Lifting with Caroline Girvan 2024: What's not to love?!

[BigButtons]

New thread!

@ellebelli As you say, it's definitely not about cardio and Caroline has made that point frequently when she posts articles in the knowledge section of the App.
I absolutely love Intent on the App, I seem to be getting more muscle with this programme than any others, although it could be the cumulation of 16 months lifting of course! The format is great, a mix of heavy lifting with lighter lifting, longer lifting periods and longer rest. It's tough but it's really delivering.

I did iron day 20 today which is Abs and core, and it was quite apparent how weak my core had gotten, I couldn’t even do a side plank! I think I need at least one core focussed workout a week, I know the core is engaged in a lot of the workouts but I think I need a specific core workout. I’ll try and find one on YT

anyway, day 20 done 👍

Intent is mental- I love it but I realise I need a deload week. My muscle definition is crazy with this series , but it is taking its toll. I have come home from work and slept for 2 hours every day this week. Might have a bug of sorts or might just be exhausted 🤷🏻‍♀️

I really wasn't enjoying Intent the first few days because I found it too hard, but now I love it.

I'm not very good at seeing my physical progress after each series, but it's definitely tiring me out. I'm eating a lot more too and still maintaining and sometimes losing weight, it's crazy. I'm 45 and have never been able to lose weight, but I've lost 6 stone in 18 months and look like a completely different person, I'm amazed by Caroline haha, have a lot to thank her for.

Morning all. How much is the CGX app?

@florenceandthemac it’s £79.99 for the year - you get I think a week’s free trial to see if it’s for you.

Wow, @Cherrytreat, 6 stone! Well done you! I do like being able to really eat properly for maybe the first time ever? I realised I’ve been skimping myself my whole adult life really. Funny as I was overweight so taking in too many calories but because I was constantly trying to “save” calories and cut amounts from meals. Which left me hungry so I’d fill up on snacks and carbs. Crazy when you think about it but it’s just refreshing to just help myself to more dinner and eat an actual good portion of the real food instead of patting myself on the back for having less.

I’m so intrigued by Intent the more I hear about it! I do need a bit of an easier run so I think I’m right to stick to Iron before I do that but it’s definitely on my list next.

Morning all. I just wondered if it's obvious to know the difference between DOMS and maybe discomfort that's a sign I've done something wrong?

I'm a complete newbie to this type of exercise (last few weeks) but not experienced any DOMS at all yet. I did day 22 of iron yesterday (chest & back) and this morning I can definitely feel 'something' in my middle back.

I've got up this morning ready to do day 23 (in my new found love of the routine of working out first thing before family wake!) and I'm just not completely sure if this feeling in my back is good (DOMS) or maybe a sign that I did one of the exercises wrong and I shouldn't be feeling this?

Sorry, long post! I think if I was feeling this in my arms or legs I'd be less concerned, but more cautious with it being my back.

@Cherryblossom81 I also got some lower back twinges doing iron and I’ve never had back pain, so I dropped my weights and took a few days off. It has seemed to go away but it made me a bit cautious to be honest.

Thanks @thenewaveragebear1983

I've actually just got back from a walk (decided to not do next day of Iron today) and it seems to have eased. I do sometimes have lower back pain but this is in my mid-back and I wouldn't really describe it as pain as such (but definitely very noticeable!).

@AtomicBlondeRose definitely stick with Iron, it's a great programme to do before Intent. The longer lifting periods of Intent (often over 1mn) can be hard!

@Cherryblossom81 did you do back work on day 22?

Yes, it was chest and back.

Then some soreness is normal- the muscles should feel sore but it shouldn’t hurt to walk or sit etc.
the only time I have doms so bad I can barely move is on certain quad focused days.

I did a chest and back from epic 1 recently that left me with some soreness that definitely didn't feel right.
Middle back and shoulder pain.
I did go heavier and think I just didn't lift with correct form.
I took a few days off(hated having to do so) then focused more on lower body and cardio until I felt ready.
The odd feeling lasted about a week.
Look after your self.

@Cherryblossom81 how is your back today? Hope it's better, but still best to take it easy on the weights for a while.
Does anyone else use wrist straps for heavy weights? I used them for the first time this morning, there were 3 sets of lunges with 15kg weights in today's Intent session and I used them for the last set - it was so much easier! They aren't good to use all the time as they prevent improvement in grip strength but they help get through all the sets. I noticed that even Caroline put hers on for the last set!

Thanks for asking @samthebordercollie It felt better when I got up this morning and I thought I would be ok to do the next workout as it was glutes and hamstrings. However, I had to stop before the end as the single leg bridges started to aggravate my back again. The next workout is full body, so I think maybe I should wait a couple of days.

That's interesting to hear about the wrist straps. I've been wondering about getting some as I've got tiny wrists and wondered if they might help.

I am back after a long break from exercise. Life came in the way, my job search was not going well.

Anyway now I have atleast some interviews lined up and yesterday I started exercise again. Yesterday I did epic-2 day 18 leg pyramid set. My fav leg workout and I have got major DOMS. Today I can barely walk and I did epic-2 day 17 Arms. I am back on 5kg dumbells and at this rate I will be doing epic 2 forever!

Hello everyone!
I have had to take yet another week off intent. I really love the way the series is formatted BUT I suspect that the repetitive nature of it is causing strain and over use injuries. I have pains still in my right hip and knee and, for the first time ever, sporadic sciatica. My left arm tennis elbow was becoming unbearably painful.
In this series she pretty well does the same exercises every day. It is VERY lunge and thrust heavy. The sets are very long. So as much as I was enjoying it, now that it is getting tougher towards the end. I am not sure I will be able to go back to it.
I am gutted. Perhaps I might try using really light weights and body weight for leg days. I dunno🤷🏻‍♀️

@BigButtons Sorry to hear about the strains and injuries. Sounds frustrating as well as painful.

I have got one more day of Iron left and then I will have completed my first CG series and the first time in my life (early 40s now) that I've ever done any strength based exercise.

I just wondered if any of you could recommend what I should do next? I still feel like a complete beginner (using very light weights!). I had wondered if I should just repeat Iron again, but maybe it's best to try a new series?

I'd prefer to not have a series that involves any jumping (not sure if she does this in any series?) as I exercise upstairs.

Hello everyone!
@Vtm good luck with your job interview and don't worry about the weights you are lifting, you do you, and progress will be made using lighter weights.
@Cherryblossom81 Beastmode and Endgame are good follow ons from Iron. Just leave out the HIT days if you don't want to do any jumping, otherwise both programs are solid lifting. With maybe the odd maker, but I think thats more Epics 1 - 3.
@BigButtons I hope your muscles feel better soon. Using lighter weights or even body weight will work. I've started to see a lot of FB posts recently about people not loving Intent for the reason you stated, too repetitive and too long! I agree with you, I like the format and am finding it works, but it certainly isn't an easy program to do with 90 mins of lifting and as you say, endless hip thrusts, bridges and lunges on lower body days. My heart rate certainly doesn't go up like it did with the Epics, but I really feel my muscles after each workout, it's a really effective lifting programme, despite the monotony. Thank goodness there are circuit days too! I'd struggle if every workout was just the long, heavy lifting without variation.

I'm doing Intent at the moment. I do 4 workouts a week so am at the end of week 6 now. I've found this last week I've got a bit bored of the long sets and doing some of the same moves every other day - she seems obsessed with those seated rear delt flyes!! I'm taking a week off just to try and get some momentum going for the final 4 weeks. I found in yesterday's leg one I couldn't be bothered challenging myself so think I need a break for a week.

@samthebordercollie I have had a semi ban on the fb group for 2 weeks. I am not allowed to post until 8/6. The mods there are a nightmare .
seems to me the only posts are ones that call Caroline Queen and basically have people posing and describing the session in detail EVERY BLOODY DAY.
there is never any interesting discussion going on.

There was a bit of a contentious thread where I said I was worried about the effect the length of the sets and the sheer repetition would have on joints etc. a lot of people do seem to be suffering because of it.
where does she even go from here? Harder and harder stuff. There will be people who simply cannot kee up and are becoming injured and others who will wants to be pushed harder and harder.

@BigButtons I know what you mean, I can't bear to look at the FB group now as it's so boring with the same people worshipping Caroline and saying how hard but wonderful the latest Intent workout is. I think she will lose a lot of App subscribers if she does another similar heavy/long/repetitive programme.
Today I did one of my favourite Endgame upper body workouts and loved it!
@Anjelika am totally with you on the rear delt flyes!! I do mine standing so they are easier but even so....there are other shoulder exercises!

@BigButtons I can't believe you've been banned from the FB group. That's insane! That's a good point you make about where CG goes next. There are some insanely fit people out there for whom one CG workout a day is not enough (and don't they love to brag & tell you just how much they've done on those groups!). They'll be wanting something harder still I guess. I've managed to stay injury free, mainly as I've stuck with what I know are safe weights for me.