EPIC!! Losing, gaining and groaning with Caroline Girvan

[BigButtons]

New thread!

I'm a day behind you @BigButtons - really enjoyed day 28 though.

Have astanga in the morning and then a very full day plus out out in the evening so may not manage day 29 tomorrow (and I'm not rushing to do it after your description!).

@Forgotmypasswordsgain day 28 is also abs - but no rests at all in between the exercises! I enjoyed it but was tough!

@Itsnotdeep I ‘ enjoyed’ it as I got good cardio in. I was exhausted by the end. The staple of squat to RDLs appeared after every 2 exercises. So basically it was a cardio leg day with a few arms thrown in for good measure!
She really does like her RDLs. I don’t mind them but my hamstrings are sore All the time atm. We probably have another hip thruster session coming up.
Only 2 more weeks of EG. Time has flown😮

What happens after Endgame? Is this it?

@FlowerArranger no I don’t think so. I think it’s just the end of the long epics. It would be great if she did some more yoga stuff. I guess she will do more shorter programs?
How are you btw?😍

How am I
Out of shape but hopefully ready to get back to where I was back in October.
Several operations, lots of travelling, Christmas, home renovations....... there was always something.
Started up again with my old favourites (Anna, Rebecca, Lucy) and about to move on to Endgame.
Watch this space!!

Day 25 EE completed, went nice and quickly although I now look like a beetroot as my FIL likes to keep his house at ~23C. Hopefully I’ll return to my old pale self before the christening I’m attending at lunchtime 😂😂

@Forgotmypasswordsgain

Day 25 EE completed, went nice and quickly although I now look like a beetroot as my FIL likes to keep his house at ~23C. Hopefully I’ll return to my old pale self before the christening I’m attending at lunchtime 😂😂

Oops meant day 15, wishful thinking on my part. @BigButtons surely there’s 4 weeks left for you unless you plan to do 2 a day!!

@Forgotmypasswordsgain you are right- 4 more weeks to go!
It’s a bloody burpee bonanza today with a 100 burpee finisher. Oh dear. Gonna have a cooked breakfast first though!

@FlowerArranger great that you are able to start exercising again!😃. Looking forward to your thoughts on endgame when you feel ready to tackle it!

Hey @FlowerArranger, glad you’re back! I hope you get back to speed soon

I’m still not following as I should as too busy and worn outs during the week, but today I did day 29 and yesterday day 28 and enjoyed both. I took one look at the burpee bonanza this morning and settled for the full body instead, reasoning being we were supposed to walking up a mountain to a sanctuary above a lake. Unfortunately we got lost and just ended up doing a trail in the hills. Still, it was 7km up and down so I feel I have atoned for missing the burpees .

Did you go for the burpees in the end@BigButtons?

@Melassa I did the burpees! Had to take a couple of longer rest during the workout itself as there were a lot of burpees in it as well. Sometimes I could not be bothered to go down on to the floor for more push ups so did high knees
I rested before the finisher for about a minute then did the burpees in sets of 20. I though I might be sick at times towards the end but hey, I got it down. I hate them, but each time I push myself it gets just that little bit easier the next time I do it.

Yes, burpees make me feel queasy too! Well done on getting through it. I’m really slow doing them so a 100 would finish me off, I’d be there for hours!

Sorry to just barge in - although I haven't been posting I have been lurking...You are all so inspiring!

I am just starting the final week of Epic Heat (I got sidetracked for a month over Xmas due to being ill twice and general holiday shenanigans) and wanted to ask you Caroline experts for advice on what to do next?

I have LOVED Epic Heat - especially that with a warmup and cooldown the workouts are still less than 45mins long.

Most times I'm doing the workout after the baby goes to bed and before dinner - and I do IF - eating later in the evening means a longer morning without food :(

I think her other programs are much longer? Any advice/suggestions welcome...

hi @ladybranstonpickle barge away!
I too loved heat, mainly because of the cardio aspect to it. Endgame is only 40 mins per session. I would say it's slightly more weight based, slower moves, heavier weights, than heat, but still do-able time wise. certainly shorter than the first 2 epics. It's pretty tough though. The first 2 weeks weren't too bad but week 6 was really tough, although I did really enjoy a couple of them and have put them in my favourites.

Day 31 today- lower body. i sound it a bit boring- there were 3 circuits and endless RDLs. What is it with Cg and her hamstring obsession? Mine are parma sore, despite stretching/yoga on them everyday.
This weds is yet another hamstring bashing with a glute/ hammy session. I can't stand any more bloody hip thrusts with a band and silly weights. Also my hamstrings are simply fed up with the amount they are put through and are niggling me. I mean they get it on both leg days and the full body.( moan moan moan)
I think I might do the iso/plyo leg day from heat instead- loved that one, it was such fun with lots of moves she doesn't usually do. My hamstrings DO NOT need to grow any bigger than they are!

Whenever I get fed up with Caroline, I divert to Growingannanas for a few days. Anna has some weight-based workouts which are less challenging but a lot more fun.

We've had to drop out of endgame for a bit as husband's knew is sore - so we aren't doing any leg sessions, just some full body ones. I will do some legs on my own but get back into endgame as soon as possible.

I'm doing a second round of the beginners and whilst that sounds so lightweight compared to your comments I'm so happy to see I'm managing better second time around.

Do I take it from your comments that her workouts leave you constantly sore? How do you cope with that?

Due to being hypermobile sore tight muscles is par of the course for me and I don't want to get too flared up and end up quitting, it would help to know so I can have a plan.

The best way for me to stabilise my body is to weight train but I need to be more measured than the ordinary person.

Mindful of what @BigButtons wrote about day 31 I went back and did day 27 instead, but cut the last 2 exercises and went straight to the finisher as running out of time. I agree about the hamstring fixation, I don’t understand the need for chunky hamstrings. Also she never stretches them! Or the glutes! I needed to add a couple of hamstring stretches in plus a reclining pigeon for the glutes. I’ve noticed that she stretches some muscles consistently but not others and I always need to add something. I got a sore lower back yesterday from some of the squats, no idea what I was doing wrong but it got a bit uncomfortable in parts so I dialled it down.

And another grumble. My glutes are torches this morning which is an excellent thing. Yesterday I finisher really worked them well. Why do we need extra glute days when they are worked so hard doing lunges and squats anyway?
I am grump this morning as I have arranged for a funeral director to visit my mum because she wants to arrange her funeral. It will be very tough to witness. Then I am more grumpy because I will do day 32 before I go and it has loads of push ups again and dips that my shoulder won’t allow me to do……..

@Lelivre well done on the beginners progress- fantastic! Beginners is not easy!
My hamstrings are constantly sore despite stretching them daily.
As the programme progresses I am finding it is getting harder and harder and I have some muscles/ joints that are twinging and I am having to make sure I stretch them out properly everyday. It does really help. I found a great lady on you tube that does very effective and short targeted stretches.

When I started I was more sore all over now I get sore depending on the day’s focus the day before 🙂

Oh @BigButtons, that sounds like a tough day. Grumble away! I am amazed that you are consistently keeping with the Epic throughout life's stresses and strains.

I, on the other hand, have completely fallen off the wagon and need to get back on. I last did a proper workout two weeks ago.... (I have done my weekly dance class in-between)

As predicted, coming to the end of the Advent sessions has thrown me a-kilter.
I keep meaning to start SOMETHING again, but struggle to motivate myself to get up in the morning . I am thinking about Epic Heat, as I did really well with it in the Autumn time. And all this talk of Endgame just terrifies me that it's too hard .

@BigButtons thank you so much for your response! I think I'll try Endgame and then if I don't like it will go back to Heat. Might even buy some new weights if necessary. I hope your day is better today. Death is a hard topic for anyone, and there are so many emotions wrapped up with our parents and the relationships we have with them.

@stilllockeddownnowheretogo I have adored HEAT - massive progress quite quickly and I love the short style of the programs...

@stilllockeddownnowheretogo it’s the exercise that keeps me sane and helps to get rid of the stress hormones in my system!
Yesterday I did day31, went for a 2 mile walk, did a cg bicep session and did a100 rep calf finisher from another session of hers. I am on half term though so have some time.
Endgame is odd. Last week there were days that I really liked, one that I refused to do and others that were rough but ok.
Yesterday’s was boring but tough( loads of basic leg moves) today’s is cluster sets. I am going to use a band for the push ups and sub the tricep dips.
I am determined to see this programme through. It’s the only anchor I feel I have in my life what with all the other shit going on. I am having to modify a lot on upper body days though. Lower body is ok( not glute days though😬)