I'm starting stage 1!
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@twinmom- Good to have a virtual partner in training!are you a personal trainer? Awesome. I need the help w the form for the heavier weight, but also navigating the equipment and getting more confident with that. So today is A3 if the DOMS from Friday abate by the late afternoon. Haven't lost an ounce of weight or any inches but seems like I'm getting stronger.0
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Hey Ladies!
I did day 1 today, and I am exhausted! I forgot to take my log with me, so I just logged it on MFP since I have it on my iPod.
I would appreciate any tips or hints.
Also, I would love to get and give support, so feel free to add me!0 -
@onlytati, Welcome! Hope you enjoy the program! All the ladies around here are really supportive and doing this together is much less daunting!
To all:
Did A4 yesterday afternoon. How wonderful it is to have the whole gym just for me! I love working out on Sundays!
I lowered my squat weight this time, because I noticed I was not going all the way down with the heavier ones. I think now I'm using a much more proper form and feeling my back legs and gluteus and not so much the quadriceps. Still trying to figure out my breathing though...
I also noticed that my cable row is probably too heavy and I'm not doing it correctly. I can't pull it all the way back, so I'm assuming I'm mostly using the biceps instead of the back muscles. I'll lower the weights next time but make sure I pull it all the way back.
And finally, with the step ups, I noticed that my left leg is significantly weaker than the right one. I've been reading around a bit and I'll do this next time: start with the weaker leg, use the weights that the weaker leg can perform with perfect form (which will be too easy for the strong leg), and do two extra sets with the weaker leg to try to bring it up to speed with the stronger one. Let's see how that goes...
So, to the stats:
Stage 1 A4:
Squats 10kg + 22kg bar - Reps: 12 / failed at 9 (but going aaaall the way down!)
Pushups (regular ones) - Reps: failed at 11 / failed at 9
Cable row 35kg - Reps: failed at 11 / failed at 10
Step ups 15kg (small barbell), on three steps - 12 reps (left leg with bad form
)
Prone jackknife - 12/10, doing pikes
Have a nice week, everyone!0 -
Workout A7 today
squats 60kg (132lb)
Pushups - 17 std (did more than I should as I am also doing a push up challenge and today was 17!!)
Barbell bent over row 42kg (92lb)
Step ups 15kg (33lb)
Prone jack knife 20
@redlipstickly
I'm afraid I have largely ignored the nutrition side - I have tried to increase my protein considerable, eating lots more eggs, meat nuts etc but I am following the 5:2 diet, so two days I have 500 cals and the other 5 days I have 1800 cals (give or take). Once I get to a healthy weight I will concentrate on the nutrition as well.
Good luck
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holy crap - you go! that's a lot of weight to squat. totally impressed. my next work out (today or tomorrow) i'm in the 12 rep range, so time to increase weight.
redlipstickly: what program did you do before this?
It was a free program I found on bodybuilding.com called the women's bible to strength training or something like that.0 -
Completed B3 (I think) last night. I really want to make sure I give this 100% so I decided to watch my form in my hall mirror. Thank goodness I did! I've been doing dumbell shoulder presses wrong this entire time! I did the sets over and really felt a difference. I've seen a lot of progress in my body since starting NR in my back arms legs hell everywhere but my middle and it's hard not to get frustrated or impatient as that's the one part of my body I've never liked. I'm going to continue with the program and hopefully by the end of the phase I'll see something to encourage me. I'm so thankful for this thread. You ladies are doing an awesome job and really keep me motivated to move forward. Thank you so much! Have a great week!0
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Welcome new members! Nice to see this group chatty and keeping the thread alive!
I did workout A5 today
Somehow 3*10 was tougher than 2*12 from last workout.
I did not necessarily go up in any weights. Just felt the movements a little more comfortable with rows and step ups.
Hope I will feel better adding back my runs during my non lifting days and won't have too much DOMS for runs this week.
Good workouts everyone!0 -
mnsmov- You're moving right through stage one! When I first looked at the work outs for new rules I thought they looked really easy. Then I actually did them..... So I completely get 3x10 being harder than 2x12. But you did it!
I'm doing A3 tonight (I think?) and I'm really excited. The A workouts are the hardest ones for me so they have perversely become my favorites. I just always feel like I've gotten a great workout when I finished and I'm enough of a masochist to always crave that feeling. TuThSat schedule this week and walk/runs on Saturday and Sunday.0 -
@redlipstickly Thanks! I ran yday and back to workout B today. I will be doing my B4 since I missed a day last week. Then from next week B will also be in 5-9
I am thinking I will stay here a while @ these weights and work on my form. Getting it right everytime is more important than increasing the weight too quickly.
How did your workouts go?
In another 10 days I would have done this for a month and I hope to see/feel some changes in my body by then. Now, I stopped being stiff and sore from the workouts. It tires me, but does not leave me stiff the next day
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@sunshinelively~ Yes, I'm a personal trainer here to help everyone and glad to have everyone's support!
Got off track this weekend with food and missed my workout.
Completed A4 yesterday, I did 3 sets of 12 because I feel like 2 sets just isn't enough for me...AND I'm super sore today! LOL. Squats I went up to 115#, Full pushups, Seated Row 85#, Instead of step ups I did single leg press on the sled with 60# because my knees were bothering me. I also added in 3 sets of 12 side lateral raises and reverse butterflys with 10# dumbbells to the end.
The scale was up .6 today, I assume from my poor eating choices, sodium, and few drinks I had this weekend. Hoping to get back down by the end of the week! Plus next week is TOM. BLAH!
Have a great Wednesday everyone!0 -
I did my second workout today. I liked it better than the first one probably because my equipment is a better set up for these exercies. Deadlifts 40, Dumbbell shoulder press 40, wide lateral pull downs 90, Lunges 15lb weights, swiss ball crunch 15 instead of 8. Someone had posted http://ironsisters.blogspot.ca/2012/02/nrolfw-week-one-tutorial.html and it took all the guess work out of getting started and I very much appreciated having the extra tutorial.
First workout -squats 60, push ups 5/10 regular/modified on knees, seated rows (barbell bent over row) 40, step ups 10lb weights, prone jackknife 15
If I am understanding correctly, my next 2 workouts are to repeat the first 2 workouts. Increase weight if possible. Its encouraging to read all the posts.0 -
@sunshinelively~ Yes, I'm a personal trainer here to help everyone and glad to have everyone's support!
Got off track this weekend with food and missed my workout.
Completed A4 yesterday, I did 3 sets of 12 because I feel like 2 sets just isn't enough for me...AND I'm super sore today! LOL. Squats I went up to 115#, Full pushups, Seated Row 85#, Instead of step ups I did single leg press on the sled with 60# because my knees were bothering me. I also added in 3 sets of 12 side lateral raises and reverse butterflys with 10# dumbbells to the end.
The scale was up .6 today, I assume from my poor eating choices, sodium, and few drinks I had this weekend. Hoping to get back down by the end of the week! Plus next week is TOM. BLAH!
Have a great Wednesday everyone!
Cool. I like how you're embellishing the work out!
I've also been doing 3-4 sets (including one warm up) for most. I'm up to doing 12 reps, will do a 12 rep workout for A and B this week. I can't push the weight you're doing though. Did 75# squats, 75# rows, 20# shoulder raises, 30# step ups. Pushups are on an incline - a bench. Starting B4 today (had to take the last 2 days off). Trying to keep in mind that form is important at this point in my weight training journey. :-)0 -
twinmom823 - thats impressive stats!
sunshinelively - I hear ya! Moving along at my own speed and weight too.
Finished B4 today. I still am not good at overhead presses at all. Can barely complete 12reps with 12lb. Any ideas to help improve? After 12*12 I did 10lb 2 sets just to feel better and practice it kinda more.
Lunges with 15lb DB and crunches with 5lb DB and arms overhead
I did go up in Lat pull down to 80lb and deadlift to 75. So I am happy with that.0 -
twinmom823 - thats impressive stats!
sunshinelively - I hear ya! Moving along at my own speed and weight too.
Finished B4 today. I still am not good at overhead presses at all. Can barely complete 12reps with 12lb. Any ideas to help improve?
Shoulders are a smaller muscle group so I wouldn't worry about how heavy you go. Just focus on keeping a 90 degree angle with elbows in line with your shoulders and pressing up to a full extension. Strength will build over time 0 -
Mnsmov: I feel ya - some body parts are not cooperating for me, others are. Today I did B4: 95# dead lift, 20# dumb bells for shoulder press, but can't get much past 60# for lat pull down - one set I did 10 reps of 70#, but had to go back down to 60 to finish set. Weird-my back used to be strongest. Did 25# dumbbells for lunges, 20# swissball crunches. 4 sets each, one warm up set each, then a quick mike and a quarter run. All in all just about an hour. I'm soooo tired.
@twin mom- you're a beast!!! Awesome!0 -
Hi ladiess, havent been here in a while but i love how you keep checking in here and giving your advise. i did my A4 today right after work. i usually warm up with insanity 5mins but today i couldnt. was tight on time. also since i went straight from work, the gym was more packed that usual, i love how the guys just go there to hug the weights and hang out. so i've ended up going up to them and ask for whetever they r not using. my mind is like "excuse me guys while i interurpt ur very amusing convo abt the weather, so i can actually use my gym for what its intended, working out!!" .
like twin mom, ive added some exercises to my routine, from the Strong Curves program, my workouts are still short and i love it anyways. here are my stats and comments. feel free to give some advise.
A4
squats -Goblets squats with 35lbs barbell- only coz i couldnt find the 45lbs preloaded one, they were playing some kind of game
with it, i cant even understand the exercise the guys were doing, something like putting it in their shoulders then
bending their body forward and back... didnt make much sense to me. my challenge tho will be lifting the 45lbs bar
over my head to my shoulders, i measured and is too short to load on the squat rack and the olympic bar seems to
always have huge scary big plates that im scared of even taking off the bar.
push ups- BW 3 sets of 12 - blame insanity for my newly found "love for push ups"
seated row-55lbs -i did try upping from my last time to 75lbs but i failed at 8, so went back and did 2 sets of 55lbs
step up- 10lbs dumbells on each hand- still hella weak left leg so annoying
prone jacknife i changed to incline crunches with a 25lbs plate. i should try to up it next time.
barbell bridge (from strong curves)- 25lbs barbells x 20reps and then changed to 35lbs plate x20reps too. i will try upping next time
(already feeling sore)
my last workout B3
deadlifts -45lbs (im always think i can do more and that im not doing them properly) very confusing
dumbell shoulder press-10lbs in each hand, thanks twinmom for the reassuring words, i thought i had some kind of abnormal weak
shoulders, i dont see me upping those 10lbs any time soon. i even tried sitting down, same result. i have to do it
super duper slow, coz my left hand tends to turn, switch in some weird way and end up all over the place. those
shoulder press dont look pretty lol
lat pulldown-55lbs
lunge- 10lbs each hand and i do them back (reverse) as twinmom suggested, bid difference.
replaced swissball crunch with incline crunch- 25lbs plate
barbell glute bridge- 45lbs. loved it!
all im all i got 4 conclusions.
1- thanks @twinmom, u give really amazing advice and i look forward to getting more.
2- i like more workouts A (but since im sore already i think i might (dis)like them both equally now) lol
3. i know im getting stronger, i just wish i was concistently upping my weights all over the exercises, but all muscle groups r not the same and sometimes is just as important to just keep the form as upping the weights.
4. i loooooove lifting, i love getting stronger, i love that the workouts r so short and sometimes i do wish i could lift some more only coz i dont feel the soreness/exhausted at the same degree as cardio but damn those doms r killer next day (workout B!)0 -
Everyone is doing such a great job here! I'm impressed!
Me, on the other hand... I had to slow down this week. After Sunday's workout, my left knee started bothering me A LOT. It's never been good, but I think I tried to do way too much with the step ups I decided to take the week off and then get back only next week, with a much lighter weight on the lower body exercises to build up the strength. Any advice on the knee pain is highly appreciated!
But I did have a non-scale victory today: I'm wearing one of my old jeans again! This is the first of the two that I set as my goal Oh boy, I hadn't worn these for almost one year now...
Cheers to all! Keep rocking 0 -
Okay, I have done stage 1, A and B, both once and am honestly kind of disappointed in how little I can lift. And I am not new to weights! I couldn't manage heavier than 15lb for the shoulder press (and could only eke out 10/15 reps) and had to really push to get through the lunges using 10lb dumbells. Bah
On the upside, I have finally cracked the 160s and only have ten pounds to go until my (I think) final goal weight.0 -
You guys are really working hard!
Mnsmov-I went for a run yesterday as well and ended up passed out on my couch at like 8:30. Your energy levels have me turning green with envy. I wouldn't worry about the shoulder presses like twinmom said. They'll move in their own time.
Catdevron-congrats on fitting into those jeans! That's a great NSV!
mayaysf- Lifting lovers unite! I love seeing the strength and the subtle changes in my body too! Does your gym have fractional plates? I think my best investment was a pair of 2.5lb plates. Every week I add them to whatever my highest weight was the week before and they're really helping me progress and feel like I'm accomplishing something.
I went running yesterday. Just a 2 mile run and I hated every single minute of it. I really hate running on concrete but the path I run is only open on the weekend. I was trying to figure out how I was just going to suck it up and deal with these runs because I really do need to incorporate more cardio if I want certain results by June/July when I saw that Barbell Cowgirl had posted a really great article in the daily discussion board written by Alwyn on prioritizing for fat loss. Barbell gave a great summary of the article
"For fat loss, prioritize in the following order:
1) nutrition
2) strength training
3) HIIT
4) intense steady state cardio
5) lighter steady state cardio "
I'm getting nutrition under control (finally), I'm already doing strength training, so why did I skip straight over HIIT and go to intense steady state cardio? Weight lifted off my shoulders. I'm going to save the running for the weekends and keep the runs light. I found a great body weight Tabata workout on T-Nation that I'll start doing on the days in between strength training during the week.
B4 tonight and tabata tomorrow. I feel like I finally may have the right combination of things to get my body together and I'm so excited!0 -
twinmom823 - Thanks! I am increasing weights slowly in some other workout sets, so I am happy I also added back 2X running.
sunshinelivel - nice improvements! 1hr is nice! I feel so shaky and beat by 35 mins. After my workout sets, I add in some planks and body weight squats and stuff some days when I feel I have some energy left. You are GOOD!!
mayaysf - I agree with you. Getting the form 100% correct all the time is the MOST important thing to avoid injury, no matter how slow we all progress for some workouts. It is easier to feel tempted to increase weights, but if we learn it a wrong way, increase weights will only cause more trouble later on. So I am staying here for a while and working on my form - to not get sloppy by the end of 2nd set when I slowly get tired.
Catdevron - We all live for such NSVs!! Way to go!! Congrats
Pudding1980 - Dont be discouraged. We all start at different stages. As long as you make progress, it is YOUR workout
I just started with the oly bar and felt that itself was too heavy for the first 2-4 workouts. Not able to still go higher in shoulder press and lunges and looks like I will stay there some time. Hang in there and focus on getting stronger
redlipstickly - First 2 weeks of NROLFW I could not do anything else at all. Slowly added running back into it in the last 2 weeks. Also, I run slow some days and run as fast as I can, like intervals with walk some other times. I worked v hard since 2010 to start running - I was never a runner before. So I dont want to kinda let that go completely. So I do short bursts of speed work now. I agree,. HIIT is best option too. In winter, I do that indoors and in summer I run outside - based on how I am feeling, hills, speed 5k or slow run.
20 mins of HIIT looks like a good starting point. Like burpee, mountain climbers and jumping jacks etc. routines done @ max intensity for 45s and 15 sec rest.
Great idea btw about the 2.5lb plates! My gym has them I will try next time.0 -
@catdevron: congrats! as someone who has lost barely any weight, I know that the NSV are way more important. I can now for the first time IN YEARS wear tight tops and short shorts. I'm a work in progress but omg what a progress.
The first few days I was TIRED as you wouldn't imagine. coming from a 6 days/week workouts (insanity) routine, I felt as if I was going backwards, but my body really wouldn't take any more exercise. now i'm adding insanity and even managed to finish the last couple of videos I had left. I'm even surprised that this week I've been working out 4 days straight.
I'm thinking about a second round of insanity or maybe t25 on my non lifting, I see my goal closer and closer and I don't want to waste any opportunity to workout while my body allows it.
I don't like/enjoy running or walking but I might start doing it anyways, at the park when I get early from work, I enjoy the outdoors.
I read somewhere and here in the forums the idea of putting $1 in a jar or a can every day I workout and when I reach $100 I can buy myself something nice. I started doing it and I love the $$ pilling up. lol. but instead I think i'll use it to pay/justify my gym membership; to buy anything I need to workout, like my new lifting gloves; or for when I want to try a new park or go somewhere nice to walk outdoor or so something fun outdoors.0
