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Exercise

Chat to other fitness enthusiasts on our Exercise forum.

Lifting with Caroline Girvan- keeping it real and having a laugh along the way!

950 replies

BigButtons · 10/09/2025 16:45

New thread!

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BB49 · 15/10/2025 15:27

@Gobacktotheworld thank you so much for your detailed response - the barbell is 9.5kg, so will hopefully be okay!

Gobacktotheworld · 16/10/2025 10:52

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samthebordercollie · 16/10/2025 13:51

@Gobacktotheworld the Epic II full body workouts are some of her best work. Loads of variety. I was going to do the Iron Pro quad workout from yesterday but then compared it to a quad workout from PE which had far more variety so did that instead. I can see the point of longer rest periods with heavier weights in Iron Pro but she's using the same 15kg dumbells for squats as she has done in all other programmes so I don't know why longer rest is needed.

BigButtons · 16/10/2025 14:09

@samthebordercollie she seems to do the heavy lifting at the start of the session. I am a bit disappointed that it is not heavy throughout.
I think I will give it a go just because I am curious as to whether I can do the Bulgarians with 20kg. I loath heel elevated squats and goblet squats as they hurt my back- I will wear my weighted vest instead and hold a lighter weight . Which one day was it?

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BigButtons · 16/10/2025 14:11

@Gobacktotheworld a pic 2 is the only prog I haven’t done. Was put off by the length but if the full bodies are fun I might check it out. She has a fun heat quad day iso plyo one- lots of great moves in it like lateral hops.

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Gobacktotheworld · 16/10/2025 17:56

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BigButtons · 16/10/2025 17:57

I did the pro quads day just now. managed fine with 20kg bulgarians . The rest was tedious. I wore my weighted vest for the squats. I never seem to feel quad days in my quads fro some reason- but oddly I feel it more if I do body weight with half/2/4 reps more.

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Gobacktotheworld · 16/10/2025 17:58

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BigButtons · 16/10/2025 18:12

@Gobacktotheworld ugh- that place is completely pointless now. just a lot of cliquey arse lickers and wannabes.
You all have me curious about epic 2 now.
It'll ve the cgxmas soon enough. I like those.

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Melassa · 16/10/2025 18:17

Wow at the 20kg Bulgarians. Now I feel guilty for sacking off the 100x bodyweight Bulgarians last night as I was in a rush to get to my glass of wine

ItsCoolForCats · 16/10/2025 19:01

What are the full body days like in Iron on the app (the first Iron)? I will be on day 4 tomorrow, so my first full body day. I'm guessing they don't have any of the fun moves from the Epics 🙁

ItsCoolForCats · 16/10/2025 19:03

BigButtons · 16/10/2025 18:12

@Gobacktotheworld ugh- that place is completely pointless now. just a lot of cliquey arse lickers and wannabes.
You all have me curious about epic 2 now.
It'll ve the cgxmas soon enough. I like those.

What is the cgxmas?

Anjelika · 16/10/2025 19:58

I am struggling to understand Iron Pro. Like others have said, in a lot of exercises she is using the same weights she ever did then there's a tedious minute break. I end up faffing on my phone and missing the start of the next set.

BigButtons · 16/10/2025 20:05

Melassa · 16/10/2025 18:17

Wow at the 20kg Bulgarians. Now I feel guilty for sacking off the 100x bodyweight Bulgarians last night as I was in a rush to get to my glass of wine

😂 my kind of woman to be fair it was one dumbbell- but 4 sets a side.
@Gobacktotheworld my arse is already starting to hurt- which just goes to show that I don't feel it on quad day in the quads.
@ItsCoolForCats it's a series she brings out on dec 1st- has done since youtube days. 24 days - one per day. You have no idea before hand what it will be how long, but it is never more than 20 mins, sometimes only 10. Designed to fit in to the hectic pre christmas run up. They are as tough as f8ck but good fun . I will often choose one when I want an effective get in and out session

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Melassa · 17/10/2025 09:08

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That certainly does scream ai to me. I might try to create one of my own tomorrow, so I can put it on my Christmas card.

Gobacktotheworld · 17/10/2025 09:52

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Anjelika · 17/10/2025 15:17

@Gobacktotheworld thanks for the Julia Reppel link. I do a bit of running so will take a look at it. Today I did a Legs one from Iron Pro and that did make more sense as she increased her weights with each round and went heavier than I have seen her go. There was one odd part of the workout though - 3 sets of bodyweight step ups. They felt like a bit of a time waster!

I think Iron Pro would be a good programme for beginners or people coming back from illness with the 45 mins of effort and 60 secs of rest, obvs with "normal" weights and not trying to go really heavy.

BigButtons · 17/10/2025 18:58

Caroline is looking really different - like way more muscular - I had thought about aspect ratio on my tv etc but it’s not that. For me personally that is too much. Not that I will ever look like her of course. My my arse is deffo getting larger - my trouser tell me so 🫣

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Gobacktotheworld · 17/10/2025 19:59

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BigButtons · 17/10/2025 20:15

@Gobacktotheworld oh she is very lean - just so much bigger

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Anjelika · 17/10/2025 20:58

I thought today that those longer socks she's wearing in this series are not the most flattering. I know she is petite but they are making her legs look shorter. The decor is all a bit too dark for my liking too.

SpaceRaccoon · 17/10/2025 21:10

I can barely see what's going on it's so dark!

Gobacktotheworld · 18/10/2025 08:40

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BigButtons · 18/10/2025 12:40

@Gobacktotheworld well done on the weight 💪🏻💪🏻
tbh I use what she uses- the other day she did use 5s for rear delt rows.
there is so much rear delt work recently. I like rear delt work but feel that she is neglecting the biceps in this prog- whereas PE had loads of bicep work. I subbed the rear delts for various bicep curls yesterday .
i like the long rests cos i can tidy away the dumbbells and then sit and stare blankly into space 😂

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Abra1t · 18/10/2025 18:05

Anjelika · 17/10/2025 20:58

I thought today that those longer socks she's wearing in this series are not the most flattering. I know she is petite but they are making her legs look shorter. The decor is all a bit too dark for my liking too.

Yes, I prefer the lighter colour schemes. I remember the seventies first time round and too much brown brings it all back! Grin

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