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.

Just finished Heat Day 9 Calisthenics. That was tough and now feel like a bit of a weakling. The split movements eg the off set plank ladder, and the press up with feet on a chair!

I wonder how long it takes to build the strength to do those moves with the poise and control that Caroline does. I can’t even do the move, nevermind with poise.

So, a bit disheartening, but onwards. A good stretch this evening then a run tomorrow.

@OrangeSunset I also found that one really tough and has to modify and stop quite a few times.
CG is basically hard core- with a few lighter sessions thrown in.

I am feeling utterly utterly crap again. This cold seemed to be going but I feel even worse now than I did last weekend.
No exercise for me. I can barely keep my eyes open 🥴

@BigButtons.......

Maybe this - with sound down and Radio 3 on?

Hope you feel better soon

@OrangeSunset I also did day 9 Heat this morning. I didn’t find it too bad, although I got interrupted at a couple of points, didn’t watch the instruction and probably got a couple of exercises wrong. The ladder planks for instance, was I supposed to do something with my feet too? I must have missed that. I think I managed to completely miss the exercise after, or only manage 4 reps or something.

I will say I’ve noticed an improvement in form in my push ups - I’ve started doing planks and push ups the days I need to rush off and don’t have time for a proper workout - and I noticed I can get right down and back up again with relative ease and can manage 20 in one go without dying, 30 at a push. It seems to not work quite so well during CG’s workouts though, odd that 🤔. Still, an improvement and another small win.

Just did some bedtime yoga (from Sarah Beth) in order to unwind and hopefully drop off. However I’ve just discovered there’s a new Below Deck series on Netflix so I’ll probably binge watch that. No, I have no taste

I can get right down and back up again with relative ease and can manage 20 in one go without dying, 30 at a push

@Melassa - WOW !!!! 30 push-ups???!!!!! I thought I wasn't doing to bad with a dozen or so....

Did EPIC 2 day 13 today, plus Rebecca's stretches and Anna's 12 minute Tabata.

Definitely felt stronger and more in control, although I chose to modify some of the never ending push-ups.

What can I say.......... onwards and upwards. I have a selection of Anna''s HIITs lined up for tomorrow

@Melassa well done! I don’t think there was anything with the feet in the plank ladder, it was all upper body. One arm bends (as in a press up) to allow the other to go up and down as in an up-down plank. Amazed I can describe that, I though I’d erased it from memory! Did you manage the pike press ups from the chair?!

I agree that my press ups are definitely stronger. I’m a way off doing 30, but I am stronger in those that I can manage, and better range of motion. And in fairness, that’s in two weeks. So who know what’s possible in 6 weeks!

I’ve been doing it since the end of July, so I’ve had more time to hone my technique. 30 is definitely at a push, only when I’m not doing anything else and never during a workout! My tricep push ups still need a LOT of work and as for the other types CG comes up with, well with some I still can’t get off the ground.

The pike push up I chickened out of doing from the chair, I think, and did it from the ground. I did the regular push ups from the chair, although I couldn’t understand what to do with floating leg so placed both of them on the chair in the end.

Tomorrow is dumbbell HIIT day, it doesn’t sound too bad (famous last words) so I may well bite the bullet and do it, instead of dodging and doing a low impact. Brave of you to attempt a medley of HIIT sessions @FlowerArranger, even if they are Anna’s!

Well done ladies( Cough cough deon sick bed).
I actually managed both a rl abs and rwl thighs. Dare I hope that the thigh routine wasn’t quite as excruciating as it has been?

@BigButtons - any day you can manage LWR thighs and RL Abs has to be a good day

@FlowerArranger I did manage both before dragging my sorry arse out for my daughter’s 18th birthday celebrations.
Far too much was drink last night ( again).
Dare I say I could do more of it before it got crampy painful so that’s progress 😃
@Melassa 10-29 push-ups is amazing! Well done you🎊🎊. For some reason CG always puts them towards the end of her work outs when I am already fatigued. Why does she do that.
Tricep push-ups are a bugger. I can do the yoga version when you come up in cobra?
I hate push ups. I find myself avoiding them which doesn’t help me get stronger.
I will do do RL and LWR again today.
Am going to say no to CG until I manage to shake off whatever this horrid bug is.

For gods sake- 10-29 push ups- that’s quite random. How about 20-30?🧐🧐

Oh @BigButtons this bug isn't shifting is it by the sounds of it. Power to you for still working out though.

Did a Heather Robertson HIIT with weights today. Then the 3 minute plank then RL abs. My abs hurt. Is it possible to sprain your abs? 🤔

I'm planning a week of this and that before starting Heat next weekend.

Sore muscles are normal if you haven't worked your abs much. Though if the pain persists after a couple of days, you've probably been overdoing it.

The feeling of having a strong core is so worth it. I can feel it when I'm walking and it feels empowering. I can walk much further, stand much longer, and no longer have any back pain.

@BigButtons........ try this

I hope you feel better soon @BigButtons, I think you’re brave doing anything when you’re unwell.

I also hate push ups and yes, CG tends to put them at the end of a triset or the end of a workout when you’ve got nothing left. I surprised myself by how relatively easy I found them totally in isolation. I can do cobra push ups but the diamonds and the skull crushers no way.

Tomorrow I will be out all day so will use it as my active day off as we will be walking. Today I’m going to attempt day 10 HIIT. I’ll no doubt be glad when it’s done

Thanks for the well wishes.
It’s an odd bug. I thoughts it was a bad cold but it is clearly a bit more than that. I felt so much better at the start of last week, week enough to do three heat sessions with relative ease. Then I did the full body and it all went to pot.
Not sure where to start when I am well enough. Am hoping for Monday. Maybe avoid the hiit and go straight back into day 11?

I hope the bug passes soon, maybe try not to tax yourself the next few days?

Did day 10 dumbbell HIIT, thankfully it was over pretty quickly. It was essentially a medley of her other sessions on speed, with a few burpee complexes thrown in for good measure. I had to really dial down on the weights for the makers/burpee/plank complexes but managed 6kg in all the others, which I was chuffed with as CG was using 8.5kg so I wasn’t far behind. I really got out of puff though and dripped sweat on my mat, so it was intense but thankfully short. We’ll see how I feel tomorrow!

I really got out of puff though and dripped sweat on my mat, so it was intense...

Imagine: if we were able to programme our bodies to produce sweat with different pigments..........

Our mats would look like a Jackson Pollock painting...

@FlowerArranger

I really got out of puff though and dripped sweat on my mat, so it was intense...

Imagine: if we were able to programme our bodies to produce sweat with different pigments..........

Our mats would look like a Jackson Pollock painting...

😂😂

@OrangeSunset

Just finished Heat Day 9 Calisthenics. That was tough and now feel like a bit of a weakling. The split movements eg the off set plank ladder, and the press up with feet on a chair!

I wonder how long it takes to build the strength to do those moves with the poise and control that Caroline does. I can’t even do the move, nevermind with poise.

So, a bit disheartening, but onwards. A good stretch this evening then a run tomorrow.

I did that on Friday too and felt somewhat despondent afterwards as well. I try to tell me the bicycle (?) pushups are very advanced moves but tbf could with some pep talk

I have progressed in many ways but I still can’t perform a single push up I don’t know what gives. Epic Heat is not going to work if I’m unable to perform any push ups. She has them seemingly on every set.

@Melassa I’m very impressed you can perform so many pushups!! Any tips? I dream of able to perform six in one go

@wetpants - if ever there is a particular exercise I struggle with, I head to Redefining Strength. Cori has several videos on push-ups, including this one:

However, to do them you need a strong core and strong arms. Caroline's workouts will in time give you the latter, but what really did it for me was the Bowflex 3 minute plank. Should be easy to find but the link is in one of my posts above. Do it evert single day and it makes a huge difference. As in, I can now do Caroline's 15 minute plank workout without breaking a sweat. And I'm not boasting, no Sirree........ LOL

@wetpants if it helps I do some of my push ups against the edge of the sofa. She always does them at the end when our arms are already fatigued.. bizarrely I could do the pike push ups more easily than the normal ones- 2 legs on the chair though.

Still feeling shite here. Nose has finally stopped leaking but nasty tasting gunk. coming from my throat 🥴😔

@FlowerArranger This is your safe space to boast

Thanks for the tips! I’ll search through the Bowflex link. Not tonight mind

I also follow Cory at Redefining strength on IG! I only started to follow her about a month ago. She sent me a personal message to ask what my goals are and we ended up having a convo. I know it’s all about marketing but I was still bit flattered as she has 92k following!

@BigButtons You’ve really caught something nasty I’m going to go all mammy at you and tell you to just rest!! Lifting weights can wait for few days

I’ve tried doing pushups against a sofa but I find it just as akwards as the ones on my knees. I can manage few but not very graciously. I guess my arm stregth is still very poor. Sadness. My core has improved a long way but it’s not enough alone.

@wetpants I like you going mammy on me. I need someone to do that. Thank you❤️❤️