Getting fitter and stronger with Caroline Girvan- all welcome!

[BigButtons]

New thread!🤩

You're really brave starting with Epic 1! I'm saving that for last, mainly because there are some really impossible moves and I thought doing the other programs first might mean I'd have a better chance of at least attempting them!
I'm half way through Epic 3 now, it's a great programme, a little faster paced than Endgame (which is my favourite so far). I still can't do the extended leg knee press which appears (fortunately not often) in both programmes 🤪

I’m on round three of iron and also mixing in heat and randomly the Christmas countdown workouts. I like the latter as they’re short, so good for when I don’t have much time. I need to see if there’s anything else similar to mix in.

Today was just an arms day so manageable except some of the different press ups were way beyond me. Now very scared about day 7. Will avoid any stairs for an hour after.

After a bit of a delay because I had a hike in the heat planned, I’ve just done day 10, so completed the two weeks in 2.5 weeks.

Day 7 was fine but day 10, the HIIT burpee almost broke me.

I’m hooked! Heavier weights were delivered today.

Yay you are hooked @Diggersandunicorns . It is very addictive! Enjoy!

Congratulations on finishing Epic 1 @Diggersandunicorns! The other programmes will seem easy now 😆
I'm visiting the UK to see family for a few days and have brought a couple of kettlebells to try Caroline's kettlebell workouts. I've never tried them but you only need 2 instead of 10 so easier to pack. My brother has been working out for years with kettlebells and loves them.

Where should I start? I'm 14.5 stone and 5ft 3in and 52

I want to tone up, realistically I'll only have weekends free

Hurrah!! I'm on the last week of the Epic 10 week challenge 💪🏼💪🏼 I still don't look much like CG, but am definitely stronger. Still crap at push-ups and very little core strength, but getting there. Where do I go from here? Which one to try next? There's so many. 🤯

Weekends is better than nothing, but ideally you'll need to find some time in the week.

Have a look at Beginner Epic if you are completely new to this

Well done!
Have a look at the page in her website which lists all her programs and what they entail, and you can compare them.
My favourite is Iron Series, it has no cardio workouts included but I do my own (run/stairmaster etc) so I'm happy with just doing pure weights with CG

@MelonB
www.carolinegirvan.com/free-programs/
If you hover over the program you get a quick overview of it. Which Epic program did you do? ive done Iron, Beastmode (free), Heat, Endgame and just finishing Epic 3. Endgame and Epic 3 are my favourites so far.
I've got the App but am going to do Epic 2 next and then Beastmode on the App. I've bought a couple of kettle bells to mix things up and the workouts on the app are brilliant, as are the instruction videos (1 - 3 minutes) for all the lifts, really helpful. So much choice! Caroline is brilliant. I've on.y been doing her workouts for 6 months but my body has changed so much, from being a skinny runner to having muscles. And running is so much easier now!

Thanks guys. I'll have a look into those. I think it was Epic 1 I've just finished.
@samthebordercollie I'm also surprised how much easier running feels now. I've always been "run fit" but nothing else. Now I can crack out about 3 push ups comfortably 💪🏼💪🏼💪🏼. CG is awesome!

Just starting out! There are some adjustable weights on Argos. But i don't know whether to go for cast iron or opti-vinyl??!? Cast iron 20kg

Vinyl are so big and bulky, I wish I had cast iron.
But I only use them once a week and I have access to other dumbbells elsewhere the rest of the time, so I can manage. If I was using them more regularly, I'd invest in cast iron definitely

Cast Ieper for sure- they are smaller. The vinyl are HUGE and unwieldy!

I have not idea what cast leper is- auto correct hell- sorry

I finished another round of heat and then had a kind of deload week.
am re doing beastmode. I managed to do some sets of bicep curls with 7.5kg which I was pleased with.
have only ever used my 6 kg before.
the 7.5kg were using my adjustables from Argos and the handles are SO much narrower than the free weights, so much easier to grip and use even though they were heavier. That’s the trouble for a lot of women with smaller hands. The cheaper dumbbells have such thick handles and that really makes it difficult.

I have this problem with farmers carry at the gym. I'm now carrying 2x 32kg kettlebells, but my hands (and most of the other females) are so small, that the grip is the issue, and it's so frustrating

some kettlebell handles are massively wide and it makes SUCH a difference to grip strength for small hands. I feel for you.

@BigButtons thank you! Would you recommend the ones I linked to from Argos? I read that you have similar adjustables.

Yes! I have 2 sets of those plus 4 x5kg plates. They are really good! Buy them 😍

Brilliant, thank you so much!

I'm at 6 months now following Caroline's programmes. I'm really happy with the improvement in strength and the emergence of some muscles! I was just a runner before with some cycling and swimming, so strictly cardio. I can lift a little heavier than than in January too. I now lift 4 days a week and run 4 times a week, running is so much easier and no more knee pain thanks to stronger quads! Warning, the after photos involve a little flexing 🙈

I have only just found caroline on YouTube and am on day 8 of the iron series.
I follow two other trainers(kaliegh cohen and shelly dose)I will still do their workouts alongside Caroline's.
I am used to hiit style workouts and cardio so to slow it down and go heavy is something I'm really enjoying.
I have just ordered 12.5kg weights so I have a heavier pair.
Caroline's body is unreal, but I don't think i want to get like that(no chance anyway as I love food and wine too much)but I definitely want more definition in my legs.
I do like her legs.

Hi all, ive just looked at CG videos... she is a bit scary!
My son has some dumbell. What weight did you start with and am inright in thinking that i should start with the iron videos?
Many thanks
Ps: 46yo, 3 kids, used to be sporty now my weight has gone through the roof and i spend most of my days sitting in an office in a demanding job or sitting in my car....