Getting fitter and stronger with Caroline Girvan- all welcome!

I will get the ap once I have worked through all her YouTube videos.
I need to be able to stream onto my TV too.
I can connect my laptop into my tv will that work or is it just from the phone?

Can the app finally be streamed on the TV ? , I really want to buy it and move on from the youtube videos, but I just can't be bothered to faff about with fire sticks etc. it has to be easy and foolproof for me or I will just abandon it too quickly and waste my money..

I have a brand new TV in my gym room, so it is up to date, and the app sounds brilliant, so would love to be able to get started on it.

I'm also 7.5s overhead at best @samthebordercollie . I can nearly match Caroline on legs a lot of the time but overhead arm work, forget it. 2/3s to 3/4s is a good day.

Wow, 9kg for Arnolds is impressive! I can manage 7,5kg but not for more than one set usually. Then it's back down to 5kg. And 10kg for lunges, sometimes 12,5kg but I'm not too worried as I don't want my legs to get a lot bigger.

Most of the FB groups seems to think Fuel II will be the next programme on the App. I hope not too, I like doing more lifting, don't need the cardio because of my running. I'm not mad keen on burpees during every session either!

@GregBrawlsInDogJail i know what you mean, no abs for me but I’m fascinated by the muscles in my shoulders!

@BigButtons why no Fuel for you? I’m thinking of doing that next as it’s six weeks which will run me straight up to Christmas

Bloody hell but I am finding Epic Heat challenging. I just did day 5 (burpee HIIT) and yowza.

OTOH, aided by some intermittent fasting which has taken some fat off the top, I am starting to look genuinely cut, especially around the abs and shoulders. I'm vaguely fascinated by the emergence of my own musculature.

I usually alternate a run day with a lift day but a couple of times a week I lift on consecutive days and have no problem on doing a full body after a leg or arm day. It's not as intensive as a pure upper/lower body workout. As has been said, listen to your body!

I listen to my body and have a rest day as and when it seems necessary, or when I've got other stuff going on that day. Usually every 6-10 days.

I do some form of full-body workout most days, so if she is doing legs, I'll add in a short arms workout, plus some abs. Or a Growingannanas HIIT session. And always always always a bunch of planks. And a dozen or so pushups.

If I've done, say, a really tough legs workout, I'll give legs a miss the next day and do a bit more cardio/HIIT. Ditto arms.

Basically I play it by ear. After 4.5 years of doing this, I am pretty attuned to what's works for me.

Do you guys always have a rest day before a full body workout. I don't follow the programmes exactly. I done arms today and the next one is full body which I have time to do tomorrow.

Here are some more floor-based leg exercises from Lucy. I often incorporate these in her Thighs & Glutes workout, i.e. do one of these instead of the leg swinging at the beginning. However, I always do the leg circling and knee bending exercises as these are super effective.

In most programmes except Epic 1 and 2 she alternates between 2 lower body, 1 upper body and one HIT and 2 upper body, one lower body, one full body and 1 HIT

Thanks for the advice. I'm 39 and the noise started shortly after I had my twins. I don't have any inflammation or pain it's just a noise/sensation when I climb stairs and now I'm doing CG it's when I lunge/squat.
I'll try some of those exercises.

There are a few Girvanators with problem knees. I have arthritis and it’s a long steady road to get to knee health and flexibility. Focus on form and range of movement before attempting anything with weights.

How old are you, @sparkle17 , and is the creaking associated with any swelling? I am not a doctor, but if you are over 50 and/or there is swelling, I'd get this checked out by a doctor or a physiotherapist. It could just be a sign that your knees are not as strong as they should be, or it could be onset of arthritis, the result of injury etc.

Assuming it's the former, here are some knee strengthening exercises courtesy of Dr Jo, a doctor of physiotherapy who has lots of exercise videos on YouTube:

Lucy's Thighs and Glutes is excellent for strengthening not just thighs and glutes, but also hip flexors and knees:

I'm quite new to it so using 5kg for legs day.
I have knees that 'creak' when lunging, squatting, going up stairs. I don't get any pain but I do worry it means I might in the future.

I use 10kg for legs but often drop to 8kg at some point during a workout.

I absolutely HATE Bulgarian lunges and sometimes revert to ordinary lunges…

I still regularly do Lucy’s Thighs and Glutes, with ankle weights and more challenging variations. Surprisingly effective.

She does two leg workouts a week,plus full body and hiit so a lot of legs.
What weights do you all tend to use for your lower body workouts?
I've been trying to use my 10kg for everything but as I'm suffering with aching legs quite a bit I think I need to drop my weights whi h I don't really want to do 🤷‍♀️

I still hurt from Epic Heat 1 Leg day on Monday. Is it me, or is the first week of Epic Heat very legs-heavy? Day 1, then Day 3 as well...

Ooft I done epic day 17....Full of lunges that was the hardest yet

@GregBrawlsInDogJail I enjoyed Heat, it's not like Fuel with lots more cardio and burpees most days. I was surprised that there was as little cardio as there was having seen other people say it was like Fuel. It isn't!
I've finished Epic 1 so that's Iron and all the Epics finished now and I've started Beastmode on the App. Really enjoying it. Maybe not the most interesting of the programs as 4 sets of each exercise with a staple between sets, but I'm finding lifting like that really effective, it's more like traditional lifting than some of CG's other programmes. The 4th set is really tough to complete with good form! I did the original 2 week BM on youtube and had forgotten the format.

I just started Epic Heat after finishing Iron for the second time and oh my. After a week off from weights while on hols, Day 1 wrecked my legs and I have the DOMS big time today. I was worried it would be too HIITy as I do like my weights, but not so, even though I'm not using my heaviest.

hello Girvanators! How is everyone? I've been mired in some personal issues and a lot of changes at work, so haven't been able to post much. But I'm plugging away at Iron 2 on the app - had to pause for a week as had a terrible cold, but back at it now. I'm a week behind the release and just completed Day 37. I have a work trip coming up Nov 13-16, so that'll be another week to pause. Should complete the series by Nov 20. I suspect she'll put out another short series like the previous Advent to bring us up to Christmas.

I am definitely feeling stronger and very slowly starting to see proper definition in my arms. Tummy is flatter too, although still have the c section pouch and ample fat, so a long way to go yet!

@ellebelli I second @PaminaMozart's advice to see a doc. my BIL just had to have a stent put in as his artery was 99% blocked. He's only 35 and not overweight, non smoker, barely drinks etc. If you're out of breath going upstairs that's something to look into.