Lifting and getting stronger with Caroline Girvan: 2025

[BigButtons]

New thread !

@PeachPumpkin I also find it helps if I hold the weights diagonal to my body to the side rather than straight infront. Perhaps practice with super light weights and play about with positioning.
@BigButtons unleash is awesome.
day 3 of PE for me and I had to drop down in weight for 2nd and third sets. It was ouch

She goes too low imo. It will depend on your individual body proportions of course . I used to struggle with them a lot- for years infact- now I can match her because over time - a lot of time -I have learnt how my body needs to do them.

I might re try unleash again actually. It gave me a good kicking yesterday. I don’t think I was ready for it first time round. I have a lot more confidence in my weight choices and the choice I have to stop before the timer. If I have just had enough I will stop . Not gonna do 78 on the barbell ever- no Kim Kardashian wanna be here! I also value my back!!

Oh please do! I often go back and redo the leg days and upper body workouts in between programmes. Just skip the glutes and hamstring days they are really boring. Day 11, 16, 21 and 26 are great leg workouts!
i think I’m going to redo Intent, Max isn’t really doing it for me. I love an upper lower split and it’s quicker and easier getting out the equipment.

Thanks @samthebordercollie . It’s 6 weeks isn’t it? I am confidant enough now to sub days! Will take your advice on board🙂

@samthebordercollie which glute and hamstring day alternatives would you recommend?

I didn’t like day 6,13 and 18 (too many hipthrusts and bridges in the same workout) but Days 23 and 28 are more varied in exercises. I often just change the bulgariàn lunges in leg days from being quad focused to being glute focused if I want more glute work without having to bother with hipthrusts and bridges.

@samthebordercollie thanks!

Thank you all very much for the advice. I will try that. I know what you mean about not being able to go as low as Caroline! I didn’t work out at all today in order to let everything heal a bit. I may try again tomorrow. One more work out and then I’ve finished Ultimate Beginner. I am a bit nervous about starting Iron. I might redo Ultimate Beginner.

Does anyone who is doing Max think that it's been quite a 'gentle' start to the series? I did day 5 today. Normally, I'm really achy after the first week of a new programme, but Max has felt a bit easier than the others I've done. Maybe it will ramp up soon.

@ItsCoolForCats yes- I am finding of it more gentle. I am due to do day 14 today- which I will do since it’s a heavy lifting day and I can practise with the 20kg lunges again.
I will see what the fun day tomorrow brings.
i don’t like giving up on a series- although I certainly have done in the past.

I have been thinking about investing in some heavier weights, so I might use it as an opportunity to see if I can lift heavier. I like the length of the workouts, but they don't feel as intense as say Epic Heat, which was a similar length.

Yep. Max is enjoyable for me but there is an surprising overall lack of intensity, just given how tough her full body days generally are. Today's one, #14, looks good though- staggered rdl and push ups- deadly combo; I think the shoulders are going to give out quickly here after the previous shoulder press as well as pullovers. And no barbell required for once. I'm going to say "Pah, this will be a doddle!" and hopefully Caroline will make me eat my words.😎

ItsCoolForCats, thanks for the earworm

My theory is that Max is slightly easier because traditionally 3 day full body splits are 3 days a week so at least one full rest day in between. I used to do Iron like that, 2 sessions back to back 3 days a week, which was doable. I don't feel like I've done a proper workout after one session of Max. Did Day 3 lower body Intent today and it did.

I've just started end game and she actually does say to only go to your knees on the intro.
I've been trying to copy her by going all the way to my feet..but i only went to just below my knees this time and it I felt it working if you will this time.
Caroline also goes super low and flat backed on rows etc and I just can't.
I have to stay almost upright and wondering if this is OK

"Intent lower body day" is a nightmare phrase all right. I'll follow suit and do one of those tomorrow because her previous Friday "fun days" circuits in Max have been a little insubstantial. Like Rev but without even the plyo.

I did Max Day 14 "slow and heavy" and it was the first one that left me breathing a little bit and sweating a little bit. Not proper disgusting small of the back sweat, but a little bit! Really liked the alternating toe-elevated staggered Romanian dead lifts / push ups sets. It was nice to see CG bumping up her weights slightly on shoulder press and she inspired me to bump mine up a little, too- just going for 6 or so good reps as BigButtons was talking about. The presses, push ups and pullovers gave my triceps a nice worked-out feeling, too. This was my favourite of the series so far (though have skipped/not caught up on a couple).:)

Haha, you're welcome 🎵

Based on everyone’s comments about Max being not as challenging as previous series, I went slightly heavier for day 14. 10kgs instead of 6s for shoulder press and 15kg rather than 12 for pullovers. Was definitely a challenge!

I enjoyed max day 14 today. I managed to match CG for everything but went 1 kg lower on the shoulder press as I am still mindful of my left shoulder. It’s a lot better but I don’t want to irritate it.
enjoyed going slow. I could properly concentrate on form. This meant I got about 10 decent pushups in each set. I wish everyday max day was similar!

I’m really grateful you are posting reviews of max here, I’m saving the ones you enjoyed as favourites so I can do them from time to time without having to do the whole programme. It’s the only the second one (YouTube and App) I haven’t completed. Fuel was the other. I trust more your reviews than those on the FB group which are in general always positive.

@samthebordercollie I don’t dislike max at all. I like the way the muscles are rested between sets- I just have jiggle it to make it work for me. I am not interested much in 75-90 seconds sets at the moment. Just 45-60 seconds of ( for me) heavy shit. The way max is set up allows for this. I can really push the weights because of the rest between upper and lower.
i might just do the slow, heavy lifting days and do unleash in between.
i HATED fuel- was awful for me.
it amazes me that I can now lift those 20s with not too much discomfort.
max is allows me to really concentrate on my form- which quite frankly left a lot to be desired. I have had this shoulder issue for months- but really properly pushing my shoulders down and back stops the pain.

I think even on the Facebook group there's been some unrest about the max programe

Yes there are murmurings. Caroline finally creates a programme with sensible volume and a light accessory and abs day on Friday so you're not crippled or fatigued when the weekend hits. Sky falls in

That said, I am saving Day 15 for an add-on finisher when I have time next week (maybe spread over a couple of days since it is circuits), and doing something from Intent or PE after work tonight, so I am nice and crippled and fatigued for the weekend. :D

Aaaand I have gone back to a casual Intent / PE hybrid. It feels more effective.

Is it true that the series on the app have no cardio?
(I hate cardio,but try to follow along with the whatever series I am doing,unless it's EMOM or full on burpees)
So do you do a cardio day of choice or just not bother?
I know some of you are runners so do that.