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

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HRV is very specific to you and you usually stay within a certain range. If it drops, or goes higher than your normal range there is usually something wrong, illness, overtraining, stress etc. Generally the higher your HRV range the healthier you are. My average at the moment is 58, I'm 60 years old. If it drops lower than 53 there's something wrong. It's the 7 day average you need to see, odd days (if you drink alcohol for example - will always make your HRV drop for that night.

Yep exactly that. Mine is usually between 55 and 72 it says, but it fell to 50 so sent me an alert. I have a Garmin not an Apple Watch but I imagine the principles are the same?

I have a Garmin too, Fenix 7 Pro S but imagine the HRV is measured similarly the Apple watch

My hrv varies wildly- I tend to take my waking hrv using the breather function in my Apple Watch. And yes alcohol makes a massive difference

Not doubting the Garmin data exactly, but aren't you worried it could be a self-fulfilling prophecy, as when someone tells you you look tired and shit and you suddenly feel rundown? A bit like a witch doctor putting a curse on you, and you go and lie down and die -- not because black magic is real, but because you believe in it.

I have lost my way with Caroline xmas a bit, as I don't feel in the mood for ankle weights but would rather do some real strength work. Maybe shall try PE again tonight.

@Gobacktotheworld2 The sleep tracking stages aren't accurate but generally the data matches how I feel in the morning, if I've slept well or not. The devices are a lot better than they used to be. My average sleep score for the year is 80 which isn't too bad! I rarely get above 90 and I've never had the unicorn 100 score, but I have animals so I get up at 6 and never get more than around 7 hours sleep.

I see what you are saying but I’ve been wearing sports watches for decades and before now I thought all this stuff was a bit shite, including my old Apple Watch. But this one does seem to match up with my general malaise and match my perceived sleep quality. I also have pesky animals that wake me up.

I have a fenix 8.

I’m well into witch doctors and witchcraft though and am known round these parts for my herbal remedies, and would almost certainly have been drowned or burned at the stake back in the day 😆

Fair enough! 😄 I am totally ignorant of those gadgets, but considering how tired I suddenly feel if I only see my step count on my phone exceeded 20k steps (though I had previously felt fine), I am probably personally too suggestible for a device like that hahaha.

Still focusing on non-barbell workouts- today had more time and did this ancient one from the app again Two sets of everything and a staple, v epic III. Loved it. "1 hour dumbbell full body."

The barbells I have seen here are 7ft which is a bit awkward for me; holding out for a shorter one

I have an an Apple Watch and the battery life is shite so I have to choose between day and night readings

I did the on the bench glutes one yesterday- didn’t use any weights and it was plenty tough enough. Went round Brighton later and I had trouble walking😂

@BigButtonsyes the Garmin battery life is much better than the Apple Watch. But Garmin dies nothing but berate you the whole time, real tough love compared to the Apple Watch which I understand is rather more encouraging!

@samthebordercollie yes I guess it is?
I just did 2024 day 24 hiit and enjoyed it. I am really trying to get one hiit in a week even just a short one.

Made myself see though day 12 and to the end - very very tedious. Her ab work is so boring

I am also losing the battle against December malaise. I just want to eat cheese and loaf around the house.My DP did something to the boot of my car so every time I accelerate, the car boot open alarm goes off and it’s the most piercing noise. The traffic around here is awful so it’s a continual stop start so the alarm goes off every few seconds. I’ve still got a headache from the vet trip I had to do yesterday. I could kill him!

I need to go for a run but CBA. Haven’t done yesterday or today’s advent workout yet. I did post my sisters family presents though, and order my new business cards, and I’m kinda thinking that’s enough achievements for one day.

Omg, they have contrived to make the cgx app search even worse. Just entered the specific title of a workout I do a lot, and got
1000+ results when it used to just pull up that one.

I really like the look of the mini shoulder-free full-body day 13 cgxmas just uploaded and will squeeze that in this weekend. Well done on the abs, BB- I just couldn't stomach that one. Love Brighton and hope you had a lovely time.

Fibrous, women have killed for less.

He fixed the car, thankfully! He had a really bad hangover yesterday after his works Christmas do and one short car journey was enough to make him get the tools out 😆

Ugh I can’t stop eating and have no motivation. I’ve had so many meals out this week, the house is full of treats, and off to another Christmas do this afternoon. Lying here trying to decide whether to go for a run in the rain or do one of the three CGX advent sessions I’ve missed.

Can I ask how you all balance the CG workouts with cardio? My husband who is in very good shape alternates cardio and weights days doing at least 2 of each a week with a bonus cardio day if he gets a chance. But I know CG recommends doing weights 5 days a week. I don't think I could do weights and cardio on the same day. I am 45 does doing weights more days work? I think I still struggle with the mindset from back in the day, that cardio is the best exercise.

I usually run three times a week. If I do weights five times a week I’m too tired to run, so I usually do 3-4 weights sessions. I quite often run in the morning and do weights in the evening as I find lifting weights makes me tired but running doesn’t. I like to have one or two rest days a week. If I’m tired I will drop sessions and have more rest days. I’m 46 - I’m in decent physical shape but I don’t really look particularly fit. I’m not particularly lithe and have no visible muscles. But I can bang out a hilly ten miler and open jars so I’m happy! Also I tend to fall over at least once a week running and I still bounce back up - that’s one of my main aims for weightlifting as when my body fat is too high and muscle too low, I feel like if I go down hard I’m going to hurt myself.

I'm doing Iron on the app (the first one). I do it 3/4 days, depending on how busy I am with work etc, and add in one hiit workout a week. I enjoy cardio and find doing just strength training 5 days a week (especially workouts where there are endless hip thrusts or lunges) really boring.

After Iron, I am going to have a break from the app for a while and do a different programme that has more cardio incorporated in it.

Thank you so much for the advice. Do you get a shower after your run then another later after your weights? Or do you find weights doesn't make you sweat? I'm the same, I never look muscly or like I exercise a lot but I want to be fit and healthy and mobile as I get older

I shower after the run but don’t bother after the weights unless I’ve sweated a lot. But a shower for me doesn’t usually involve washing my hair as I only do that once or twice a week, so it’s a pretty quick affair. Although in the winter I might have a bath before bed if I’ve got a good book on the go.

Yeah I feel miserable when I’m not fit. You can really tell even if you don’t look that different. I’ve learnt now that I can’t let life things get in the way of a regular exercise routine. It takes too long to bounce back.

I don't really do cardio except walking, I trained for and ran a marathon once about 15y ago and that was it, running makes me hungry and doesn't feel good. Doing weights actually feels quite meditative for me and makes me feel calm and accomplished. We're all different and I do think people should do whatever exercise they enjoy and can consistently do.
I've skipped a couple of workouts this week, I didn't do the abs or full body because I had some busy days with stuff on after work. I did the ankle weight glutes and today's shoulder workout today and yesterday I did an old 20min chest and triceps workout because I was missing upper body work. I can tell I'm eating too much sugar atm because my joints all hurt but I'm not sure that's going to change before January.

I don't like CG's current programming of weights x 5 a week, no cardio, as it's neglecting your most important muscle. I love Les Mills classes for cardio, sometimes still run a bit, and am now collecting cardio machines on Facebook marketplace. The absolute best things IMO are a £25 step for aerobics and a kettlebell in the 10kg-20kg range for swings and everything else. I am breathing harder after 60 sec of kb swings than after 30min on the exercise bike.

On the subject of exercise machines, does anyone have a multigym and does it get used?

Did IronPro Day 13 glutes&hams, liked the Bulgarians and sumos, but hip thrusts are definitely a PITA without a barbell. Day 1 is still my favourite IronPro Day but will keep trying different ones.

There's talk of a cute appearance by one of the dogs in cgxmas day 14 but it would mean doing a shoulder workout, which I deplore. No fair.

I just did the shoulder one today, it was ok-but I don't like real delt flies or face pulls and this had those.
the dog was both cute and funny! worth doing for that alone

My cardio now is the exercise bike and I copy the Les Mills rpm workouts that I do at the gym with my Spotify playlist shamelessly lifted from Les Mills, it’s the only thing that gets my heart rate up to the same level as running did, 160 bpm, Without the music it’s not possible. Kettlebells don’t do it for me either. 40 minutes of that after one hour of lifting then a dog walk and I’m ready to start the day. But I’m 60 and only work part time so it’s easy for me. I most definitely need a shower after.