REVIEW: Caroline Girvan’s IRON Series
I did it!
After years of looking at Caroline Girvan’s different YouTube fitness series, I finally picked one and committed.
I chose the IRON Series as my focus was on building strength, rather than cardio, and it seemed like a good beginner program that would allow me to focus on good form rather than speed.
Please note: These are my personal ramblings on my personal experiences with Caroline Girvan’s IRON Series. I’m not a personal trainer, medical doctor, or anything related to the healthcare/fitness/wellness world. Talk to your doctor about changes to your exercise habits, diet, etc., rather than random people on the internet.
What is Caroline Girvan’s IRON Series?
Admittedly, another big reason I picked Caroline Girvan’s IRON Series is it’s fairly short. I figured if I didn’t like it, I could power through it. It’s only 30 workouts total spread out across 6 weeks. Check out the full calendar on her website. Plus, the workouts themselves are limited to about 30 minutes, which is my sweet spot for strength workouts.
The plan is loosely two lower body days, two upper body days, and a full body workout each week with two rest days (one labeled an active rest day and one an actual rest day). Though, she does get more specific on what she’s targeting depending on the day of the week. For example, Wednesdays are largely glute workouts rather than total lower body.
The equipment needed is fairly limited as this is designed to be done at home: Dumbbells, glute bands, a yoga block, something you can step up on, and a chair. (This is the total equipment for the whole IRON Series; you don’t use all of this every single workout.) I personally used my plyo box for steps ups and for hip thrusts. Even if you don’t have some of this equipment, you could get creative or just skip it entirely and do an alternate move.
My Experience with Caroline Girvan’s IRON Series
Caroline Girvan has long been one of my favorites in the fitness YouTube world. I love the formatting of her videos and appreciate the tips that pop up on screen to help you with form. The IRON Series was no exception!
I was initially a little hesitant as I generally seek out her “no repeat” workout videos, but I found I actually don’t mind repeating moves. In a way, it’s nice not to have to hustle during your rest break to get into a new position and grab the appropriate weights.
It turns out, what I actually don’t like in a workout are circuits. Thankfully, circuits are very limited and mostly toward the end of the IRON Series. But for whatever reason, when I know I’m going to have to repeat the move 3 different times over the course of the workout, I don’t push as hard in terms of weight. It’s like I’m holding something back? Maybe, it’s my runner’s brain at work.
But now for the big question: Did I see any results?
Absolutely, yes! I’ve noticed the biggest difference in my upper body. My arms have some new muscle now and I have even received a compliment about my biceps.
I also found I’m able to push harder on certain moves. At the start of the IRON Series, I could barely do more than 3 chair dips in a minute. Now, I can do way more before needing a break!
While I found the lower body workouts challenging, I can’t tell how much progress I’ve made on that front. My lower body was stronger than my upper body from the beginning, and I’ve run into a bit of a challenge in terms of being restricted on dumbbells. I may need to buy some new weights to keep going with progressive overload. I’m also guilty of not pushing as hard on lower body. The idea of doing lunges using my heaviest weights is… unappealing.
Final Thoughts on Caroline Girvan’s IRON Series
Some pros:
- I’m definitely stronger!
- I enjoyed the variety of the days and enjoyed the variety of moves. I got to try new exercises I haven’t come across before.
- I liked being challenged, but not rushed. You’re always advised to take your rest periods and then transition slowly into the next move, even if that means you’re not ready to go when the timer beeps.
Some cons:
- I still can’t do more than 2 or 3 push-ups. But I think this is an area that I’ll need to focus on specifically to progress. That said, I can lower myself to the ground slower than before which is something.
- I wish there had been more calf-focused moves. But again, this is something I need to focus on specifically after a previous running injury.
- I hate renegade rows. I think is self-explanatory.
So, what’s next?
I’m still deciding, but I’m leaning toward re-running the IRON Series. I feel like this is an exercise program that’s as challenging as you want it to be. You could always push the weight higher or try to push your reps higher.
When I was reading other people’s experiences, it seems like a lot of people progress from the IRON Series into the Fuel Series. And it does look like a good program! But from a brief glance at the videos involved, it appears to include more cardio than Iron, which I’m not really looking for right now. Maybe in the future!
I’m also considering taking a break from a set program as I have some personal things coming up that will take more of my time and maybe doing a full body workout either 2x or 3x a week and more core-focused work the other days. I’m a huge fan of the Beginner EPIC full body workout video: