Anyone else doing Caroline Girvan's EPIC programme?

[quote FlowerArranger]@Oblahdeeoblahdoe - cardio is obviously part of a rounded exercise routine, but it won't do much for flabby bits. You need to turn the fat into muscle, and for this you need to do strength work. And for this there's probably no one better than Caroline.

Here is my take on who does what best - YMMV, but they're a good start:

• strength and all-round fitness: C. Girvan
• abs: Rebecca Louis
• legs: Lucy Wyndham Read
• cardio/high intense, sweaty all-round HIIT: Anna of Growingannanas
• low-impact, joint-friendly but fairly intense HIIT: also Anna
• good all-round workouts, some quite intense: Jake du Pree (Popsugar Fitness)
• good-fun Tabata workouts (we can do anything for 20 seconds.... right?): Ranier Pollard via Popsugar
• Anna Renderer of Popsugar also has some short & sweet workouts - I like her because she is less shouty than some of the others)
• lastly, I would recommend the woman (don't even know her name) who does the Redefining Strength videos. Great for learning how to do moves properly and getting rid of bad habits.

So there's your homework [/quote]
You're a star @FlowerArranger. I'd better get cracking!

What do you think of lilly sabri flowerarranger? I have used her a lot for abs. Her workouts helped me a lot.

@Oblahdeeoblahdoe - cardio is obviously part of a rounded exercise routine, but it won't do much for flabby bits. You need to turn the fat into muscle, and for this you need to do strength work. And for this there's probably no one better than Caroline.

Here is my take on who does what best - YMMV, but they're a good start:

• strength and all-round fitness: C. Girvan
• abs: Rebecca Louis
• legs: Lucy Wyndham Read
• cardio/high intense, sweaty all-round HIIT: Anna of Growingannanas
• low-impact, joint-friendly but fairly intense HIIT: also Anna
• good all-round workouts, some quite intense: Jake du Pree (Popsugar Fitness)
• good-fun Tabata workouts (we can do anything for 20 seconds.... right?): Ranier Pollard via Popsugar
• Anna Renderer of Popsugar also has some short & sweet workouts - I like her because she is less shouty than some of the others)
• lastly, I would recommend the woman (don't even know her name) who does the Redefining Strength videos. Great for learning how to do moves properly and getting rid of bad habits.

So there's your homework

Hello, just came across this thread. I love Caroline girvan! I've done epic 1 and epic heat (although preferred the shorter workouts in epic heat), her circuits series and now on day 2 of beastmode.

I also think I'm stronger and more toned since starting with Caroline (and I've always exercised). I do do extra abs workouts though as I had diastasis recti after my last pregnancy so I need a bit more core work than Caroline does in her main workouts.

Will look up Anna for cardio as she seems to have popped up a lot.

I'm really loving the new beast mode 2 week series. 4 sets of mainly compound exercises, I didn't think I'd like it as 4 sets feels like a lot but it feels really quick (most workouts around 40 minutes which feels so much more manageable than the longer workouts of epic 2, with an optional add on).

Great if you need a filler workout (I'm going on holiday in a couple of weeks so didn't want to start epic Heat and have to stop while I'm away).

@Melassa I'd say I started to notice a big difference about week 6 to 7 of Epic.

What I really love about Caroline is how she pushes you more than other trainers: one good push up is worth more than 30 on your knees.

And before you know it you can knock out 10 good push ups!

I just wish I could find a source of cheap weights! We have a 15kg set of dumbells though I mostly don’t go above 5kg and 8kg, but need to add a 25kg and 20kg set.

[quote FlowerArranger]@Oblahdeeoblahdoe - try Lucy Wyndham Read and Rebecca Louise. I think I posted links to my favourite workouts of theirs earlier in the thread.

Both have tons of very short videos. I used to stich together a full body workout by doing, say, Rebecca's stretch routine, followed by one of her abs and arms workouts (starting off with 2.5kg dumbbells), then Lucy's thighs & glutes workout, and if I had any energy left, Rebecca's ballet inspired gentle leg workout.

Hey presto - a full body workout!! Lucy is very gentle and ideal for beginners. Rebecca Louise is much more energetic and a bit (too much) in your face... After I've done a routine a couple of times I turn down the sound and listen to Radio 4 instead...

Before I got fit enough for sessions with Caroline , I also used to do a lot of Jake du Pree on Popsugar Fitness. The latter also has a great Tabata workouts with Rainier Pollard, who is great fun:

You can do this - and it can be great fun (even Ms Girvan....... sometimes...) [/quote]
Thank you so much. I'm on it. I've done Popsugar videos before so know I'll enjoy them

I'll look for Mascot too, OP

Do you all do cardio as well? I'm not overweight but I'm horribly flabby

@Melassa - if you are feeling achy, I'd recommend some of Rebecca's stretch routines such as this one, which I call the perfect 'Caroline why are doing this to me??!!!!' antidote:

youtu.be/y4lmUCN3yLU

Growingannanas' low impact HIIT are also great if you need a break from EPIC.

@Oblahdeeoblahdoe - try Lucy Wyndham Read and Rebecca Louise. I think I posted links to my favourite workouts of theirs earlier in the thread.

Both have tons of very short videos. I used to stich together a full body workout by doing, say, Rebecca's stretch routine, followed by one of her abs and arms workouts (starting off with 2.5kg dumbbells), then Lucy's thighs & glutes workout, and if I had any energy left, Rebecca's ballet inspired gentle leg workout.

Hey presto - a full body workout!! Lucy is very gentle and ideal for beginners. Rebecca Louise is much more energetic and a bit (too much) in your face... After I've done a routine a couple of times I turn down the sound and listen to Radio 4 instead...

Before I got fit enough for sessions with Caroline , I also used to do a lot of Jake du Pree on Popsugar Fitness. The latter also has a great Tabata workouts with Rainier Pollard, who is great fun:

You can do this - and it can be great fun (even Ms Girvan....... sometimes...)

I feel so inspired reading this thread! I'm afraid I've let lockdowns get the better of me and have eaten badly with little exercise. I used to be so fit for my age up to last year (I'm now 65) and could kick myself! So, I need to get going again. Can you recommend any videos to get me started again please?

I did the shoulders yesterday (I did not attempt the handstand!) and glutes today. Neither too bad, but then for the glute one I didn’t have the band so tried using a yoga band thing, with varying degrees of success.

My shoulders are tired instead of achey from yesterday and my quads are still stiff from the previous day. No idea what my bum will be like tomorrow, although I didn’t have heavy weights so it might have escaped the worse. I really should do more stretching after, she only does the bare minimum, but after 45 mins I just want a shower and to eat.

Tomorrow is full body workout followed by the HIIT which is tabata something, whatever that might be. It can’t be worse than burpees, surely?

I might slip in a yoga session at the weekend to soothe and lengthen my aching muscles.

I wonder how long it will take for the benefits to become visible? I’m feeling a bit firmer but my arms still look weedy and the wobbly tum is omnipresent. For those who have done it or are near the end, when did you start noticing any changes?

Thanks @Moonflower12345 I've just been watching some and hoping I will get buns of steel

@TheDogsMother they are all free on youtube! Beast mode is just the name of her latest workout series, it started last week. If you go to her page on youtube then click videos it will show you them all in the order they've been uploaded!

Thanks @Moonflower12345 this is really helpful. I'm not sure if I've seen Beast Mode so will need to check it out. I'm not sure if that needs a paid subscription as so far I've just been finding them on YouTube. I know if I start with the longer workouts I will end up giving up. Shorter ones regularly work for me.

@TheDogsMother epic Heat and her new 2 week series Beast Mode are about half an hour. You'll be fine if you are used to exercise but do take it at your own pace! She has lots of shorter standalone videos too - you could always do two of the 15 minute ones maybe?

I started week 2 of beast mode this week as I fancied trying one as it was released rather than being weeks behind like I was with Epic 1 and 2. Didn't want to start heat as I go on holiday soon so waiting til I come back. Really liking beast mode, yesterday back and biceps (i can really feel it today in my back!) and today lower body. 4 sets of various mostly compound movements with an optional add on. I'm liking the shorter workouts - I did find it a struggle to complete the epic 2 workouts towards the end as they all felt so long.

@BigButtons Arrggh what am I letting myself in for !!

I've been following Jillian Michaels programmes for a few years but I really need a change. I found CG and have been following some of her kettlebell routines which I enjoy though I do need to build in some HIIT as I risk losing stamina. 45 minutes would be difficult to accommodate so could anyone tell me which of her routines are more the 30 minute mark ?