Caroline Girvan 2026- sore but still scrolling.

[BigButtons]

New thread!

I’m sporadically doing Iron. I’m going on holiday in a week - hiking in the alps. Thought I’d be in good shape for it but I’ve really let myself go! We’re going in a big group, though, so I’m not too worried. It just means I’ll be mid pack rather than up front.

there is no end in sight with our house purchase. We got the deeds at last and there are loads of problems. So we are resigned to ending up in some form of temporary accommodation now as I’ve finished answering all the queries for my house sale, and they want to start talking dates.

It’s raining here this morning. I’m glad the heat has broken, we have no spare bed at the moment so we both have to share a bed, and the dogs sleep in the room with us, and sometimes the cats. It’s making for a very hot and stuffy room! Hoping when we’re finally in a bungalow everyone will spread out a bit.

I'm going to do Iron day 17 back and biceps a bit later. Will do a 5k first.

I’ve not been following any of her new workout posts. I presume she still hasn’t broken her silence on why the long wait for a new program?

I’ve been doing Heat very sporadically, mixed in with Heather Robertson, if only to change the music and try some new moves.

i’m trying to force myself to keep it up in this heat, if only to “bank” as much muscle tone as possible as I need to have an op in the next few weeks which will require a fair amount of bed rest and I’m worried about everything withering away.

It’s been a bit of a challenging period lately, with family illness and redundancy and I’ve been feeling a bit overwhelmed. Trying to focus now on exercising and eating properly and simply looking after myself as it’s been easy to neglect stuff, which of course then leads to a downward spiral.

Has anyone tried Apple fitness? I keep getting prompted to a free month’s trial, but the snippets of sessions I’ve tried out have been somewhat unchallenging with too much inane chatter. I was therefore wondering if there was anything worth doing in it. It would be handy as it sets the programmes on my watch automatically, but I suppose that’s a lame reason to get it.

@Fibrous 🫣😱re your house purchase. I still have nightmares from my last one nearly three years ago. It is beyond stressful in this country. Just awful. Fingers crossed for you. You holiday will be amazing though- what a lovely thing to be doing🙂
@Melassa sorry you have been have life stresses too- sounds really tough. Good luck with the op though.
i have just come to the end of half term where I did nice busy things and no weight training at all- which was nice actually- lots of walking and gardening.
i shall pick up on play again with a smattering of heat from tomorrow.
i was so tired before half term that I found all the sessions exhausting and was getting g lots of muscle strain that I would not usually get.
hopefully things will be better next week.

Im following along with Caroline's schedule.
Only one new workout a week and mostly bodyweight lower body ones.
There was however a bit of unrest amongst the faithful followers...some posters dared to mention their annoyance at the lack of weights for the new workouts and saying it wasnt good enough that no new programe until September.
Got told caroline is the queen and deserves some time off.

@TessTickle0 can’t they just add their own weights?🤷🏻‍♀️
Even though I have not done her new stuff I for one am relieved that she has backed off a bit . She has been going like a bull at a gate for years now- that is not sustainable on the joints and tendons as she ages.

Sounds like you really needed a rest @BigButtons !

@Melassa good luck with the op. Banking some strength is a good idea, I’m sure you’ll make a much quicker recovery from being fit, too.

I’ve missed out on the internet beef, I’ll have a look. Bloody tendons are a pain. I’ve had Achilles tendon pain for months and months now. Of course I’ve not been doing enough physio (does anyone??) but I was hoping it would just sort itself out by now.

Ive just done Iron day 17. The half hour workouts are a lot more tolerable than the 40+. Maybe I’ll be more up for the longer workouts in winter.

In recent months I have been cycling through some of her full body workouts from various YouTube series, but I feel I need a new challenge. So I’m pondering which of her past series to tackle next to stave off the boredom.

Honestly, my heart isn’t in it. I need a kick up the backside. Maybe I need a different trainer? But I’m bored with Heather and Anna as well.

Sigh.

Sorry about your house move not going smoothly @Fibrous. What a PITA for you. Enjoy your hiking break!@MelassaGood luck with the op and eat plenty of protein after to help with recovery. I do,t know apple fitness. @BigButtonsit certainly was a hot half term holiday! @TessTickle0i saw the comments on the App for the glute band workout, the usual Biggest Fans but a lot of fed up people too. I have to say I agree with them especially as Caroline is completely ignoring the subject of lack of workouts in her latest June programme planner. I wonder how many su scribes she’s lost? I’m still working out with her because I’m not bothered about doing the same workouts and I know that’s the most effective way to build muscle even it it is a bit boring sometimes, but lifting weights is generally boring! Last week the leg days were particularly horrible in the heat 🥵very pleased it’s cooled down now.

I see on the FB group that apologies have been made from you know who about not being around much lately.
After sorting personal issues they are promising to post more
So that’s something to look forward to 🙄

I am still peeved at the lack of new content. There’s only 3 new workouts in the whole month of June including the obligatory hour of yawn fest glutes

Many are saying that there’s plenty on the app to do whilst waiting and I agree but that’s not what I’m paying for. I want the motivation of a series or programme and a gap of 5 months is ridiculous !

I agree with those that are unhappy.
3 new workouts for the whole month is shit!
Waiting until September is also shit! when we are paying a monthly fee.
I have plenty of workouts to do on the app, but I can still think it's all a bit wrong.

There are actually 4 new workouts but 3 lower body and one upper, yes, delts 😱what a surprise. I don’t think she’s giving a great service to her subscribers. Already a lot are bored by her exercising focusing mainly on glutes and delts and no programme until September will be the last straw for many. I don’t care about her salads and silly boi boring articles. If she can’t deliver she needs to refund or bring someone else in who can

@samthebordercollie couldn’t have put it better myself.
@Enrichetta I also feel the same way. Caroline is excellent because she pushes you hard and gets results BUT the sessions have become as tedious as hell. It is always the same fire exercises and far too much emphasis on glutes and not enough on upper body.
i want to train but when I start sessions now I just get bored- really bored- oh- more rear delt work ? Another bazillion hip thrusts? 45 minutes on the quads with just three different exercises? This is where the epics were so excellent. Can’t say I miss renegade rows though.
i might just have to go back to epic three because I am starting to dread the training on the ap.it really is the lack of variety on the moves that is spoiling it for me. So, if anyone from CGX is scanning these boards please take note. There are a lot of fed up people out here.

Epic 3 is the one I keep coming back to!! But I’ve done it - or bits of it - soooooo many times…

Oh, to be able to muster the enthusiasm of the early days!! Hard to believe that I’ve been doing this for SIX years🙀

I did the newly released legs one today which I quite enjoyed. For some reason I did thrusts in place of bridges which I wouldn’t have done once upon a time. I’ll be actively choosing rear delt flyes and rows before you know it 😂.

I looked at the comments under the workout before starting it and again there was some unrest on there and people saying they wouldn’t have renewed if they’d known there was going to be no new workout till September.

Today’s workout wasn’t bodyweight so that might mean CG (sorry, I meant our Queen) isn’t nursing an injury after all.

I did a couple of rounds of the new workout as an add on. I think all the circuit workouts she does are a bit of a cop out as much less programming is involved when you’re doing several rounds of the same or nearly the same exercises! Must try harder, Caroline!

Ahh how did I not know there were a bunch of Girvanators on Mumsnet?! Caroline is single-handedly changing my body and giving me a figure I didn’t know I could have, and I’m loving every minute of it. I’m just starting the last week of Epic III which has been absolutely brutal, then I think I’ll do Epic I. I started with Iron randomly, then did it 5x a week in full, then Fuel 5x a week in full, and now Epic III (which was interrupted by three weeks of holiday). I’m not sure which one I’ll do next, still working my way through the free a YouTube programs.

Have a look at Epic Heat, @nonmerci99 . I’ve done this, and Epic 3, more than any of the others.

@samthebordercollie I loathe all circuit sessions- don’t know what it is with my brain and circuits. I prefer to just do say three sets of something and then know that I am done with it. Rev was not series that I enjoyed or finished!
@nonmerci99 hello! Yes we are here moaning away in a rather non sycophantic way and occasionally getting our wrists slapped for being so.

atm I am bumbling along with my own schedule of one leg day, one back and biceps, one glutes and hammies and one chest and triceps each week. I am tending to use epic heat for my lower body and an app one for my upper to keep things different. 30 mins is about all I can put up with these days without getting bored.

I’m on it!! I’ll try that one next. I did really love Fuel, I have to say. And I just love the fast pace of her workouts in general. I was considering paying for the app when I have done them all but it’s a shame to hear people aren’t the happiest with it.

Haha I get it! I’ve only been doing her workouts regularly for just under a year, so they’re still fun and new to me. I can totally understand how they could get boring! She sure does love a hip thrust. 😂

@nonmerci99 I started with her in spring 2021 so 5 years in now and I have been consistent and only ever really done her workouts. They work for sure. I am just not sure about the direction she is going in on the app. The you tube stuff is brilliant. It’s a bit hard care for me at times , even now and hard on the joints, not as young as I used to be!😭😭

Like @BigButtons I discovered Caroline during the pandemic, having followed Jo Wicks during lockdown, before road-testing various online trainers - but Mrs Girvan changed everything.

I’m in my 70s now and, following an injury, I’ve had to make some adjustments, mainly dialling down the weights somewhat….. but I’m still extremely fit. Especially if I compare myself to my friends. It is very sad to see how most of them, who have never bothered with any real exercise, are weak and diminished. Some of them keep having falls, they have no muscle strength and there are so many things they can no longer do. Whereas I still ski, hike, play tennis, cycle, swim…

one thing I would say: it is important to fit in some decent cardio in addition to the weight training - which is why I often alternate CG with Growingannanas, especially her Tabata workouts. I know many people love running , but I have always found it boring - plus I’m afraid of tripping or b*ggering up my knees.

Another thing that is really important to me is strengthening my core. I do a 3-5 minute plank every day. In addition I try walking whilst wearing my 5 kg weighted vest as much as possible - it not only strengthens my shoulders and upper body, but also improves my posture. It’s such an easy win for minimal effort!

@BigButtons Her workouts are absolutely deadly! I’ve never been so strong in my life, and I’m nowhere near lifting at her level — I max out at 10 kg dumbbells for lower body and tend to do 6 kg for upper as the workouts are too intense for me to sustain 8 kg. Hoping to move up though to 8 / 10 and eventually 12.5 for lower body but I think that’s a good two years away. I love the variety though, her no nonsense attitude and how genuinely helpful the videos are.

@Enrichetta That’s so inspiring, Enrichetta. I think all women should lift weights! My mum is in her mid 70s and I’ve been begging her to start some light weights, as she does no exercise and is stuck in an old school diet culture where all she really cares about is strict calorie restriction. She has no muscle mass and I worry about how she’s going to age. It’s awesome how mainstream lifting has become for women otherwise, it’s never been on my radar and I had no idea how much I would enjoy it.

You are right about regular cardio! I like the YouTube programs as there is one day of deadly cardio per week, though certainly I should be aiming for 3!

I did that one too and weirdly also did hip thrusts!
I dislike weighted bridges. They give me a weird feeling.