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Original poster

Getting fitter and stronger with Caroline Girvan- all welcome!

938 replies

BigButtons · 08/05/2022 10:54

New thread!🤩

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Lovetok · 28/06/2022 08:08

@DatingIsDifficult I’m doing Beginners even though I’m not an absolute beginner - I just haven’t done any home workouts for about a year. Days 1 & 2 were fine doing the workout but I couldn’t walk properly or use my arms for 2 days afterwards!

Original poster
BigButtons · 28/06/2022 07:52

@DatingIsDifficult definitely start with beginners. It is not technically beginners though and you may find it tough. Don’t be discourage, just keep doing it until you feel stronger.

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AquaticSewingMachine · 28/06/2022 07:02

Yes @DatingIsDifficult , there's an Epic Beginners on YouTube.

DatingIsDifficult · 28/06/2022 02:37

I can see she has fuel and iron, then a few playlists with random videos, I can’t see a clear way to start.

DatingIsDifficult · 28/06/2022 02:35

I’m really unfit and want to start this. There’s so many posts already, I’ve skim read a bit but don’t really know where to start. Does she have a beginners series of videos?

Annoyedwithmyself · 27/06/2022 23:27

Took a fee days out of Iron for a horrible exam and went back feeling mentally destroyed to the 15 min kettlebell and 15 min biceps. Feel better for it definitely!

Original poster
BigButtons · 27/06/2022 21:34

Well done @AquaticSewingMachine 🙂
I have thrown in the towel on Fuel. Where I am in my life- peri meno- tiredness- stuff going on in my life- I dunno- the way the series is designed just raised my cortisol too high and I felt crap and dreaded the workouts.
have gone back to Epic 3. Great 40 min shoulder session today. Then a bicep add on. Felt good to rest my legs.
leg day tomorrow though.

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AquaticSewingMachine · 27/06/2022 18:45

Epic 1 Day 28 smashed, everything along the back! I used my 10kgs for a good 60% of it and am feeling well pleased with myself.

Lovetok · 27/06/2022 12:20

@milkfromthesleepycow just having one more coffee 😬😬😬

milkfromthesleepycow · 27/06/2022 11:54

@Lovetok go for it- you can do it!!

On the final week of iron. Have loved it as a series but struggling to fit in the five workouts a week. Planning on trying doing three days a week but doing two of the days with two sessions (so day 1 leg/arms day2 glutes/arm and day 3 full body)

Not sure if it'll be too much? If it works I think I will repeat iron again!! Have two weeks holiday at end of July. Camping so won't be doing weights (although I may take resistance bands 🧐) which will be a break

Not sold on fuel with some of the comments on here. Are there more series planned or should I try epic 2 or 3 after that?

Lovetok · 27/06/2022 11:35

I’ve been ill for a week so haven’t made it to day 3 of beginners yet. Posting here so I’m forced to do it today!

fishonabicycle · 25/06/2022 20:36

Back in with a legs on Thursday ,(hamstrings are killing!) little arms and shoulders today.

Forgotmypasswordsgain · 25/06/2022 12:41

Day 7 fuel completed this morning and like day 19 it was 2 minute complexes. Quite brutal and my 5kg weights have never felt heavier!

Original poster
BigButtons · 24/06/2022 20:02

@Forgotmypasswordsgain weights are stupid expensive- that's why I had to go for adjustables as the rest is too expensive.
day 19 fuel- I said I was going to give it up but I actually hate not seeing things through to the end.
I didn't look forward to it- i could see it would be brutal. More burpees. At the end- (the last of the 2 minute complexes with only 30 second rest each 2 minutes-) it was double dumbbell burpee x10 followed by burpee x10. At one point I couldn't lift my body off the floor, just just would not move..

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Forgotmypasswordsgain · 23/06/2022 10:34

I’ve got a rare day off with no real plans today so I thought I’d start the day active and have that nice smug feeling that my exercise is done for the day. Fuel day 6 completed which was ok, I think my quads are the area I need least work on so glad to get it done so I can move on to upper body again. I quite like circuits, especially the last round when you can tick each exercise off and you know the end is near.
I do all my workouts bare foot on carpet and have a yoga mat as well for some exercises. I started with 1.5kg last Sept and now use 5kg for nearly all workouts. Looking to buy some heavier ones but slightly shocked at the price hike and not sure I have anywhere to store them!

Original poster
BigButtons · 22/06/2022 18:34

@FlowerArranger that is the number one tip with RL for sure!
i think i am going to stop fuel.
I am tired, really tired and I am trying to work our why.
As a series it don't know what its focus is. It also has 4 lower body days, 4 days of thrashing your thighs.
So I have found I have being doing add ons just to get a balance.
I have been also doing full body callisthenics on saturday to try and get an upper/lower body balance.
So basically I have been doing too much.
I can't see the point in what she is doing. It's not like heat. I don't mind the cardio element , but I do sometimes come away feeling like I haven't worked hard enough at SOMETHING, it's like it's little bitty bits and it's not to do with the weights I'm using.
I don't like giving up on things, but I think i might pick back up with Epic three.
I did an endgame back and biceps today instead of the endless thrusts and rdls that are bum and hammy day. Couldn't face it again.

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FlowerArranger · 22/06/2022 17:18

For those who are suffering after starting CG, do this before each session (but turn down the volume...):

pastaandpesto · 22/06/2022 11:33

I just had to google what DOMS are - I am a real newbie...

It's good to know I won't be waddling around forever!

Original poster
BigButtons · 22/06/2022 08:24

Yeah walking, stretching and massage certainly helps reduce doms. The more you workout the less intense they are!

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AquaticSewingMachine · 22/06/2022 07:34

It gets better @pastaandpesto . I'd feel I hadn't worked out hard enough if I didn't get any DOMS after a session, but the more I work out the less intense the DOMS is. Going for a walk or doing some yoga today will help.

pastaandpesto · 21/06/2022 23:24

ilovetomatoes, well done! I did Beginner Epic Day 1 this evening too.

No idea how I am going to get out of bed in the morning, I'm so stiff already!

AquaticSewingMachine · 21/06/2022 22:28

Epic 1 Day 26 for me. 4x10 minute continuous sets, I stuck to my 7.5kgs all the way through to Caroline's 10. I could not have done that when I started.

do you do it every day or have a rest day?

I work out 3-4 times a week. If you follow one of the programmes religiously, you generally have 5 days working out (including a HIIT session) and two rest days. Rest days are important.

ilovetomatoes · 21/06/2022 22:18

Just found you guys. Did beginners epic 1 this evening, couldn’t do all of it but liked it so planning to continue.

do you do it every day or have a rest day?

AquaticSewingMachine · 21/06/2022 15:07

I, otoh, don't start hefting heavy things about unless I have proper shoes on! :)

I started with a single pair of 4kg dumbbells, now I'm up to 10kgs.

Original poster
BigButtons · 21/06/2022 14:57

hello @pastaandpesto !
I don't ever wear trainers, always workout barefoot. I even bought some Nike metcons especially for lifting and never wear them!
Epic beginners is tough, so go easy, you will be sore.
When i started, the weights I had in the house ranged from 2-5 kg.
I bought a set of adjustable dumbbells after a couple of months, then another set and then extra weight plates.
Start your weights low and get your form sorted out, that is the most important thing.
Be prepared to be sore, we all are.
Do what you can each session. You don't have to match her, she is a tri- athlete. Just progress as best you can!
Hope that helps

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