Stage 3 & 5

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  • lavendy17
    lavendy17 Posts: 309 Member
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    Thanks!
    Wow sounds interesting!!!!
  • lavendy17
    lavendy17 Posts: 309 Member
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    Ha! I did the BWM yesterday for the first time.
    I was all like, 24 squats, easy, 24 lunges, doable... not sure what's all the commotion about!
    And then.... jumping lunges! AAAHH those were insane!!!
    After finishing the BWM twice, I could barely stand/walk!

    That was intense!

    But also kind of rewarding....
    My times were 3:50 and 3:55.
    I am mostly proud that my second round was not significantly worse. I can't believe I was able to keep the pace after one round.

    On other thoughts, I have a new muscle on my arm, and I will admit I keep looking in the mirror and flexing it and then fondling it. I know I'm creepy, just never had a muscle before... haha
  • hskriver
    hskriver Posts: 33 Member
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    Haha! That's pretty much the same thought progression I had the first time I tried the BWM too. Normal BW squats/lunges feel like nothing at this point, but those jumps really put a different kind of strain on your muscles. That's a really nice time - mine was a little over 4 minutes to start.

    Congrats on the new muscle! Always a nice feeling to find new definition :)

    I finished my 3rd Workout B yesterday (I flip-flopped the order so I do B first, then A since I only workout 2x a week and decided B would be better suited for when the gym is less busy). I am really feeling the Single Leg Squats this morning. That's the only move that I feel like I've been able to consistently move up on weights in, which is pretty disappointing. Some of that is because I realized that my form wasn't quite right on a few of the moves, so I went down in weight to try to correct it. Also, my arms just can't do the T portion of the YTWLs at anything higher than 5 lbs yet. Maybe if my gym had 6 lb dumbbells I could, but when I tried to jump up to 7.5 lbs I couldn't even get one rep done on the T. I just wish I could up this move since I always feel a bit self-conscious using only 5 lb weights in the middle of all these super buff guys lifting.
  • lavendy17
    lavendy17 Posts: 309 Member
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    Oh I have not had work out B yet. I was gonna go today but terrible DOMS and an invite to happy hour are making me not wanna go. I think I will either run a bit later or do something at home like a workout video. I just have to burn a little extra because I indulged. I am missing some sleep and TOM so I ate over my daily goal.
  • sorrrento
    sorrrento Posts: 3 Member
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    I did my first 3A last night. I'm saving the BWM until after my Tempo run tonight, as I knew from reading your posts, I'd not be in a fit state to run the following day.

    I had to work out at home, which probably made me less self concious as I figured out what I needed to do. The squats feel weird. I can't seem to get the position of the heavier weighted hand correct for correct form.

    I can't say that I really feel anything today. I'll adjust the weights for the next session.

    I don't take the recommended breaks in between sets, as I just don't have the time. So I blast from one set to the next and that really gets my HR going.
  • lavendy17
    lavendy17 Posts: 309 Member
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    For the squat, I found that it really helps if you really stretch your upper arm and position behind your head.
    I have to adjust the weights too. I was to humble, everything was too easy.
    But the I still feel my DOMS from the BWM and it's been 3 days already. Tomorrow I tackle workout B and I hope my thighs don't kill me.
  • hskriver
    hskriver Posts: 33 Member
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    Completed my last workout for Stage 3 today! Excited to move into Stage 4 on Sunday.

    I didn't see as many increases in my weights this stage as I had seen in Stages 1 & 2. I think part of it is because so many of the weights started low and it was hard to bounce up in the 5 lb increments my gym has. I did try to increase the weights on some of the moves, but couldn't complete a full set so I would go back down. The dumbbell incline bench press and YTWL were the worst for this. However, I did notice overall improvements in some areas, especially in my planks. I couldn't make it through 3 full 90 second planks when I started and had to either stop after 60 seconds or take a few breaks in the middle. But I made it through a full 90 seconds on all 3 in the last workout. Also cut off 43 seconds from my BWM time, though I wouldn't say they felt any easier by the end.
  • jadebuilding
    jadebuilding Posts: 90 Member
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    Starting Stage 3 today! Lots of dumbbell stuff, which worries me, because using heavy dumbbells (pretty much anything heavier than 30 lbs) almost always puts bad pressure on my wrists. :(
  • lavendy17
    lavendy17 Posts: 309 Member
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    Did 3-A2 today and been adding weights a lot and starting to feel some exercises are becoming very dangerous. A one-armed dumbbell snatch at 25 lbs is kinda scary. Almost lost control of it!
    22.5 lbs incline shoulder presses- again - they almost landed on my face.

    That's so unfortunate because I like to increase the resistance but it's quite unmanageable...

    And sorry, but is it me or do the wood chops really stink?
  • runzalot81
    runzalot81 Posts: 782 Member
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    I start Stage 3 today. I need to quit drinking this coffee and start on the water like it's my job.

    Noaecker, I'm not even going to do the wood chops because I did them in Stage 2 in place of some cable thing. They do suck :laugh: For the incline shoulder press, submit to a lighter weight and make sure your core is well engaged. Also, you can slow down the press and make it a little harder at the lighter weight. Another idea: do the heavier weights on set 2 or 3.

    Jade, I dunno what to say about your wrists. That's not a problem that I've encountered... What about those wrist strap thingies?
  • jadebuilding
    jadebuilding Posts: 90 Member
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    I've looked at the straps, & it doesn't seem to be exactly what I need… the problem is that the actual end of the dumbbells start to bruise my wrists. Unfortunately, even though I've done some searching online, nobody else seems to have that problem. :|

    Anyway, I've now done one round of A & B, deciding to skip the core stuff on B (I did that on stage 2 as well, because one of my goals is to lose inches on my waist, not chunk up my core muscles, which was happening a bit in stage 1).

    I like the barbell rows (including the romanian deadlift combo) & overhead squats the best, even though the latter got me some weird glances from the natives (college bros). I miss plain old deadlifting, though. I felt like the Incredible Hulk.
  • lavendy17
    lavendy17 Posts: 309 Member
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    Doing 3-B2 tonight- decided to rebel! switching prone cobra with planks. boom!
  • joyfulhunter77
    joyfulhunter77 Posts: 4 Member
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    Hi ladies! I just started Stage 3 yesterday and will do workout B tomorrow. The BWM almost killed me!!! I felt like I was at the gym forever this time around... I don't think I can keep to the 105 seconds rest in between sets. I definitely enjoyed workout A and am excited to see what workout B is all about. :) The biggest change I've noticed since starting NROL4W is in my booty!!! It sits a little higher than it used to... and it fills out my jeans a lot nicer... I must say I don't miss the pancake butt I was rocking for quite some time! :)
  • joyfulhunter77
    joyfulhunter77 Posts: 4 Member
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    Also, I haven't really been following the meal plans in the book. I try to keep my calorie-intake anywhere from 1400-1600 on non workout days and 1800-2000 on workout days. I haven't really gained weight or lost any but my muscles are definitely more defined than they were before I started NROL4W. I've been lifting for about 2.5 years but nothing like what this program has me doing! Quick question... what do we do when we finish this program...?
  • psych101
    psych101 Posts: 1,842 Member
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    Quick question... what do we do when we finish this program...?

    Up to you really - there are a number of other NROL books in the series that you could proceed onto. I'm halfway through stage 7 and I'm planning to head into Stronglifts when I've finished
  • lavendy17
    lavendy17 Posts: 309 Member
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    This stage is breaking me. I cannot keep doing almost 2 hours at the gym (if you include the time to get to and from).
    Also I feel like too many of these are either to complex to do in good form with heavy weights, or are plain awkward like the woodchops. I am seriously thinking about switching to another program like strong lifts. I am not excited about NROL anymore...
  • joyfulhunter77
    joyfulhunter77 Posts: 4 Member
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    Tell me more about this Stronglifts program.... I've thought about starting Supercharged after this but I am still up in the air as I have a long way to go before I finish this program...:ohwell:
  • jadebuilding
    jadebuilding Posts: 90 Member
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    Can't wait to be done with Stage 3… I think I feel the least satisfied after my workouts that I have yet during this program. :(

    My 3A workout is today, so I'm on the latter half, but siiiiiighhhhh.
  • runzalot81
    runzalot81 Posts: 782 Member
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    I like the BWM :laugh:
  • joyfulhunter77
    joyfulhunter77 Posts: 4 Member
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    I agree, Stage 3 does not excite me in the least. :(