Lifting and getting stronger with Caroline Girvan: 2025

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New thread !

Thanks for the recommendations for Heather Robertson for some cardio add-ons to CGX workouts, and for DanielPT - I've tried a full-body kettlebell workout and it was great for switching things up.

My add-on recommendation is Mady Morrison on YouTube - she does brilliant mobility, flexibility and stretching workouts. I've swapped Caroline's warm-ups and cool-downs for these before and after a CGX workout, and I feel so much better for it - I'm much less stiff, and my range of movement is really improving. Similar format to CGX with the no talking and beeps between exercises.

I gave up on Max - it just didn't motivate me at all. I've gone back to Iron on the app, which I didn't finish first time, and I'm loving it this time round. Has anyone any recommendations for what to follow with after Iron? I've done the Ultimate beginner programme, the Pulse series, the 2024 Christmas series, the Mallorca series, and the Calisthenics series; and I'll be finishing Iron in a few weeks. I don't want anything with cardio included (because Caroline's cardio is mental) - I'm happy with doing newly discovered Heather Robertson for cardio. Something that utilises the plyo box a lot would be great - I love step ups.

PS I am a regular on this thread BTW, but I've name changed recently due to outing information with my previous user name!

PPS Finally blocked Mr & Mrs Lookatus on FB, which makes for a much nicer scrolling experience!!

@Gobacktotheworld the response to that post in the FB group are interesting: there are quite a lot of people commenting that they have blocked certain users, or that they pause the group sometimes to get a break from the constant 'perfect' posts.

Thanks for the Charlie Follows recommendation - I'll give her a try!

I saw that Facebook post yesterday and noticed it had a lot of likes!

I will try the mady YouTube workouts next week. I did Caroline’s full body mobility workout yesterday and got quite out of breath - not sure if that is usual! I was hoping for something more relaxing!

@Gobacktotheworld yes that is strange. Someone has replied saying they don’t understand what this post relates to, the 700 people who liked it over one day would probably disagree!

@Gobacktotheworld well done on making that list- confirms what I thought- every week was basically exactly the same as the week before.
i did like some of the workouts but i also just got bloody bored.
I so miss the variety that the epics had- not the crazy epic one moves, but the others. However, I am glad she is much more sensible re upper body weights on the app. I think I remember her saying that she realised the was getting just a good results with lighter weight choices and protecting herself from injury. Also she does a lot more rear delt work now which was really missing from the you tube videos.
I would like one cardio day a week. Yes I know I could just do 4 lifting sessions- but I bottle out if not following a series.

I like Charlie Follows too. She is very calm. I mainly use the Down Dog app though. I pay about £15 a year and I use it so much. It is very customisable, so it's great for doing whatever length session and whatever type of yoga that you fancy (I mainly do Hatha, wake up yoga and vinyasa, but I need to try and get back into yin as it's great for flexibility). It has Pilates too. As CG doesn't do a warmup, I usually do 10 or 15 minutes vinyasa as it is a really good at warming up the whole body. And it also has post workout stretch if I want a longer cool down and stretch.

Thanks for the light relief on here regarding the Facebook group. Some of the people on there are really something else 😅

I’m missing out on so much on the FB group! I was banned for calling out 2 people for narcissistic and rather bad taste posts, one woman gloating about her fabulous arms while holding a sick child and the other showing off her muscles saying how worried she was as she hadn’t had time to workout due to her sister being ill.
The whole groupe is a bit like the Barbie film where everything is beautiful and fabulous the whole time.

@ItsCoolForCats
I would go for PE after Iron, it’s my favourite program and gives great results. There are some step ups and plyometrics. Alternatively Unleash but it will get your heart rate up more!

Well done @Gobacktotheworld 🥳⭐️
hey fit peeps I really didn’t want to do me workout today so I went to the pub instead- keeping it real.😉

Just finished Max today - I didn’t do every workout but probably 4/5 of them. Not sure what to do next but am seriously considering redoing Iron with heavier weights, because I enjoyed lifting heavier in Max. As the weather is OK I think I could do that and start doing a run or two each week (I am very much a fair weather runner and haven’t been for ages). Just a simple summer routine I can stick to while home life gets a bit more disorganised.

I’m still doing Max - two more to go. It’s not my favourite, but I think all the hip thrusts and bridges have helped my thighs. I’m a 12/14 with a massive bum and I think I need these sorts of exercises to stop it getting flabby! But I think my thighs are somewhat smoother as well. I’m planning on Fuel next - I absolutely loved it when it first came out and I think my body is craving cardio. Maybe I’ll do a few hip thrusts as a finisher but I doubt it…

I did endgame day 20 two days ago..and still hurting now! It was a cardio dumbell workout using light weights(ahe did 4kg,I did too-mostly) reminded me that I used to love cardio using light weights.
P.s yep still only on youtube, not the app.

I have just snoozed the fb group. It was really messing with my head. The last post o saw was sone women saying she had just for her spray tan and was ready for her workout/ what the actuall fuck.

If anyone else has been doing Max to the letter, or roughly following it like me, what are you doing next?

Ive decided on Intent, which I haven't done yet.

I swear the fb group used to be a lot more balanced a couple of years ago. Always the posers, of course, but not as monotonously.

@GobacktotheworldI wouldn’t describe Intent as ‘fun’ 😂 It’s a bit boring tbh but pretty efffctive. I’m glad to be getting near the end of it for the second time. I think I’ll do Unleash again, that’s ‘fun’ with a heavy dose of suffering, too!
it’s a shame the FB group has turned into a shitshow of showing off. Is it moderated by Americans?

I'm paying for the app monthly, so I'm debating cancelling it after Max and doing Epic Endgame on YouTube, which I haven't done yet, or else doing Iron on the app. Is Iron on the app similar to Iron on YouTube?

I'm only on Day 28 of Max. And I'm mixing it up now. I couldn't face Max after work yesterday as it was too hot so I did 40 mins of Hatha Yoga instead. And tomorrow I'm going to do some type of hiit workout.

I just noticed the community physio q&a session on the Facebook group, but days too late! Probably wouldn’t have asked a question but annoying that useful stuff doesn’t show up!

It’s so stupid but that group has made me resent my workouts. This stupid pressure to get it done regardless. It’s not healthy and it’s not what Caroline talks about. She talks about the joy of movement- whatever that movement might be.
it also doesn’t help that she has been so caked in make up and shit for each session. Sure she looks amazing but how is that the right image and it encourages all these post selfies and people asking about spray tans and outfits.
the physio guy hardly relies to anyone anyway- he’s useless.