stages 2 & 4

kimiuzzell

Hellooooo!! I'm now down to the last two sessions of stage 2 so will be done by the weekend. I had a few days off with a sore back but otherwise have really enjoyed this stage. I won't mind coming back to it in stage 4.

terrie_k

Finished and couldn't be happier! I'm excited to move on. Maybe I'll post tomorrow on my gains.. I'll see also of I can find my previous post when I did stage 2 and compare.

kimiuzzell

Well done @terrie_k I did my last A session today. B to be done on Saturday. I've got a 'spare' week before going away skiing next Saturday so may do an extra A and B session next week, or may have a trial run of stage 3.

Have quite enjoyed this stage....definitely noticing a difference in my balance!!

kimiuzzell

Officially finished stage 2 today. I now have a few days before going skiing for a week so need to decide whether to repeat stage 2 for a further week or launch straight into stage 3!

terrie_k

I took a little break with holidays, moving on to stage 3 tomorrow. I still want to see my gains and losses. Hopefully this week.

terrie_k

terrie_k wrote: »

I finished stage 2 a little bit ago but figured I should post my stats finally!

FSPP: Just the bar -> bar + 10lbs
Step-up: bar + 45 lbs -> bar + 75lbs (I used the barbell so I could increase weight - couldn't with dumbells)
One-point Rows: 24 lbs - >50 lbs
Static Squat: 60 lbs -> 70 lbs
Push-ups: T with 3 lb weights -> regular on low step
Planks: 60 sec - > 75 sec
Wood Chops: 20lbs -> 23 lbs

DL from box: 40lbs + bar -> 70lbs + bar
Bulgarian Split squat: 35lb plate whole time
Underhand pulldown: 70lbs -> 90lbs
Rear lunge with reach: 40lbs -> 45lbs (Really felt in my abs with the reach)
Cuaban Snatch: 20lbs -> 24lbs
Ball crunch: eventually went from 35lb plate to putting arms back with 5lb plate
Cobra: 80sec -> 100sec
Intervals did increase on the treadmill.

Loses, or gains in inches (I am pretty small but fairly curvy and right side dominant):
Biceps: No change from stage 1, +0.25 stage 2 (+0.25 total)
Upper Chest: -1.5 stage 1, -0.5 stage 2 (-2.0 total)
Chest: No change from stage 1, +0.25 Stage 2 (+0.25 total)
Waist: -0.25 stage 1, -0.5 stage 2 (-0.75 total)
Bellybutton area: -0.75 from stage 1, -0.5 stage 2 (-1.25 total)
Hips: No change from stage 1, -0.25 stage 2 (-0.25 total)
Thighs: Only the left went -0.25 from stage 1, both went -0.25 stage 2 (-0.50 left, -0.25 right)
Calf: -0.25 stage 1, nothing stage 2 (-0.25 total)

My weight still fluctuates too much to tell if anything is happening there.Gain 1-2 lbs and lose 1-2lbs daily.
My butt is starting too look real perky, but is coming at the price of my jeans fitting tighter in that area

There is my previous!
Now for this time: I put a + or minus in front as a gain or loss from previous Stage 2. Seems I did great in A, not so much in B.

+FSPP: 33lbs -48 lbs (incl bar)
+Step-up: barbell with 142lbs total - 159 lbs total
+One-point Rows: 40lbs - 54 lbs
+Static Squat: 105lbs - 114 lbs (barbell bar incl)
+Push-ups: on step, 1 foot whole time
+Planks: all over a minute, best was 1min 22sec
-Wood Chops: I had to use a plate and ball this time: 25lbs whole time

+DL from box: 140lbs - 147lbs (I did from ground as my plates aren't as tall as most, so same theory as box)
+Bulgarian Split squat: 22lbs - 62 lbs
-Underhand pulldown: 79lbs - 84lbs (my machine is mising the numbers so just a guess what the plates weigh)
-Rear lunge with reach: 20lbs - 35lbs (Really felt in my abs with the reach)
-Cuban Snatch: 16lbs the whole time, I read in sometyhing else not to overdo with the rotator cuff, I stayed low
-Ball crunch: just did basic arms back
-Cobra: 98sec best, rest all over 60 sec
I did not do intervals as these workouts take forever! And I am running outdoors once a week.

I'll do measurements eventually, but with holidays and my usual timely bloat, I am not sure how well they will go.

terrie_k

Will I see you in Stage 3 posts now @kimiuzzell ?

kimiuzzell

@terrie_k I'll be there!! Ski holiday has been put back a few weeks so uI can now dedicate January to stage 3!!

I did SL only before work today as not enough time to do more but will be looking to do my first stage 3 workout on weds after work.....

terrie_k

I should be doing 3 tonight. I looked at my previous, seems I only did about half before quitting.

terrie_k

Stage 4, how many reps did anyone (who answers) do?

DawnEmbers

Looking back in my notebook, it looks like in stage 4 I mostly did 8 reps though some lifts and days I only managed to do 6 on some of them. A good percent of the time, however, it was 3 sets and 8 reps.

terrie_k

Thanks. I mix up reps and sets a lot, I think it said 2-3 sets, so that was my question that you answered still

nufertiri

Hi all,

I'll be starting with stage 2 next week, and just want through this thread to get some first ideas what to expect (in real live ) and hints what to take special care of - very helpful indeed!

Seems like all exercises of stage 2 (and all later stages) take significantly longer time to finish, but I couldn't find any kind of numbers on those. Does one of you remember how long A and B usually took you to go through (e.g. with 2 sets)?
And how did you handle the rest timing? The book says to rest 75sec, and I remember a general note in some chapter saying that one can shorten/extend the rest, but they don't recommend this. But I already found the 60 sec in stage 1 quite boring...
I don't think a break of 45-60 instead of the 75 should be that harmful (or in case I'm totally screwed, 90+ sec to catch breath again - hehe)?