Help - Caroline Girvan workout questions for a newbie.

[Llamadramarama]

Thanks to some posters on my previous thread, I've just done my first Caroline Girvan workout and feel great (and a little sore!). I need a bit of guidance though as she has so many videos on her channel. I did a Heat workout as I read somewhere on here that that was better for beginners?

Questions:
-Should I start with Heat or Epic workout and what is the difference?
-There's a 9 min workout video at the top - do I do that everyday before the actual workout video?
-How many days or how often should I be doing the videos?
-Caroline used 9kg weight for day 2 - I used 3kg and that was pretty hard towards the end of the sets! Is this being feeble and pointless - do I need to try to up my dumbbell already?

Thanks!

I’ve also seen the Iron too - now even more unsure which one to start with!

No don't up your weights. The time to increase weights is when you can complete the current workout at the current rate with a feeling you could do another set of reps.

You might find thinking about the principle of "reps in reserve" - RIR. HOw many reps can you do with good form in the set? And if you were to continue, how many more could you do - with good form?

To begin with, work on the principle of 1-2 RiR. Then when you think you could do another 3 or 4, go up in weight a bit, or do another set (you can pause the video).

Alot of people start with iron. No cardio. Slow steady.

If you fancy killing yourself with Burpees some days, pick another series. Alot of them involve cardio days, and they are not for the faint hearted.

Burpees are horrible after the first 20, but they're a very good all over training move - they train mobility, aerobic capacity, and the capacity to get yourself up off the floor when you're 80.

At least that's what my PT tells me when he sets me a burpee for every year of my age as a birthday treat each year.

Following. Have been trying to pluck uo the courage to start…

Ohh do it. I feel achy this evening but a good ache in that I know I've worked out and hopefully done some good. I'm aiming to do the 10 week programme starting today in time for summer..

This is really useful, posted by another mumsnetter:
I found this useful tool with detailed information of all her programmes
https://airtable.com/app90kt6Fz0MBfrty/shrCApiBkaRj96F2D/tblYUQZ5tiHHku1dI

Oh good!!! I shall start tomorrow … Thank you for the motivation!

👀 I’ve been meaning to start some kind of resistance training.

Heat is a great programme. If you enjoyed the one you did, why not do it all, starting with day one?

Commenting to watch the thread. Thanks

I want to start. I'm very unfit and disabled but I did epic beginner a year ago. I just need 30 mins without work or DC around!

What I don't understand is how to get weights. I've never seen weights in shops? Do I buy online? And if so the poor delivery driver!?

i picked some up a our local charity shop the other day or look on Facebook marketplace for cheap ones. But if not, Argos does them to order or collect and also Amazon etc. do.

Good luck! What one will you start with? My arms are aching more this morning 😅 thinking of doing the leg one today or even one without any weights just while I ease myself into it!

I'll have to Amazon I guess and apologise to the poor person trying to lob them over the fence.

Caroline Girvan has an app called CGX. On the app there is a programme called Ultimate Beginner. It is a true beginner's course and teaches proper form.

Nothing of hers on YouTube is for true beginners.

You can get a free trial of her app for 2 weeks and then cancel, so you could do the first 2 weeks of the Ultimate Beginner programme at least and get a foundation and some form training, before switching to YouTube. Or pay for a month and finish the 6-week course, then cancel.

Will start with beginner Epic

am excited

Lol. They’re used to it. The guy delivering my 10kgs looked at me very doubtfully and said, ‘it’s heavy…’ Yes I hope so!

Beginner Epic isn't an actual beginner's course (it's very poorly named!). It just means it's the introduction to the Epic series, but it's not geared to actual beginners to lifting weights.

Iron on YouTube is a better place to start for beginners.

(Actually Ultimate Beginner on the Caroline Girvan CGX app is the best place to start, but if you want to use YouTube, then go with Iron.)

Oh and for the PP who wanted 30-min workouts, have a look at her Christmas Advent Calendar series. They're shorter workouts.

thank you