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

I bought adjustable set from Amazon I am looking forward to it arriving now!

@Vtm good luck with the job search! I did your Day 19 Epic 1 isometric full body the other day again, maybe it was because I was ill, but it was a lot harder than I remembered from the last time!
I've had a very nasty chest cold for two weeks so haven't been able to do my normal 10 mile runs every other day so have been cracking on with Iron 2 on the App -I do 2 sessions back to back. Today was Day 20 Leg Day and Day 18 posterior chain which I loved. As @BigButtons said it's been a good program to up the weights and whether it's because I'm not running long distances - I still do a 3 mile run after weights - I'm definitely getting stronger. 15kg for lunges, single arm rows, pullovers and RDLs today - before I started Iron 2 I was using 12.5kg. I'm still chucking in the odd one hour full body from Epic 1 or 2 which I love so not getting through Iron 2 as fast as I should. I'm enjoying it a lot more than Iron on YT.

The drop it series sounds quite good.

I'm half through iron on YouTube.

I had 4 different weights out during an upper body one this week from 7kg down to 2kg.

Might need to buy so e 10kg next for a few exercises like RDL's.

I am pretty sure I can lift 7kg or maybe more in one of her offset/one side RDL’s or during lunges but 5kg is my current limit for an overhead press as I found I fail a lot faster any higher.

for abs I kind of just muddle along with what I can do then do something else if I can’t.

The Argos ones aren’t available near me!

@menora, I got my dumbells from amazon. I have 6kgs for upper body and 7 kgs for lower body. I also struggle with ab exercises because I had umblical hernia op and I really dont want that hernia to come back. I usually do something else whenever there is an ab exercise.

@IrisBearded Thanks so much I have been looking but seen a lot of reviews on items saying the locking rings fail! So I was unsure what to get

4kg is not enough for me at all but it’s been better than nothing! I might get this one. I’ve seen one on Amazon I’ve been eyeing up

@vtm good luck with the job hunting. It really is so time consuming.
I'm not disciplined enough when there's not a set program to follow, will dither which workout to choose

@menora have you thought about something like this? Cheap adjustable dumbbell/barbell set? I've got it at home, but mainly use the barbell, there's 2 dumbbells too included

www.argos.co.uk/product/6047081?storeID=4211&istCompanyId=a74d8886-5df9-4baa-b776-166b3bf9111c&istFeedId=30f62ea9-9626-4cac-97c8-9ff3921f8558&istItemId=ixititlaw&istBid=t&&cmpid=GS001&_$ja=tsid:59157%7Cacid:629-618-1342%7Ccid:20368875273%7Cagid:%7Ctid:%7Ccrid:%7Cnw:x%7Crnd:7708308278725442108%7Cdvc:m%7Cadp:%7Cmt:%7Cloc:9046413&utm_source=Google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=20368875273&utm_term=6047081&utm_content=shopping&utm_custom1=&utm_custom2=629-618-1342&GPDP=true&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAiA_5WvBhBAEiwAZtCU781H4w7KaFGxGd1_8J1U8E3t-k5FN5BlKj7k7fS2x7Vrk7uIoRIpGhoCRcUQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

I've been doing Drop It week on the app. It's been my favourite so far. Quick simple workouts. Just lifting to near limits and then dropping the weight and lifting some more! It's been a nice break after Unleash which was hard going for me.

I am still dabbling in her YouTube videos but not following a specific programme. I can’t do hardly any of the core exercises she does - I think it’s a combination of not a strong core, big heavy legs (I have lipoedema) had an abdominal hysterectomy 2 years ago and spinal compression L4/5 in 2015 so I might never be able to do them. It just feels like nothing happens when I try pull myself up 😂 or I can get one leg up at a time but not both at the same time and I can’t hold them.

I can do some of the core Pilates ones in my class but it’s my weakest area by a mile. I’ve stuck with Mighty and some of the kettlebell videos so far.

I need heavier weights at home but I don’t want to spend a fortune so I am stuck with 4kgs at home so I go to the gym to use heavier weights but space is hard there - I can’t do CG on the spongy mats they have there as they throw me off my lunge balance and there is not really any room to do floor work

How is everyone doing? I am going through epic 2 sessions. Not able to do everyday as still busy with job search and interview preparations. I have two first round interviews lined up but both are going to be tough. Job market is not good atm.

On epic 2 there are two sessions which have become my favourite staples. Any morning, if I am not sure then I do one of these based on if my arms are tired or legs.

day 17: upper body
day 18: legs

I create my own variations of day 18 like for the 60 second bit i change it to slow tempo style or 40 second bit to pulses etc. I replace calf raises with bridge or something else for hamstring/glutes.

I abandoned epic 1 as I am unable to do core exercies. Today I stared with epic 2.

I did half of day 2 and then day 3. Actually day 3 is also a very good upper body session though I was not sure why some exercises 3 times and some only once.

Having done 3 full rounds of the YT beginner epic while DH was away from home, I fell off the wagon when he returned (apart from my regular Pilates class and walking). It's a bit hard to plan on a regular schedule when we want to be able to look at the weather forecast in the morning and go somewhere nice (he's retired, I work part time). I think I need to identify some full body half hour workouts that I've no excuse for not fitting in as and when possible. So I did the beginners epic day 4 today which fits the bill pretty well, only substituting the lunge sets with various types of squats (or for one set some cobras as my back was feeling like it needed a stretch). That worked pretty well - and despite the break some of it with slightly heavier weights than last time.

I really need to do some sort proper cardio/HIIT as well as strength but one of my knees is twinging oddly - absolutely fine most of the time but some movements/kneeling on it the wrong way feel like I've carpet burned the outside lower part of it. I'm not sure why but feel like burpees or anything high impact might be foolish.

Meanwhile, January pilates featured quite a lot of functional exercises. One was single leg sit to stand. I couldn't do this at first, then could manage a few on my right leg but not the left. Today I did 10 good ones each side for the first time while I was waiting for the kettle to boil! That's the sort of real world useful improvement that's very motivating!

I like Heat too, imo the right balance of weights and cardio. I also stick to 6 or 8kg max on my legs as that gives me a good workout and tones without bulking up too much.

I’m doing a few random upper body and abs sets this week, then will start Pyramid (thanks @BigButtons ). Then I might go back to Beastmode as I liked the format, but this time with slightly heavier weights, at least on top.

Anyone done Unleashed? I finished it yesterday. I really like the format - 3 rounds of lifting heavy on two exercises and then circuits. Really looking forward to what's next!

Although the problem with the app is that you really want to keep up with the latest programme especially if you're on her FB page. Which means there's no time to go back to programmes you haven't done yet - i was planning to do Beastmode but I won't be able to fit it in before Intent starts! But i guess once people start paying she needs to get them out faster.

Oh lord! I’ll prepare myself for that next week then. The thing I liked about Iron was I work out at 6am and starting in January it was great for just rolling out of bed in the dark and basically doing what the lady tells you for half an hour. You can be half asleep and it’s fine. Epic wakes me up more but nice now it’s slightly lighter by the time I’ve finished. And thanks to Iron I’m on heavier weights which feels good! (Well, mostly. Except when I’m too ambitious and my arms just nope the hell out).

@AtomicBlondeRose Epic 3 is my favourite programme. So much more fun than Iron (especially if you like complexes). Look out for Day 7 leg day, it's the hardest leg day I've ever done and I've done most of the programmes...

The handstand in Epic 1 haunts me! And pistol squats.

I’ve started Epic 3 and liking it so far (ok I’m two days in). Bit more pacy and challenging than Iron and I feel more worked out afterwards. I feel like it’d be good to alternate the Epic-like programmes with Iron tbh. The slow pace of Iron felt pretty sustainable but dull. But constant Epic-style pace would burn you out.

Yes I find epic 1 moves challenging too and I agree as it was her first series she might have put a lot of things just for variety. I will never attempt some of the moves with any heavy dumbells, too risky for my weak abs and shoulders!

Epic 1 day 24 is my fav too. Epic 2 day 4 and epic 2 day 10 are also my fav. I should create playlisst of my favs so I dont have to think in the morning and just pick one from list.

I dont ususally do her HIITs but there were a few that I liked and now I have forgotten which ones.

I think Caroline didn't want people to get bored with her first programme and put every conceivable move in! And 20 minute complexes 😱
Saying that, I enjoyed it. I have a couple of full body workouts I do regularly and one is Day 24 from Epic 1, the other Day 45 from Epic 2 (I did it this morning[ Am working through Iron 2, so far up to Day 12. My biceps really hurt from Day 10, that was an excellent workout!
I have a stinking chest cold at the moment so probably shouldn't be working out at all at the moment, I certainly can't run 😥and there is a definitely lack of strength when lifting.

So have done 2 of the mighty full body and going to try something different next time. My bum hurts so much from the lunges I could barely perch on the toilet seat this morning

It was day 29 not day 24.

I have been doing epic 1 whenever I got time. Have reached to day 24 which I did today. I had to substitute the abs part with some arms exercises but it is a very good full body session if you don't have limitations. This was effectively 90-30 routine, very satisfying workout.