NROLFW vs Stronglifts vs Starting Strength vs Strong Curves
PeachyPlum
Posts: 1,243 Member
I just talked to my husband, and he said he would be happy to teach me proper lifting form when he comes home on leave next month!
I'm really excited, but now I need to choose a program and I'm overwhelmed!
Pros and cons of each?
I like the look of Strong Curves because I'm afraid of losing my booty as I drop these last 5 pounds, but I'm equally afraid of being teased mercilessly by my husband
I'm really excited, but now I need to choose a program and I'm overwhelmed!
Pros and cons of each?
I like the look of Strong Curves because I'm afraid of losing my booty as I drop these last 5 pounds, but I'm equally afraid of being teased mercilessly by my husband
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Replies
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I haven't tried the last two but I have done 12 weeks of stronglifts and just finished stage 1 of NROLFW. They both have their strong points and it will in part come down to preference.
Stronglifts was a great starting program because it's simple and straightforward. There are just 5 lifts to learn for it. Some find that fact a little boring because it's the same lifts all the time, and some lifts are harder to increase than others (overhead press for most). However, it's great in particular if looking at increasing strength.
NROLFW is far more varied. It has different stages and each one has some lifts that differ though they keep a few the same. With the different types of lifts used, at times you do feel like you're wandering around the gym lost trying to find the equipment you need on the different days. So, the variety can both be a plus and a disadvantage.
So far, I haven't had strength increases as much on NROLFW as I did SL but it has only been about 5.5 weeks, so I need to give it a little more time before judging that factor. I've lost weight during both due to following a calorie deficit but I have a lot to lose still.
Some of the programs also have groups here on MFP and are helpful in learning more on them.
Good luck picking one and have fun.
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If you're working out at home, NROLFW can be difficult to complete. I had difficulties completing it at a gym due the equipment I had available. It always becomes very complicated and that drove me nuts.
I switched to SL for simplicity.
Starting Strength and SL are almost identical - SS has cleans if I recall correctly. I believe SL was based off of SS.
I've never done Strong Curves, I have the book and I was considering it but the gym I was attending at the gym, had a guy who would watch me while I deadlifted or squatted (like was legit watching me) so I opted to not do Strong Curves. I like having the book and I've used it as reference a few times so even if you don't do the program, I suggest getting the book, same with NROLFW.
I currently follow ICF 5x5 aka Ice Cream Fitness 5x5 aka Blaha 5x5. It's a lot like SL, in fact it's based off of it, but it has isolation work as well. It takes between 60-90 minutes to complete.0 -
SL5x5 and Starting Strength are going to have you working with heavier weights, doing 5 reps. The other two programs will have you working a bit lighter because you'll be doing more reps (as reps increase, the weight you lift decreases), ranging from 8-12 for many lifts to up to 30 on some things with Strong Curves.
I've done Strong Curves and really liked it. I will admit to being a bit turned off, on first glance, by the names of the workouts (Booty-ful Beginnings, etc.) But once I stopped my eye rolling I ended up liking the programs (and the book.) You'd be doing some of the same lifts you'd do with SL5x5 and SS (bench press, row, OHP, squat, etc.) with additional variations thrown in. I picked SC because I struggled big time with back squats and wanted a program that would have me try out other squats. I didn't really have an opinion one way or the other about the glute work at first but ended up liking it (probably especially so because it is so easy to add strength in that area) in the end.
NROLFW - I have the book but wasn't really fond of the program. I mostly didn't like the rep scheme, which has you start at 15 reps and then decrease them every week. The guidance for determining what weight to start with was "women should lift more than they think and men should lift less," which was just annoying. At that point I knew nothing about calculators like this, which help you predict your rep maxes so I picked a higher weight than I had been lifting for the prior few months, which ended up being too much and after futzing around with it all and feeling like several workouts were wasted, I said forget it. That being said, I know that a lot of people like the program so I just figure it wasn't a good match for me but is great for others.1 -
What are your goals (besides keeping your butt as you lose 5lbs)?
The lower rep, higher weight programs will focus on strength. The moderate rep, moderate weight will focus on hypertrophy (muscle mass).0 -
Thank you everyone, this is exactly the kind of information I needed without knowing the right questions to ask!DawnEmbers wrote: »NROLFW is far more varied. It has different stages and each one has some lifts that differ though they keep a few the same. With the different types of lifts used, at times you do feel like you're wandering around the gym lost trying to find the equipment you need on the different days. So, the variety can both be a plus and a disadvantage.
I'll have my hubby for a month, then I'll be more or less on my own for the next 6 months. Would you say that NROLFW is too complicated to learn all the lifts in a month? I need to stop by the gym and get a tour of the weight rooms to see what equipment I'll have available, I guess.lishie_rebooted wrote: »I've never done Strong Curves, I have the book and I was considering it but the gym I was attending at the gym, had a guy who would watch me while I deadlifted or squatted (like was legit watching me) so I opted to not do Strong Curves.
I did a little Google searching on Strong Curves and I see that some of the moves could be a little... awkward to do in a co-ed gym. I'll be working out in a military gym, and I feel like maybe I'd feel a little uncomfortable doing the routines in a room full of active duty service members.AllanMisner wrote: »What are your goals (besides keeping your butt as you lose 5lbs)?
The lower rep, higher weight programs will focus on strength. The moderate rep, moderate weight will focus on hypertrophy (muscle mass).
Recomp primarily, and building functional strength. I'm not into muscle mass (except maybe in the aforementioned booty) so maybe a heavier, lower rep program is more my speed, with some extra high rep glute work from the Strong Curves book (done in the privacy of my own home).
Not to sound lazy, but does a low rep, higher weight program take less time at the actual gym? I work 60 hours a week and have a long commute. If a workout takes me 50 minutes instead of 70, that's 20 precious minutes I can spend with my dogs.0 -
With a lower rep program, your rest times may be longer because you might be lifting the weight fewer times but the effort is greater since it's more weight. On the flip side, the two lower rep programs listed have fewer exercises overall so it may even out.0
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A solid 5 x 5 program with five compound movements takes me a little over an hour. I allot 90 minutes to include warm up and cool down. I get that you value your time, but this is an investment in your health.0
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AllanMisner wrote: »A solid 5 x 5 program with five compound movements takes me a little over an hour. I allot 90 minutes to include warm up and cool down. I get that you value your time, but this is an investment in your health.
No, I totally agree - I was just saying that if one takes significantly longer to complete, it might not be a great choice for me right now, all other things being equal.
Specifically, I was thinking that if NROLFW requires a whole bunch of different equipment in one day, I might find myself standing around a lot waiting for my turn on equipment. Standing in 5 lines is way better than standing in 9 when your time is limited.0 -
With a lower rep program, your rest times may be longer because you might be lifting the weight fewer times but the effort is greater since it's more weight. On the flip side, the two lower rep programs listed have fewer exercises overall so it may even out.
That's a great point, I didn't think about rest time. I'll basically have to use the gym on peak hours, so fewer exercises might mean less messing about waiting.
Speaking of which, what do you do while you're waiting on equipment? Just move around and try to keep the heart rate up?0 -
NROLFW might be too complicated to learn in a month. It's 7 stages and each stage is 4-6 weeks or so with different lifts in each stage0
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PeachyPlum wrote: »With a lower rep program, your rest times may be longer because you might be lifting the weight fewer times but the effort is greater since it's more weight. On the flip side, the two lower rep programs listed have fewer exercises overall so it may even out.
That's a great point, I didn't think about rest time. I'll basically have to use the gym on peak hours, so fewer exercises might mean less messing about waiting.
Speaking of which, what do you do while you're waiting on equipment? Just move around and try to keep the heart rate up?
Just do what I need to do to recover for the next set. I will get some water and often sit down (especially after squats and deadlifts).
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PeachyPlum wrote: »With a lower rep program, your rest times may be longer because you might be lifting the weight fewer times but the effort is greater since it's more weight. On the flip side, the two lower rep programs listed have fewer exercises overall so it may even out.
That's a great point, I didn't think about rest time. I'll basically have to use the gym on peak hours, so fewer exercises might mean less messing about waiting.
Speaking of which, what do you do while you're waiting on equipment? Just move around and try to keep the heart rate up?
My gym only has one power rack and one bench press rack, so if i go at peak times I'm definitely waiting. If I am waiting on the squat rack and it's a bench day, I'll do bench first. If both are taken, I'll do whatever doesn't require a rack (deadlifts or rows) and if it's really crowded I'll do either light warmups like bodyweight squats or some inverse rows, etc.
This mostly only happens on weekends because when I go at 5am I am usually one of the first people in the weight room.0 -
PeachyPlum wrote: »AllanMisner wrote: »A solid 5 x 5 program with five compound movements takes me a little over an hour. I allot 90 minutes to include warm up and cool down. I get that you value your time, but this is an investment in your health.
No, I totally agree - I was just saying that if one takes significantly longer to complete, it might not be a great choice for me right now, all other things being equal.
Specifically, I was thinking that if NROLFW requires a whole bunch of different equipment in one day, I might find myself standing around a lot waiting for my turn on equipment. Standing in 5 lines is way better than standing in 9 when your time is limited.
It's not 5 lines.
It's 3.
A: squat, bench, row.
B: squat, deadlift, OHP
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lishie_rebooted wrote: »NROLFW might be too complicated to learn in a month. It's 7 stages and each stage is 4-6 weeks or so with different lifts in each stage
Yeah, that might be tricky. I'd have to learn lifts that I wouldn't be doing again for months, and I'm not sure if I could keep my form down until then. That might be one to wait on until I have more consistent assistance.0 -
There's nothing complicated about NROLFW. The moves are in the book and they're fairly simple to learn. If you want your husband to help you out on form, I would spend time on your squat and deadlift.0
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sgthaggard wrote: »There's nothing complicated about NROLFW. The moves are in the book and they're fairly simple to learn. If you want your husband to help you out on form, I would spend time on your squat and deadlift.
The moves themselves aren't complicated but the program is.
It was a PITA keeping track of that program and I used a spreadsheet0 -
But her husband isn't going to be there to help her with the program (I'm assuming he hasn't done it), just the moves.lishie_rebooted wrote: »sgthaggard wrote: »There's nothing complicated about NROLFW. The moves are in the book and they're fairly simple to learn. If you want your husband to help you out on form, I would spend time on your squat and deadlift.
The moves themselves aren't complicated but the program is.
It was a PITA keeping track of that program and I used a spreadsheet
I don't know, I didn't have much problem following it. And if she has problems, there are lots of people here who can explain it to her pretty quickly.0 -
sgthaggard wrote: »
But her husband isn't going to be there to help her with the program (I'm assuming he hasn't done it), just the moves.lishie_rebooted wrote: »sgthaggard wrote: »There's nothing complicated about NROLFW. The moves are in the book and they're fairly simple to learn. If you want your husband to help you out on form, I would spend time on your squat and deadlift.
The moves themselves aren't complicated but the program is.
It was a PITA keeping track of that program and I used a spreadsheet
Right. As such, it's not (IMHO) a particularly good idea to try to learn however many different moves and variations, then do some of them, then try to remember how to do the others as they come up.
With SS or SL, you learn 5 lifts. For OP's goals, those 5 moves, and the progression that follows, is quite likely to be her best bet - especially since she won't have to figure out where to start (like you do with NROL).
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I don't think that the moves for NROLFW are tricky either. As much as I didn't enjoy the program, I think that the book is great as a reference tool since the glossary of exercises is pretty easy to understand.
During rest times, I drink some water and stay where I am because I don't want to lose my spot.0 -
sgthaggard wrote: »
But her husband isn't going to be there to help her with the program (I'm assuming he hasn't done it), just the moves.lishie_rebooted wrote: »sgthaggard wrote: »There's nothing complicated about NROLFW. The moves are in the book and they're fairly simple to learn. If you want your husband to help you out on form, I would spend time on your squat and deadlift.
The moves themselves aren't complicated but the program is.
It was a PITA keeping track of that program and I used a spreadsheet
Right. As such, it's not (IMHO) a particularly good idea to try to learn however many different moves and variations, then do some of them, then try to remember how to do the others as they come up.
With SS or SL, you learn 5 lifts. For OP's goals, those 5 moves, and the progression that follows, is quite likely to be her best bet - especially since she won't have to figure out where to start (like you do with NROL).
This seems reasonable, as a starting point. It's not like when you start one program you swear off all others for ever and ever.
I'll probably start with one of these two. They are simple, they seem to align with my goals, and it will be easy for hubby to follow my progress if I'm doing the same lifts throughout - that kind of stuff helps us feel connected over the miles
If six months from now I want to change it up, I'll take a another look at the other programs.0 -
I'd agree that it's not necessarily complicated in the how to learn the moves, just a lot more moving around as you have to go from squat or deadlift to cable and dumbbells or rail/ground (pending on your pushup abilities. From there it's find a stability ball, step and dumbbells. That's what is needed for stage 1. The deadlift and the squat do take the most work in form. Overall, not hard to learn plus there is a book that explains each move, just more moving around.
With SL it was squat rack (which would sometimes also do overhead press in since I go at 11 pm so not busy time), bench and deadlift spot, though sometimes I did non-pendlay rows elsewhere.
Stage 2 in NROLFW includes a step for deadlift (that should be interesting, different cable, dumbbells and varied set of crunches along with some floor space for things like the plank.
I liked starting with stronglifts as I hadn't lifted in a long time and it helped me get comfortable with weightlifting again. NROLFW is taking me out of comfort zone but I'm kinda glad I didn't start there. Sounds like SS or SL will be good options. Plus that is a nice bonus of having that connection when enduring time apart like that. So, good luck and have fun.0 -
I'd recommend doing SL 5x5 (sooo fun. I loved it my first time around) and, like you mentioned earlier, supplement at home with some glute work from Strong Curves. Trust me, you'll need them. I'm doing the SC beginner program right now, to get back ROM and posterior chain strength before starting SL again. However, I may not switch for quite a while, I'm enjoying SC so much.
But SL will be fun to do with your husband. Oh - your SL lifts will improve faster and with better form if you include the extra glute work, btw. Here's a fun story from Bret's SC book:
Kellie’s Notes on Muscle Size vs. Muscular Strength—My Davis Versus Goliath Story
I’m not intimidating by any means. Sure, I look athletic, but most people expect me to walk into the gym and head to yoga class. The other day, I was training with the Strong Curves Program and working on my barbell glute bridges. There just happened to be a band of male pro bodybuilders across the room doing a lot more talking than working. I guess my bridges caught their attention because one of them, a top ten Mr. Olympia contender who was only a few weeks out from a show, came over and asked if he could try the exercise. I warned him that it wasn’t as easy as it looked, and it took a long time to work up to the weight I was using, which was a meager three hundred fifty-five pounds. Surely, my tiny one hundred twenty-eight-pound frame was no match for this beast with forearms larger than my legs. He inched under the bar, barely able to get it over his massive quads, and lay there trapped. Sweat poured down his forehead, and grunts bellowed out from his throat, while the bar didn’t move a single centimeter. He couldn’t lift it off the floor with his hips because his glutes weren’t strong enough. He spent more time in the gym each week than I probably spent all month, but all that training didn’t translate to hip strength. In fact, many bodybuilders train their glutes inadequately, and it shows on stage. For a good twenty minutes after his humiliating defeat, he came up with several “tricks” that he was sure I had used to move the weight. But, rest assured, no trickery was involved. It’s just good work ethic, the right programming, and learning to activate the glutes properly so they grow in strength and size. Sadly for him, my glutes are just stronger than his in that range of motion.
Contreras, Bret; Davis, Kellie (2013-03-31). Strong Curves: A Woman's Guide to Building a Better Butt and Body (Kindle Locations 738-739). Victory Belt Publishing. Kindle Edition.
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Posting to keep track of this thread, interesting stuff here.0
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I've read NROLFW but it just seems too complicated. I have been doing something like StrongLifts for the past few weeks, but I realized my glutes aren't firing. So I just ordered Strong Curves and can't wait to start.0
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For what it's worth, I am about half way through NROLFW and have not had any problems learning the lifts or finding the stuff I need to do them at the Y I go to. I will be looking for something after I have finished with it so I am keeping an eye on this thread and peoples' experiences 0
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