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.

[Moonflower12345]

@TheDogsMother they are all free on youtube! Beast mode is just the name of her latest workout series, it started last week. If you go to her page on youtube then click videos it will show you them all in the order they've been uploaded!

[TheDogsMother]

Thanks @Moonflower12345 I've just been watching some and hoping I will get buns of steel

[BigButtons]

shoulder day today. Was ok actually- I went light with the weights as my left shoulder is much weaker than my right. I felt the burn alright but stayed safe. Attempted the hand stand but only walking backwards up the wall. I briefly considered hurling myself front ways into it but common sense got the better of me!
I did a 15 min compound legs on afterwards and was able to use my 8kg kettle bell for some of the weight.

My lower back was complaining after yesterday's squats I( but not my legs oddly)

[Melassa]

I did the shoulders yesterday (I did not attempt the handstand!) and glutes today. Neither too bad, but then for the glute one I didn’t have the band so tried using a yoga band thing, with varying degrees of success.

My shoulders are tired instead of achey from yesterday and my quads are still stiff from the previous day. No idea what my bum will be like tomorrow, although I didn’t have heavy weights so it might have escaped the worse. I really should do more stretching after, she only does the bare minimum, but after 45 mins I just want a shower and to eat.

Tomorrow is full body workout followed by the HIIT which is tabata something, whatever that might be. It can’t be worse than burpees, surely?

I might slip in a yoga session at the weekend to soothe and lengthen my aching muscles.

I wonder how long it will take for the benefits to become visible? I’m feeling a bit firmer but my arms still look weedy and the wobbly tum is omnipresent. For those who have done it or are near the end, when did you start noticing any changes?

[Oblahdeeoblahdoe]

I feel so inspired reading this thread! I'm afraid I've let lockdowns get the better of me and have eaten badly with little exercise. I used to be so fit for my age up to last year (I'm now 65) and could kick myself! So, I need to get going again. Can you recommend any videos to get me started again please?

[BigButtons]

@Oblahdeeoblahdoe CV Is tough . I don’t think she is suitable for beginners. On you tube there are loads of trainers- mascot is a good one.

[BigButtons]

Meant CG. Sorry!

[FlowerArranger]

@Oblahdeeoblahdoe - try Lucy Wyndham Read and Rebecca Louise. I think I posted links to my favourite workouts of theirs earlier in the thread.

Both have tons of very short videos. I used to stich together a full body workout by doing, say, Rebecca's stretch routine, followed by one of her abs and arms workouts (starting off with 2.5kg dumbbells), then Lucy's thighs & glutes workout, and if I had any energy left, Rebecca's ballet inspired gentle leg workout.

Hey presto - a full body workout!! Lucy is very gentle and ideal for beginners. Rebecca Louise is much more energetic and a bit (too much) in your face... After I've done a routine a couple of times I turn down the sound and listen to Radio 4 instead...

Before I got fit enough for sessions with Caroline , I also used to do a lot of Jake du Pree on Popsugar Fitness. The latter also has a great Tabata workouts with Rainier Pollard, who is great fun:

You can do this - and it can be great fun (even Ms Girvan....... sometimes...)

[FlowerArranger]

@Melassa - if you are feeling achy, I'd recommend some of Rebecca's stretch routines such as this one, which I call the perfect 'Caroline why are doing this to me??!!!!' antidote:

youtu.be/y4lmUCN3yLU

Growingannanas' low impact HIIT are also great if you need a break from EPIC.

[Oblahdeeoblahdoe]

[quote FlowerArranger]@Oblahdeeoblahdoe - try Lucy Wyndham Read and Rebecca Louise. I think I posted links to my favourite workouts of theirs earlier in the thread.

Both have tons of very short videos. I used to stich together a full body workout by doing, say, Rebecca's stretch routine, followed by one of her abs and arms workouts (starting off with 2.5kg dumbbells), then Lucy's thighs & glutes workout, and if I had any energy left, Rebecca's ballet inspired gentle leg workout.

Hey presto - a full body workout!! Lucy is very gentle and ideal for beginners. Rebecca Louise is much more energetic and a bit (too much) in your face... After I've done a routine a couple of times I turn down the sound and listen to Radio 4 instead...

Before I got fit enough for sessions with Caroline , I also used to do a lot of Jake du Pree on Popsugar Fitness. The latter also has a great Tabata workouts with Rainier Pollard, who is great fun:

You can do this - and it can be great fun (even Ms Girvan....... sometimes...) [/quote]
Thank you so much. I'm on it. I've done Popsugar videos before so know I'll enjoy them

I'll look for Mascot too, OP

Do you all do cardio as well? I'm not overweight but I'm horribly flabby

[Worldgonecrazy]

What I really love about Caroline is how she pushes you more than other trainers: one good push up is worth more than 30 on your knees.

And before you know it you can knock out 10 good push ups!

I just wish I could find a source of cheap weights! We have a 15kg set of dumbells though I mostly don’t go above 5kg and 8kg, but need to add a 25kg and 20kg set.

[Moonflower12345]

@Melassa I'd say I started to notice a big difference about week 6 to 7 of Epic.

[Moonflower12345]

I'm really loving the new beast mode 2 week series. 4 sets of mainly compound exercises, I didn't think I'd like it as 4 sets feels like a lot but it feels really quick (most workouts around 40 minutes which feels so much more manageable than the longer workouts of epic 2, with an optional add on).

Great if you need a filler workout (I'm going on holiday in a couple of weeks so didn't want to start epic Heat and have to stop while I'm away).

[SophieLion]

Hello, just came across this thread. I love Caroline girvan! I've done epic 1 and epic heat (although preferred the shorter workouts in epic heat), her circuits series and now on day 2 of beastmode.

I also think I'm stronger and more toned since starting with Caroline (and I've always exercised). I do do extra abs workouts though as I had diastasis recti after my last pregnancy so I need a bit more core work than Caroline does in her main workouts.

Will look up Anna for cardio as she seems to have popped up a lot.

[FlowerArranger]

@Oblahdeeoblahdoe - cardio is obviously part of a rounded exercise routine, but it won't do much for flabby bits. You need to turn the fat into muscle, and for this you need to do strength work. And for this there's probably no one better than Caroline.

Here is my take on who does what best - YMMV, but they're a good start:

• strength and all-round fitness: C. Girvan
• abs: Rebecca Louis
• legs: Lucy Wyndham Read
• cardio/high intense, sweaty all-round HIIT: Anna of Growingannanas
• low-impact, joint-friendly but fairly intense HIIT: also Anna
• good all-round workouts, some quite intense: Jake du Pree (Popsugar Fitness)
• good-fun Tabata workouts (we can do anything for 20 seconds.... right?): Ranier Pollard via Popsugar
• Anna Renderer of Popsugar also has some short & sweet workouts - I like her because she is less shouty than some of the others)
• lastly, I would recommend the woman (don't even know her name) who does the Redefining Strength videos. Great for learning how to do moves properly and getting rid of bad habits.

So there's your homework

[SophieLion]

What do you think of lilly sabri flowerarranger? I have used her a lot for abs. Her workouts helped me a lot.

[BigButtons]

@FlowerArranger that's a great list, thanks!

I find with the cg longer exercises that I don't want to then do extra of something else.
I will see Epic through but don't think I'll do Epic two as the rounds are too long. It's ok now I am on the 5 week school hols but it ill be difficult once terms starts again.
I might then investigate Epic heat/beast mode.

I need to follow a prog otherwise I will become slapdash. I will also avoid parts of the body ( shoulders, back etc) because I will focus on abs and legs instead. At least CG makes me do them and I trust in her wiseness and that there is a point to it all.
Hamstrings and glutes today- might to RL abs as I happen to have done all my jobs

[Oblahdeeoblahdoe]

[quote FlowerArranger]@Oblahdeeoblahdoe - cardio is obviously part of a rounded exercise routine, but it won't do much for flabby bits. You need to turn the fat into muscle, and for this you need to do strength work. And for this there's probably no one better than Caroline.

Here is my take on who does what best - YMMV, but they're a good start:

• strength and all-round fitness: C. Girvan
• abs: Rebecca Louis
• legs: Lucy Wyndham Read
• cardio/high intense, sweaty all-round HIIT: Anna of Growingannanas
• low-impact, joint-friendly but fairly intense HIIT: also Anna
• good all-round workouts, some quite intense: Jake du Pree (Popsugar Fitness)
• good-fun Tabata workouts (we can do anything for 20 seconds.... right?): Ranier Pollard via Popsugar
• Anna Renderer of Popsugar also has some short & sweet workouts - I like her because she is less shouty than some of the others)
• lastly, I would recommend the woman (don't even know her name) who does the Redefining Strength videos. Great for learning how to do moves properly and getting rid of bad habits.

So there's your homework [/quote]
You're a star @FlowerArranger. I'd better get cracking!

[BigButtons]

Hamstring day was ok actually. I wasn’t too sure about the ones with the band, on the sofa and using a great weight . Got the full our one tomorrow.

[Melassa]

I did the hour one today, either I’m getting fitter but it wasn’t too bad and passed quite quickly too.

I cannot do a triceps push up though. Which is bizarre as it appears they’re the same as chaturanga push ups in yoga, which I’ve been able to do. I tried doing a half chaturanga (how do you spell it?) to updog today but had trouble getting my arms down to 90 degrees. Maybe I’m still too stiff from shoulder day or something.

Happily no aches from the glute and hamstring workout yesterday, but I will definitely do a soothing deep stretch over the weekend.

[BigButtons]

@Melassa she did say the first week or so was the hardest. Maybe we ARE getting fitter? That would be nice 😃

[Taytotots]

I'm doing Caroline Girvan now but did Heather Robertson's program first. Both recommend on here. I would say Heather's is a bit easier and a good prep for Caroline. Will look up growingannanas though as think my knees might thank me!

[Moonflower12345]

@Melassa have you tried putting a resistance band around your upper arms for the triceps push up? I saw it mentioned on the fb group and it has helped me a lot (I can go down to the floor but struggle to push myself back up)

[FlowerArranger]

@SophieLion - I tried Lilly Sabri a couple of years ago. I'm sure she's quite good, but I couldn't really engage with her. I found her less organised, a bit casual and also pushing merchandise at times.

The thing is though, engaging with an online fitness guru is a very personal thing. I'm sure the in-your-face, shouty, over-enthusiastic trainers have their followers too. I've gone off Rebecca Louise somewhat for this reason and generally prefer her older videos.

I like Caroline, Anna/Growingannanas and Lucy because they are very professional, their workouts are well planned and meet my needs, and they are very pleasant and lovely people.

[FlowerArranger]

Agree - Heather Robertson is very good too.