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Original poster

EPIC!! Losing, gaining and groaning with Caroline Girvan

971 replies

BigButtons · 19/10/2021 21:16

New thread!

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Anjelika · 13/12/2021 18:42

@BigButtons well done on getting back on it. It will take a bit of time to get back to where you were but you'll get there!

I'm managing 3 x CG sessions a week and 2 runs. I'm loosely following the programmes - was doing Epic 3 but went back to Heat today - but just the first 3 days of each week so 2 x upper body & 1 x lower body one week then 2 x lower body & 1 x upper the next week.

Original poster
BigButtons · 13/12/2021 14:58

That was tough as I expected it to be. Had to lower my weights a bit and take frequent pauses. I am still quite weak and congested so I was careful but really glad to be exercising again after a week of basically not being able to move.
How’s everyone else doing?🙂x

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Original poster
BigButtons · 13/12/2021 13:04

was finally able to go back to work today after this horrid flu bug.
Today I will attempt 2x 20 min advent sessions. Think I will go for today's lunges and a back one from last week.
Am pleased to find that the 3 minute plank hold gets easier and easier.( not so easy in the last 20 seconds though!)

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Original poster
BigButtons · 10/12/2021 18:22

@fishonabicycle congrats on your house move. I am also in East Sussex- lovely part of the world. I am close to Brighton 🙂

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fishonabicycle · 10/12/2021 17:28

Hello again! We started epic 3, which got interrupted by moving house (into a teeny cottage - hopefully will extend next year) in the east Sussex countryside! We have some weights in the cupboard under the stairs and are having to use the front room for workouts ... So have been doing the advent ones (2 some days as been too busy to do anything other days). The hardest so far was the abs I think.

Original poster
BigButtons · 08/12/2021 11:22

Thank you all for the well wishes. I am not getting any better despite rest. Now in the process of trying to contact a Dr- could take days. I wonder if I need antibiotics.
It’s an odd bug. Like flu but without a temp. Still feels like my body has done loads of CG in that it aches massively all over. I feel really hot on the inside.oh well.

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Melassa · 08/12/2021 11:08

I’ve been doing the advent ones too and yes, the 20 minutes is just about right. I doubled up on sessions yesterday and this morning so I’ve caught up on the missed days.

I still have my sore shoulder/bicep which travelled down to my wrist yesterday. I’ve been trying all the trigger points I could find (I can no longer figure out which muscle it is so tried them all) but I might need to give up and go to the acupuncturist. I’m not sure I’m doing it much good by ploughing on through the workouts, it doesn’t hurt for most exercises, only when I lift my arm over my head like for a side stretch.

@BigButtons get well soon, you need a rest, sometimes it’s counterproductive pushing through a cold and a few days of sofa is the best thing. This is a stressful time of year as it is, sometimes you need to take it easy where you can.

Itsnotdeep · 07/12/2021 20:07

oh no, maybe just a few days complete rest @BigButtons ?

I've also been taking it easy as I've overdone the hiking and really made my knees hurt. So none of my beloved yoga to keep me going. Had a couple of days off CG, but now find the 20 minutes advent ok. I had the best of intentions to do an add on today, but just cba.

ManxRhyme · 07/12/2021 19:53

@BigButtons get well soon. Maybe give it a good while with proper rest. I've been doing the advent calendar and really like the 20 mins format. Will struggle to go back to longer workouts I think. Time is so tight at the moment.

Still can't get onto MN on my phone so will check in periodically when I'm on the laptop. I've decided my favourites are whole body dumb bell exercises. I just feel like I've had a good all over workout with them even if just 20 minutes.

Anjelika · 07/12/2021 15:03

@BigButtons oh no!! Take it easy. Your body needs a rest. Hope you feel better soon.

Original poster
BigButtons · 07/12/2021 14:34

I am floored by yet another bug. Not covid- but flu- like. So consigned to the sofa/ bed for the foreseeable 😮‍💨😷😫

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Anjelika · 07/12/2021 07:51

Did Push Ups and Abs from the final week of Epic 3. Wasn't too bad but mainly as I did all of the push ups with knees on the floor and legs crossed behind me plus didn't attempt ones like the swallow dive - replaced with ordinary press ups. Fair play to CG who did the lot as full press ups!! I am in awe of her.

Anjelika · 05/12/2021 17:04

@BigButtons I just think it will be beyond boring - a bit like the endless hip thrust routines she throws in. I'll give it a go though.

Original poster
BigButtons · 05/12/2021 14:59

I don’t know why I though upper body callisthenics was a good idea.
Even CG was lying face down on the yoga mat by the end. Death by a thousand push ups. I hate push ups.

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Original poster
BigButtons · 05/12/2021 14:30

@Anjelika I am currently attempting something very similar from her callisthenics series. I say attempting because I have fudged my way to 21% and have had to go and sit on the sofa to regroup😮😂

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Anjelika · 05/12/2021 14:21

@BigButtons I'm planning to do the first 3 workouts of the last week of Epic 3 but the first one is "Push Ups & Abs", which I remember at the time even the hardiest of the Facebook group members struggled with so not sure.

Original poster
BigButtons · 05/12/2021 11:12

Trying to work out what to do next week. I might do tempo week again.
I wonder if she will bring out another Epic series in the new year.

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Original poster
BigButtons · 04/12/2021 14:23

I also can’t type😂🧐

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Original poster
BigButtons · 04/12/2021 14:22

@Melassa enjoy your skiing- sounds fun. I am very envious!
I have found a spot on my infraspinatus- the outer edge of my right shoulder blade. It hurts like buggery and it does send pain to the front of the shoulder. That might be worth investigating?
I am also doing a few external rotation stretches to try and balance all the forward pulls on my shoulders.
I just tried the first few minutes of her callisthenics lower body and thought I was going to keel over. So fed up of this bug.
Having said that I mama fed a beast mode back and biceps yesterday and could do the back work with 11kg. His knows why I am so weak and feeble today.🤧🥴😮‍💨

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Melassa · 04/12/2021 13:55

Thanks*@BigButtons*, I did some stretches and some yoga, plus massaged with a tennis ball (it’s the only area without trigger points it appears) and it’s a bit better. It does keep coming back though but if can control it then hopefully limited impact on workouts.

I’ve been doing the advent sessions, yesterday I did day 3 and today days1 and 2. I saw the hip thrusts in day 4 this morning and just thought nah. I will try that callisthenics session instead.

It’s a long holiday weekend here so I will be away a couple of days and will not travel with my weights so I will need to catch up the advent days when I get back. We might get some skiing in so I won’t be totally immobile. I will use that time to watch videos on technique as I find some CG exercises suspiciously easy so I’m probably not doing them right!

I hope your cold gets better soon @BigButtons. We’re going to the mountains as we’ve all started getting a bit sniffly here, so we’re hoping the clean mountain air will do us good.

Anjelika · 03/12/2021 15:45

@BigButtons I'll try the Callisthenics one some time soon! My Epic 3 Day 43 (not 63 as per my previous post!!) was OK. No hip thrusts thankfully or the dreaded Bulgarian lunges - think even CG herself has gone off those 🤣

Original poster
BigButtons · 03/12/2021 12:20

@Anjelika that’s what I am doing- a mishmash. I still feel pretty ropey and have blocked sinuses so am trying to find workouts that kind on the old lungs.
I think I will a beast mode back and biceps and finish the advent abs I got halfway through yesterday.
I do highly recommend the glutes calisthenics if anyone fancies a change of actually exercises.
My bum does actually ache today- I never normally feel it after endless hip thrusts but doing different exercises without a band has made the difference to me being able to concentrate on isolating the muscle.

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Anjelika · 03/12/2021 11:06

I'm going to do Day 63 of Epic 3 today then I might switch to a combination of Heat and the Advent calendar ones. I see today's is a full body one. Will be interesting to see that in a 20 mins session!!

Original poster
BigButtons · 02/12/2021 18:22

@Melassa this guy on you tube is excellent for stretches m.youtube.com/watch?v=SfxyICleU4I&t=820s
My right shoulder is grumbling because I have taken up knitting again so I am doing his stretches abs they really help.

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Itsnotdeep · 02/12/2021 18:13

Day 2 advent was abs. I think they might all be only 20 minutes but they're quite tough - no breaks and lots of repetition. I didn't manage the add-on today as was at the office all day.