which cripples my triceps, shoulder, glutes or whatever the muscle du jour was.

My advice would be not to overthink it

It's great that you've done an entire programme. You must be so much fitter!

Redoing EPIC Heat with heavier weights sounds like a great idea, particularly if this fits in with your lifestyle. And/or dip your toe into one of the other EPIC programmes when you have more time, e.g. substituting an EPIC Heat legs workout with a similar, longer one from another EPIC series. Or one of Caroline's stand-alone workouts.

I also work out with other online fitness trainers as otherwise I get a bit bored. Or sometimes I just don't feel up to a full CG session... My other go-to trainers are Growingannanas and Jake DuPree who mainly do HIIT. I also swear by a few specific workouts:

• Lucy Wyndham Read's Thighs & Glutes
• Rebecca Louise's Best Abs
• the Bowflex 3-minute plank

Finally, whenever I'm unsure whether I'm doing a particular move right (e.g. push-ups), I check Redefining Strength. This lady, Cory, explains all moves really well.

Hope this helps

Hi everyone,
I've been following your thread but not posted before...
Based on a recommendation a while ago, (August?) I did the EPIC beginner workouts and have been doing EPIC Heat since.
I'm on day 42 . Can't quite believe I've made it this far!

But now I'm starting to think what to do next, in two weeks time. Restart EPIC Heat with heavier weights? Do a different EPIC? Try a different trainer?
I struggle with time. I really like the 30 minute workouts.
Advice please!

Definitely not a chest to floor one! Any push ups in complexes are at most halfway, past the first one perhaps. If that.

About 4! If with a push up I might scrape 3

How many burpees can you fit into 20 seconds...

@BigButtons I can assure I am not! I probably put in less effort, plus people kept trying to talk to me (nobody bothers when I’m not doing anything, but the minute I start any exercise I get bombarded with inane questions, like what’s for dinner? Aargh!)

I did day 20 Tabata HIIT today, weirdly I didn’t find it too bad, even the burpee bonanza at the end. I completely surprised myself! I did modify a couple, like anything lungy which had a jump attached, but on the whole I managed to do most of the exercises. It did help that 20 seconds is blessedly short…

Nuts are good for you, I eat loads as my main protein snack! Not fried and salted if I can help it, but I do love a salted almond…

Sigh.
My excuse is that it aids my creativity - I'm a painter...
So I mess around with my acrylics and gesso and what-not for a couple of hours...... and would you believe it, the bottle is half empty!!!??
Not to mention the nuts. Nuts are good for you, aren't they?
And sigh some more...