Anyone else doing Caroline Girvan's EPIC programme?

[BigButtons]

I thought I was pretty fit and toned. I have exercised consistently most of my life: weights, cardio, hit, running etc ( now 53). I have just finished day 8 of EPIC and feel like a complete wuss. It was the lunges one. I wanted to be sick even though I was standing infront of a large fan the entire time.
How do people actually manage to get through these? I have just looked ahead to the burpee day and feel like I am simply not up to this.

@ManxRhyme - great...... I often do my own stretches. Especially lots of PILATES rolls and pigeons.

As for my surgery - it's just a bit of eye lasering to tidy up debris from previous surgeries. Maybe I'll do a bit of eye rolling at some of the more ridiculous posts on MN (not on this thread obviously! ) to prepare my eyes for surgery

My eyes are definitely my weakest body part. Which is a nuisance more than anything else. If it were my ears, I'd not be able to listen to music. And that would definitely affect my quality of life. Poor old Ludwig - imagine being the world's greatest composer ever....... and not being able to hear any music. None at all.

After several days of agony I did the third day of epic 1 today

The weekend was a write off after the first 2 sessions , staggered out for walk and had to cut it short , I could not face the last down and uphill bit

@midgemagneto oh dear😮. Keep going though- it will get better x

I do hope so!

Checking in. Having grimaced my way through the HEAT week 1 shoulder complexes yesterday, they feel ok today. Very definitely worked, particularly if I move my arm out like a chicken and also the triceps. So that 30-odd minutes definitely packed a punch.

Did an interval run today. As I’ve ramped up exercise recently, I’m trying to be very conscientious with stretching every evening to hopefully ward off issues. The worst seems to be quads - esp that pigeon stretch where you pull the back leg up. Ow. Lots of deep breathing required.

Pilates tomorrow plus a Heat lower body workout depending on how tough Pilates is and if I have time.

Hi all, I’ve had a couple of unexpected days off as yesterday I wasn’t feeling well and today some plonker moved a call to 9am so I ended up doing the plank and a CG warm up only as I thought I wouldn’t have time, then he was 20 mins late for the call meaning I also had to rush off afterwards. Had I known he wasn’t going to turn up I would have managed to fit in day 8 Heat. Idiot.

I plan to do day 8 tomorrow (glad to hear it wasn’t too bad), plus maybe the LWR thighs workout you all keep mentioning. I feel I need to do penance for taking 2 days off and tomorrow I’m wfh so can sit in a sports bra and knickers (with stunt T-shirt for calls) and try to fit in batches of this and that.

Wow @ManxRhyme day 49! So impressive! Well done! I do wonder if after the short sharp shock of Heat I might find Epic 1 easier when if I go back to it. It was tiring but I had fewer sore muscles on the whole. Or maybe I’m just kidding myself and the hell is to come after day 35? Was the level really cranked up in the last weeks?

Stretching -I find CG doesn’t stretch nearly enough, which might be the reason I ache a bit the next day. If I have time I sometimes add stretches, for instance the reclining pigeon for glutes or extra quad stretches from yoga and other stuff I picked up over the years. I also do 3 stretches in bed before I go to sleep at night, I find it really helps with the quality of my sleep.

@midgemagneto it does. I started this thread for a reason remember?😂😂

@OrangeSunset check out a guy on YouTube his Chanel is called strength side. He does really good and very efficient stretches . Different from the norm. There is a great one for the quads and a hamstring one that I do several times a day- with CG I need it!

Feeling it in the back this morning. I’ve never had achey back muscles before( in a good way I mean!)

Ugh- day 9 heat not so good for me. I felt tired when I started. This cold lingers- bunged up etc.
I had to keep stopping and some modifying was done( a lot).
Just didn’t have the strength anywhere. Odd after 3 really good days( maybe that’s why???)
Ah well.
Next one will be some sort of hiit type thing but probs not CG.

@BigButtons - so sorry you are still feeling under the weather

On days like these - actually, today is one of them.... - I usually revert to a low impact HIIT from Growingannanas, plus Lucy's Thighs and/or Rebecca's abs. I always feel better than if I'd done a half-arsed CG.

@BigButtons sounds like a day for a rest - these workouts are intense and doing 5 days out of 7 per the plan is full on.

I’ve just finished Heat Day 3 - lower body. Also savage. Didn’t have the beans for burpees and squats jumps.

Still feeling the shoulders from Monday. Definitely worked the triceps and biceps.

I’m taking a rest day tomorrow with a big stretch. Second week of this doing CG 3 x week alongside by cardio and Pilates and keen to avoid burnout.

Thanks @OrangeSunset and @FlowerArranger.
You are right they are intense. Having a proper rest enables me to do better. So I’ve done three days straight - up to day 9 of heat. I will do some stretching tomorrow and the dreaded thigh workout as well as RL abs . As much has her incessant jibber jabber annoys me it does weirdly take my attention away from my burning abs🧐.
I will do some stretches from ‘the strength side’ as I find them amazingly effective and my arms and back REALLY need it.

Good luck with your op tomorrow*@FlowerArranger* 🙂💐

Thanks, @BigButtons 😀

Photo of today’s session attached.

The Growingannanas HIIT is heavy on the legs but not too long.

The RL Ageless Arms is an old favorite which I adapt with heavier weights and some tougher variations.

The CG Core & Abs may become a favorite. As will the RL Abs & Core, which complements her Best Abs nicely- it’s actually a bit more challenging, I think.

Happy exercising Everyone

@FlowerArranger I have just done these 2 routines. I have done them on and off for a while. My hips, legs and shoulders REAlly needed them today, my whole body is stiff from all the exercises and no stretches- which is not good.
I will check out the CG abs thanks 🙂

Get better soon @BigButtons. Don't push too hard, and load up on the vitamins.

Epic 1 is done! Did it after work as I won't have the time tomorrow. 1 hour HIIT but was fairly low impact so doable. As a bonus DC asked me "what's that lump in your arm mummy!" Why my child, that's my tricep muscle 💪

@ManxRhyme🎊🥂🌟
EPIC!!!!
Bloody well done on sticking it out. What next then? I can recommend heat.
Great news on the triceps, bet you have biceps as well😃!

Yes Heat next. Biceps are there but never had tricep definition before. I think I'll have a week of dabbling around then start Heat properly. You guys make it sound painful and I need a rest 😅

what's that lump in your arm mummy!" Why my child, that's my tricep muscle so satisfying! And well done on completing Epic 1! A 1 hr HIIT??? I faint at the thought.

Did day 8 Heat this evening after work, all my plans for doing various sessions between calls shot to pieces. I ended up wearing my stunt T-shirt for calls all day . I nearly binned the session but I felt tight and tense in my shoulders after a stressful day so it really helped getting a good sweat up. I need to pop into the office tomorrow so I will try and fit in day 9 in the early morning.

I can’t imagine the level of torture of a CG plank variation session. I will give it a quick watch though, it might not be as bad as I think it is. I did the 3 minute plank this morning by I think I need a bit more movement to burn away the wobbly bits (or I could even just give up the wine).

@Melassa I suppose day 9 is a bit planky. Push up dips on chair into Bulgarian lunges. Lots of movements into planks. Hurty thigh movements, hovers to pike push ups. She does give alternatives.
I found it gruelling in parts but I wasn’t feeling strong today.

Oh dear the dreaded Bulgarians. Hmmm, i will see. Hopefully I’ll feel fresh and perky enough tomorrow morning to plough through it. I might need an extra coffee though. Thanks for the warning!

Some days I feel really floppy, like overcooked spaghetti, so I get it. I’ve learned now to give up qnd come back to when I feel stronger.

Except for cG’s HIIT sessions. I never come back to those

@BigButtons - I'll give those 2 yoga sessions a try. Next week. Never done yoga as I'm too impatient... but these look manageable.

@Melassa - the CG 15 minute plank session really isn't too challenging. Assuming you've done the Bowflex 3 minute plank for at least year, preferably in conjunction with RL Best Abs

Seriously, a strong core is a wonderful, life-changing thing. Well worth the effort.

As for Caroline's HIIT......... no, just no. I'm sticking with Growingannanas.

@FlowerArranger they are more like stretches than yoga. I too have not for the patience for yoga.

Good suggestions to up the stretches and use time during boring zoom calls

Hopefully try the next session today