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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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samthebordercollie · 18/10/2025 18:52

@BigButtonsthats why I love PE so much, there are dedicated back and biceps days every 4 days, dedicated chest, shoulder and triceps every 4 days so you get the body parts regularly worked on.
@GobacktotheworldI use whatever Caroline uses so usually 5kg although she’s used 7,5 occasionally. I confess I have problems making the difference between the rows and flyes sometimes! I can never get my elbows as high as Caroline does with rows.
did Day 5 Intent today, 2 leg circuits including step ups. I subbed out the single leg hip thrusts for rear step lunges because I prefer them!

BeethovenNinth · 18/10/2025 22:32

I am so impressed that you match her weights. I used to mange half but sometimes I am up to 2/3rds of her weights. I really struggle with shoulder stuff.

this sounds a bit bitchy - but she is such a naturally beautiful woman - has she had fillers or whatever in Iron Pro? She looks slightly less natural which is a shame as she was utterly gorgeous as she was!

i am still struggling to fit in longer workouts so have done more of the older 20 minuters. They are excellent

Gobacktotheworld · 19/10/2025 08:11

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Melassa · 19/10/2025 08:21

OMG at that picture, she’s beginning to look like Madonna!

BigButtons · 19/10/2025 08:22

She is naturally pretty and has a lovely smile. It must be hard to have to keep this image up. There is so much hair and make up and whatnot going on now. I mean would she make as much money if she wasn’t dolled up and filled in? Probably not.
I was pulling bonfire barrels last night and didn’t get to bed until 2am . I am shattered so no weights or anything much at all for me today.

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Gobacktotheworld · 19/10/2025 09:26

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Gobacktotheworld · 19/10/2025 10:56

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BigButtons · 19/10/2025 11:42

Bloody love epic three

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SpaceRaccoon · 19/10/2025 11:52

She obviously has a broad demographic who follow her, and I don't want to generalise, but I do think many find her highly aspirational and love her quite polished look, so there's probably pressure to go that route, which is sad.

Fibrous · 19/10/2025 12:40

Ah love a bit of pagan stuff! Spending half my childhood in rural Ireland it runs through my bones. I love this time of year. The countryside does start to feel a bit spooky around Halloween. Last year there was a real heaviness to the atmosphere. We always set an extra place at the dinner table on Halloween to welcome souls lost back into the home. I put out my old dog’s bowl too. And light candles and the fire to guide them through.

I got out on the moors this morning for a long run. Might do today’s iron pro this evening as it’s an upper body and abs one so leaves my aching legs alone.

botox and fillers reminds me of smoking - something I’ll look back on in years time and feel smug I resisted that peer pressure. So many of my friends have gone that route and yeah they look great but at some point you tip over into that phase of looking like you’ve got someone else’s face laid over the top of yours. And it’s just a lot of money and id rather work fewer hours than pay for that shit.

NormaMajors1992coat · 19/10/2025 13:11

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Omg those cheeks - I don’t think I would have recognised her (from Ultimate Beginner which I am doing). She was so gorgeous, why do they do it 🤯

BigButtons · 20/10/2025 06:21

I read the weekly HQ article. I have no idea what it was about. Something about saying no and yes. At least we have an article by silly boy to look forward to.

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BigButtons · 20/10/2025 07:25

I am deffo getting to the stage where the format of the prog is irritating me. It happens with pretty well all of them by this stage . They get so predictable - I swear to god we are doing the same sessions every couple of weeks. I think 6 weeks is much better.
I did like the original iron though and pe. I really think that the posters both on fb and the app are a huge turn off for me.

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Gobacktotheworld · 20/10/2025 08:28

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Fibrous · 20/10/2025 10:10

I don't read any of her stuff without checking on here first, so I can have descriptions like 'impenetrable Joycean stream of consciousness word salad' there to amuse me in the background 😁.

MsMoody · 20/10/2025 10:30

I am loving her physique in Iron Pro- I think she's a little less lean and she looks great! Still completely unattainable for the rest of us! As for the filler, I have some myself so I'll stay quiet 😂

I always wonder who these women are that she mentions speaking to in her HQ! Would love to hear from her past in-person clients.

BigButtons · 20/10/2025 13:42

She wrote one thing on the app a while back bout menopause. She basically said that if she started to put on weight she would adjust her food intake accordingly. Oh were it that simple- she really should shut up about stuff like that. She will find out in time.
i was pointed towards a podcast by the lovely Jennifer batts- one made for active women in mid life.

There was one guy who was some sort of sport / food/ diet expert and he was completely baffled when his very fit, active and slim wife started to inexplicably gain weight in her late forties. He had to admit that he was having to rethink all he believed and had learned about weight gain in peri and meno. What was happening to his wife made no sense to him, but he could not deny it was happening and it certainly wasn’t as as simple as eat less and move more because she already was.

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Anjelika · 20/10/2025 14:57

@BigButtons I couldn't make much sense of this week's article either! I think she's an incredibly disciplined person and I don't think she fully acknowledges just how much work is required to look how she does! I'm sorry but she must do way more abs than is in these programmes (some don't have any in them). I am about 20 years older than she is and yes, it will be interesting to see whether she changes her tune on the menopause when she gets there! I managed to lose some weight a couple of months ago but only because I was ill and couldn't face eating anything other than a cup a soup for a good few days.

Fibrous · 20/10/2025 18:46

I just read her latest post. It's quite insulting to those of us with chronic illness who have also led a life of fitness and good diet. Not all chronic illnesses are avoidable, Caroline, and lucky you not to have one!

I did iron pro 30 glutes - I think it was the same as a couple of weeks ago. I'm not really that fussed though, I can cope with samey.

NormaMajors1992coat · 20/10/2025 21:37

Reading the blog is much harder work than doing the workouts - should be 30s rest between paragraphs imo 😅

SpaceRaccoon · 20/10/2025 21:52

@Fibrous I'm glad I didn't bother reading that. My lifestyle was great and my health was perfect until an iatrogenic injury.
I do feel lucky that I can still work out but it's not as easy and uncomplicated as before.

Gobacktotheworld · 20/10/2025 23:00

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BigButtons · 21/10/2025 07:18

I climb hills on the way to work every day so I do get some cardio in. I am missing the cardio element of her workouts though. Not the throw yourself on the floor after lifting stuff she does but the proper cardio days.
it is a push day today and it looks just like the last push day🥱🥱
I might do one of my favourite you tube cardio sessions of hers. I would look for other people but I am lazy.
The chances are I am not going to complete this series because I am bored already. There were some face pulls in yesterday’s back session - thank the lord - a different move!

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BigButtons · 21/10/2025 15:56

I need to shake things up a bit so returned to my all time favourite series- epic three. Day 17 legs day- ab bloody brilliant. Sweaty- heart rate up the entire time with the 15 second rest- pre exhausts and I matched her weights/ years ago I was happy to do 2/3! My glutes were literally cramping. Fun moves too.
Maybe I should do an epic three each week as a swap out for iron pro !

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Gobacktotheworld · 21/10/2025 17:18

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