Lifting with Caroline Girvan 2024: What's not to love?!

@BigButtons thanks, I know you used to be a runner. When you don't enjoy it any more it's time for a break, I think it was putting too much stress on my body. It will be nice to concentrate more on lifting. Thanks your sharing your opinions on the GTP 10 x 10, I was putting it off (my bad knee, all those elevated squats[, but will start it on Wednesday. But I won't be lifting 20kg for lunges!
I've been doing the 3 x full body workouts from the App on repeat, love them!

I was worried it would be boring and it sort of was, but not necessarily in a bad way for me. I really liked knowing I just had to do 10 more at any given time, and the longish rest periods and repetition meant I could just sit down during them (and read, because I was near my library books and I always read). So it was more like each set was just a little break in my reading!

Looking forward to seeing how this series pans out with the upper body etc.

Back from holiday and having been not hugely taken with Unleash before I went I was wondering what to do today - then I saw there’s the start of a new series (?) called 10x10 on the app and I did the first one. It’s very simple and also quite hard! 10 sets of 10 reps of 1) sumo deadlift squats 2) static lunges and 3) heel elevated squats. So basically 100 of each. After a week with no weights my legs really feel it now! A great workout for any time you just want to do something with minimum faff. She uses 2x20kg for the lunges though…I did 10s and that was a bit tedious by the end.

@Cherryblossom81 Try Endgame next! It's a sort of cross between Iron and Epic 3, lifting for 60 secs with 30 secs rest like Iron, but all the variety of Epic 3 and the same length. It's my second favourite programme after Epic 3. Don't be put off by the 100 rep finishers, they really aren't that hard and even Caroline takes breaks whilst doing them!
I've had to stop running, knee pain too bad, so making the most of the nice weather and cycling when possible instead. It will be interesting to see if my strength increases by doing less cardio - I was running too much, at least 60km a week.

Morning all. Thank you for the wrist strap recommendations - they've really helped.

I can't believe this - but I've nearly finished my second CG series! I had never done any type of strength training until April. I'm wondering if any of you could recommend what series to do next? I started with Iron in April and I'm now just about to finish Epic 3. What should I do next?!

I still feel very much like a beginner but all of you were helpful in your recommendations of Iron then Epic 3, so hoping you might know what would be good to do next?

Caroline's workouts are quite hardcore, even the ones that look easy. I did one of the new Sunrise collection 'upper body with the sunrise' as an add on to a one hour full body thinking it would be quite easy as bodyweight only, it was as tough as the one hour full body 🙈

I think Caroline has broken me. I did a boxercise session in my resort and it just... wasn't enough? Apparently I now crave the CG punishment.

I was doing Epic 1 in the gym on my last holiday! That was … something 😂 the gym here is shit so not even worth trying. I wish I’d brought my running gear though as it’s nice and cool and breezy in the mornings (Fuerteventura) and I’d bloody love a run by the sea.

I'm on hols but with access to a full gym and still working my way through Epic III 🙂I pulled a muscle in my lower back doing dumbbell snatches though and had to take a few days off.

Did a Sunrise upper body today. For saying it’s 20 minutes and bodyweight it’s a heck of a workout if you’re not mad on push ups! Felt good though and I do love to start my day like that (especially as the DC are knackered and still snoring but I wake up at the same time every day).

Made the mistake of reading the comments on the app video though. Ugh. If I was CG I’d be taking out a restraining order against some of those creeps. She’s just a person, guys! And doesn’t need you slavering and sucking up after every single workout.

I like this new series too!

Happy holidays @AtomicBlondeRose
I'm in Turkey at the moment and did a bodyweight workout in the room yesterday also using two paperbacks!
I don't have the app yet but plenty to choose online still.
Made me feel better about all the food and wine and baking in the sun.

On holiday at the moment and woke up earlier than the kids so slipped on to the balcony and did a lower body session from the Sunrise collection. No yoga block so used a hardback book! Lovely little body weight workout, honestly perfect for my needs today. I’ll probably do one most mornings if I get a chance. I don’t want to sound like a CG sycophant but I do like that I feel she gets her audience and provides really good solutions rather than just making stuff harder and harder or more complicated.

Thank you @samthebordercollie and @BigButtons

I got the type with the loop around the thumb (on offer on Amazon prime day!). I'll see if they help and whether or not I also need the other type.

Finished Unleash! Really enjoyed it. For anyone going on holiday Caroline is releasing a downloadable 2 week bodyweight only programme called Sunrise, I've just seen the publicity for it on IG. So you can take it on holiday.

@Cherryblossom81 I got mine from Amazon, they are similar to the ones Caroline uses with velcro wrap around wrists and hooks that lever up the dumbells https://www.amazon.fr/dp/B01N5L5I0H?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details

Thank you @samthebordercollie

Might be a silly/obvious question, but what type of wrist strap is best? Do you have any recommendations? Just looking on Amazon and some just loop around the thumb and some cover part of the hand.

I've gone for Beginner Epic. But I did Day 4 because I wanted to try out the dumbells. I'm going to jump back and do Day 1, which is a lower body workout, next.

Which series did you start @AhBiscuits ?

I've made a start and all good. Didn't feel too hard at the time but wow, my arms are like jelly now.

@Cherryblossom81 I'm another thin wristed person, but with progressive overload the have got stronger. The wrist straps for holding heavy weights during leg exercises really help.
Yesterday I did Day 21 and Day 22 Unleash - and Day 21 Leg Day for once I actually agreed with the comments on the App, it was so hard! Previously Day 7 Epic 3 had always been the toughest, but this was something else and I actually was a sweaty mess for once at the end of it. As was Caroline!
@Mommybunny I'd do Iron on the App after UB, or if you want something shorter, try the cluster series first, I think it's just 2 weeks.