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

I'm determined to do all the free youtube workouts before I commit to the app.
At the moment I'm combining a few of the series that are short.
Last one I did was a leg workout from the tempo series.
Have endgame left(as a ten week series) then will hopefully get the ap.
I'm not a fan of cardio but will do it if it's within the programe.
After all the extra calories over Christmas I probably need it more right now 😊

Happy New Year everyone!
How are you getting on with Heat @Cherryblossom81? What's everyone else doing?
I've been doing upper and lower body workouts from Unleash for the last few weeks with add ons from the Christmas series. Still debating whether to do the new program Rev from next Sunday or repeat PE. Fuel was the only program I didn't finish because it seemed too cardio based to gain any muscle and Rev seems to be similar. It's great she's doing another program like Fuel but not sure if it's for me as I want to get stronger, I do plenty of cardio (running and cycling) separately to weight training.

Thank you @samthebordercollie I'm going to do Epic Heat.

Have you done Heat? That's shorter sessions on 30 minutes of intense lifting. Not as much cardio as Fuel which I never finished as I didn't need all the cardio when I was running (I think the new programme on the App, Rev, will be another Fuel) so if you like burpees every day try that! Alternatively Epic 1 which is bonkers but fun to do, sessions a little shorter than epic 2 but less organised with some weird lifts never repeated in later programmes, and a killer complex session of 20 minute complexes near the end,of the series 😰. I really enjoyed it.
Not sure that helps much!

Happy Christmas, everyone!

I really enjoyed the YouTube Christmas series.

I'm now looking for recommendations for my next series.

Since May 2024 (when I started CG), I've done Iron, Epic 3, Endgame, Epic 2 and Christmas. Any recommendations on what to do next?

Creatine certainly seems to be affecting my muscles - they look noticeably bigger to me. Actual strength gains tbc. Also my arse is already quite bodacious in relation to my waist, so I'm kind of hoping that doesn't get significantly bigger or my clothes won't fit.

@BigButtons wow, that's some serious weight for lunges! It's really important to try lifting heavier, it's the one thing that coaches always say, men go too heavy and sacrifice form, women don't dare to go heavy enough! There's no way I could do lunges with 19,5kg. I'm up to 15kg on a fairly regular basis for lunges, squats, pullovers and one arm rows. I asked for a 17,5kg dumbell for Christmas for staggered RDLs as I can go heavier than 15kg but not ready for 20kg. I've been lifting for 2 years now and have moreorless doubled the original weights I used - except overhead presses, CG is a beast with her upper body strength.
Did anyone do the weighted vest workout on the App? I nearly threw up after that.
Agree the 2024 Christmas series is great and certainly challenging enough. Day 14 upper body is one of my favourite ever workouts. It's not the length of your workouts, it's the muscle stimulation that counts, then the growth during rest, people who spend over 1H15 working out are wasting their time!

I’m really liking the CGXmas 2024 stuff - just need to remember never to read anything on Facebook where everyone’s doing those plus 10000 other workouts! I think they’re a great length and level of challenge at this time of year, such that I can do one practically every day and not feel like I’m losing fitness at such a busy time. I’ll be away from home for 10 days over Xmas though so I’ll pack my band and do some body weight stuff - I might have access to a gym once or twice but I’m not sure. The Sunrise series worked for me in the summer holidays so I’ll probably use them.

@BigButtons those severe doms are awful.
@Cherryblossom81 i have to keep reminding myself to go heavy first,sometimes I have to drop my weights back down but it is a great feeling to be able to lift heavier than before-nothing like what caroline or some posters on here can do!
I'm up to 9kg for lunges but I struggle with lower body
Squats in particular, I still am only really comfortable using 6kg as I feel it in my lower back otherwise and it hurts my shoulders to rack any heavier

Well done @BigButtons How are you feeling today?

I'm doing the YouTube Christmas series and really enjoying it. I've also noticed I'm able to use slightly heavier weights (but no where near what you are using!). I find it encouraging though that this must show I am making a small bit of progress!

I think once I've finished the giant horse pills I'll just get powder the next time and throw it in with a protein shake.

Yes, the reviews say they are big too,and you need to take 5 a day to get 5g créatine. It's strange because 5g of the powder is tiny. At least you won't hae the worry about going through customs with those, it's always a worry with the white creating powder!

These. I didn't really want to mess around with another powder.

Yes what are you taking? My créatine monohydrate is just powder, easy to add to yogurt or a shake.

It's always hard to know what difference these things make but I thought I'd give it a whirl.

Bloody hell but those things are like horse pills though. They're huge.

I saw a study recently that claimed women responded less to créatine than men in trials. I've been taking it for nearly 2 years not sure it's made a difference or not. But I'm very hydrated all the time and a recent blood test showed everything was normal so I'm not going to stop. Créatine monohydrate is the cheapest and most studied form to take, 5g a day.

I'm going to start giving creatinine a try.

Thanks @pharmachameleon and @BigButtons I'm going to do the '24 days of Christmas' series. I've just finished Epic 2, where most workouts are around an hour, so maybe it will be good to mix things up.

@BigButtons Hope you're feeling better.