Getting fitter and stronger with Caroline Girvan- all welcome!

@Diggersandunicorns - I'd suggest you look at a full body workout from each of the series you're interested in as this should give you a fair idea of how each one is structured. Having g said that, EPIC Heat is probably my favourite.

It only really bothers me when I need to go upstairs or walking up a hill...my legs ache and feel really heavy..I can feel out of breath but as soon as I am walking normally I'm fine again.

The legs aching could just be DOMs/fatigue, but I'd be concerned about being out of breath if all you are doing is walking upstairs. I'd definitely see my doctor about this and insist on a pulmonary function test and blood work.

Depending on your age, arthritis or even osteoporosis could also be an issue.

Hi everyone. I’ve nearly finished Epic 2 and thinking about what to do next… don’t know whether to do some of her short one week series to get me to dec 1st and then do Advent or whether to roll straight in to Epic Heat. Advent workouts seem really short which could be great with Christmas being busy but I also don’t want to lose any of the strength I’ve built up so maybe Heat would be better? Shorter so easier to squeeze in during December but not too short?

Wondering if anyone has any advice?
This isn't a new issue it's been bothering me for ages now.
Even before I started doing Caroline's leg focused workouts.
It only really bothers me when I need to go upstairs or walking up a hill...my legs ache and feel really heavy..I can feel out of breath but as soon as I am walking normally I'm fine again..
I know it's normal to feel doms etc and to feel some muscle fatigue but this is all the time.
I have increased my protein and do take days off.
I have an active job which does involve going up and down stairs so I guess I notice it more day to day.

I think I’ve done about four workouts post ad-gate and all been fine thankfully.

Well done for doing two in a day @mommybear1 , not something I could manage!

I've done Iron and Fuel today with no ads in between. I'm hoping it maybe a glitch for others that will resolve 😬

Haven’t been on for a while, hello all. I noticed adverts cropping up mid workouts (not just CG) a few months ago and I complained about it so much that DH added me to his premium subscription. It’s been worth every penny, no more adverts on anything!

I’ve still been doing CG workouts but I’ve also been doing Pilates for a few months which I’m enjoying. Have also been mixing in a few other instructors for more variety.

@Diggersandunicorns I did 2 Epic You Tube programs today, both 45 mins and no ads at all during the sessions, so fingers crossed You Tube have made the changes required. But any new programs uploaded by CG (if indeed she does, not sure now she has the app[ from November might have ads part way through as it's part of the new You Tube policy

Oh. That’s going to be a real shame if it keeps happening. There were no ads in my HIT session today. Don’t think I’d have minded that much, would have taken a breather! But yes, if it’s ongoing I’ll need to buy a subscription I guess.

Carolines team are trying to sort it out with YouTube

Well...according to a lot of posts on the Caroline Girvan FB groups lots of people have started seeing ads mid workout, I hope it's something that will be resolved but if it's You Tube probably going premium is the only way to resolve it 😢🙈

Thats funny you should say that, I did heat day 19 today and was stretching at the end and a ad came on

Ok that’s a relief. Must have been a glitch. HIT tomorrow so i’ll see

You have good reason to be proud of yourself, @sparkle17 !! From nought to 5 a week in 3 weeks IS impressive 😎

It's a good idea to learn how to do all the moves correctly with low weights as it helps to maintain good form. Think about lining up your next set (4 kg?), so you'll be all set to challenge yourself when you feel ready.

It's an incredible journey. It's now 4 years since I started working out with dumbbells, and 3 years since I discovered Caroline. Working out has become a way of life. Now using 5, 8, 10 and 12 kg. And yes, I feel I have the right to brag - I'm nearly 70 and I'm fitter than most 40, nay 30 year olds.

So my workout this morning didn't have ads in the middle.

I've just done 5 workouts this week. Proud of myself as about 3 weeks ago I didn't really do any exercise.

I've just been using 2kg.

I do mostly her you tube workouts and have never had ads in the middle of programs, I'm sure it was just a glitch

I hope there won't be ads. I've only just started the past 2 weeks and really getting in to it.

I've never had ads in her videos. Hope it was a glitch

I’m still here! Finished Epic 1 and now half way through Epic 2. It’s feeling like a slog but I’m enjoying it and am so much stronger.

BUT… there were ads on YouTube today. Epic 2, day 25. None of the comments mention ads, was it a glitch for me or a new thing from YouTube? It was really annoying, about every 10 mins so I’ll either have to pay for the app or buy a YouTube subscription if it’s an ongoing thing

@Taylorscat you'll be amazed at how quickly you build up strength and stamina if you persevere, you sound like you have a good plan in place.
I've been working out with Caroline for a while now but there's still sometimes stuff I need to modify and I'm nowhere near matching her weights.

It's so motivating once you start to see and feel results. My arms and shoulders used to be just soft flesh over bone and now there's this satisfying dense stuff all over!

Thank you I’ll try those . It was frustrating having the soreness impact on my swimming, but overall I know it will help. I’m not a bad swimmer but last week a male swimmer’s push off long glide from the wall was faster than my fastest fc. I need more strength.

Hi there @Taylorscat !

Oh yes, getting used to Caroline's way of working out can be brutal, but it is sooooo worth it!!

Your plan is a good one. There's a fine line between challenging yourself and potentially risking injury. I worked myself up from 5kg to 10kg dumbbells over a period of more than 2 years, but I doubt I'll ever get close to the weights she uses. I often reduce the weight or modify/substitute moves during a workout.

Having a strong core is absolutely critical when working out with weights. Here are a couple of workouts you may find useful:

Bowflex 3-minute plank - I still do this every day
Rebecca Louise's Best Abs
Caroline Girvan's Braced Abs & Core

I found the Thighs & Glutes workout by Lucy Wyndham Read invaluable in getting my legs ready for Caroline's Bulgarian lunges.

Can I join? I did half of the first beginner vid yesterday and I cannot walk! I yelp each time I have to lower down onto the loo! I went for my usual swim today thinking it would help loosen me up but it’s made it worse. I HURT!

i do yoga daily so when recovered I plan to do 5 min warm up 10 mins of one of CG’s vid followed by 15/30 min yoga vid and build up the CG element very slowly.

My glutes are clearly non existent for such a short amount of time doing squats to have such a painful impact !

really liked her style though so will persevere !

Hello old friends - I'm still around, still arranging flowers and working out with Caroline!

Just started a thread about adjustable dumbbells and would appreciate your input:

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/exercise/4900031-best-adjustable-dumbbell-set

💐💐💐