EPIC!! Losing, gaining and groaning with Caroline Girvan

[BigButtons]

New thread!

That's interesting to read bigbuttons. I've been doing more running but I did day 3 glutes today. I used 2 x 12.5kg dumbbells for the hip thrusts (she used 1 x 30kg) but found it all very awkward with two big dumbbells. I used the same for the sumo squat deadlifts but like you, I found my forearms got tired. Our biggest dumbbell is 15kg so anything heavier than that, I need to use two. Perhaps I should buy some single big ones.

I started iron today - good leg workout! All trembly afterwards 😀

I did 2 weeks of epic beginner and im now on week 7 of epic one. Not really any weight loss on the scales but I can now fit into some of my old jeans again! Woohoo! Didn't measure before but obviously must be some loss from thighs and belly!
I used to run a lot and did some Joe wicks/pma workouts but not had results like this before. So pleased 💪

I've been trying some Caroline workouts on the days I can't get to the gym - previously always been a Sydney Cummings fan (used her Workouts religiously through lockdowns) but just fancied a change.

I've started with the Epic Heat ones but wondering if I should switch? I can't always use the weights she does (but I found that with Sydney too) but ive found them manageable

@Lzzyisgod I don’t use her weights! I aim for about 2/3 of what she uses. Occasionally I can get closer not often though. She is very very strong.
When I tried 14kg earlier this week I found that my grip was really not good- hopefully it will improve over time with the heavier weights.

Phew !!!

I think sometimes the width of the bars on dumbells varies - I find my aldi 12kg ones easier to hold than my 10kg ones that I got in lockdown

I did iron day 1 today - trembley enough afterwards and mixed between my 6kg and 10kgs (only have a 8kg Kettlebell which I find really clumbersome)

I'm staying away from home this week and without my dumbbells! I did the 1 Million bodyweight workout this morning instead of continuing to work my way through Epic 1 though.

I usually try to use about 1/2 -2/3 of the weight Caroline does, but I only have so many dumbbells. I do lift heavier with a barbell with my PT one day a week and am deadlifting about 20kg/squatting and lunging 35 at the moment. I have my eye on the 10kg dumbbells at Decathlon but I don't think I've quite earned them yet...

Continuing my abs holiday theme, just a 10minute intense lower abs for me today, always harder than expected for such a short routine 🥵

Oooooooo ahhhhhhh my quads

Did day 2 iron last night and made sure I properly cooled down after but my legs from day 1 ....... I'm walking like I lost my horse.

Active rest day for me - off for a swim and steam room and jacuzzi to fix my legs 😂😂😂😂

@Lzzyisgod everything hurts everyday with this series. I am loving the heavier weights. Today’s day 9 full body looks like shocker though.
My bum STILL hurts after Monday’s ‘quad’ day!

(pokes head round the door and shyly waves!)

Stumbled across caroline on YouTube and she's got so many videos I'm just wanting some recommendations please?

I'm wanting to work on my abs, bum, thighs and then prob arms at a later date. I have access to a kettle bell, weights (I think it's called a barbell?) and adjustable weights.

I run 5k three times a week, sit ups every day, hula hoop three times weekly and also weights three times weekly but needing more advice to work on specific areas as I find that ok just picking random YouTube videos at the min.

I have started another thread on this and @afroginapond kindly guided me to this thread that I hadn't seen!

Thanks all!

@PinkDaydreams hello🙂
Caroline does have body split sessions but I would strongly recommend that you work all of your body over the course of the week. All of it is important. Why not try one of her shorter programmes to start with or perhaps her ‘beginners’ week which introduces you to the types of moves you will be doing?

@BigButtons thank you! I didn't realise she had a beginner's programme, I'll have a look. Scared myself looking at "epic" and "iron" and thought oh my god they seem a bit scary!! Beginner sounds more like me at the moment!

@PinkDaydreams they are all tough. You can modify by limiting you range of movements and reducing weights though. But be prepared to be sore!

Hello! It’s been a while and I’ve let things slip, due to long hours at work, travelling and a shoulder injury that just wouldn’t get better (not caused by CG but by too many hours in the office!), but I’m determined to get back on the wagon now that the weather is nicer and the beach beckons. I’ve started doing some of CG’s shorter 20 minute sessions, plus the odd session from Heat, but with lower weights as I get back into the swing of things.

I see that she has a new series out, what’s it like? Is it more weight orientated? I’m keen to do a bit more cardio as I think I need it more right now (sprinted 10 mins across a station to catch a train the other day and it nearly killed me!), so may pick up Heat again, with selective days. I do want a bit more definition in some areas, but without chunking up like I did (so it seemed) with Endgame. Maybe I’ll keep the weights lower for a while.

Sorry to hear about your mum @BigButtons

@Melassa lovely to see you again- I wondered where you had got to. Look after that shoulder.
I am all kinds of chunky 🧐

day 7 epic 1 beginner here! i thought i was fairly fit but im really feeling it ( with only 4kg weights which is all i have!). need to get better with my nutrition though...

@lu9months day 7 epic one is absolutely brutal!

Hello! Husband is more or less recovered from covid now, so are up to day 28 of endgame. Have been interspersing with various others (I did a hard upper body one that made my upper back ache for days!)

I just had a look at a few Iron workouts, some serious weights on there! Once I’ve eased back into Heat and built up my strength again I might give it a go. I’m liking the sound of leaner and more muscular, plus it’s only 30 minutes long, which is always a bonus. Did you all start day 1 on much higher weights?

@Melassa I work at roughly 2/3 of her weights so if she ups I have to! Yesterday’s biceps and back was amazing. Today’s lunge day I used 10kg but they were too light as I didn’t find it hard until the finisher. So I could have gone to 12kg I think. Imagine lunging for 25 mins with 20 kg and not finding it hard? Never in a million years did I think I would be able to do that when i started last year. She is using mental weights though. I struggle to hold anything more than 14kg- my grip and forearm strength isn’t there yet but it is getting better slowly.🙂

Also the deal with iron is that it is slow- sometimes only 8 reps I’m a minute- that is the focus- allows you to go heavy and also check form.
On the biceps yesterday I was still only using 5kg but realised that I was using my traps to help lift. Once I pushed them down boy did that make a difference to how hard my biceps worked. They really stung!

Wow @BigButtons, really impressed with your weights. 14kg is a lot! I too have sore wrists when I increase to heavier weights, which is one reason I started dialling down the weights after pulling my wrist during a skull crusher. I bought some support gloves but they don’t help at all.

I will give Iron a go in a week or so, still building up and getting back in after my long rest period. I like the control element of it, the first Epic really helped with my back pain as my core was braced due to having to control all the movements, something I lost a bit as I progressed up the weights and relaxed a bit too much!

Day 7 of Epic 1 today for me. MANY LUNGE. SO OW.

@GregBrawlsInDogJail that day is one of her toughest ever IMO! Well done on getting through it!