EPIC!! Losing, gaining and groaning with Caroline Girvan

[BigButtons]

New thread!

@SophieLion yes I wonder too. I do wish she would do more back work in endgame though.

I agree, @SophieLion - not enough abs work for me either. I do Rebecca’s Best Abs plus the 3 minute Bowflex plank most days to compensate. They really work!!

Yes to limiting weights to what feels challenging but not excessive. I think I should have dialed down to 8lb for some of the exercises, instead of pushing through with 15lb.

Unfortunately, as she uses such heavy weights - 15kg instead of my 15lb !!! - one is at risk of getting carried away…

I think she does quite a lot of rows (bent over rows, supine, renegade), bigbuttons but (and I could well be missing something), not so much for the lower back. I think I've seen supermans once in a Calisthenics days. Perhaps supine rows work the lower back? And I think RDLs do too?

I had a look at that bowflex plank workout flowerarranger and I will definitely try it. I wasn't sure which Rebecca abs you meant. Rebecca Louise?

Travelling home today so it's a rest day but hopefully day 24 tomorrow. I recall you didn't like it at all bigbuttons. It's 2 minute complexes.

@SophieLion just had a look back at day 24 and trying to remember why/ if I didn’t like it. I think maybe it was just I found it a bit boring? Could also have been my frame of mind though!
Now endgame end is but 2 weeks away my thoughts are turning to what I will do to deload.
I need to deload but I also really need to exercise at the moment because of the situation with my mum. Perhaps I will walk for 50 mins each day, so some yoga?
If anyone has specific yoga sessions that they can recommend that would be great. I do follow Adrienne and Kassandra but they have such a lot of amazing stuff . I am looking for something a bit invigorating but not too hard core!

I'm very sorry to hear about your mother bigbuttons . I lost my father just over a month ago. I still can't come to terms with it because he was young and it was a shock. Exercise (especially running) helps me to take my mind off things and the endorphins help (highly recommend running for this)

I think you said you hated every rep of day 24!

For yoga I like cat Meffan a lot because her flows are always very creative. I also like Yoga with Tim because he really explains the form - I've learnt a lot from him. And he has a great sense of humour. I've done yoga with Adrienne and kassandra too but normally go for Tim or cat Meffan.

I particularly like cat meffan's mandala yoga if you want a particular workout recommended.

@SophieLion so sorry to hear about your father. Loosing a parent is a really horrible thing. Exercise is so important.
I have never heard of those yoga people- thank you I will check them out. I am slightly embarrassed to say that I find both Adrienne and kassandra’s voices very grating to listen to😳

Here you go, @SophieLion

I might start doing a bit more yoga again and will take a look at Cat Megan, thanks @SophieLion. I find Adrienne too annoying although I don’t mind Kassandra.

I liked the Callisthenics from yesterday (but did today), plus an brief add on with the stability ball now that I’ve pumped it up. I’m quite chuffed I’ve finally discovered what to do with one, apart from sitting on it.

I have tendinitis in my wrist from the triceps reps from Wednesday, I guess 6kg were too much for my weedy triceps and wrist. Tomorrow I will go and buy a splint to support my wrist, today I tried a rollerblading glove but it was too annoying with the metal support, so I will need to shell out on something proper.

@Melassa ouch on the wrist. I mostly go 4kg with tricep work/ sometimes 5. Never more than that(bloody right shoulder again!). I am finding great gains from using lower weights and avoiding injury. Hope you heal soon. Please don’t push it if your wrist is sore 🥰

Yes, I agree, I’ve been taking it easier on the weights for upper body as my right shoulder also hurts, but on that arms day CG was using the same for all muscle groups so I thought I would give it a go even fit the skull crushers. More fool me! I’ve been watching videos on hand positions for push ups and planks as some days I’ve found those hurt my wrists too and maybe affect my position, which in turn makes my shoulder hurt etc. my wrists used to hurt doing yoga as well do it’s not just the weights. I just have weedy wrists!

I’ve also decided to stop at 8kg for the legs as I don’t really want to bulk up further on my lower half and I find that weight just the right level of challenge.

@Melassa I agree! Using ‘lighter’ weights but maybe upping the reps and get some cardio in there too. Saying that I have just bought 5kg weight plates so that I can stack the weights for hip thrusts and goblet squats!
I need to protect my back as well ) creaky old lady emoji).

I also find that ALOT of people on the fb groups ‘ boast’ that they matching CG with weights and even that they beat her on the finishers. Why? She constantly says that going slowly, quality over quantity matters the most. Then they feign that they are not in any Conley, but they so clearly are🧐🥴

Competition even!

Well, I beat her in the finishers too (except anything burpee or push up related) but then when I watch her after finishing I realise that with a lot I’m not getting as deep as she is, or essentially just doing pulses in a quest to get it over and done with. Other than that I try to go slowly and get right down and do stuff properly. Just at the end I want to finish so it all goes out of the window!

I need to do a bit more cardio too, some days when wfh I barely move and this contributes to my general creakiness. I’ve started doing the odd upper body at speed with only 3kg weights so I can get a bit out of breath.

@Melassa this is why I will go back and do heat again after EG- I’m not a huge fan of cardio but I do feel so much better when I do it.

I'm looking for a home workout with weights and found this thread, can someone give me any advice on where to start? I'm used to doing weights and cardio but not sure which EPIC or heat to start with and whether they are meant to be done in order. Thank you

Hi @Topsyturvey10 and welcome!
I would strongly suggest doing her beginners series. Please don’t think beginners means easy though! Think of it as an intro to her moves and getting your muscles ready.
I started with epic 1 and then did heat and now I to endgame. One series is not harder than another per se but they are all slightly different in their focus.
Heat has shorter but very intense and fast moving sessions with almost no rest. Endgame is tough - slower moves and a lot of time under tension with little rest. On Friday for example the giant sets were 2 minutes long with only a 20 second rest between each and this went on for 40 minutes.
Today is dumbbell hiit and I am hungover after having friends round last night. Mind you I am often hungover on a Sunday 🥴😮. I wonder what it’s like doing cardio with a clear head and alert body😂😂

@BigButtons thanks very much, that's really helpful. I've spent well over an hour researching Caroline now so it about time I actually did a workout. Thanks again

@Topsyturvey10 let us know how you get on!

@BigButtons will do👍🏻

I did day 40 HIIT with dumbbells, quite enjoyed it and got nicely out of puff. I used 3kg toCG’s 4 and it was all manageable even with a sore wrist, except for the side plank raises, which I did without weights (and by that stage they were challenging enough just bw!).

Welcome @Topsyturvey10, I agree with @BigButtons, start with Epic beginners then progress on to any of the Epic programmes. The first one has 1 hr long sessions, which were doable in the summer but impractical during a normal working day (for me anyway, I am not an early riser), but Heat is shorter and so is Endgame. For quick sessions try her advent series, or just her spot training sessions, many are just 20 mins.

Good luck!

@Melassa I just did day 40 too- 3kg- loved it- heart rate right up there and sweating away. I managed to keep pace with her. Subbed a couple of the ab ones as my back can’t cope with hollow man type exercises.
Off for a ramble on the hills soon since the sun is finally shining here😍

Enjoyed Endgame day 23 this morning before standing out in the sun/wind watching under 7’s football. I’ve previously struggled a bit with glute workout whether they were doing anything and hurting my lower back but today it all seemed to click into place. I even managed 120 glute bridges for the finisher (I now start them 10/15secs before CG to give myself a head start). I took a full rest day Friday and full match at netball yesterday (won again 😀) so looking to do day 24 full body tomorrow as my rest days are all out of sync. Looking forward to day 25 as I remember lots of comments on FB that it was quite kind for CG, kickboxing maybe.