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.

@FlowerArranger I didn't mind that one as it felt quick at least. I just grit my teeth and modify and gave breaks where needed.

I had the best compliment today, and the best example for me of how Caroline's workout has really helped my strength.

I was with my kids at the park and they were messing about on the monkey bars, so I thought I'd try try to do a pull up (as you do ). I've never been able to do one in my life as I've always had zero upper body strength but thought I'd see after 6 months of Caroline's workouts. Anyway I mamaged not one but SIX. I was feeling pretty good about that but then the icing on the cake was that a total stranger/fellow mum came up to me to congratulate me and tell me I must be really strong. Feeling like a badass today!

@Moonflower12345 you must have been over the moon! Well done👏🙂

Wow @Moonflower12345, that is impressive! Well done!

I’m having a rest day today instead of doing the 1hr full body. Yesterday we went hiking in the mountains, over 4 hours with a huge chunk of it uphill (including some really steep tracts!). I found I was frequently out of puff, particularly in the beginning, and needed to stop a lot just to get my breath back. My legs were fine at least but I feel really worn out today, plus it is super hot here, I’ve spent most of the day in a deckchair with no energy. I looked at that clip @FlowerArranger and had to switch it off as it made me feel more tired! I will definitely be opting for more low impact sessions or swapping out exercises on her HIIT days.

Off the get an ice cream shortly, if I can muster the energy to get my backside out of this deckchair…

@Melassa you have definitely earned a rest day, enjoy the ice cream🍦.
I am supposed to have yesterday and today off but will not be doing anything next 5 days as of on mini break.
Think I will do some quick legs and shoulders this evening though.😃

So I did 15 mins compound legs followed by 15 mins arms and back and 10 mins abs. That’s me done till next weekend where I shall continue with Epic😃!
Have fun with your hiking @Melassa! X

@FlowerArranger that beast mode looks very hard core! The second one is definitely more ‘sedate’🤣

Beast mode was my favourite of all the caroline programs I've done so far! (that, epic and epic 2)

I was going to start epic Heat today after a week away but noticed the new tempo week that started this morning and thought I'd have a bash. Loved the first one, about 35mins then an optional 15 mins abs. looking forward to the rest of the week!

Think I'll stick to the week long programmes she's done recently until the schools do back then start epic Heat.

And @Melassa you definitely earned a rest day! I climbed a mountain on holiday last week and it near enough killed me.

hi everyone...sorry to interrupt but my goodness you are all inspiring! I seriously need to get motivated to exercise. I've lost a stone since the early Spring doing intermittent fasting and was on a great every day yoga streak. But just seen some pics from the PYO day out we had yesterday and I look like I need to lose another two :(

May I please join and ask your advice on what to start, when/how, etc. Also do you think its possible to do these workouts on carpet? I'm in a flat and the only hard floors we have are in the kitchen and the bathroom (tile). I could try and work out in our communal garage but not sure I'd want to shlep the laptop down there.

I am 152cm, about 64kg, used to lift very heavy at the gym and attended regular spin classes. But now I have a 19 month old so going to the gym isn't an option.

Any and all advice very welcome!

@ladybranstonpickle can't say that the workouts have done much for me weight wise, I lost 3 stone but that was down to what I eat. However, in terms of toning and strength I cannot recommend highly enough!

Have a look at beginner epic and go from there. Epic 1,2 and heat are 10 week programmes and there are various other shorter ones and stand alone workouts too.

And I do all my workouts on carpet just fine!

Did the day 24 1 hr full body today, it seemed eternal but apart from a couple of exercises where I went down to lower weights it was not too bad. Following Big Buttons’ experience with the CG HIIT I will be choosing something a bit more sedate tomorrow.

Welcome @ladybranstonpickle, you are not interrupting! As Moonflower says maybe start with Epic beginner series. Although if it has been a while and you need to build up fitness maybe start with some of the shorter sessions, or one of the alternatives FlowerArranger posted. When I needed to lose the flab post baby I found Jillian Michaels very effective, but now the idea of doing the same thing for a week or 10 days bores me, I’d much rather the surprise of a different session every day.

I don’t think I’ve lost weight, but I’ve definitely firmed up - my trousers which were getting snug around the bum and waist now fit again normally. I still have a long way to go, but I’m feeling stronger and am lifting heavier weights with no discernible stiffness the next day, so that for me is a result!

@BigButtons have a great time in London, it seems years since I was last there.

@ladybranstonpickle welcome to this sweary place!
I started with the week of Epic beginners epic then moved on to Epic. It was really hard to start with but I’m much stronger now.
😃

@ladybranstonpickle - hello!

Yes, EPIC Beginners is definitely a good way of easing into Carolina Girvan mode, but if you need to improve your general fitness, Jake DuPree and Ranier Pollard have some great general workouts that are both challenging and good fun.

I also swear by Rebecca Louise's Best Exercises for Lower Abs and Lucy Wyndham Read's Thighs & Gutes. I also love Growingannanas HIIT workouts which are great for general fitness and complement Caroline's sessions really well.

Have fun - you won't regret it!!

Found this great abs workout:

20 minutes, quite functional, very intense, targets all abdominal areas. Would be a lovely guy if it weren't for all the tattoos

Hello all! @Moonflower12345 directed me here when I was fangirling on CG on another thread. I'm on week six of EPIC and absolutely loving it. Having hated exercise all my life the thrill of actually being able to do a pushup and sit up is crazy.

Very unfit previously, overweight and had joint issues so I don't do the burpee or high impact HIITs. Been doing her lower impact alternative workout or Heather Robertson's low impact HIIT ones.

Off to read the whole thread now, wish I'd found it earlier!

Hi @ManxRhyme and welcome!

Day 2 of tempo week, leg day today and I died a bit when I saw the title was brutal leg day . It was fine though, some pretty nasty Bulgarian lunge holds and a 2 minute elevated squat finisher. I feel amazing now though!

I think tempo week is my new favourite, slightly edging out beast mode. I thought yesterday's upper body felt easy, but I'm really feeling it today. Highly recommend!

Thanks @Moonflower12345! Tempo week sounds good. I'm already planning life after EPIC 1 and that might be a good in betweener before I psyche myself up for EPIC II.

Just finished the 1 HR isometric/dynamic DB workout. Need the endorphins to carry me through another brutal work day.

I have workout withdrawal!
I am liking the sound of tempo week very much!
@ManxRhyme a big hello to you🙂

Well, I did a CG low impact session this morning. I managed to find one without Extreme in the title. It was apparently a workout for a rest day I didn’t realise you were supposed to carry on working out on your rest days! In any case it was pleasantly sedate, I forgot to do the warm up but it didn’t seem to matter as the entire workout was warm up pace. I do feel a bit guilty I didn’t do something a bit more intense, so much so I’ve decided not to have a rest day tomorrow snd go straight into day 26. My sixth week, I never thought I’d keep it up this long, I’m rather chuffed with myself. Hopefully I can keep going when I’m back at work, I also look forward to trying beast mode and will also look up Tempo.

Morning gang! Couldn't do it last night as dramas with washing machine etc meant I had to do the nursery run...but did Epic Beginner Day 1 this morning! plus her 5 minute warm-up.

I really enjoyed it, just challenging enough to keep it interesting but not so hard I lost motivation. Felt good to get a bit sweaty as well.

How is everyone else doing?

@ladybranstonpickle I get so sweaty I have to keep a towel nearby- even my feet and scalp are sweaty!
I keep telling myself that it’s actually beneficial for my muscles to have a few days off to rebuild and repair……. I do miss it though.

Do you like yoga @BigButtons? I absolutely love Yoga with Adriene and think that's good for a 'rest day'.

@ladybranstonpickle I do quite like it but lack the patience. I like the slow yin yoga for stretching and relaxing. I am in a tiny travel lodge room so hardly any space to walk let alone do yoga🤣🤣

Day 3 of tempo week. Back and biceps and nice and quick, less than 35 mins! I really struggle with more than about 45 minutes.

Really really liking tempo week! I didn't think I would, but it's nice when things surprise you sometimes. I was going to start epic Heat when I got back from holiday last week but think I'll carry on with the weekly series until the kids go back to school.

Tempo is sounding more enticing every day! I have now saved that series on my iPad as well.

Did day 26 full body today, it went quite quickly as there were 10 minute sessions with 4 exercises on repeat. Nothing too taxing, luckily. I’m finding the exercises easier, maybe I should start thinking of increasing weights again for some.