Content
Context
I had fallen off the routine of working out. After taking a break for one week following my vaccination, it was hard to get back on track. That was until I came across Caroline Girvan's workout and the positive feedback it was gaining. I decided to give her Beginner EPIC Series, which consists of workouts to do over five days a try. Here is how it went.
Day 1 - Lower Body
Despite working out on and off before this, I still felt that this workout was a tad bit challenging. I paused a few times to take additional breaks and to figure out the movements, especially for the Bulgarian Lunges. Towards the end, I did get cramps but, that's probably on me for not stretching well enough. However, it was worth every second, even during the static lunge, which looks alright but had me crying mentally.
Day 2 -Upper Body
Before this workout, I wondered how many types of upper body exercises can there possibly be. Turns out, enough for a 30-minute workout that doesn't have repetitions. One thing to note, towards the end my wrists felt a bit sore and I did have to take a break. I also struggled during the up and down plank and moving plank but really enjoyed doing the Cobra push-up every third exercise. It felt like a timestamp signifying the end was getting closer and when it did arrive, it left me feeling accomplished!
Day 3 -Ab & Core
For this workout, I did like how she had alternatives for some of the exercises. I started with the challenging ones and when needed, I switched to the alternatives. Surprisingly enough, I enjoyed the planks but struggled with the plank lifts and had to go on my elbows. Overall, compared to the previous days I felt less of a burn. Not being too sure about my posture could have been a reason. For the exercises that involved a V sit, balancing without hurting my tail bone was challenging. Despite this, I still am grateful to have done this workout!
Day 4 -Dumbell Full Body
LOVED IT SO MUCH! If there was such thing as the perfect workout this would be it for me. Didn’t have to pause to take a break for this one but the lunge pulses had me struggling. As someone who prefers weight training over cardio, I enjoyed this workout and felt that time couldn't have gone faster. However, speaking of cardio, I was a little nervous about Day 5.
Day 5 - Full Body HIIT
Turns out, I had nothing to worry about. Time went relatively fast and the exercises were easy to follow. I really appreciate this, especially when doing HIIT workouts. I rather not have to figure out how to do an exercise while struggling to catch my breath. Balance was also a challenge for me during this workout (something I have realised I need to work on). I do recommend having a full bottle of water for this workout. Let's just say the almost empty one I had finished in one gulp, left me desperate for more.
Warm-ups and Cool-downs
For this series, there are two warm-ups. One meant for the first four days and another to suit the HIIT workout on the last day. Both are about five minutes long which is great for someone like me who just wants to get straight into the workout.
Unlike her warm-ups which can be found in separate videos, her cool-downs are at the end of each workout. Before doing this series, I had not known how much I preferred this added touch. I like not needing to click to another video for the cool-down, especially after a workout that has left me tired and trying to catch my breath.
Final thoughts
Overall, I enjoyed doing this series and found it immensely satisfying to complete. I appreciate how everything has been planned out and I just have to play the workout video for the day.
After doing this for the past month, I am getting better at the workouts, especially in my balance, and noticing subtle changes in my body. I must admit that I am still struggling with doing the cardio days, something I need to start pushing myself to do. For now, I will be sticking with this series as I don't feel like I am physically ready to start the next EPIC series. However, I am eager to get there eventually. In the meantime, feel free to check out my other posts on working out where I share more about working out consistently or the other topics I write about such as skincare and my life experiences.