Getting fitter and stronger with Caroline Girvan- all welcome!

I reckon I'm closing in on the end of Epic 1! Prob planning just to go straight to Epic 2. I've really enjoyed Epic 1.

I definitely don't need any heavier dumbbells than 10kg yet but I'm wondering about getting a 16kg Kettlebell...

I’m halfway through Epic 3 and plan to go on to Heat next - doing both for the second time!

Morning all! I'm on Day 12 of Heat, and am trying to slightly increase my weights (with varying success). I know I said I enjoyed Fuel a bit more than some of you, but Heat is putting it to shame. Fab series.

Hello all, I’ve been off the Girvan wagon off late, I finished Iron then was undecided whether to do Heat again or attempt Fuel. In the end it was so bloody hot here plus 12+hours of work and commuting meant I lost all impetus. I’ve been doing the 3 minute plank most days, plus a couple of sets of push ups and the odd squat. I think I’ve lost most of my muscle already though! My bum has reverted to its normal size and my back and shoulder definition is less visible now and I seem to have debulked a bit in general. I guess at my age if you don’t use it you lose it.

I’ve decided to wait until it’s cooler before relaunching a series. I get sweaty enough without lifting a weight so purposely sweating doesn’t appeal right now. Does anyone know if something new is coming out in the autumn?

Epic 1 Day 31 for me, abs and glutes. I do not know how CG was doing 1:45 of hip bridges with a 20kg dumbbell on her hips. I was barely managing that long with a 7.5kg.

hello dear Girvanators! I am back from holiday. Did only one workout while I was away, but that's ok. Spent a lot of time in the pool with my toddler, and it was so hot I think I sweated out any weight gain!

Interestingly, despite eating breakfast every day (I normally only eat lunch and dinner as I follow IF), and necking a lot of fizz at the club each evening before dinner, I feel slimmer than when I went away. I think it's because I was eating less bread - only one slice every other day or so. The only other carbs were a few slices of pizza, rice noodles and rice itself, and the portions were small. Too hot to really eat much, tbh.

So I've got two more workouts to complete FUEL. Going to recover from my jetlag today, do the final ones tomorrow/weds and then restart a program on Monday. Not sure whether to redo FUEL, or go back to HEAT while we await the new program from our fearless leader.

How is everyone else doing?

First workout since having covid a few weeks ago!! Just the 15 min kettlebell so only quick with a mix of 10 and 20kg. Feels good to start again. My 20kg kettlebell is huge though, can't get my hands around the handles. Could this be because it's a cheap one? CG is using a 16kg and it looks much much smaller.

The soreness will reduce as your fitness improves. I am rarely significantly sore now unless I've had a long break between sessions because of illness.

I wouldn't work the same muscle groups hard the next day but I might do a different one. At the very least I'd recommend doing some walking, stretching or yoga - the more you sit still the worse it is with DOMS. And you only need to take 1 or max 2 days off from working those muscles, you don't need to wait for the soreness to go away entirely. (Again, it'll go away quicker as you build fitness.)

If I'm sore I'll target non-sore areas the next day, or sometimes I substitute a Growingannanas low impact workout.

Really felt it the day after the first lower body workout in beginners so left it a day and have got through about half of the beginners upper body before lying on the floor and just doing the cobras. Do you do it every day even if it still hurts from the day before?

Back on track with Epic 1 Day 29 full body and it feels great. Although I did not know that knees could sweat so much. Damn renegade rows.

Thanks for the encouragement, I will keep at it!

Keep going at your own pace. If you can't do it all at first, build up like I did and you'll get there. I'm finding full Epic pretty hard going, but then again, I am managing it so far so I must have built up some strength and fitness doing the Beginners program bit by bit! I modify where I just can't manage the full exercise too, no point injuring myself. I'll get there eventually this way is my thinking.

THE ABOVE SHOULD READ:
Maybe also alternate with an HIIT programme, such as those offered by Growingannanas or KayKay, to improve your overall fitness.

Ugh, and once again I get to grapple with "how sick is too sick to work out?" Sigh.

@Seaweasel
Depending on your fitness, you may have to repeat the EPIC Beginners a couple of times.

Maybe also alternate with an HIIT programme, such as those offered by Growingannanas or Kayla, to improve your overall fitness.

Other short workouts can help. My go-to are:

The Bowflex 3 minute plank
Lucy Wyndham Reed's Thighs & Glutes
Rebecca Louise's Best Abs and also her Ageless Arms

@Pleasenomoreglitter Hello, I have just started EPIC beginners and was so pleased to read your post because it was way harder than I imagined! I managed about two thirds on day one so will try to stick with it. I am 46 and I need to feel stronger. Really hoping I can.

For those of us who sometimes need a break from Caroline...... I've just discovered Kaykay who offers lots of Tabata type HIIT workouts. A bit like Growingannanas but more intense and sweatier... I really like her style - adds a bit of variety: