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

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New thread!

@Mommybunny well done on completing UB- great job.
of course it’s ok to if your can’t . For whatever reason, get your session in. I was going to do the planned leg day today, however, I got up early for a cold water swim. First time swimming in well over twenty years! Also first time in cold water! I then spent the rest of the day continuing with decorating and have not stopped.
no way so I have the energy for anything else now and that’s fine!
as for weights what is right is right for you at that time.
i started with sum else ranging from 2-6 kg. Then I got myself adjustable dumbbells from Argos- the cast iron ones. Never thought I would need more than one set of 10kg, never in a trillion years.
then I needed more. I bought another set, then extra 5kg plates and for my birthday I got 10kg plates and a barbell.
I have been doing this for three years. The weight you lift should be enough for you to feel you are reaching near failure by the end of each set but one that you can still safely control.
if you find you cannot control it. That your form is poor, then drop down.
that is why I like adjustables. I get a huge variety of options.
in an idea world I would have a dedicated gym room with a full set of dumbbells !

I started with 2kg and 4kg. Now, after a year, I never use the 2 but still use 4s very regularly for things like laterals and rear delt flies.

I also have 7, 10 and a random pair of 30lb (13kg). To be honest although I do use the heaviest ones I’d still feel like I was getting a good workout with the 10s. I also have a barbell for hip thrusts but again, using 2x10kg would be fine. So I’d say use what you have and then keep an eye out at eg Argos or Lidl (my 10s were from there and a real bargain), or FB marketplace for some 4/5kgs and maybe some 7s. If I had to do a whole workout with just 4kg and 7kg I’d still feel it so that’s a really good place to work towards IMO.

Also, beware of cheap 5kg weights as I’ve seen some in Tesco that were fricking HUGE and would really put me off using them. I like neoprene ones in the lighter weights.

I have a cute 4kg in pink and my 6kg are purple.
For my more serious heavy weights I have metal, 😀

Thank you @samthebordercollie I've just completed the first week of Epic Endgame.

I'm feeling so hungry this week. It's frustrating as, although at healthy weight, I want to lose a few pounds, but maybe I need to listen to my body. I only eat around 1200 calories a day (quite short) but wondering if I might need a few more to fuel my body.

Has anyone got any tips for how to learn to do push ups? I just can't do them! (& Caroline really likes lots of variations on push ups!)

Just stumbled upon this thread. I started with CG in 2021 but late last year life took a change and I got out of the habit. I need to motivate myself. This thread is helping. Caroline is bloody fantastic

Hello. Might be a bit off topic but although I love the workouts they’re just too long for me to fit into my day. I really need something that’s less than 30 mins. Does anyone have any suggestions? I run 5k twice a week and want to do strength on 3 more but I find CG is getting closer to 45-50

She does loads of 20 min ones on YouTube

Yes and she has the advent series that's 20m or less

@roundcork as others have said, Advent is 20 mins per workout and then you have Iron and Heat both programmes have sessions of 30 mins.
@Cherryblossom81 glad you are enjoying Endgame! Caroline does love her push ups, doesn't she! If you can't do them at all, then start by putting your hands on a bench or chair instead of on the ground. That will help train your arms. Doing push ups on your knees is a waste of time. Another tip when you do push ups with hand on the floor is to spread out your fingers out. It really helps a lot! Push ups are easier for shorter people if that's any comfort, there is less leverage require - I'm tall 😅There are loads of videos on You Tube which can help with push up technique.
And make sure you eat enough. I took a photo of my back recently and it's horribly skinny, I didn't realise as the scales are the same but all the bones are sticking though and it doesn't look healthy at all 😱. Muscle is very hungry, so make sure you feed it!

@samthebordercollie yes muscle is very hungry and we need to feed it. I am permanently hungry. I used to starve myself so it’s taken me a long time to get on with eating properly.
I will go to me knees for push ups when my arms get tired- I find it to be very effective- it just shortens the lever a bit. You are right about that. I think it has to do with limb length rather than over all height. I am 164cm but have really long arms and legs so push ups are harder. I also feel like I get thrown off balance doing close squats and need to have my feet wider apart.

I am ok with squats but I am not good at push ups and I have very short legs but a long upper body, my centre of gravity feels really off. I have good core strength and my arms aren’t weak but I can’t do more than a few!

Hi all, I found CG on YouTube after coming off a paid app that would post dumbbells workouts for home use. I need to watch finances at the moment.

I've worked through the Iron series on YouTube and enjoying it. I substitute push-ups with other exercises and do some of the lunge heavy workouts bodyweight only (of which I have enough). I use 5-7.5kg for upper body but could do more, just don't have any at the moment.

What I am missing is the routine of e.g. Monday = upper, Tuesday = lower, Wednesday = core etc as this was how my other app worked.

Do most people here work through the different series? I was wondering whether I should build myself a routine. Has anyone for any favourite programmes they keep going back to for the different muscle groups? I only have access to YouTube though.

Thank you.

Most CG series do have that structure though? Monday is a leg day, Tues is upper body, Weds will vary in focus but usually mops up anything not covered on Mon and Tues and has some core, Thurs is always full body and Fri is generally a HIIT. That's true of her YT programmes anyway, I don't use the app.

I'm currently working my way through Epic III and have previously done Epic Heat, both of which have the structure above.

@DreadPirateRobots ah ok maybe I've never noticed this I've been doing them on random days when I started so maybe the structure will become more obvious when I start on consecutive days.

Ready to get starters to Caroline after holidays. I’ve only done the YouTube ones - I did advent and get halfway through iron- , is the app worth it ? I saw there’s a new programme launching on there on 8th Sept

I only use the App now. I love the programmes on there and like being able to ditch the music and listen to my podcasts. I think it's well worth the money but then I did all the YouTube programmes beforehand!
I prefer the programmes on the App too, especially Unleash and Intent. There are lots of one off workouts or mini series like the German 10 x 10 which was brilliant.

I'm going to re-start after my hols too. Can you now play the app on a laptop? I tried the app before, but didn't like that it was just on my phone.

Yes it works on a PC now 👍

And you can download workouts now too

I've got no excuse then!

I just did my first hip thrusts session with my barbell! Way more comfortable than my hex dumbbells, and now I can go heavier. Don't know why I put it off.

It's quiet on here!

I just wondered if any of you take creatine? I've heard it mentioned on a couple of podcasts. Does shying have any thoughts/experiences of pros & cons? If you do take it, do you have any recommendations of a particular type/brand and how much you take?

*anyone (not shying!)

I've been taking it for 18 months. 5g a day of créatine monohydrate which is the one most researched and cheapest! No need for any time sort. Some people find they have digestive problems with it but I never have. The scales might go up a little at first as you retain more water in the muscles but overall it's a good supplement to take along with whey protein and caffeine, many others a waste of money!