stages 2 & 4

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  • VickiG36
    VickiG36 Posts: 350 Member
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    I knew what you meant.

    Agreed these workouts are getting a little too long. So last night I did the interval workout and then did the rest of the program this morning and it still took me an hour to complete and I've cut down the rest time in between sets.
  • blueboxblues
    blueboxblues Posts: 73 Member
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    Is anyone else doing these in a home gym? I read the instructions on how to do the wood chops without the machine but I feel like I'm kind of just rolling around on the floor. I do feel the resistance in my abs, but I still feel like I'm not doing it quite right.
  • sclaibo
    sclaibo Posts: 136 Member
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    Back to stage 4 yesterday! I feel like I had the most success in stage 2 so I am glad to be back. Not looking forward to doing stage 5 again!
  • SairahRose
    SairahRose Posts: 412 Member
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    Is anyone else doing these in a home gym? I read the instructions on how to do the wood chops without the machine but I feel like I'm kind of just rolling around on the floor. I do feel the resistance in my abs, but I still feel like I'm not doing it quite right.

    I feel exactly the same way. But I'm keeping going just in case something works..

    I'm having to switch up the HIIT. I'm physically exhausted since I walk 2x 50 mins every day with the school run. So I'm doing the HIIT by adding it into the walk twice a week and it fits much better.
  • runzalot81
    runzalot81 Posts: 782 Member
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    I'm starting Stage 4 today or tomorrow.

    I do it all at home. I don't mind the adapted wood chops so much as some of the other exercises. The Hannah Side Flexion? Maybe I was always doing them wrong but I felt like I got more exercise sitting on the couch flipping the pages of my book. Often, I'd replace something I thought was ineffective with something I learned from Crossfit WODs or P90X.

    They do seem long which is a bonus for working out at home. I power clean my house during the rests. Lift. Clean the toilet. Lift. Clean the sink. Lift. Empty the dishwasher. :drinker: I can also squeeze in homework questions from my little guy.

    I didn't really do any HIIT during Stage 2 :embarassed: I just keep up with my running on my in-between lifting days.
  • M00NPYE
    M00NPYE Posts: 193 Member
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    So I have completed 4 workouts on Stage 2 (my sheet is filled up), do I need a new sheet for 4 more workouts or am I done???? I don't have my book with me.

    And in stage 2 we do 10 reps all along right? just checking. thx.
  • 40mpw
    40mpw Posts: 75 Member
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    So I have completed 4 workouts on Stage 2 (my sheet is filled up), do I need a new sheet for 4 more workouts or am I done???? I don't have my book with me.

    And in stage 2 we do 10 reps all along right? just checking. thx.

    It's four of workout A and 4 of workout B, for 8 total workouts. 10 reps for everything.
  • M00NPYE
    M00NPYE Posts: 193 Member
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    So I have completed 4 workouts on Stage 2 (my sheet is filled up), do I need a new sheet for 4 more workouts or am I done???? I don't have my book with me.

    And in stage 2 we do 10 reps all along right? just checking. thx.

    It's four of workout A and 4 of workout B, for 8 total workouts. 10 reps for everything.

    Thanks! That kinda bums me out b/c I was looking forward to putting some plates on my fspp on my next workout... :frown: Oh well on to the next stage I guess! :drinker:
  • suelegal
    suelegal Posts: 1,282 Member
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    I'm starting Stage 4 today or tomorrow.

    I do it all at home. I don't mind the adapted wood chops so much as some of the other exercises. The Hannah Side Flexion? Maybe I was always doing them wrong but I felt like I got more exercise sitting on the couch flipping the pages of my book. Often, I'd replace something I thought was ineffective with something I learned from Crossfit WODs or P90X.

    They do seem long which is a bonus for working out at home. I power clean my house during the rests. Lift. Clean the toilet. Lift. Clean the sink. Lift. Empty the dishwasher. :drinker: I can also squeeze in homework questions from my little guy.

    I didn't really do any HIIT during Stage 2 :embarassed: I just keep up with my running on my in-between lifting days.

    Runz, I did (still do) side flixions standing, holding a #45 plate and lifting it sideways like this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sycE62Mtu9A - I hold the plate in my left hand first and reach down as far as I can with my right hand, do all 15 then switch sides
  • Mouse_Potato
    Mouse_Potato Posts: 1,495 Member
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    I did my first stage 4 workout today. I don't remember stage 2 being quite this... brutal. That extra set just makes all the difference in my little world! By the time I was done, my grip was so shot I had trouble fastening my bra! :laugh:
  • M00NPYE
    M00NPYE Posts: 193 Member
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    I just realized I didn't do any interval training in stage 2... :embarassed:
  • Mouse_Potato
    Mouse_Potato Posts: 1,495 Member
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    So, it took me a few days to recover from S4A1, but today I dragged myself to the gym and knocked out B1. I am discovering that rest weeks are not a good idea for me. Almost all of my weights went down from Stage 2 except my lat pulldowns (probably due to the pole work). Has anyone else experienced this?
  • 40mpw
    40mpw Posts: 75 Member
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    Completed Stage 2 today. No tremendous changes in the amount I was able to lift, but here's how I did:

    Workout 1 ---> Workout 4

    front squat/ push press 20 ---> 30
    step-up 10 ---> 22.5
    DB 1 pt row 10 ---> 22.5
    static lunge, rear foot elevated 15 ---> 20
    cable horizontal wood chop 20 --->25
    DL 46.5 --->110 (not as dramatic as it looks, I was maxing out at 46.5 before because of a lack of equipment)
    underhand lat pulldown 70 --->75
    cobra 60 seconds ---> 90 seconds

    All other exercises had no change from workout 1 to workout 4. Looking forward to starting Stage 3 on Wednesday!
  • eatrunstretch
    eatrunstretch Posts: 233 Member
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    Hi, just started S4 this week. I almost died on Monday doing the 120s planks! Tomorrow I'll be doing B1. I am not looking forwards to the interval training portion bleurgh. What keeps you going on those intervals? I need motivation.

    ~Katia
  • eatrunstretch
    eatrunstretch Posts: 233 Member
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    I did my first stage 4 workout today. I don't remember stage 2 being quite this... brutal. That extra set just makes all the difference in my little world! By the time I was done, my grip was so shot I had trouble fastening my bra! :laugh:

    Lol! Hope you managed to do it up! I sometimes have trouble walking home when legs feel like jelly, especially in S3 after the BWM. Its been so bad on a few occassions, that I felt like people were staring at me because I looked like I'd been hitting the drink. The things we do hey?!
  • Mouse_Potato
    Mouse_Potato Posts: 1,495 Member
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    Hi, just started S4 this week. I almost died on Monday doing the 120s planks! Tomorrow I'll be doing B1. I am not looking forwards to the interval training portion bleurgh. What keeps you going on those intervals? I need motivation.

    ~Katia

    I'm not really an expert in this area, but I've found the most important thing for me is to make sure I am resting enough in my rest intervals. (Ladies, please correct me if I am doing this wrong!) I do mine on the treadmill and I usually walk at 3.5 mph for two minutes, run at 6-7 for one, repeat. I tried only going down to 4 mph, but my calves hurt and I quickly lost my desire to do intervals. I find the 3.5 is just right for catching my breath before I run again. Today I did 33 minutes of intervals while watching "Sex and the City" on the TV at the gym. I felt so dirty and yet so motivated...

    And I am looking in to front clasp bras for the other issue. :laugh:
  • eatrunstretch
    eatrunstretch Posts: 233 Member
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    Haha! Carrie Bradshaw whilst interval training, that sounds like a good distraction!

    Are we supposed to be increasing the length of the interval training? I need to go reread the book. I can run outside forever but on a treadmill, 15 minutes is enough to want to end it!

    Having read your post Mouse_Potato, I think maybe I'm not enjoying it because I'm pushing myself too hard. I usually do a slow run on setting 10 (don't know what minute mile that is but I'm guessing 12, its quite slow) and then increase that by 1 unit but only decrease it by 0.5 so that by the end I'm running at like 12 on the rest portions. Its not that I can't do it but I absolutely hate running on a treadmill! I've thought of taking it outside but would need to get a stopwatch of some sort to monitor the intervals.

    Off to hit S4A2 in a bit so thankfully no intervals to do today :)

    PS. Glad to hear you sorted out your 'problem'!
  • savinoca
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    Hi guys,

    So, I have 1 more workout to do in Stage 1 before I move on to Stage 2. I feel like I've really improved from when I started, but compared to some of the numbers people have posted, I feel a bit inferior. I probably shouldn't be comparing myself to other people in this though, right?

    Okay, so, here's my issue, though. This is pretty embarrassing - I still can't do *real* push-ups. I can do about 4-5 before I just can't do any more. I use the Smith machine (I think) and have moved the bar lower and lower as I progressed through Stage 1 for the push-ups exercise. Now I can do them at the lowest bar with some strain for 3 sets of 8, but as I said, I can't do about 4-5 *real* push-ups at a time.

    My question is - should I wait until I can do 3 sets of 8 real push-ups before I move on to Stage 2? Like, continue to do Stage 1 exercises until that happens? Or, is it not a big deal to move on?

    Any help or insight would be appreciated!
  • eatrunstretch
    eatrunstretch Posts: 233 Member
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    Hi Savinoca.

    If it were me, I'd move on to Stage 2 and just continue working on the push-ups.

    Just do as many as you can on the floor and finish off the set on the bar until you can do them all on the floor. I think you'll be there real soon as you're so close! And as you get stronger, the push-ups will get easier.

    And don't compare yourself to anyone else, you've got to build up your strength and we're all starting out from different places in terms of strength so comparisons are futile.

    Happy training :happy:
  • savinoca
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    Thanks so much for the advice and encouragement, Katia!