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

See I have read a lot about how cardio just tires you out faster so shouldn’t be combined with strength, it’s separate. If you use all your energy on cardio you can’t use your muscles as effectively. If you are just simply trying to burn calories then having a very intense workout makes sense for time purposes but not really for gaining muscle. Everything I’ve read said do your cardio last or at another time. Even body builders do not do cardio first (not that we are) although they might do some cardio warm up you can warm up by doing the reps with just lighter weights

There is no point lifting heavier just as you can or want to, it really should be a slow progressive overload. If you can’t finish reps on the weights you are doing then don’t move up yet. Caroline is a beast I would expect it could take me years to get to her level and I probably never will even get close - good genetics and consistency also matter. Just do what is right for your own body don’t try to be like someone else xx

I'm working through epic 1,I had really bad back and shoulder doms after doing a back and abs session..so had two rest days together.
I do try to push myself on the upper body days so think I went to hard.
Lower body is still a struggle,I am only really comfortable using 6kg for everything,and even that becomes tricky as the workout progresses.
I am in awe at what caroline uses and also reading what others use(mainly on the slightly ott Facebook group)
I want to lift heavier but know I simply can't as yet-i wobble all over and it hurts if I try!onwards and upwards.
I do follow another trainer called shelly dose who insists you should incorporate cardio into every weight session so I'm not sure if Caroline's way is the "best" way...but I am enjoying the more slowed down pace and being able to go heavier because of it! I have noticed progress mainly in my legs(go figure!)

I have sciatica so I am having some time off, I walked 5 miles instead. Wasn’t as much fun tbh but at least I’m not hurting my back more

Well, I certainly have a touch of DOMS today after that glutes session yesterday! I took an active rest day so aside from 5 miles with the dog I’ve not worked out today. I’m going to run tomorrow morning but I may do the CG session in the evening.

@BigButtons It's true, with strength training you can eat so much more. I need to cut down on running. As soon as I increase cardio the scales start to creep up. I cn't get the hang of measurements as I seem to do them so inaccurately so I still weigh myself.
Isn't it funny how sometimes one day the weights feel light and sometimes really heavy?

@thenewaveragebear1983 If you are doing strength training 3 days a week then you can double up no problem, it's like doing 3 full body workouts, which are very effective if you don't have time to do separate body splits 5 days a week.
@BigButtons Was Day 3 Intent lighter weights more reps? Intent sounds much more attractive than Unleash. I will finish Iron 2 in the next week and thought about doing the Cluster programme then going onto Intent. I'll save Unleash for when there is nothing else left!
BTW for those with the App Caroline has written a really good article on how to measure progress. I really like her articles, more than the others in the knowledge section. She knows her stuff. I wish she would go into more detail about how calories burned during workouts don't matter, strength training isn't about that, it's about building muscle which in turn speeds up your metabolism and burns more calories. As a former cardio queen I'm still too obsessed with the 'calories spent' reading on my Garmin even though I know it's bllcks

@samthebordercollie yes that’s a lot! I think I definitely need at least one rest day, ideally two but that means doubling up on 2-3 days to get my runs in. I’ll have to see. I might have to complete the cg programme over 8 weeks not 6 to get them in, or double the cg work outs to get a couple of clear days. I could do eg. Legs and arms on the same day 🤔 I’ll try it as it is for now and see how I get on.

@thenewaveragebear1983 I do a long run 3 or 4 days a week every morning and strength train 3 or 4 days a week followed by a little 5km run with the dogs. I double up sometimes when I do a long morning run and then do a strength session - upper body or glutes - in the evening. No rest days unless I'm ill. and a dog walk every evening too for an hour. I'm 58 and only work part time so I have time to spare. It's too much - sadly I have an exercise addiction problem 😟

@Menora thanks I will see what amazon has to offer. I won’t need super heavy but something that I can add to over time would be great.

I did the glutes day today (iron day 3) - it’s definitely a new way of working out for me, these very slow steady workouts but I am enjoying them.

The normal lunges are ok, but those sideways lunges and just too pinchy on my knees. I maybe am not doing them right? I don’t normally get knee pain generally, but any static stepping (even jogging on the spot) is guaranteed to get my knees pinching, and now clearly these as well!

@samthebordercollie I know you said you run, how do you organise your week? Presumably you must double up some days? Do you have still the set 2 rest days, or do you run on those days? I’m trying to work out how to fit them all in and keep up my running programme as well. Not enough days in the week and I need at least one full rest day (well active rest as I still walk the dog and other general activity)

2nd day of Intent and it feels really long and really hard!

Not sure how long I'll keep at it. Have been using CG for over a year now and maybe working out home alone I've got a bit too comfortable. I should accept the challenge 💪her weights seem super heavy to me!

Here is the knee friendly

beware this one is HARD 😂

I got an adjustable barbell from Amazon it was about £30. It’s up to 20kg. I really recommend investing in something like this

There is one video it might be the mighty, where the main movement IS the lunges - she sometimes works in 1 movement to repeat repeat repeat. I only do this one occasionally 😂

but the lunges are why I wear rubber soles converse! This really helped me get a proper grip to do them better

I don’t even do her app I just do YouTube and I mix all her workouts up

there is 1 she does with no repeats

@thenewaveragebear1983 all the workouts are different, of course some lifts are repeated but side lunges not too often. I'm with you, I find them,hard to perfect, you need to go as low as you can, you might need lighter weights if you can't get very low.
A barbell is a good investment, for all programmes on the App Caroline uses a barbell for hip thrusts, and as she says, if you prefer to use a barbell,for RDLs, squats etc instead of dumbells, then do, you do you!
Leg days burn more calories than upper body, the cardio is definitely increased on those days. As with the Epics where the rest periods are often shorter than with the Iron programme.

@BigButtons that wasn’t me with the no knees workout, but I would be interested too @Menora

i hope you recover soon, there’s nothing worse than accumulating aches and pains when you’re doing something that’s supposed to make you feel good. Maybe take a week or two off and do some slow Pilates or yoga to recalibrate? Many years ago I did Alexander technique exercises which were apparently designed for injured dancers. They were quite good, I was recovering from a knee and Achilles tendon injury (on different legs!) and I got the feeling they kept me strong and flexible despite being fairly immobile at the time.

I just went back and did day 1, wow- I love her! 😍 wasn’t massively keen on the side lunges as I don’t think my form is correct, plus they seemed to go on for ages.

Do the workouts repeat or are they totally new every time? I may need to sub something in for those!

I have been toying with investing in a basic barbell set with a few plates. Any recommendations? I’m not lifting heavy at all and I am quite lopsided so I’ve always preferred single side/dumbell exercises, but some would benefit from a barbell and also it might make me push the weight a bit more. I currently have an adjustable dumbbell which can go up to 20kg but I use it as 2 tens.

I was also really surprised by the calorie burn for that workout- I know it doesn’t mean anything but it’s all relative- 30 minute arms yesterday was around 65, 30 minutes legs today was 200 🥵

@samthebordercollie I run 3 times a week but not 10 miles every time! My hips and knees won’t take it anymore.

@thenewaveragebear1983 ah, yes, I understand! I'm a runner too, how often do you run? I do 10 miles every other day and do CG workouts on the other days, with occasional other sessions chucked in if I have time. This morning was a run and this evening a session from Iron on the App, back and core, I really enjoyed it. I find ab only sessions really boring but incorporated with back exercises it was really fun to do.
@BigButtons let us know how you get on with Intent!
@Abra1t I think it is just 2 sessions which are slow and heavy a week, the others are more moderate weight - more like the Epics - so hopefully it won't be slow and heavy every session

@Melassa i have a barbell but yeah for dumbbells i prob need grips as my hands hurt after a while

I did CG ‘no knees’ leg work out and OMG, it just goes to show how much your knees really do! I really struggled! No way am I upping weights till I am ready. I’m happy with a long slog of lower weights and no injuries

I'm not sure I'll do Intent. I just find it hard to motivate myself through long and slow workouts. I managed Unleash, Iron 1 and half of Beastmode, but I still prefer Epic Heat and Fuel.

Or perhaps I'll just do Intent at a rate of two or three a week.

How do you even hold on to 20kg dumbbells? My hands and wrists struggle once I get past 10kg. I got as far as using 14kg on lunges but had really sore hands from holding the weights. I was thinking about getting a barbell for heavier squats, then like@BigButtons I decided I wasn’t going to go heavy on the lower body. My max now is 8kg, with 14kg on a sumo squat (hands permitting!).