Getting fitter and stronger with Caroline Girvan- all welcome!

@BigButtons - I'm actually planning to do Heat again as I remember it being an excellent combo of weights and HIIT, particularly if one adds an additional weights based abs, arms or leg session, including my old favourite, Lucy's Thighs & Glutes, which I still do at least once a week.

I think I've decided Iron isn't for me. The kind of weights needed for it to work are just too heavy for me. Not to labour a point, but as I'm getting older, I need to focus on cardio and endurance/stamina as much as building muscle.

@BigButtons what would you say the difference between iron and heat is? I'm two weeks into iron but missing my hiit style a little bit! I ache after every session so it's definitely doing things but I really want that 'leaner' look.

I think we all at times reach a point where we're not quite sure how to proceed with our 'exercise journey', @BigButtons ... For me, it has always been about maintaining a bit of variety, rather than getting through a 'program' day after day after day.

As I'm quite old 😅I tend to alternate between Caroline and Growingannanas, though I always always always do the Bowflex planks and/or a short abs workout in addition. I love what CG and her weights focused programs have done to my strength and appearance, but I find that I need regular cardio and HIIT to maintain my form.

Did day 18 Iron - glutes. It wasn’t too bad but I did feel a bit thigh trembly at the end. I think my long stint of avoiding the dreaded hip thrusts made them more of a challenge this time around. Did 15kg and 10kg to CG’s 30 and 15kg. I think I could have gone heavier with the single weight but I’d run out of plates for my adjustables. I have an old set too but the plates are different, so no good. I need to invest in a few more I think.

What to do next @BigButtons ? I wouldn’t know. I think some cardio is needed (and I do feel more energetic after a good HIIT session) but I find hers a bit intense at times (anything burpee kills me!). An entire HIIT/cardio series is my idea of hell, but I imagine she’ll retain a lot of weight training, albeit lighter weights. I’ve been enjoying no HIIT this time around, for the cardio I’ve been walking, including up a lot of hills, so I feel like I’m done on that front 😬

Day 42 endgame upper body done - quite enjoyed it - also like an ab finisher.

Didn't work out over weekend as drove to Gloucestershire with friends for a party (which was fun). After a leisurely breakfast fast at their house, cuddling their new rescue donkeys and baby donkeys, we got caught up on the M25 - which shut down due to an accident and took ages to find our way home 🥺

That long and hilly hike took it out of me...

Maybe try this tomorrow? I did it a couple of days ago and it ticked all the boxes for me, without leaving me collapsed on the floor at the end 😁

Finally got around to doing day 17 Iron today and oh my the weights! I’d been feeling chuffed I was managing most exercises with 2/3 or 3/4 of her weights but the 20kg chest press defeated me. There’s no way I can press more than 10kg and even that is a struggle by the second set. On a more positive note I found the tricep dips easier than I have in a while. I too am weaker on the triceps, probably from avoiding all those tricep push ups in her past series, but I’ve decided I need to stop avoiding or I will be lopsided!

Tomorrow glutes, no doubt with hip thrusts, but I need to stop avoiding those too!

I’ve also been doing CG alternate days or with gaps in between, but with no running or replacement exercise on the other days (except at most running for the tram in heels). I’d love to be more consistent like I was last summer, but my work schedule lately has not been leaving a lot of spare time, or energy.

Completed endgame day 48 last night and I got a new phone so I can post again. Struggling to fit workouts in as kids have upped their clubs after school and I can’t say I was looking forward to a full press-up session. I felt a little bad I didn’t complete the 100 finisher as I ran out of time so I might have to do the extra 70 press-ups today! Only 2 more days to go and then I think I will try epic heat.

@bluespottygerbil I started with 5kg dumbbells. I now use 7.5s and 10s for a lot of my workouts, but I still switch back down to the 5s for some of the arm stuff (especially after the first set) and I've been known even to borrow the loose 2.5kg plates from our barbell set for long sets of flyes 😳

I reckon you'll be absolutely fine with what you've got for now.

@bluespottygerbil I started with 3.5kg back in January for epic 1, but did some exercises body weight only (definitely windmills!). Only got to end of week 8 but then restarted with 5.5kg for mostly everything.

I'm now trying iron and going up and down the weights like a yo-yo! Using DHs barbells for some of the glutes exercise to get up to 20kg and still using 3.5 at times (bloody rear delt flyes!)

I've got adjustable dumbbells, which are not for everyone but I love mine.

In short I think you'll be fine with the weights you've got for while. But it's very addictive

Hi, feeling inspired by this thread and wondering what weights everyone uses? Planning to try the epic beginners to start and then move on to the epic, but only have 3k and 5k dumbbells. Should I get more?

Hi all, I finished week 5 of iron yesterday. Debating whether to do day 26 (legs) today. Bigbuttons do you remember how it was? I scrolled back but I don't think you mentioned that day.

Agree about the protein and stretching,@BigButtons , though instead of drinking protein I eat a boiled egg or 2 immediately after my workout. Rebecca Louise has a neat little stretching routine that I do a lot as it really helps:

I also find I do much better if I do CG on alternate days only, and doing mostly Growingannanas HIIT in between (with or without weights - her catalogue is huge).

@minimini358 damm! I'll try pushing through- maybe it'll help loosen up everything?! And accept that I probably won't get my best performance in cardio while doing CG. I just want to find a balance where I can keep doing and enjoying it all!!

@milkfromthesleepycow I did day 11 iron today and am walking like I've had an accident today 😆 so I think aching might be for the long haul!

Onto day 3 of iron today. I did enjoy days 1 and 2 but found my muscles ached so much I couldn't do a run or swim on my in between days.
I'm hoping it's just getting used to it again after a couple of weeks break and it'll get easier? I want to keep going with CG but still make progress with running (couch to 5k) and swimming. Not sure if this is unrealistic?
Plan is CG 3 times a week rather than 5 to allow recovery, run 3 x a week, swim 3 x a week (only half an hour) and 1 full recovery day. It sounds doable on paper but I'm struggling!