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

[BigButtons]

New thread!

@samthebordercollie , that's very impressive weights to do. From what I remember beastmode has multiple sets of each exercise. That itself makes it harder to do. Personally I find no repeats easier than repeat but as CG says repeat is required to gain strength.

Today I did epic 1 day 6 and day 7.

Day 6 is good upper body workout, no pushups and there is session of abs in between which I liked.
Day 7 is too many lunges. I struggle with balance in lunges and ended up doing most of it bodyweight only. I do like the hold and pulses because then even with body weight, I can get an effective workout.

@Vtm that's a great full body workout! I like Epic 1 and 2 with the abs included, I tend not to bother doing them otherwise. I remember Day 7 death by lunges. I like them so didn't mind it at all!

I think I have given up on unleash. It’s not to do with the weights just the way it is set up.
i now have a second injury from yesterdays lower body. Strained muscles all over my right thigh. It’s loads of relentlessly long sets- like three minutes without a rest.
i just couldn’t face today’s chest and shoulders at all.
did 2 sessions from the advent series and felt much happier.
i can’t risk any more injury.

Yes, you will find add ones recommended by CG in the You Tube description of each program which are often abs. Failing that just pick the ones you like, Caroline has lots! I rarely do a workouts because with the upper body exercises you need to keep your core strong so it gets worked like that.

@BigButtons , that's a shame about unleash. I never enjoyed long complexes in her sessions. If I pick too heavy I get fatigued midway and if I pick too light I get bored and it all goes out of sync. I like to be able to do nearly same number of reps as her.

I almost never do extra abs and my abs are strong and quite defined. Lifting does my ab work. I hate ab work anyway so that suits me!

I don’t know what it is big now I have two significant injuries from it - it’s time to stop. Anyway I am now put off by the sycophantic posts on face book. Love Caroline- I really do but some of the posters are crazy in their adoration.i hanker after epic three again- it’s my all time favourite series. Tough- but amazing. Kinda feel I should stick with the app because I have paid for it. Might do something else CG until
this series has finished.

I'm sorry about your injuries @BigButtons
Unleash seems like a strange program. CG's other programs were all great for hypertrophy, medium heavy weights with 8 - 18 reps for the most part
I know for strength very heavy lifting with 2 - 6 reps per set and long rest periods (minimum 2 minutes) is best. Unleash doesn't seem to fit into either category - I must go back and read her introduction! 180 seconds passes very slowly and injury risk must be increased!

@BigButtons I'm sorry you've picked up injuries from Unleash. I'm still in 2 minds about it myself. I saw a good suggestion either here on FB about doing Iron for lower body and Unleash for Upper. I didn't mind Monday's legs one too much despite the hideous Bulgarians but my quads were sore afterwards.

I agree that the hero worshipping on FB is all too much!

Unleash is the first program I've tried on the app. It does seem harder than anything I've done of hers before on YouTube. But I think I'm getting used to the format now.

I'm hoping that means better results! Time will tell. I prefer 30 minute workouts though, that extra 10 mins feels like much longer.

@BigButtons , hope you recover soon from your injuries. And agree with you, too much blind following isn't right. Not everything suits everyone and not everything is perfect either. Even on app and youtube so many comments are like everything is amazing which isn't true.

Today when I woke up, I was feeling fatigued but didn't feel like eating breakfast straightaway so I started with Epic 1 day 9. The first exercise was snatch which set me in the mood for exercise and that followed with lots of different kinds of exercises. Some I could do, some I couldn't but my mind got busy trying to follow it all and soon it was finisher time!
I think it is a good session if you don't feel like lifting heavy but still want to exercise.

today I did
epic 1 day 11: I think it can become my staple abs and legs workout as it didn't have lunges where I struggle with balance. The only thing was the music was off for 2-3 exercises but then I didn't have any wall in the living room to do a wall sit so I fwded those parts. I love epic 2 day 34 squat and press but if I am planning to do an upper body same day then this day 11 would be a good squat one.

epic 1 day 12: This was a thorough shoulder exercise and now it will be my goto exercise for shoulders. I replaced headstands with scapula push-ups. I was glad with 30 sec breaks but those single arm circuits were challenging!

Looking for a bit of advice here -

so I started my CG journey with Epic 1 - yep, right into the fire! I really needed something kickass to shift some body fat and get me working out properly and it really delivered. I really liked the variety and pace of Epic 1 but as I do it before work I struggled once they got over an hour. I also really don’t like the HIIT Sunday workouts.

After that I had 6 weeks until new year so I did Fuel. I enjoyed half of this and the shorter workouts were better but I just hated all the burpees and sprawls and was feeling really sick of it by the end. I did feel like I got a great workout though, but I disliked too many of the days to do it again.

Now I’m doing the original Iron because I wanted to progress to heavier weights. From that point of view it’s been perfect and I find the format and length spot on for me. I don’t mind the slow pace but I’m starting to feel a bit bored and think I’ll be over it by the end. I feel it’s amazing for my strength and form but I feel less challenged overall that with Epic 1.

I don’t have the app yet as I know there’s still a fair bit to do on YT so my question is what should I do next? From my research I think Epic 3 seems like a good call. I’m not sure I like the sound of her new App program - when I do get the app I think I’ll do Iron 2 but I think I need a more mixed programme before that.

@AtomicBlondeRose I found Iron on You Tube pretty dull too, it was a good one to start with for me as I was new to lifting but the Epics are much more fun! Epic 3 is fabulous and my favourite, not as mad as Epic 1 and very challenging - I will never forget leg Day 7. Endgame is my second favourite followed closely by Epic 2 but maybe not for you if you found Epic 1 too long - Epic 2 sessions are even longer. Go for Epic 3, you won't regret it!

@samthebordercollie thanks, this is exactly the info I was looking for! I actually don’t mind doing the longer workouts but I have to get up at 6.10 to fit Iron in before work and I find anything that pushes my wake up time much before 6 is psychologically hard to deal with when it’s so dark. So maybe I’ll save Epic 2 for summer when it’s easier to get up that bit earlier! Is Epic 3 10 weeks? I might do that, then Iron 2 from the app, then epic 2 into summer when I do have an easier time in the mornings. I really like the way I can work through a plan like this!

I felt the same way about fuel and iron.
i loved rice heat, three and endgame. Give one of those a go!

@AtomicBlondeRose I second Heat, it was less long and a little more cardio than the first Epic and moves faster than Iron.

also, I’ve just finished Beastmode on YouTube, it’s only 2 weeks long so no time to get bored, plus it was fairly intense. Sometimes 10 weeks is a bit long to commit to, if you have holiday or work trips in between, this is more compact and easily managed.

alternatively there are the shorter Christmas programmes (20 minutes) or other standalone ones which go from 10 minutes upwards

Thanks a lot for all the feedback on epics, iron and beastmode. After I finish epic 1 and 2, I will go for epic 3 and then endgame. After that I will see if I want to do beastmode on youtube or get the app. I also like to have a plan :)
I skipped day 13 (was not sure about exercises with band) and today I did epic 1 day 14 full body workout. It was more legs less arms and that was right for me after yesterday's shoulder workout.

Well done!

@roundcork , that's a milestone. I haven't managed to do a proper pushup yet!

Today I did epic 1 day 16. Bending down position was harder than actual exercises for me!

@BigButtons , hope you are feeling better.