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

I have a torn trap so I’m having a break.

I'm having a break from Intent (and any other programs) this week as I found myself just going through the motions last week. I like the Leg day format in Intent. In previous programs it's been 1 day mainly quad focused then 1 day glutes/hamstrings with endless thrusts. In Intent all the leg days seem to combine a bit of both.

@samthebordercollie I saw that too and wondered where the "showing off" comments had come from. Not from the FB groups, that's for sure 🤣🤣. There's a bit of negativity towards Intent in one of the groups though - about it getting boring with the 90 second sets and some of the leg days being ridiculously hard.

Day 32 and 33 of Intent this morning, Day 33 was lots of curtsey and Bulgarian lunges with some hip thrusts and stability ball to break up all the lunging. Caroline loves her unilateral work! Day 32 more lateral and rear delt raises, they seem a staple of every upper body workout!
Did anyone see the knowlege post Intent week 9 HQ? Very strange, Caroline defending herself apparently having been accused of showing off with the weights she uses....not sure where the criticism came from but for me she never shows off and is capable of lifting a lot more than she does in the programs. It was very strange, not like her usual posts at all!

@Cherryblossom81 I did Beastmode after Iron (without HIIT days), then started Fuel, and a while later Iron again. I’m now on about day 12 of Fuel and 6 of Iron. I do them in parallel, or alternate. I’m away atm, so I took a break for a few days. I have a resistance band with me, but I haven’t had time for it. The hotel has a gym but, again, too busy sightseeing.

@Cherryblossom81 i’m in the same position. I have 5 sessions left of iron and I’m looking for what to do next. I think I might do the ten sessions of Beastmode then do epic (if available on YT?) I have enjoyed iron but now I’m 5 weeks in and I am getting a bit bored as others have said on this thread.

I’m away at the moment, I have brought my gym stuff with me but I’m not really confident to use the hotel gym. I don’t know why, I just have this massive mental block. It’s weird. The gym itself is quite small and absolutely full of equipment and I just don’t think I feel comfortable enough to go down with my phone and do a workout. So I’m probably having a few days off and will resume Thursday morning.

@Cherryblossom81 good for you, Epic 3 is my favourite You Tube programme too (Endgame a close second. Go at your own pace, you will find your heart rate increases more than it did with Iron, but the workouts are more fun. Day 7 leg day is still etched in my memory as the hardest leg day I've ever done!

Thanks @samthebordercollie and @BigButtons

Yes, I'm not sure why, but I think I am a bit nervous. I think maybe I see myself as the small framed and not very strong person who doesn't (can't?!) lift weights, but I have completed the whole of Iron and really enjoyed it (still with tiny weights compared with Caroline). I think I will start Epic 3 tomorrow morning.

@Cherryblossom81 Yes, Beastmode on You Tube is just a 2 week programme.
I would go on and try the other programmes rather than sticking with Iron on repeat which is what some people do. Are you worried about them? I was initially, but once you start the Epics are fun and varied, much more so than Iron which I found quite dull.
@BigButtons Yes, I know the couple you mean, I don't know how they have time to post daily all the photos and resumé - not to mention the awful puns - she seems to be trying to morph into Caroline physically. But then they do both look very fit and muscular so I suppose they are a great advert for Caroline's programs! I agree that the FB Community page is horribly sychophantic, any of the few posts I've made - usually about technique - are never priority over the 'how fit and pumped do I look' best contributors

Thanks @samthebordercollie Is Beastmode just 10 sessions (am I looking at the right series)?

@AtomicBlondeRose I wondered if you can remember what you did after Iron? From some of your previous posts, I feel like I'm a year behind you?!

Would anyone recommend simply repeating Iron or do you think it's better to add in variety and try a new series?

@samthebordercollie I did the same earlier! I did 2 of the 3 sets standing and they felt much better. She seems to put them in every single upper body workout these days.

@BigButtons I can't believe you've been banned from the FB group. That's insane! That's a good point you make about where CG goes next. There are some insanely fit people out there for whom one CG workout a day is not enough (and don't they love to brag & tell you just how much they've done on those groups!). They'll be wanting something harder still I guess. I've managed to stay injury free, mainly as I've stuck with what I know are safe weights for me.

@BigButtons I know what you mean, I can't bear to look at the FB group now as it's so boring with the same people worshipping Caroline and saying how hard but wonderful the latest Intent workout is. I think she will lose a lot of App subscribers if she does another similar heavy/long/repetitive programme.
Today I did one of my favourite Endgame upper body workouts and loved it!
@Anjelika am totally with you on the rear delt flyes!! I do mine standing so they are easier but even so....there are other shoulder exercises!

I'm doing Intent at the moment. I do 4 workouts a week so am at the end of week 6 now. I've found this last week I've got a bit bored of the long sets and doing some of the same moves every other day - she seems obsessed with those seated rear delt flyes!! I'm taking a week off just to try and get some momentum going for the final 4 weeks. I found in yesterday's leg one I couldn't be bothered challenging myself so think I need a break for a week.

Hello everyone!
@Vtm good luck with your job interview and don't worry about the weights you are lifting, you do you, and progress will be made using lighter weights.
@Cherryblossom81 Beastmode and Endgame are good follow ons from Iron. Just leave out the HIT days if you don't want to do any jumping, otherwise both programs are solid lifting. With maybe the odd maker, but I think thats more Epics 1 - 3.
@BigButtons I hope your muscles feel better soon. Using lighter weights or even body weight will work. I've started to see a lot of FB posts recently about people not loving Intent for the reason you stated, too repetitive and too long! I agree with you, I like the format and am finding it works, but it certainly isn't an easy program to do with 90 mins of lifting and as you say, endless hip thrusts, bridges and lunges on lower body days. My heart rate certainly doesn't go up like it did with the Epics, but I really feel my muscles after each workout, it's a really effective lifting programme, despite the monotony. Thank goodness there are circuit days too! I'd struggle if every workout was just the long, heavy lifting without variation.

I have got one more day of Iron left and then I will have completed my first CG series and the first time in my life (early 40s now) that I've ever done any strength based exercise.

I just wondered if any of you could recommend what I should do next? I still feel like a complete beginner (using very light weights!). I had wondered if I should just repeat Iron again, but maybe it's best to try a new series?

I'd prefer to not have a series that involves any jumping (not sure if she does this in any series?) as I exercise upstairs.

@BigButtons Sorry to hear about the strains and injuries. Sounds frustrating as well as painful.

I am back after a long break from exercise. Life came in the way, my job search was not going well.

Anyway now I have atleast some interviews lined up and yesterday I started exercise again. Yesterday I did epic-2 day 18 leg pyramid set. My fav leg workout and I have got major DOMS. Today I can barely walk and I did epic-2 day 17 Arms. I am back on 5kg dumbells and at this rate I will be doing epic 2 forever!

Thanks for asking @samthebordercollie It felt better when I got up this morning and I thought I would be ok to do the next workout as it was glutes and hamstrings. However, I had to stop before the end as the single leg bridges started to aggravate my back again. The next workout is full body, so I think maybe I should wait a couple of days.

That's interesting to hear about the wrist straps. I've been wondering about getting some as I've got tiny wrists and wondered if they might help.