Getting fitter and stronger with Caroline Girvan- all welcome!

We have a barbell and rack in the shed! Can't fit it anywhere where we could use it at the moment.

I have a barbell and I do think it's great. I use it mostly with my PT as she decides what weight I do and because I am often squatting a weight that I'd struggle to get onto my shoulders without her. I'd love to use it on a Caroline series. I can't stand adjustable dumbbells though - we used to have a set, they drove me nuts and I stuck them on FB Marketplace. It does mean that our front room is quite gym-equipment-festooned (barbell, multiple sets of dumbbells, kettlebell and step) but I work out more at home than I'd ever be able to get to a gym, so I can live with it.

@BigButtons I have a gym under my office and have contemplated trying the barbells there as I’m loath to fill my lounge with yet more gym equipment. I already have too much cat furniture abs soon there’ll be no room for anything else.

I’m glad to hear the wrists do get stronger. I feel so feeble just gripping the weights and sometimes put down a lot, which is annoying and frustrating.

as an aside have you thought of shelling out on the tricep dip bars or the push up handles that CG proposes? I can’t say I’ve been enticed myself. Are the handles more comfortable I wonder? I’ve seen them in Lidl but remain unconvinced. Maybe I’ll convince DP to buy some.

There’s no way I could chest press 2x20kg with dumbbells, hoiking up 10kg into position is enough of a challenge for me. I guess though a barbell on a stand might be more doable.

I can do 12kg for my lower body, but my hands and wrists hurt from holding the weights, both down by my side or hoiked up to my shoulders. I quite often stop reps because my wrist hurts, not the muscle I’m exercising. I guess again a barbell might be the answer to progress to heavier weights? Do wrists ever get stronger? How does CG do it?

i’m supposed to be doing day 14 full body today but I didn’t get a lunch break and after a long day I’m eyeing the wine. I should just get up and do it, I know. What makes it worse is that I’m wfh so will have done about 300 steps all day. Maybe I should move my laptop further from the fridge.

I've struggled to get the workouts in in the last two weeks as I've been sick + working ridiculous hours, but I saw my PT yesterday and weirdly I could clean + press 20kg overhead much easier than the last time I saw her. Then I got cocky and she loaded an extra 5kg on my chest press ;)

My shoulders are starting to look f*cking cut. Bring on summer. A whole body weighted session is next for me on epic 1, my favourite.

Oh posted on the old thread...

Any advice please, my first program is Epic Heat and it's been great for me, a beginner, however when I do the leg days I am not getting any DOMs for the lower leg even with a day specifically mentioning calves. Like Day 43 here...

Lots of calf lifts which really burned I had to stop in places. Might I be doing these incorrectly? I consider my calves as needing work! I feel my quads two days later so I did something right....

I too have been crap at posting, been offline more than usual plus I keep falling asleep in the sofa.

Did day 12 upper body of Iron today, CG on 17.5 and 10kg., me on 10 and 6kg and I barely managed that. The 3rd set of everything was a struggle and I had nothing left for the push up finisher. My arm was trembling from holding my glass of water afterwards! I can’t imagine ever going beyond 10kg for my upper body, I find it hard enough yanking those in the air for my chest presses. It’s not been getting easier either. How CG’s wrists don’t snap with the17.5kg weights I don’t know.

Tomorrow I will do the full body, I don’t mind those as they seem to go quickly, but maybe I’ve not hit a dastardly one yet. Saturday I will attempt the posterior chain one that I’ve been avoiding. I’ve got a sporting event I got roped into in mid June so I need to be fit by then, or at least look the part.

Hello, sorry I've been rubbish at posting.

I'm still doing the iron series and today did days 18 (glutes) and 20 (arms, abs and core). I don't normally do two on the same day but I had some more free time today. We've just bought some heavier dumbbells and it was much more comfortable doing hip thrusts with just the one dumbbell (as opposed to two lighter ones).

Am really enjoying iron - I think it's the shorter workouts!

Oh god. I can't wait to finish endgame. The leg one we did Monday made my hamstrings so sore!

Hi, I’ve had a longer break than planned from CG after catching a bad cold a week back from my holiday. It’s been hard to get back into the routine while trying to also juggle walking our new dog. Finally forced myself to do day 47 endgame last night and knew it would be brutal to start back on Bulgarian lunge day. Happy to say I managed to complete it (with a couple of breaks to sort a Tesco delivery which last week I would have used as an excuse not to start it) with my 5kg weights (CG10kg). Finding stairs slightly hard work today but that was expected as my legs felt like jelly by the end. Tomorrow press-up and abs day - she didn’t let up for the last week did she!!

@BigButtons that's wot I like about her stuff, you can pick wot body part you want to train. I mainly go for the butt ones 🤣

Mayb I should try that one then ? I need mine to go up and my age not down

Well done Sunshine! The first week is definitely the hardest while you adjust to her exercises and routines but you would like you're doing really well keep it up!

I definitely couldn't use hers!

Day 2 arms done on Iron series. Used a variety of 2, 3 and 5kgs. I enjoy arms more than legs!

Monday and Tuesday last week I started Iron serious having not done CG before. I’ve done loads of weights and cardio etc but have had a break of over 6 months. I can only now walk and raise my arms🤣🤣 I think I need to start at the beginners.

I think hardly anyone uses her weights!!!...😂
Just use what you find challenging but doable and up the weights as you progress.
No point risking injury...

For anyone starting out I'd suggest EPIC Beginners followed by EPIC Heat.

Personally I alternate Caroline Girvan with Growingannanas for some HIIT Cardio. Or sometimes one of Jake Dupree's full-body workouts.

I also add in a few 10-15 minute favorites that I have found tremendously useful:
Rebecca Louise Best Abs
Lucy Wyndham Read's Thighs & Glutes

• Bowflex 3 minute plank, which I do every day.

I watched a bit the other day and there is no way I could do it! Are you supposed to use similar weights?!

How does it compare to eg. Body Pump?