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

[BigButtons]

New thread!

Hi all,
Just found this thread after starting Iron 2 weeks ago. I turned 40 last week and thought about doing strength work, I can only work out at home. So far I'm really enjoying it! I'm about 3 stone overweight and trying to stick to 1900 cals (I'm tall) in the hope I can shift a few pounds and gain some muscle in the process!

I want to start iron and I have attempted it before and gave up.

At the moment i am feeling very weak with a sore back, achey hips and tight muscles in my calves and quads. So this puts me off as I wonder if it will just make the muscles even more tight.

But I also wonder if strengthening my glutes would help with all the issues I mentioned above as I know they are weak which causes back issues etc.

Anyone else started feeling like this and did it improve things or make it worse?

@tiredmummy333 welcome!
exercising glutes will strengthen them for sure but it won’t solve the problem! I have a weak glute medius on my left hip and I need to do specific physio exercises to strengthen it. When I don’t do the exercises what happens is that other muscles take over to try and help and the problem gets worse. You would definitely benefit from seeing a physio and getting specific remedial exercises to strengthen specific muscles.

Good morning all.

Thank you for the adjustable dumbbell recommendations. I need to convince myself that I can justify the cost!

You have all really helped me when I've asked for series recommendations before, so here I am again...!

I can't believe I'm coming to the end of my 3rd CG series. I've done Iron, Epic 3 and will finish Epic Endgame later this week. Any recommendations on what to do next? I still feel like a complete beginner, but really proud of myself that I've been doing CG workout's consistently for over 5 months.

I try to combine weight training with yoga or Pilates to stretch and strengthen muscles.

So alternate workouts or one in the morning and one in the evening.

@Cherryblossom81 if you want a break between long programs why not try Beastmode which is excellent and only 2 weeks? Then onto either Epic Heat - workouts 30 mins or Epic 2 which has longer workouts, full body of one hour and isn't as mad as Epic 1. After Epic 3 and Endgame Epic 2 is my favourite. And don't berate yourself for being a beginner, consistency is the most important thing, you're doing brilliantly! I believe with weight lifting everyone is a beginner until you've been lifting 2 years, then you move up to intermediate. It's a long, slow process!

@Cherryblossom81 https://www.runnersworld.com/training/a44705024/strength-training-consistency-study/?utm_campaign=trueanthemFBRW&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook&fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR3ciKrnEXL0JcQpEl0mgcr9LoO4BU7Tt7-Sv0iLS_amD04At0fS_78X6pQ_aem_q7x_RfjOnRDtudnBCkyCfQ
Dr Stu Phillips is my favourite muscle/protein expert!

Thank you so much @samthebordercollie. This is all really helpful.

I've just started at the gym. I used to do loads of weight training when I was younger and I want to quickly start using free weights again. Is CG something I can do in the gym or is more suited to home workouts ? A PT friend of mine said her workouts are brilliant and I really need to get a proper routine rather than just doing what I used to do which was "go in gym and see what I fancy doing"

and if so where would a very overweight and unfit 48 year old start lol

You can do CG at either the gym or at home - I do both (gym when I'm in the office, home when I WFH). Advantages of gym is that you have a larger range of weights and kit available, advantages of home is privacy, and nobody competing with you for the kit except DH who keeps taking my dumbbells upstairs to do bicep curls with.

CG has tons of great free content so you could just start with the 5 days of Epic Beginners and then we can easily recommend one of the serieses for you, depending on what your goals are, how long you like to work out, etc etc.

@StiffyByngsDogBartholomew I wouldn't start with Epic Beginners. It's supposed to be really hard. There's a really good beginners program on the CGX app. You have to pay an annual subscription for the app but I think there's probably still a free 2 week trial. If you want to stick with the free content on YouTube then I'd recommend starting with the Iron program. It's not for complete beginners but it is quite slow paced and the workouts aren't too long.

Iron was my first caroline series and I agree it's a good place to start.
Exercises I was used to and the slow pace meant I could make sure I had the correct form.
It was a lot slower than I was used to but for a beginner it would work well.
If I went back to it now I could go heavier.

I'm trying to push my chest press right now. I do not know how Caroline routinely chest presses 17.5s. I did 12.5s today and that was definitely tough.

Has anybody else found their weight has gone surprisingly high since they started getting into weights? I've hit 60kg, which at my height gives me a BMI at the top end of healthy. I've been this weight before after pregnancy but I was definitely significantly flabbier then and all my clothes still fit. I really need some body comp scales to judge, I guess.

It's very quiet here, how's everyone doing? @BigButtons are you still following PE? I am, and still really enjoying it. Although some of the superset combinations just about killed me and I've had to drop down in weight for some of them.

@DreadPirateRobots I weigh 58kg, the same as I did when I started lifting 20 months ago, but I've definitely had a body recomp, lost fat - I was a skinny fat runner before - and gained muscle. I need to eat more but I'm stupidly scared so I've reached a plateau strengthwise.

@samthebordercollie I am indeed still doing PE and am loving the format and most of the sessions- even the glute days. Am also noticing a change in shape. My body feels ‘harder’ if that makes sense.
will be interesting to see what the post exhaust brings-
I have really enjoyed the volume work with lower than normal weights.
I have been struck down with a lurgy these past 2 weeks but have ( maybe foolishly) kept going. Now I have a middle ear infection and feel awful so no work out for me today . It looked like a good one at that.
going to go back to the go again tomorrow as the meds they gave me have made no difference

@samthebordercollie I've kept eating what I'm eating but have reintroduced a protein shake/protein powder postworkout which seems to have increased muscle (...and weight) without increasing flab. At least, my thighs feel solid with no loose fat hanging.

It worries me a little to be so relatively heavy but I want the muscle mass, so I guess I roll with it.

I’ve been lurking on this thread for a few weeks so thought I would finally post! I am a few weeks into Iron. Started off without weights or using the tiny plates for my adjustable weights (bought fairly light North Deer ones and they are such a convenient size). Still was aching after the workouts- especially that first leg one- I had such bad DOMS for three days! Slowly starting to increase my weights as my body is getting used to the strength training and anticipate that I will need to get some heavier weights in a few weeks for some of the exercises. I am not overweight but have increased my protein (not counting specifically but aiming for around 100g/day) which was hard at first but getting used to it with a few swaps. It’s baby steps but so proud of myself.

I restarted Epic 2! It's so amazing. I think I will let app subscription lapse at the end of this month as the youtube stuff is more me.

@KasperBells Welcome to the thread - and to CG workouts!.The DOMS will wear off, don't worry. Her programmes really work, have fun with them!
@DreadPirateRobots ditch the scale, it's more important to be strong 🏋 It's great having solid thighs, even my inner thighs are solid now due to weight lifting, they never were with running and cycling lots. Weights really do sculpt the body.
@BigButtons your ear infection sounds painful, I hope you get it sorted soon and get back to PE. It will be interesting to see what the Post Exhaust is like which starts next week. So far it's my favourite program - I like longer workouts.

Thank you @samthebordercollie. It’s so good to have such a supportive thread. I was wondering if anyone started out with a particular health benefit or goal in mind and this has changed over time?
My reasons are to improve my muscle mass/ bone density as I have leaned how important that is as we get older (I’m 42), challenge myself in a different way (Pilates has been my go- to exercise for a long time and I’ll keep this up too). I’m not going to lie though- would also love to look stronger as I get older and am so inspired by women in their 50s/ 60s who seem to be totally bossing this!

@KasperBells I started lifting initially to help with my running, but it's now taken over as my main activity, I only run once a week now and cycle/spin because of a bad knee. I'll be 59 next month and bone density and muscle strength are the most important thing for me, although I won't deny that the aesthetic benefits are an advantage too! It's nice to feel strong and feel and see muscles instead of being a skinny fat runner. Resistance training with progressive overload is imperative for bone density and as good as Pilates is there is very little resistance involved, you only get that with lifting weights (or calesthetics at least when you start doing them[.

@KasperBells I got into lifting because of the whole women-over-forty/health thing and fell helplessly in love. I love seeing progress. I love lifting shit I didn't used to be able to lift. I love the visible muscle on my body. And I do not hate the aesthetic side effects or the increased metabolic rate, I won't lie 😎my abdominals have now fully knitted again after having some degree of separation for a good five years after my second pregnancy. My shoulder blades have a layer of muscle over them where once there was just skin. I can do chinups (multiple!) where I once could just manage a few seconds of a dead hang. And I feel amazing.

I'm on day 42 of Epic III 😥 The need for a new programme approaches. What should it be? Epic Endgame?

Endgame would be my choice. I did them the other way round, Endgame after Iron and before Epic 3. It's my second favourite programme on YouTube after Epic 3. Slightly longer lifting and rest than Epic 3 and the 100 rep finishers aren't as hard as you'd think! Fewer complexes than Epic 3, too.

I'm about halfway through epic 3 and thinking of endgame next.
I've enjoyed all the programmes I've done so far..but I won't lie I do not enjoy complexes..I'm always behind caroline and this annoys me and puts me off!(especially the hiit ones..fucking hate burpees too)
The day is drawing nearer where I will have completed all Caroline's youtube workouts...I'm excited to try the ap.
I also use another trainer on patreon(shelly dose) but have been ignoring her workouts for Caroline's, shellys are more full body with cardio and I prefer Caroline's way of working each body part separately.
I probably should cancel shellys but I feel like I need to stay loyal as she was the first person who got me into exercising.