Caroline Girvan Beginners Epic

[Mangolover123]

I see the other CG thread and it inspired me to start at the Beginners Epic.
Anyone want to join me?

I have just done workout warm up and session 1 - lower body workout with no weights.

I am 58, overweight but do workout and I found it tough but doable with adaptations. Sitting squats and the kneel to squats was especially tough and I needed extra balance support.

But I a proud I have done it and will do session 2 tomorrow - who wants to join me.

Thanks to the other thread you got me off my butt!

Link to program
Beginner EPIC Series - YouTube

I have been working my way through these. I was absolutely crippled by the first 2 days. I have day 5 tomorrow but I live in a flat so not sure if I will be able to do it without landing on the neighbours.

should I do the beginners a few times before starting on the epic program?

Similar for me yesterday.
Today beginner epic 2, upper body... too much on the wrists, I had to take a break, and there's a couple of things I can't do (side planks).

So now I'm sore all over rather than just my legs.

Started on Day 1 of EPIC beginner this evening when my run was cancelled due to the rain. I need to do some strength training to build some muscle after losing a couple of stone and to support my running (marathon in April). Found the lower body workout ok but like someone said above, the hamstring bit confused me when she was lifting up her legs. I suspect she had her bum raised up off the ground while I just stayed flat on the ground 😀.

Looking forward to doing the rest of the workouts and then seeing what I can move on to. Really want to build definition in my arms, tone my abdomen and thighs. While I’ve lost weight, I feel very flabby and probably have lost some muscle too. I’m 46 and from same area as CG…..unfortunately that’s where the similarities end!

Day 3 today. Mostly ok except for the side planks, plus my legs are stiff/hamstrings tight from day 1 which meant I couldn't get the form right on some moves where the legs are meant to be straight.
I really think that something labelled 'beginners' should have a bit more recognition of moves that some people won't be able to do initially and offer alternatives. So sure, in some cases I could sort of do them from the knees or extended arm but it's a bit dispiriting.

Hoping the rain will have stopped so I can do a huge amount of gardening tomorrow so I may not do a workout. I'm somewhat dubious about how I'm going to get on pruning Ivy as lifting my arms is quite painful at the moment!

I've been giving Beginner Epic a go too. I'm not doing it every day as I am mixing it in with the running and yoga I was already doing. I needed to add some strength work.

I didn't think I was that unfit but bloody hell the DOMS after days 1 and 2 were something else. I felt like I had been beaten up! I thought my core was my weakest area but didn't find day 3 too bad. I plan to keep cycling those three until I start finding them pretty easy.

There is a 6 week proper beginners course on the Caroline Girvan App - CGX. You have to pay for the App (I think it's £7.99 a month or £79 for a one off annual payment) BUT you can download it and try it out for free for 2 weeks.

I'm no longer a Beginner but thought I'd try out some of the beginner ones whilst waiting for her next programme to start. She talks throughout the videos rather than just at the start. They go at a nice pace and I think would be just the ticket for anyone starting out or returning to weights. I think the first few weeks are Full body workouts before moving onto lower body and upper body ones.

That's interesting, @Anjelika
I may do the app trial at some point if it's better than the YouTubes.

I am planning on starting this tomorrow. Do I still need weights for the beginner programme? I have some, just need to dig them out

Weights on day 4. I've not done it yet but watched the intro. I think she said she's using a pair of 10kgs which means normal actual beginners will want significantly less, I will for sure.

Joining! I've just done the first 3 sessions on beginners EPIC. Having to take a break though after the upper body session (no weights). Muscle at back of right upper arm has been really painful for a few days. Realise I have really weak arms and do need to do this. Will be back on it soon!

For most beginners, 3-5kg is a good starting weight. Use dumbbells rather than kettlebells.

Re. The hamstring exercise that confused some: yes, you also lift your bum off the ground.

It's a good idea to watch her introductions and go over the exercises before doing them. I do this the night before so I know what I'm in for...

Very important for working out with weights: a strong core. It will make everything so much easier. Try these to get your core into shape:

Bowflex 3-minute plank (do this every day)
Rebecca Louise's Best Abs
Caroline Girvan's Braced Core and Abs
Caroline Girvan's 15-minute plank workout

@Anjelika thanks for that. So there is an “easier” beginner program.

I'll join! I downloaded the free trial yesterday but I'm going to start it later today! I've got around 4 stone to lose and I've got really unfit over the past few years

How is everyone doling?
I will be honest I find it hard but I have persevered.
I have done days 1 to 4 for the last few weeks slowly getting better and stronger. Still taking the easier options on some of the planks.
I did day 5 the HITT for the first time today got to 90% but the burpees killed me. So I am going to do it again, take the burpees out, swap them for weighted squats and slowly introduce them bit by bit (you do them after every exercise).
Anyone still with me?

I am quite enjoying it and I like the no talking!

So I made it through the (youtube) epic - really bad DOMs but I managed my gardening weekend too - and decided to do it all again. Definitely better this time, I did day 4 today.

Well done @ErrolTheDragon - can't face the garden at the moment, though I did clear our my cut flower beds.

Day 5 is tough! I was shattered for the rest of the day after that one. But the DOMS have stopped now and the other sessions are fine.

Well done @ErrolTheDragon

@Mamadoodoo did you start on the easier beginner programme? Or was it @Anjelika ?

Not me. I did a few after Xmas whilst waiting for her Unleash programme to start. Thought they were good though and came on here to recommend. These are the beginner ones on the App, not YouTube.

Am mixing it up this week. Have started on day 4 and will do day 5 tomorrow but swapping out the burpees for squats with 8kg weight. I am going to alternate for a week slowly introducing SOME burpees.

I had Saturday off and did day 5 yesterday. I can only do max 2 burpees in that time.
Today I had my regular zoom Pilates, we're doing a lot of functional exercises this month so quite tough, probably enough for today.

I've started down some yoga in the evening, Kassandra has a nice 30 day evening series I'm working through - finding it quite good for adding more stretching.

Have done day 5 with out the burpees, swapped out with 8kg weighted squats. Still found it tough even with a few adjustments, but I did get to the end.
Will do day 4 and day 5 again this week, then probably back to the schedule next week.

I thought about giving Iron a go (I more or less did it last year, obviously with much smaller weights than CG!) but decided to have another go through the beginner epic (partly because the music on iron is incredibly annoying but I need the sound on for the beeps) . So back to Day 1 legs. Definitely a bit better. There's a few things I can't do - single leg squats (I can sometimes do a few on my stronger leg), and the single leg bridges would bust my lower back for sure, though I managed a few not too high ones on the floor this time.

the music on iron is incredibly annoying but I need the sound on for the beeps

I turn the volume to the lowest setting and listen to talk radio, e.g. Radio 4. I can still hear the beeps but the annoying music is tuned out.

(Works for Rebecca Louise too...)