Getting fitter and stronger with Caroline Girvan- all welcome!

Where's a good place to start with growingannanas? I want to start doing a HIIT in the park* during the 40mins a week DC1 is in dance class 😁and I don't fancy more makers either. I just want a challenging varied zero kit HIIT to do and preferably a series where each week I just do the next one so I never have to think about it.

*This is dependent on lack of rain

That's interesting - I never thought of doing them seated!
Maybe this is the answer to my dilemma, when 10kg feel like too much, but 8kg seem a bit of a cop-out...

I hear you, @BigButtons 😂

Which is why I alternate Caroline with other stuff such as Growingannanas.

And I NEVER do any of her HIIT 😧

Endless contorted variations of burpees and the effing maker can just go and naff off...

Epic 1 Day 19 today, full body with dumbbells. I am getting some use out of my 10kg dumbbells, if not as much as CG is. I cannot for the life of me overhead-press a 10kg dumbbell, not unless I can use my legs anyway.

Oh I agree, I wouldn't have blamed her for that at all and just rolled my eyes at the fans but I think by commenting on that video she further encouraged the pile on which was already occuring, by drawing further attention to it. She doesn't tend to pop up commenting on other review videos, that would have been an opportunity to calm things down but I found her comment rather passive agressive. I just wasn't impressed.

Sydney Cummings also has a rather sycophantic fan base but I've seen her respond to reviews where legitimate constructive critism has been given and she's acknowledged the points respectfully and in good humour. Or, at the very least, at least attempt to spell the person's name correctly!

I genuinely enjoy a lot of CGs workouts and I think what she's built over the last couple of years is great but people should be free to criticse if they have a legitimate point. They might be free workouts but this is a busines for her and she's done really well from it, garnering a lot of influence. That does come with some responsibility.

Hello! I dropped off the last thread, but wanted to join in again as I'm planning to do Fuel live. @BigButtons also just done Day 1, I was completely unprepared for so much cardio, but given how out of breath I was I clearly need to do more of it!

I don't think you can really blame CG for the fans (unless she's actively inciting them) - since she makes all her content free, she depends on volume of views to make it viable, and it's some of the best free content out there. I'd just stay away from her social, probably!

Dear god. The obsessive fan base is one of the things which puts me off CG at times, I only tend to use her workouts as supplements to my own gym work for areas that I'm weaker in nowadays though. They're very good workouts but CG isn't the actual god of fitness, constructive criticism is fair and should be allowed at times as well.

I remember where her fans, and CG herself, piled on a smaller youtube channel which I follow () because she had the audacity to include some critcism in her review of one of CGs workouts. She still gave her a very high overall score and I thought what Justina was saying was fair, as she reviews all workouts from a functional strength perspective. I left CG entirely for a while after that, I wasn't impressed by that behaviour!

@BigButtons I steer clear of fb groups, I feel like I am surrounded by crazed fans at a music concert 😂

Groups like this one are so much more balanced

@Melassa I was debating the same regarding new series although I am only on D7 iron but I will continue for at least 1 more week. On reflection, I decided I wanted to be slightly behind as I workout at 5.30am and assume her videos will not be available that early?!

To be fair, I was enjoying iron until excessive lunges on D6, I just need to decide on my own alternative for when my knees get sore.

Oh my, vomit inducing. Do they all have matching outfits do you think? I can imagine them raiding Nike online after every session.

I too need to get back to doing that plank series. Did it for the first time in ages last week and it was an effort, when it had become fairly easy before. Did Iron day 20 with the core exercises and the side plank was a challenge, so I do need to keep up the plank training.

I saw the new series coming out. I’ve got 2 weeks left to do on Iron so uncertain whether to switch now and go back to Iron later or persevere with Iron. I’m not very good at following the live series as inevitably I get behind due to work schedule, so maybe I should stick with Iron (currently managing 3 workouts a week, if that) then do Fuel at my own pace after.

@Forgotmypasswordsgain well done on the weight loss, dog walking is probably doing you a world of good, as well as the CG workouts of course. I think walking is underestimated, when DD was at primary I used to have to do a 20 min dash at speed from the railway station to her school to pick her up and I was fairly fit and slim with seemingly no effort. Contrast with now… I probably need a big dog, alas my lifestyle at present only allows for cats.

Only seem to be able to fit in 1 workout each week at the moment

@Forgotmypasswordsgain - I know it can be difficult to fit in full daily workouts, but I found just doing the Bowflex 3-minute plank every day really useful in strengthening my core and thus improving my overall fitness.

Day 49 full body endgame completed today. I used 5kg throughout to CG’s 10kg. Only seem to be able to fit in 1 workout each week at the moment, probably not helped by falling so behind so I feel less accountable. Boy did my triceps ache for a long time after day 48, reckon the 45sec tricep push-ups were to blame. So close to the finish line! Despite my lack of workouts I’m my lowest weight since Christmas, I like to think all the extra dog walking each day must be helping rather than muscle loss 😂

Thank you for stretch ideas @GregBrawlsInDogJail @FlowerArranger @BigButtons

@milkfromthesleepycow I lose all motivation with longer workouts so 30min Iron is perfect for me. I also enjoy strength training in general and don't usually get bored with it

@Lelivre it has taken me a long time to be able to do push ups (still can't do many) but something that has helped me when almost there was using a pilates ring between my chest at the floor. It doesn't provide much support but gave enough to enable me to make the transition from knees to feet and I can now do a fair few reps with the ring and a small number without anything