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Lifting and getting stronger with Caroline Girvan: 2025

999 replies

BigButtons · 12/04/2025 12:02

New thread !

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BigButtons · 02/09/2025 08:50

There is a very heavy American bias on the group now. I am also a member of another group for old people who weight train. It was a kind of spin off group from the main one. It is utterly bonkers. I never post but it is pretty well only chats about women feeling fat or photos of men in posing pouches or women in competition bikinis.
i don’t know a single other person in RL who lifts. No one has ever commented about my muscles.
must be said yesterday I had to do a lot of very heavy lugging of a storage shed with my partner. This consisted of three very large and heavy gazebo frames in a tiny space with uneven old floors. That’s the point of lifting surely? To be able to do that and not injure yourself in the process.
I almost never flex because I can’t see the point. I did it recently though because I was curious. Mostly I don’t look like I have any muscle definition in my arms - but I was really suprised with what I saw in the mirror.

Thoughts about the new series: she says she is going to decide on the weights set by set- although since their are all pre recorded sessions we will still know what to use as a reference. I think I will try to up my lunge weight just a tiny bit- I believe she is going up to 25kg?

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Fibrous · 02/09/2025 11:14

Yeah two days later and I'm still denied access. That is nuts. The power has clearly gone to some people's heads!

I don't have kids but whenever I roll my mat out, both dogs and one of the cats immediately come in and lie across all the floor space. Then my boyfriend comes in and tells me off for lifting weights dangerously close to their heads. I'm like, WTF am I supposed to do? They wont get out of the way. Then he looks at the screen and says 'I hope you don't end up looking like that!' Fat chance. I've been lifting weights on and off for decades and I'm yet to see a visible muscle on my body yet 😂- I know they're there cos I can feel them working but abs are made in the kitchen, as they say, and I enjoy my cooking far too much! Also the spray tan and bottle blonde look is very far removed from my no makeup, grey hair and pasty t-shirt tan aesthetic. I am far too lazy and tight to make that much effort.

Working out for me is a menopausal rage release, stress release, and so I can get through life without avoiding stairs, hills, lifting things or 'having a fall'. As I also fell run, I fall all the time, so knowing you can go down and correct yourself mid fall to not cause any injuries is vital. I allowed myself to get quite unfit and fat a few years ago through not prioritising looking after myself. I tripped over one of the dogs on a walk, went down hard and was injured for months. I can really tell when that base level of strength is gone even though I can never see it.

BigButtons · 02/09/2025 14:11

Must be said - I think Caroline has a naturally sweet and attractive face- I would love to know what she would look like like with no spray tan , no implants and no bleach. I get it- it’s her business- she is selling a dream- - a possibility and of course many of us would like her physique and looks. Like you @Fibrous I am far too lazy to bother with those kinds of aesthetics.
i used to run all over the South Downs and loved it- then my right knee hated going down hill and I had to stop . The fell running sounds amazing- well done on that 🥸

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Gobacktotheworld · 02/09/2025 14:23

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BigButtons · 02/09/2025 15:35

I don’t think she maxes out on her weights- I am guessing that is how she stays injury free. She said something interesting about her weight choices in the iron pro intro- that she sticks with 7.5 kg for bevels, triceps. Upright rows extra because this allows her to taget the correct muscle. She could techno go heavier but other muscles would be recruited.
This is a thought I have always have. People talk about matching her weight- what I would like to really know is how her weight choices are I relation to what she COULD technically lift but choses not to? Her weight choices for upper body in the app are very different to those in the epics. Makes me wonder whether I should reducce on body to concentrate more on form

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Anjelika · 02/09/2025 16:32

Had to laugh. Just been on FB and someone is "literally beside myself with excitement" at the prospect of Iron Pro. Good grief.

Gobacktotheworld · 02/09/2025 17:04

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Anjelika · 02/09/2025 17:35

He'll be struck off surely!

samthebordercollie · 02/09/2025 17:59

Anjelika · 02/09/2025 17:35

He'll be struck off surely!

😂😂
OMG! that is SOOO unlike Matthew A to say anything remotely negative about Caroline's programmes! Use of exclamation marks in honour of Mr A.

Let's hope that his message gets throught the wall of moderators back to Caroline and we get more of an Epic with some cardio days for the next programme

Anjelika · 02/09/2025 20:42

He's seen the error of his ways and written a nice fawning piece!

Lifting and getting stronger with Caroline Girvan: 2025
Gobacktotheworld · 02/09/2025 20:51

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TessTickle0 · 02/09/2025 21:10

Ok, I have now completed all of Caroline's programmes on YouTube, including lots of stand alone workouts.
Over the last few days I have been doing some Heather Robinson videos, which I do find very similar to Caroline in the way she trains.I have enjoyed the "change" and on looking she has bloody shit tonnes of free workouts.
I keep reading certain things about the App not being quite as varied as YouTube..
I am wondering if I should just repeat all the CG ones and add in HR too? I do however really like CG and already have FOMO where the App is concerned.
I take it there are quite long breaks between her programmes so in those lulls I could revisit past programmes or do the HR ones I haven't, of which there are soooo many.Just wondering really what made you all get and keep the app? and if you rate HR too?

Enrichetta · 02/09/2025 22:18

I’ve not done Caroline’s app but, having got a bit bored with repeating her YT stuff, started to do workouts with Heather Robertson. I think she is excellent and her stuff suits my current fitness, so I’ll continue with her for a while. Though I also like Growingannanas. A little variety is good!!

Gobacktotheworld · 03/09/2025 10:15

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samthebordercollie · 03/09/2025 11:14

@Gobacktotheworld I don't like the endless stability ball rollouts either, I sub them for RDLs but often it isn't appropriate so the hamstring curls look like a much better alternative. What weight do you use to do yours?

Gobacktotheworld · 03/09/2025 11:36

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BigButtons · 03/09/2025 14:51

I am so torn about renewing- one the one hand I am Aztec in that I like just being able to press play without tootling around for other trainers. Have been doing that with CG for years now.
one the other hand I am bored still with the same moves every single time and it is making me really not want to do anything. I mean what if this new series is the same exact exercises as all the other series but for 45 seconds a set and with slightly heavier weights? 🙁

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samthebordercollie · 03/09/2025 15:20

I mean what if this new series is the same exact exercises as all the other series but for 45 seconds a set and with slightly heavier weights? 🙁

😂I'm pretty sure it will be, @BigButtons - I'm not excited in the least about it, just the fact it has Iron in the title it a turn off for me as I didn't love either of the 2 previous programmes

Fibrous · 03/09/2025 15:27

I’ve never completed a program, much like I never complete a tv series. I’m a perpetual starter. I did Iron day 7 this morning after a run - it was an upper body one. I’m aiming to roughly follow along the new iron pro but I’m trying to prioritise running so it’s whatever fits with that schedule. I enjoy doing some of the shorter sessions after a run if I have time. Definitely not the other way round!

I subscribe to the app so I can get the bleeps without the music. I usually listen to 6 music instead. It makes it go more quickly.

I’ve not done enough CG workouts to get bored yet. The last gym I went to basically recycled the same six movements over and over so I’m kind of used to that. I just zone off and think of what I’m eating next, usually!

samthebordercollie · 03/09/2025 15:47

@Gobacktotheworld thankyou for the tip of lifting the dumbell off a little platform, it's much easier than the floor. I'll definitely be doing those instead of the stability boring, sorry ball roll out in future.
There are only 2 programmes I haven't finished on YouTube and the App, Fuel and Max - both of which I barely started. Other than that I'm a bit manic about completing what I started, a bit like when I was doing ultras, I've never been a DNF not even when I fell over and broke my wrist 5km into a 26km trail race. But then TBF I didn't know I'd broken it until after finishing.
I also like the App because I find it quite easy to navigate around now and cast to the TV. I'm not a fan of CG's music and prefer to listen to Podcasts when working out.

Gobacktotheworld · 03/09/2025 16:08

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BigButtons · 03/09/2025 16:20

I also see a danger in ( even gently) encourage people to lift heavier than they were. I know for a fact that my current shoulder injury will have been because I was careless with my weight and form. I can lift much heavier but that doesn’t mean I should.There is no one to watch or correct me and I done have a gym mirror.
i had a Quick Look at a HR one and although she lists her weights she doesn’t say what she is using for each exercise.

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TessTickle0 · 03/09/2025 20:14

BigButtons · 03/09/2025 16:20

I also see a danger in ( even gently) encourage people to lift heavier than they were. I know for a fact that my current shoulder injury will have been because I was careless with my weight and form. I can lift much heavier but that doesn’t mean I should.There is no one to watch or correct me and I done have a gym mirror.
i had a Quick Look at a HR one and although she lists her weights she doesn’t say what she is using for each exercise.

I had a Quick Look at a HR one and although she lists her weights she doesn’t say what she is using for each exercise

No, that annoyed me.
I would like to know but I go off what I usually use
(I'm a geek and have a list of the weights I use for certain exercises taped up in my garage \gym) 🏋️‍♂️ 💪

Fibrous · 03/09/2025 20:42

I’m pretty sure lifting too heavy has ruined my bum hole so I’m ultra cautious about going up too fast. Or trying to squeeze three programs into 4.5 days 😂

samthebordercollie · 03/09/2025 21:09

Just seen a preview of Iron Pro on Instagram and…..all the lifts were as predicted 😂. She has got a beautiful brown and gold incline bench too 😍

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