Lifting and getting stronger with Caroline Girvan: 2025

[BigButtons]

New thread !

I remember unenthusiastically running along the waterfront on a seaside holiday, seeing some women drinking white wine at an outdoor bar, thinking 'bollocks to this' and going back to the hotel to shower and go and drink wine instead. Never again!

I actually love a run on holiday - either first thing in the morning or before dinner. I don’t go very far or very fast though! I just like seeing the place a bit differently. This is in Crete a few years ago. One of the top runs of my life I think! I do like to stop and take in the view though.

I’ve not got the app yet but very tempted especially to see all these comments! What is the name of the FB group?

Caroline Girvan Community

Intent day 11 was so much fun this morning. Step ups don't really feel like exercise to me, just pure fun

Off to see the Royal Ballet tonight for the first time since 2022. Hope I still fit in the tiny seats after all these arse exercises-- and shoulders!.

I don't know whether to stick with Max. As others have said, it does seem hellbent on building up glutes--what is the obsessions with them! I really don't need this area of my body to be any bigger. I like the shorter duration, though. At the moment, I've cut it down to three sessions a week and just using glute band and light weights for any glute work.

I'd like to join in please. I'm currently doing Max to the timetable and it's actually working really well for me as it's come just after a period of injury and illness, with some residual fatigue, so I'm finding the length and less intense focus on one specific area pretty manageable, I'm feeling much fitter and stronger for doing it already and well up for tackling longer sessions with a more traditional split after this.

I’ve not posted on this board before, but have been doing cg for a few months and am finding it really beneficial. Im
not quite brave enough to do a full programme - I’m currently mixing up various upper and lower workouts to build my strength. I have the opposite problem to you though and do want to build my glutes, especially upper, and given you’ve done this, do you mind please sharing which workouts you have found have done this most successfully? I’ve had lower back problems so am trying to focus on exercises with minimal risks / pressure there. Any recommendations much appreciated!

@Pineapplesunshine honestly I just think it is about being consistent. I have being working out with her since 2021. I do mostly 4-5 days a week. Once I got a barbell a couple of birthday ago- so when CGX iron started I could lift heavier on thrusts. I much prefer bridges because they feel kinder on my back. I can’t go over 50kg without my lower back complaining- plus I can’t get out from anything that is heavier😂
I have a wedgie all the time now and have need bigger knickers. It seemed to happen all of a sudden last year- so for some of us it just takes time. Max certainly is glute focused for sure so you might want to try that one?

@Abra1t I have a theory- might well be completely wrong! Max seems to focus on shoulders and glutes. Now those are 2 areas where:
gains are most obvious even in clothing
It is also the current desired aesthetic
i didn’t do day 20 as I was happily just getting in with life.
I will do day 21later as it uses just one 4kg!

Welcome @ArtTheClown . Glad you are enjoying MAX- that’s the most important thing- finding the thing you enjoy. Is this your first cg series?🙂

@BigButtons thank you! No I've done a few but by no means all - did both Irons though and loved them. I'm very stop-starty for various reasons, so I hope I can maintain consistency as that seems to be the key to the good results.

Thanks so much. I’m probably just being impatient 😂. I’ll just keep going - and try Max (I’m a bit scared by the name). I’m also a long way from 20kg let alone 50kg! Thanks for your advice🙏

Yes, I think you're right--there's an aesthetic trend here. Funnily enough, Caroline herself is clearly muscled but doesn't look disproportionately shoulder-y or glute-y, if you know what I mean.

It’s interesting to hear how you are all noticing your body changing and/or want to change your body.

This may be controversial, but I’m keen to not become big anywhere. I’m 5ft2 with a very small frame. I’m a healthy weight (8st8ish) but with a few extra pounds that all sit on my stomach. Does anyone have any thoughts about how I can continue to keep going with all the benefits of gradually getting stronger but without gaining glutes or shoulders that feel out of proportion (for me). I hope that makes sense?! (And obviously this is personal to me - I know most people want to build bigger glutes or have more obvious muscle etc.)

@Pineapplesunshine I don’t know why it’s called that because it isn’t hard. The rest between each part being worked again means it’s much easier. I have been able to go up in weight.
my main issue with it is how ‘samey’ it can be. Today for example is just body weight Bulgarians and rear delts.
you just make these your own- chose weights that are comfortable but challenge you. You don’t need to beat yourself to death to get results.
The face book group like to beat themselves to death though- like some weird masochistic thing going on there. Lots of humble bragging and poses. Annoyed the hell out of me all of a sudden.

Thanks a lot - that’s good to know! I will have a look at Max. It’s still very early days for me - I’ve only been doing it a few months. This thread is giving me excellent pointers so thank you! And, I haven’t seen any humble bragging either so win win 😂. Thanks again!

@Cherryblossom81 i have been asking the same question re my lower half. It seems that volume work- which is what CG does is designed for hypertrophy- going to failure pumps muscles. For my lower body- especially my inner thighs- I am going heavier but doing fewer reps- not doing those 75+ sets. 60 max for me- often just 45 .

welcome @Pineapplesunshineand @ArtTheClown! I agree that Max is definitely the programme that you want to maximise glutes and shoulders, which is apparently what most women want. Not me either! I’ve definitely got bigger, I’ve noticed that on holiday I’m bulkier than in the previous photos from November 2023. I don’t want to get any bigger either so will be trying to up the weight, reduce reps and increase rest. I’d like to keep getting stronger. Another one on FB really annoying me is Aleesa Bott or something like thatsomeone who seems to spend her life working out, counting macros and posting selfies.
I’m on holiday in Morocco with DD and have done no CG since being here, tried a 6km run, hated it but have been walking at least 25000 steps a day and horse riding so it’s not all bad.

@samthebordercollie lucky you- I LOVE Morocco! Wow- that is a lot of walking and it’s great to give your body a break from lifting.
all of a sudden I am stupid tired- bits of my body are really hurting and not in a good way.
I had this with FUEL never felt like I was getting a good session in- it was leg heavy- and I got stupid tired on that too.🧐
It’a time for a deload. I won’t attempt anything until next Monday at the earliest now. Deload for me means stop lifting altogether and just maybe some yoga.
i don’t recognise that name- but there are some women on there- Michelle de Silva is one- who are clearly minted and don’t work. She spends all her time flitting from one home to another, playing golf, doing yoga and CG.

@samthebordercollie you look amazing btw!😍

Sam you do look fab.
Your legs are how I want mine to look.
Michelle de sliva is a name I recognise,she is in her sixties?she looks great but yes seems to live a charmed life.
One who is starting to bug me is the woman with two kids who films her entire workouts complete with kids clinging on to her and toys everywhere.
Good for her for getting it.done etc but all I think is where's your husband to have them for a bit?(he exists) or get to nursery for a break!

Sam enjoy Morocco. Always wanted to go there.

TESStickle I imagine her husband is despatched somewhere while she films enough to use her kids as social media props, then she yells for him to come and collect them when she has enough footage? Seriously it makes me cynical unless it's just a one off cute photo.

The group today I see this one ripped girl in a thong posting "Watching your body change so fast can feel overwhelming. But that discomfort? That’s where the growth happens" (like, the changes are never fast unless you're on roids, so cut the BS), another boasting about wearing a weighted vest for all the bodyweight exercises (yay tendinitis), and more nonsense. There is such a disconnect between what Caroline promotes and what she approves in her group

Having a few days off exercise was walking 30k steps around London in high heeled boots yesterday was a less brilliant idea than it seemed at the time. But I did buy some new running shoes at the hoka shop so will be switching up my routine a bit when can walk and not hobble!

@Gobacktotheworld you are spot on- she promotes care and moderation if necessary. The one with the weighted vest has actually injured her self before. I have seen many of these extreme weight chasers get injured . I see them post about how they are not feeling quite right but they keep on pushing and pushing. Me I noticed extreme fatigue and a hip issue creep in over the weekend so I have stopped. All this you gotta get it done even if you don’t feel like it. It’s so unhealthy and NOT what CG promotes at all. She always says exercise works round her life and not the other way round.
I didn’t do the session on Sunday because I had other things I wanted to do.
I am honestly never interested in what anyone else lifts. It’s completely irrelevant.
so glad to have this sane space here 😍

Whoop whoop for this sane space with my hump day fitness friends 🍑 🌶 🌟