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.

@wetpants I used to find push ups hard, but as @FlowerArranger says as my core improved so did my starting position on the push ups, which then improved my firm overall. I can only do the ones with my hands wide apart, as soon as I bring them in closer everything goes to pot!

Like the video I do yogi hands, as otherwise my wrists hurt. Also I’m further forward, as in my hands are slightly behind shoulder height, not directly underneath. Once I discovered the right starting position the rest improved fairly quickly. For full disclosure I go low but avoid touching the ground with the rest of my body as it unbalances me, so I kind of skim. I think my centre of gravity is off - I’m short waisted with biggish boobs - so as soon as I touch the ground completely I lose my balance completely. I think for some people push ups are harder, especially for some women and it’s not all about upper body strength.

Interesting chat on push up technique. I have just had a go myself to see if there are actually any improvements. I could do 10 normal push ups. I tried hard to pull my abs on which did help give me strath to go back up.
Like@Melassa I have my hands wide and slightly forward.
What does help is using a resistance band round the arms- it somehow adds some power and helps keep the arms in a better position and is less stress on the shoulders.
I find the push ups with CG frustrating because she does them when I am already tired. I tend to do sofa/ knee ones with her.
Hope everyone is having a good Sunday.
I am still in my pyjamas. Had breakafast and multiple hot drinks brought to me in bed.
I have migrated to the bedroom floor to do the bowflex plank, some RL abs and LWR thighs.
Now I’m tired again. 🧐

@BigButtons you should be in bed eating cake. Sometimes a totally lazy day is really needed, especially when you have the remnants of a bug.

@Melassa you are right. It has been pretty lazy though. I ha e heatedly moved😃

Hardly🧐

My current ambition is to be able to do ONE push-up - standard pushup only....... I'm not even going to try anything else!! - ONE to every THREE of Caroline's. And do 15 (FIFTEEN) in total, one after the other.

Watch this space.

Though I may be some time...

From not being able to do a single pushup without going on my knees before summer, I can now do 12 in a row of a regular pushup though the last two is definitely shaky. And probably 3 tricep pushups in a row. This is all thanks to epic 1. I do gape though at CG bouncing up and down like a basketball during her pushup finishers.

@BigButtons You are not listening, are you? NO bowflex, no LWR, no push ups!!!

@Melassa Thanks for the technique explanation. I’m also short waisted and have large’ish boobage…

Today would have been Epic Heat day 10 which is dumbell hiit. I just couldn’t face any lunges today at all so I skipped it and did one of CG’s standalone 20 min bicep session instead. I find she doesn’t include biceps that much in her workouts or am I imagining it?

Not pushing it (hear that @BigButtons) this morning clearly worked as I’m now feel ready for tomorrow’s Day11.

Ladies can I join please?! I'm so happy I've found you! I started Caroline's workouts about 2 months ago, I'm 30 just turned but put on serious lockdown weight and was really unhappy with myself so I started with 5lb weights and now I'm up to 10lbs each arm for the most part (unless I cave)
I managed to do her 500 rep video last week and thanks to this thread I'm about to start the Beast Mode ones....
I feel much stronger and happier, I've lost over a stone and it's great to see other people doing the same to improve strength and conditioning!

I'm still not very good at push ups though...

Hidihi @Bw3344 - great to have you on board

You are lucky, having discovered CG at such a young age!

The push ups will happen. Work on that core. Start with the Bowflex 3-minute plank and work up to Caroline's 15 Minute marathon...

@BigButtons..... I agree with @Melassa - you should take it easy and pamper yourself until you're better.

etc......... whatever. Maybe some gentle stretching:

youtu.be/uxg_D4LFYXY

Hope you'll get on top of this

Welcome @Bw3344! Sounds like you have made excellent progress in just 8 weeks!

@wetpants I reckon the biceps will be worked by so many of the other exercises that maybe she doesn’t focus specifically on them?

I did Heat Day 6 this morning - first workout I have done where I had full jelly arms for quite a while after. Had to drop the weights for one of the later sets of chest press. Will do a short core and stretch this evening.

Did a run at the weekend and it was shocking. It was after Calisthenics on the day before, which was quite leg heavy. I felt great at the start, strong form and posture but very quickly tanked. Wondering if I am overdoing it a bit so may just do a regular run tomorrow and drop the intervals.

In other types of training I’ve done before, you do 3 weeks of progression then an easier week, repeat. As opposed to trying to progress all the time and to allow some rest.

Those who have completed a full EPIC etc - are weeks 4 and 8 any easier??

I went for a fitness test last week. Thanks to Caroline and running on my active rest day my heart health is half of my age

I’m currently halfway through Epic heat. Caroline is an absolute game changer in terms of fitness levels. If everything who was able to do so did Caroline, the NHS would be saved!!

I am absolutely gobsmacked at the changes that have happened to my body since I hit the big 5 0 last year, and it’s all thanks to Caroline. I did zero exercise before my mid 40s so it’s never too late.

Hope everyone else is getting similar success rates.

@OrangeSunset sounds like you are maybe pushing yourself too hard? CG is really tough on the body, deceptively so at times I think.
I got to week 5 of epic before switching to heat. There were some days when it didn’t seem so hard but over all I suspect she just keeps pushing you harder and harder 😱
Welcome @Bw3344 come and have a moan with us!

I did day 11 because I could no longer stand being ill.
I know. I know. BUT it was glutes and hammies so basically lying down .
@Melassa you will hate it- endless hip thrusts😮
I coped- it was ok. I could not have coped with anything that made me sweat or got me out of breath. So I have ducked out of the hiit- again.

I absolutely love CG. Her workouts have changed my fitness, my physique, my life. But there's no way I'll ever slavishly follow any of her programmes. For one thing I'm too old, but also because I feel that (for most average people....), she is excessively strength focussed. And her HIIT sessions are just cruel!!!!!

I just do what works for me. Typically it's......

• GC EPIC whatever
• Growingannanas HIIT - low impact, sweaty, military, etc (depending on how I feel that day...)
• mix & match Rebecca, Lucy, GC shorts, Growingannanas Tabata etc
• Jakes DuPree full-body fun

Rinse, lather, repeat...... As long as I do at least an hour each day, I'm good to go. And if I'm really stuck...:

After all, if we are to stick with it, it has to be fun

Oh no at the endless hip thrusts! I have yet to do day 11 as still on my way back from work, so thanks for the warning @BigButtons!

This morning I did my 3 min plank plus a series of push ups in case I didn’t get back in time this evening for day 11 (looking very unlikely now, far too hungry!). After telling you all about being able to do 20-30 push ups, I found I could barely manage 20 this morning, the last ones were not at all low . It must have been a good couple of days last week, possibly never to be repeated.

Sorry, late to the party but anyone else doing EPIC III? I did Heat, but this one seems in a different league! Or is that just me.... Anyway, up to Day 6 - apparently Day 7 is the hardest leg sesh she's done. Oh yay..

Hi there, @Boopear..... welcome to our party dignified soiree

Remember - you do not get a badge at the end of any of Caroline's programmes. Modifications are allowed!

I didn’t think the glute sesh was too awful- sure it hurt but was doable. So- I just did my hip stretch yoga and could barely move😮😮

Welcome @Boopear and @Bw3344

I’ve trained at the gym on and off, had personal trainer, did Les Mills, tried jogging and so on, none of these never felt fun, were more like a drag and my body didn’t change that much. I’ve never stuck to anything like I have with CG and I mostly bloody love the sessions! She also made me to really appreciate my body and the mobility. That how lucky I am being able to exercise and perform the moves. It’s a whole new mindset.

@FlowerArranger I searched the Bowflex 3 minute plank challenge and gave it a go this evening. I loved it and totally surprised myself by being able to do the whole set without collapsing I was very wobbly mind but managed to keep it going. I’ll add it to my daily routine from now on. Thank you

I did the heat day 11 today and quite enjoyed it! I decided to do all the thrusts on my bosu ball instead the bench and that was much better.

Ah thanks all you love ladies!
I did the Beast Mode CG first video tonight after seeing clients today - I'm dead! It was intense legs and as I come from a family genetically blessed with big legs they require the most work...I followed up with a 10 minute weighted abs workout as I neglect them and a c section 3 years ago has left my wanting some semblance of a toned torso in the (hopefully not too) distant future!

Thankyou so much for all suggestions too I will take them on board and fail/smash accordingly