Caroline Girvan 2026- sore but still scrolling.

[BigButtons]

New thread!

There are four EPIC programmes and one called Fuel. The best way to compare is to speed-watch a full-body workout from each.

I remember EPIC 1 and 2 sessions being significantly longer than EPIC 3 and Heat.

Heat and fuel are very different beasts. I never get why people say they are similar. I loved heat. Heat had short sets and very short rests maybe 10-15 seconds so you were constantly moving. It deffo got the heart rate up. Fuel was weird- each session had a mix of dumbbell work and then you randomly threw yourself to the floor for a set of burpees.

I know I am moaning but so far in the app she has done two progs in formats I hate - circuits and full body. Play, CGX iron and pe were the only ones I liked well enough to finish a prog rather than give up . I got bored of iron pro and intent . Thing for me is the lack of variety of moves now so in some ways it is irrelevant what style of training. She chooses because it will be the same old limited moves anyway.

There are 5 Epic programmes don’t forget Endgame!
Fuel was cardio with weights, nothing wrong with cardio days but when you mix burpees and lifting it isn’t the best way to build muscle

I don’t like the sound of only 1 upper body workout a week so don’t think I’ll be joining in. I’ve been working through Iron Pro in the absence of a new programme and am particularly enjoying the upper body days.

Okay yeah I don't want to do any cardio. I prefer to run. But I never do five days a week of whatever she puts out anyway so this new program might still work for me. I think by next summer I might have a rack and bench so will be trying to incorporate those by then, so I'll head back to iron pro.

Big buttons think you've also ruined circuits for me. I too now find them pretty tedious to get through.

Lol @Fibrous ! I don’t know what it is about circuits. My brain just prefers to be done with an exercise or small group of exercises. I can cope with doing a set of 4 moves three times no issue. I just want to concentrate on that move. I lived 10x10 for that reason.
I remember doing fuel when it came out and stuck with it but I realised that my body was not responding well at all. I never felt like I had worked it properly, something felt lacking, it was all the cardio moves mixed in I guess. But then the concentration on lower body made me very tired and I began to dread sessions.
I went back to epic three and was much happier.
having said all that I was ok with CGX iron but found you tube iron very boring, so maybe the new series will be a bit different to the you tube one? If I did do it I would certainly change one lower body to an upper every other week.
my app subscription is due on 17/9 so I have 10 days to check it out.
I don’t seem to like the most popular formats- typical me. I crave variety 🤷🏻‍♀️🤷🏻‍♀️

I would investigate other trainers but I don’t know of any that match her intensity.

The thing I like about circuits is that they give my wrists a break between exercises where I'm using my heaviest weights for, e.g lunges. I struggle doing three sets of lunges on each side because I'm holding the heavy weights for 6 exercises in a row. I did buy some wrist straps a while ago but couldn't get used to them. I maybe need to try some different ones.

I am with you on the variety. If I get bored of a series I dread every workout and it is too much of a mental barrier to push through. I have cancelled the app now as was paying monthly. I might subscribe for the new series when I know a bit more about it. I've always wondered why Caroline doesn't have more variety for abs/core exercises? It always seems to be some variation of a reverse crunch. I do Pilates as well and there are so many effective core moves you can do.

i did an iron leg day this morning and enjoyed it. I really should do more 😆!

I agree with you @ItsCoolForCats about Caroline’s ab moves
Heather Robertson has a much more varied repertoire, loads of different ab movements and some , particularly the plank variations I find quite challenging
give me a burpee over a side plank any day!

I have the Down Dog app and do Pilates on there. The ab series leave me a quivering mess 🤣 But I don't mind a side plank or even side plank crunches if I'm in the mood.

I'm on my last week of HR Lean programme. I like that ab/core work is incorporated through the series, e.g. on the hiit and cardio days, so it feels like I am working this area frequently. I have neglected it in the past.

I love standing ab exercises with weights . Caroline has done just one sadly . I have mild scoliosis and find lying mat work very hard on my lower back. Maybe I need to search more of those out

I loathe ab work, im shit at it and it always hurts my neck(so im probably not doing it right)
Weighted Standing abs is so much better and I have totally got out of the habit of doing those so thanks for the reminder 😀
Though I dont know why I bother as im a fat bloated sweaty peri mess right now 🙃

Yeah I find ab work affects my pelvic floor - I have some weird stuff going on with the muscles between my belly button and urethra and get stabbing pain for days after from certain ab work. The physio told me to do more yoga and breath work, but like all physio, I get lazy and only do it when I'm in pain! I used to do banded pull ups in the gym and that really screwed up my pelvic floor.

I have bad DOMS from yesterdays workout - the sign I really need to do this stuff more often!!

You don’t HAVE to do conventional crunches and the like, @TessTickle0

my favourite abs workout is planks. So many variations… And there’s leg raises, bicycle crunches, dead bugs, Russian twists, scissor kicks, mountain climbers, good old push-ups…….

I think the saying is that abs are made in the kitchen 🤣
The biggest difference I’ve made to
my abs is kettlebell workouts
I belong to a studio that does hour long kettlebell classes, I don’t go into the studio anymore but I do them all online
very different to what’s available online as there’s loads of swinging which is fab for building good ab resistance and for cardio
too, loads of different moves too
Kettlebells are my passion, can I get a Whoop Whoop for this

Yeah im ok with Russian twists, will have to incorporate more planks i think, I usually just pick a CG ab workout and try desperately to follow along..

Try this, which I have been doing for years. But maybe turn off the volume - after listening to her once…

You see I dont like kettlebell swings much either.😀 sounds like a wee spicy workout whoop whoop let's go! Will be swole 💪
But I do agree they get my heart rate up so probably worth doing them for a bit of cardio.
If it worked I would just do upper body everyday-but no rear delt flies 😉

I like Growingannanas for cardio/HIIT, especially her Tabata workouts - with and without weights.

Caroline has some great plank workouts.

Hi folks. We're dropping in to say we absolutely don't mind posts discussing and reviewing these things, but please avoid making the comments too personal about named individuals. Thanks.

Oh dear I think the small penis comments hit a nerve.

Indeed.
Told off again.
Surely there's a workout to film and photograph?? Get off mumsnet.

Anyway, I did Iron day 37 this morning, chest and triceps, which means I've completed three sessions in one week for the first time in ages. Hopefully I'm refinding my mojo.

Halfway through a repeat of Max
Can I get a Whoop Whoop 🙌