Lifting and getting stronger with Caroline Girvan: 2025

[BigButtons]

New thread !

Urgh. Just seen the ‘I eat within five hours’ post. Reported it to FB on grounds of it promoting eating disorders.

Facebook have indeed done nothing. Because someone talking about starving themselves for 19 hours a day is perfectly fine, apparently. It’s actually really upset me, although i suppose teenagers aren’t on Facebook (that’s the social media for their mums/grans!) so any suffering from eating disorders are unlikely to see it.

@Gobacktotheworld bloody hell. Really🤮🤮?

Anyway for some reason and I do not know the reason I decided to do the leg that made me start this group 4 years ago. I started this group because that leg day was so awful that I was about to throw in the towel and needed support. Luckily I got it and am still here.
It was Epic day 7
at the time I could barely manage it body weight and seem to remember I had to hold onto a surface for support and thought I was going to throw up all the time.
This time I managed Caroline’s weights . I did have to stop for a while at 40% to give myself a good talking to.
It still remains one the nastiest leg days she has ever done- that and Epic three day 7- which will be next challenge.

@Gobacktotheworld Really? Some people really like to overshare....everything!
@BigButtons I still have nightmares about Epic 3 day 7. Haven't done it for ages, might try it in a couple of days once I've finished Intent.
Now I've stopped running 😭my knees are so much better and leg days as well as just walking downstairs - normally - are so much easier! It's great weather for cycling and the odd spin class so still getting some cardio. I was an ultra runner for 10 years and really enjoyed it, but my body was protesting too much and it was time to stop. Just hope my hair stops falling out now!

@samthebordercollie I glad you knees are better. I used to run- no where near you league- just for fun over the South Downs- one knee couldn’t cope with going down the hills- it still has problems now even just walking- a sharp pain down the outside- then my hip starts hurting.
Running is punishing on the knees.
have you been enjoying intent!
I think I will do some epic three from next week.
I sis something to my right shoulder during an unleash session- think it’s right at the top of my bicep. Bloody annoying.

Oh lord the twink is back, with more wildly unsuitable pictures.

I'm very careful and low key with my running, 5km at a sedate pace a couple of times a week with a friend. I'm hoping my knees will continue to allow that.

I'm finding the Intent leg days a huge challenge after Max.

Another ex runner here due to knee wear and tear. It's the only cardio exercise I ever enjoyed, but I have to accept that my knees are better since I quit running. Hate cycling, hate swimming. I've done a few online low impact classes but nothing beats getting outside and running 😭

The FB group continues to appall me. That woman admiring herself as she's saying goodbye to her soldier son, and now speedo man is back with more photos of himself in nothing but a tight pair of speedos. You have to wonder at a man who posts such photos in a predominantly female dominated group.

Intrigued by Epic day 7. I might try it the next time I feel like a challenge 😬😄

@Gobacktotheworld wow that is pretty hard core! And in the heat too! Amazing. Glad your doggie is ok though!
I think you should let something on here in your Knick knacks 😆

Up to day five in Fuel! I think I’ve done this one a few times, it’s got great variety: two minute complexes so the time goes quicker!

recurring rear delt flye / lateral raise staple seems the most Caroline thing ever to me, so am unsure if I had done this before or not.

Just did the same in Intent Day 4.

@Gobacktotheworldi Hope your fog has recovered now, and bravo for carrying her home! There are indeed many practical reasons why Caroline’s workouts are so useful. I have a lot of animals (donkeys, goats, hens, dogs, cats, guinea pigs) so spend a lot of time hauling 25kg sacks of food around - without any problem thanks to lifting!
Finished my second round of Intent today which I enjoyed more than the first time around. I was able to lift heavier too than when I did it last year. Things I liked: the length of the workouts (45-50 minutes), the upper/lower body split which is my favourite way to lift, with the added advantage of not having to get out every weight every day! The fact that every few workouts there are circuits like Rev which break up the rhythm a bit and the fact that ab work often included in the 4 minute finisher (I’m terrible about doing separate ab workouts). What I don’t like - sometimes the lifts are a bit monotonous, Caroline definitely has her favourites!
just need to work out what to do from Monday! Maybe Unleash again.

It is so correct about the benefits of lifting. I am very poor at housework and gardening so would kind of tell myself I should just save my energy for those instead, but in reality the workouts make things like gardening easier so I probably get the same or more done.

day 19 ultimate beginner- the last lower body workout! It was quite a good one as no Bulgarian lunges! No banded stuff either! I also quite like lateral lunges and rear lunges are a midge better for me than normal lunges.

Any suggestions for two or three fun workouts I can do before my app subscription ends on Friday? I am thinking maybe kettlebells? Or would one with body weight only be better?

Thank you for the recommendations @Gobacktotheworld i will work my way through as many as possible! I did Max day 1 today - woah that was much faster than ultimate beginner and I had to move furniture around to boot! Was exhausted by the end 😂 I did double my previous light weight on a couple of things, but only a fraction of what CG was using. It was fun to see the differences from UB so will try something different tomorrow!

Morning all.
Glad it’s a bit cooler here. I am doing sessions from all over the place- depending on my mood and energy levels! The mixing up of programmes and series is definitely challenging my muscles. Yesterday o did a heat glutes and hammies- I didn’t even go heavy on the barbell and I can certainly feel it this morning!

Heat is very similar to Fuel, I really like them both. Heat has some great dumbbell hiits, which I sometimes think are my favourite type of workout!

I have been wondering about this @Gobacktotheworld . I wasn’t getting to failure when I was doing ultimate beginner (other than push ups and lunges type stuff) and probably should have used heavier weights but was nervous of injury. I have read that more reps with a lighter weight is as effective at building muscle but I am not sure that is current thinking. I definitely got to failure repeatedly yesterday doing Max and it was more satisfying but I did feel a lot more at risk of putting my back out.