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.

Popping by to say I’m still making by way through Heat. Day 18 chest and core today. That was tough!
And I didn’t love it, I think mainly as I had to take a lot more rests so feel a bit like I cheated.

Although I’m feeling stronger generally and more trimmed in the waist, my arms are not great. 2 years ago I had quite toned, shaped arms from marathon training and swimming. Now, they are like sides of ham. And I’m worried that CG is making them bigger, not leaner

@OrangeSunset when I first started Epic in July my legs especially got bigger before they got leaner.- bulking with muscle before the burning the fat I guess. I was a worrying phase to be going through but passed relatively quickly.
I you don't want bulk why don't you try and reduce the weights and see if that's better for you?

Just put on some jeans I haven’t worn for a while. I would say they are definitely tighter than when I last wore them, certainly on the legs. Oh well- it’s muscle so I don’t mind too much.
Just did day 24- complexes-it wasn’t too hard but my heart wasn’t in it and I kept getting distracted by a thousand things.

I had that in the first month or so, my backside seemed to have increased in size, but it was the beginnings of bulking up under the fat. The fat part seems to have calmed down now so I’ve gone back to normal. However the saddlebags I’d been developing prior to staring CG disappeared almost completely! Maybe they were pushed round the back.

I don’t think I’ve particularly slimmed down but I have tightened up, which helps my clothes fit better, even if there is not extra room in them.

About to do Day 19 Heat full body once I digest my breakfast. Then tomorrow I WILL do the HIIT Tabata

@Melassa my hiit tomorrow is an EMOM- it looks hideous. I will do a different one🥴

The last EMOM I tried wasn’t actually too bad, I just tried to get everything done super quickly so I would have a few extra seconds rest. The fact that it was against the clock distracted me from the hideousness. Until we got to the 300 push up medley of course.

@BigButtons I bought the book from Amazon in the end, none of the local booksellers had it. I guess it’s not as fashionable as other things these days. Can’t wait to read it and attack my twinges!

I did day 19 EH full body earlier today, I felt a bit weaker than usual and needed on go down a weight on a couple I hadn’t expected. Furthermore I hurt my thumb/wrist when I did day 18 and I found with some of the squats I needed to hold the weights by my side and not under my chin. Hopefully I’ll find some more energy for the Tabata inferno tomorrow.

@Melassa I found day 19 hard (moan moan) and the tabata even worse.
I’m sorry you’ve hurt yourself. Hope it gets better soon.
I have been investigating the different effectiveness of hiit and steady state cardio for fat loss. Much to my joy the steady state wins out. The hiit burns glycogen , the cardio fat.
I hope you love the book. My massages have already really helped my knee issue.
Let me know what you think of it- would love to know😍

@BigButtons snap!! I was just googling steady state cardio vs hiit today 😂 I do a fair bit of low impact HIIT which I suspect is just cardio because I'm a wuss and never push myself to the limits so that's fine by me.

I'm taking a wee break this weekend from heat, did the CG 20 min abs and then the 15 min plank variations instead. I'm planning to mix things up a bit more from now on and intersperse some core days and running with the heat. Though I actually hate running so that might not last long!

I will definitely let you know, it arrives on Tuesday. Looking forward to it!

@Melassa I was reading about how hiit actually really stresses the body. I was certainly stressed by the tabata 😱.
I am enjoying HEAT and will trust in the process. Today on an active rest day I did a thighs and a 5 min plank.
I am much more Beefy than I was- but you know that’s ok- it am now lean.
I hope we keep posting here. I love hearing all your updates😃😍

@BigButtons - do you have a link please? I'm really surprised to hear that HIIT stresses the body... I can see that CG's might, but what about Jake duPree, Growingannanas etc? I find Anna's HIIT sessions quite intense but not OTT and actually quite calming. Though my legs may nevertheless be a bit sore the next day.

@FlowerArranger CG makes a point that a lot of what is classed as hiit is infact cardio. With hiit you cannot talk and it could not be calming. With steady state you keep the heart rate up all the time but not at such a high level. I am guessing that technically growingananas is cardio not hiit? breakingmuscle.com/fitness/the-hybrid-power-conditioning-program

@FlowerArranger I remember from my time frequenting gyms that for optimal fat burning it was better to walk briskly instead of run, with your heart rate never above a certain level. Running and higher level cardio is good for conditioning but not necessarily for fat loss as yes, it does tend to use up stored glycogen first, plus it can consume muscle. When I had a PT and was trying to build muscle he told me to stay away from running as it would hinder that.

I can’t run now anyway as my knees are shot, but when I did I was skinny and wiry (I used to run 3-5km every other day), but with limited muscle tone, which improved when I dialled down the aerobic activity to something less intense. That said, a bit of intense cardio now and then does have its place for conditioning purposes, just not all the time. CG with her once a week HIIT session might be about right.

HIIT needs to hit 80% max HR to be considered HIIT or you don't get into the anaerobic exercise zone. I don't have a fitness tracker so I've attempted that today by aiming for the 'unable to talk, too breathless to sip from my bottle' effect. Did a CG bodyweight calisthenics and man it was sweaty. I was to worn out to tag on an ab exercise after.

@ManxRhyme her body weight stuff is really tough.
I think proper hiit has it’s place certainly. My heart rate is often up when doing weights. I found her liis session pretty tough too.
@Melassa I don’t run anymore either.
I am having to get used to my new bulked up shape. I love the shape but the bulk is a bit alarming sometimes. But I don’t have a healthy relationship with my body so being able to focus on strength rather than size is something I am really trying to achieve. I have always been a wiry gal so this is all new.

I did one of her steady state cardio a- cool cardio it was called. I tried really hard to keep my heart rate steady- gentle jogging ot out if I was struggling.
Of course I got out of puff and am sweating a lot. It was 35 mins of no rest at all.
Perhaps you have to be a super athlete to do her cardio without getting out of puff? I don’t feel sick like with her hiit though so ot is so-able.
I haven’t got a heart rate monitor bit I would have found it hard to hold a convo whilst doing some of those moves. Chest to floor burpees are hardly a gentle move.🧐

I appreciate you-all's comments, which are perhaps a bit technical for an amateur like me . As you may have noticed, I mainly do Growingannanas for HIIT, including not only low impact but also the occasional super-sweaty or military style. I've had a look at some other HIIT workouts, including Fitness Blender and Heather Robertson, and they seem very similar.

I don't have an HR monitor, but I guess I don't get out of breath too much, even though I pretty much keep up the pace for most of the exercises, except things like burpees, press-ups and mountain climbers. I do however sweat like the proverbial pig during my CG strength-based sessions...

Not sure how much fat I'm losing as I still have some stubborn lower abdominal fat that refuses to shift. Maybe I need to intensify the burpees, press-ups and mountain climbers and stop missing out the weekly CG HIITs. Plus also cut back on the .........

Not sure how much fat I'm losing as I still have some stubborn lower abdominal fat that refuses to shift. Maybe I need to intensify the burpees, press-ups and mountain climbers and stop missing out the weekly CG HIITs. Plus also cut back on the wine......... shock

This is me

Ah yes- the wine🍷😱😳🧐🥴.

Sigh.
My excuse is that it aids my creativity - I'm a painter...
So I mess around with my acrylics and gesso and what-not for a couple of hours...... and would you believe it, the bottle is half empty!!!??
Not to mention the nuts. Nuts are good for you, aren't they?
And sigh some more...

Nuts are good for you, I eat loads as my main protein snack! Not fried and salted if I can help it, but I do love a salted almond…

I did day 20 Tabata HIIT today, weirdly I didn’t find it too bad, even the burpee bonanza at the end. I completely surprised myself! I did modify a couple, like anything lungy which had a jump attached, but on the whole I managed to do most of the exercises. It did help that 20 seconds is blessedly short…

@Melassa you must be much fitter than me😮

@BigButtons I can assure I am not! I probably put in less effort, plus people kept trying to talk to me (nobody bothers when I’m not doing anything, but the minute I start any exercise I get bombarded with inane questions, like what’s for dinner? Aargh!)