Caroline Girvan where to start?

Thank you so much. I've downloaded the app tonight to get the ultimate beginner programme as I'm finding the EPIC hard going. I ate dinner nearly 4 hours ago now and despite that I feel queasy and have indigestion from doing the core workout. I'll start the beginner on Sunday and hopefully ease myself into it more gradually. One thing I've discovered is that I can't straighten my legs up in front of me if lying down. Can't raise them up at 90 degrees. They just feel very tight.

I forgot another change: the abdominal separation I had for 5 years after my second pregnancy has closed, although that didn't happen until I started supplementing protein a bit.

Honestly, it's taken a year or so for me to build the muscle mass that I have now. You have to be patient. You also can't physically see muscle if it's covered in body fat, although it will still help to hold everything in place better. Change starts happening within a few months if it's consistent, but you have to stick with it for its own sake because significant change is always slow.

That's amazing! I'll be doing day 3 today. How long did you do it for before you saw a difference? I don't go to the gym at all.

I also walk differently. My core and back are stronger. It's natural to stand up straight. I used to get upper back pain from sitting at a computer all day, now I never do.

@LegoTherapy I just have muscle everywhere I didn't used to have. I have visible abdominals. Muscle mass over my shoulders, biceps, lats, delts. I'm about the same size or slightly smaller in some places (weirdly my calves are notably smaller) but the proportions have changed. When I overhead press I can see a solid line of muscle all the way from my neck to my wrist which didn't used to exist.

I know this is an old thread now but I just started CG on Monday. I chose Epic beginners and day 1 was legs. I walk 50 miles a week up and down big hills and could barely move yesterday! I did a warm up first but my his my poor legs! Yesterday was upper body and I ache today but only a fraction of how my legs were yesterday. I'm having a rest day today.
@DreadPirateRobots how did your body change by doing CG?

I did epic beginner and then moved onto Iron, I am on my second round now and can feel that I am making progress. It is 5 days per week but you could just do it for longer than 6 weeks with more rest days. I do 4 per week and substitute the full body day for a class at the gym. As the workouts are only 30mins ish if I have a busy week and more time one day I do 2 workouts and have more rest days

Ok @Thegreatgiginthesky, I will 💪

Don't wait, you can still do the arm days! Even if you can't stand you can do most of the lifting sitting or lying down.

I’m going to start with ‘Iron’. My knee is currently recovering from a pulled ligament so I need to wait a couple more weeks.

I started with iron which is meant to be the easiest/slowest programme with the least cardio. I repeated this a few times with heavier weights and I then did epic heat which is a bit faster paced but still only 30 minutes per session. I understand epic 1 is the hardest programme with some insane moves followed by epic 2.

For weights I started with 5 x 2kg which I mainly used for arms and 5 x 8kg which I mainly used for legs. I gradually built a range up to 2 x 10kg and then also got a 25kg dumbbell which I use mainly for hip thrusts and sumo squats. You will also need a glute band and yoga block.

Good luck with epic beginners today, I hope you get the bug like I did, nearly stuck to it for a whole year and still really enjoy it.

Enjoy! CG has changed my life, no exaggeration. She's for sure changed my body.

Caroline Girvan is a machine!! Please don't get disheartened if you find yourself lifting 1/10th of what she does!!
She uses to have a good facebook community page that you might like to follow/post advice on too!

Thanks @DreadPirateRobots ans @PosiePerkinPootleFlump

I’m a beginner and found (with a different programme) that I got used to the weight quickly and could do too many reps. I have some 5kgs and 7kgs that I’ll have a go with and see how I get on.

I would use CGs relative weights as a guide rather than actual.
so eg if she uses a 20kg for some reps and 12kg for others, you might want 5kg for the first ones and 3kg for her 12kg.
don’t worry that you can’t lift anything like her weights, especially early on

Everyone's at a different point, especially if they're new to CG or weights. CG mentions what weights she uses for each session but she is S T R O N G and unless you're already a serious lifter, you won't be doing anything like her weight. Adjustable dumbbells are probably the most efficient long term solution, but if you want to buy individual DBs I would start with under 5kg unless you know you can do more.

That comparison table is beautiful 😍

I’m not sure which weights to start with. Are there recommendations for specific exercises?

Apart from the beginners one and Heat which are shorter and more cardio focused they are all basically the same.

id plan to do them in order
they do get repetitive and a bit boring to be honest

I am paying for the app and currently debating whether to continue

Oh cross post!

Caroline Girvan Programme Details

I shared this link on a CG thread a while ago. I came across it one day whilst reading about her paid for app.
It lists all of her programmes and the content/format of them