Lifting and getting stronger with Caroline Girvan: 2025

[BigButtons]

New thread !

@samthebordercollie thank you. I will check those out and maybe add them in alongside max.

I like heather too. There’s a lot of stuff on her YouTube channel.

Yes, she is great to mix things up a bit.

Heather Robertson is the bomb. Her followers seem less cultish and fake than Caroline's, too.

The app is surprisingly light on cardio. Coming from youtube it's a bit of a shock. On one hand I respect her for not offering things that don't reflect her personality or expertise (so she doesn't offer half-baked yoga flows or pilates, or upbeat step aerobics or mini trampoline classes that require moving to the beat and cueing)- on the other hand, some more options for different types of movement would be welcome.

Did the 60min Full Body Kettlebell one from the app again this morning. Managed the whole thing this time. What a great workout.

Does Heather talk throughout the workouts or am I confusing her with someone else?
@GobacktotheworldI’m waiting to get off the ferry at Cherbourg but did that 1 hour workout on Friday and Saturday. It’s my favourite and another good one to do if you want some cardio! Kettlebell workouts are another great way to get your heart rate up, especially the swings.

Just had a look at some of the Heather Robertson workouts on YT-they look fantastic! The cardio HIIT workouts seem less mental than CG’s and maybe a bit more challenging than Growingananas.

How much cardio is everyone doing?

I go for a not-very-fast 5km run two or three times a week as it's my thing to catch up with a friend.
Quite a bit of gardening which I determinedly count as well.

I really don't enjoy cardio, but am forcing myself to do one session a week.
I walk my dogs daily and have a quite physical job so just do not want to go jumping about when I go in the Gym.
I am still doing all the workouts on Youtube and these do have a lot of cardio in the series, how come she seems to have dropped that for the App?
The only Cardio I like(still don't really enjoy it) is Kickboxing so I do a few workouts of other trainers with a kickboxing theme.
Will have a look at some Heather R cardio.
I used to follow a lady called Shelly Dose and she was very cardio based, which is what lead me to find Caroline instead

I try to run or go on the rowing machine 2 or 3 times a week and I do try to get out for walks when I can. I rarely manage this and 5 days of Caroline's workouts so it's taking a while to get through Iron.

Heather is silent, as far as I have experienced.

We need cardio. I don't know why she stopped doing it. But it's so good for us. If you look at Epic Endgame Day 25 (her stab at kickboxing cardio) it's been viewed hundreds of thousands more times than the strength days around it.

Do you like bodycombat, Tess? I have a lot of the old DVDs This free Youtube one doesn't have the usual great music and is only 45mins but it is enjoyable.

Goback, thanks I will check that bodycombat video out tomorrow, that is just the sort of thing I like.
Funnily enough I am currently half way through endgame right now(my last full series) I did like the kickboxing one, and thought I would revisit it.

@Gobacktotheworld I definitely feel like I need more cardio. I thought I would just follow the programme with Max, but I miss my weekly hiit. Although I feel quite strong, I feel like my overall fitness has dropped a bit. I also miss having the endorphin rush at the end of a good sweaty workout.

Yes this is why I like HR's hiit workouts. They are a good challenge but doable. No way can I keep up with CG's crazy pace doing burpees. HR's kettlebell workouts are good too.

I'm definitely going to try the 60 mini kettlebell workouts recommended above. I love my kettlebells, but I don't use them enough these days. Has anyone done the kettlebell series on the app?

I didn’t much like the KB series she did on the App. But all the individual KB workouts on there I do often

I did the kettlebell series on the app. Agree with Sam that the one off kettlebell workouts are overall better. I liked the arms days of the series best. All the days are three circuits like Rev, which is great if you like the exercises but not if it's a dread loop you're stuck in. And there's a little bit of abs every day, which I wish she'd do all the time tbh.

The legs days seemed to be overreliant on moves you could just do with dumbbells e.g. lots of lunge variations. The swings were the only kettlebell-specific thing on those days IIRC.

Whereas with upper days you have kettlebell press, kettlebell cleans and the uneven push ups which are tricky on a kettlebell. The full body day had windmills and I think snatches or cleans and was tough and interesting.

Thanks for the inspo- I think I'll repeat one of the arms and full body, and perhaps use Heather Robertson for legs this week. Need a break from the barbell.

I have avoided her kettlebell workouts simply because the are not strictly kettlebell workouts. She had a series on YouTube that was pretty punishing . I haven’t used my bells for years.
i think the cardio in the epics was at a time when we were in and out of lockdowns and restrictions for a couple of years . It made more sense to have something a bit more rounded if that was people’s chance at exercise.
i might check out HR as a lot of CG hitts are mental- although I am a wimp as j am not doing them with a weighted vest like the lunatics on the FB group.

I mainly just walk for cardio. I have a cheapo Amazon spin bike which is actually pretty good, but the problem is a lack of free workouts! I think there might be some free sample beachbody ones do need to check / there are quite a lot of free workouts on that app. Will also do the body combat linked at some point as really like BC.

UB day 7 done and I felt like I am making slight improvements which is rewarding!

Way to go clearing, keep at it! Is her coaching good in the UB series?

Took a glance at MAX Day 42 and it's like every other Monday in this program. I think I'll do day 2 (arms) of the k5 series after work or maybe an Unleash upper.

There are definitely many other youtube trainers I would recommend over CG for kettlebells @BigButtons for that reason- they have more technical movements in there and use the bell more creatively and to its potential rather than just as a dumbbell substitute. Daniel PT has tons of variety. I LOVE his no repeat kettlebell full body routines. He is silent in some videos but coaches you in others.

@Gobacktotheworld max is pretty elk the same week on repeat.
my shoulders and chest are trashed after yesterday’s unleash upper body. Gonna find a lower to do when j get back.

It is good - i love that you can watch the preview during the rest breaks - particularly for lying on the floor stuff! I could possibly do with more modifications given it’s for beginners but having said that - I was just thinking I need to go to my knees and she said ‘you could do this on knees’ at the exact moment! I also like that she focuses on what is comfortable for your body.

Sorry that was for @Gobacktotheworld

Did unleash 23 glutes and hamstrings. Knew I needed to be VERY careful with this one as although I like all the forward leaning moves- my right hip is niggly.
so I lowered the weights and do some body weight etc.
It’a good just to be doing proper body splits again.
The max lovers seem to be drifting away on a daily basis.

I must admit my shoulders and hamstrings were a bit ffs again? today doing Max. But end is close, I'm going to see it out. If I don't like the look of whatever is next I'm planning to do Unleash - can I ask what you all thought of that?