New Rules of Lifting for Women group?

1…910121415…19

Replies

  • AlsDonkBoxSquat
    AlsDonkBoxSquat Posts: 6,128 Member
    I bought the book last week and am hoping to start putting it into practice by the end of this one, we'll see. I work out religiously but haven't had that awesome sore feeling in a long time, so I'm hoping mixing this in with my regular routine will get me back to that feeling again. I've reached my weight loss goals, so I'm curious if this will make me lose more, or if I'll start to gain. Don't really mind either way.
  • seventysix06
    seventysix06 Posts: 88 Member
    Anyone taken too long a break between stages and come back to finish the program? Did you try and pick up where you left off or start all over? I left off btw phases 2 and 3 and am super frustrated b/c i hated 2 and don't want to do it again :).
  • mocha76
    mocha76 Posts: 184 Member
    Anyone taken too long a break between stages and come back to finish the program? Did you try and pick up where you left off or start all over? I left off btw phases 2 and 3 and am super frustrated b/c i hated 2 and don't want to do it again :).

    I'm wondering the same thing. I actually had 2 more workouts in stage 2 and took 2 weeks off. I do not want to repeat Stage 2 because I dislike it so much. I think I am going to do like 4 more workouts in Stage 2 and hopefully finish the stage at the same weights I was at before taking my break.

    Welcome to all the new ladies. I haven't been on as much, but I am getting back on track.
  • jataijah
    jataijah Posts: 192 Member
    I had a great workout this morning. My HR got up to 171 while doing lunges I thought my heart was gonna jump out my chest. Felt good though. :)
  • oddyogi
    oddyogi Posts: 1,816 Member
    Hey ladies! Jeez it's been a few weeks.. after I finished phase 1, I kind of took some time off to prepare for my PT test that was today (I got a 91). Instead of doing phase 2, I just kinda did whatever I felt like doing in the gym or did my own calisthenics workout at home.

    I am ready to get back into the game though! Now that my PT test is over I can quit running so much and focus on my weight lifting. I can replace my run days with active rest days now and get back to some yoga--I miss yoga--or go on some bike rides with my new bike.

    I am glad to be back!
  • PixieGoddess
    PixieGoddess Posts: 1,833 Member
    Hello, everyone! Welcome to the new ladies! :flowerforyou:

    I did 1A7 yesterday morning after a full week of rest for my lower back. It felt just fine, but yesterday evening and so far today it's been hurting a little bit again. Nothing like last week, but it's just a little more than sore, ya know? I might have to take a few more extra rest days. :frown:
  • jataijah
    jataijah Posts: 192 Member
    When are the Special Workout at the end of stage 1 suppose to be done. Immediately after or sometime during your rest period? Thanks
    Tasha
  • GeorgieBradley1
    GeorgieBradley1 Posts: 10
    I was wondering this too. The way I understand it is when I do my last workout of stage 1 (woop woop!) I will have a rest day like normal and the next day I will go to the gym and do Special Workout A or B depending on what workout I finished with. So if my last workout was Workout A then I will do Special Workout B next or vice versa. (OMG does this make sense at all?)

    OR - should I have the rest day and then go to the gym and do Special Workout A and B on the same day?

    And then have a lovely week of recovery.
  • GeorgieBradley1
    GeorgieBradley1 Posts: 10
    well, i did my first NROLW session at the gym this morning. great to get back into the weight room!
    BUT... how the hell do you do the prone jacknife?!

    Medusae
    LOL! They are quite a hard one to start with actually. I have mastered them now (I'm nearly finished stage 1) and I now embrace the prone jackknife wholeheartedly. The first time I tried them I went to a quiet corner of the gym incase I made a complete fool of myself and bounced off the ball onto the floor, and I don't have a swiss ball at home where I would only have had my cat present to point and laugh at my pathetic attempts.

    What I do is put a swiss ball on the floor and stand behind it. I then roll myself onto it (launch might be a better word) and keep going forward using my arms for support and to walk me forward until the ball is under my shins. Don't underestimate the amount of space you need lengthwise!
    Then I just do what the book says: Bring your legs up towards your head and then straighten them back out. It is hard but so rewarding once you get the hang of it. I think they look really impressive when your doing them but its another story when your finished and you want to get your shins off the ball! There is no graceful way to do this that I have yet found.
  • mocha76
    mocha76 Posts: 184 Member
    When are the Special Workout at the end of stage 1 suppose to be done. Immediately after or sometime during your rest period? Thanks
    Tasha

    You treat the special workouts as a regular workout. The next time you go to the gym, you will do Special workout A, then the next time, Special Workout B. Then you will rest for a week, if you desire. Hope this helps.
  • bizco
    bizco Posts: 1,949 Member
    well, i did my first NROLW session at the gym this morning. great to get back into the weight room!
    BUT... how the hell do you do the prone jacknife?!
    Here's a video showing how to do the prone jackknife. Truly the best ab/core exercise!

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a6q7k_D6DGQ
  • GeorgieBradley1
    GeorgieBradley1 Posts: 10
    Thanks Mocha.
  • sunshine79
    sunshine79 Posts: 758 Member
    Anyone taken too long a break between stages and come back to finish the program? Did you try and pick up where you left off or start all over? I left off btw phases 2 and 3 and am super frustrated b/c i hated 2 and don't want to do it again :).

    I'm wondering the same thing. I actually had 2 more workouts in stage 2 and took 2 weeks off. I do not want to repeat Stage 2 because I dislike it so much. I think I am going to do like 4 more workouts in Stage 2 and hopefully finish the stage at the same weights I was at before taking my break.

    Welcome to all the new ladies. I haven't been on as much, but I am getting back on track.

    So glad you're back on track. I'm sure once you got through the workout you felt great and it reminded you of how much you LOVE weight training :-)
  • kensky
    kensky Posts: 472 Member
    Finishing up Level 5...every time I complete that body weight matrix I feel like I deserve a medal!
  • oddyogi
    oddyogi Posts: 1,816 Member
    Woo, starting back up with Phase 2 today! Workout B.. and it doesn't look easy, lol.

    I have a question, though.. at my gym we don't have steps, just boxes, and the boxes are pretty tall. Should I even try to do the deadlift from the box or just do normal deadlifts? I'd say they're about 6-8 in. tall.
  • sunshine79
    sunshine79 Posts: 758 Member
    Finishing up Level 5...every time I complete that body weight matrix I feel like I deserve a medal!

    I still can't get through that body weight matrix...... I need to nail it next time.

    Stage 5! Very impressive.... I'm a week away from stage 4, can't wait :drinker:
  • kensky
    kensky Posts: 472 Member
    I always feel the need to put a disclaimer that I didn't take week-long rest breaks after the end of each level which is why I'm chugging along relatively quickly. I have been taking 3 or 4 day chunks of time between the latest levels and I feel okay with that. I try to justify it with it being one of the points he is pretty wishy washy about in the book, rest days and how he talks about how he doesn't take them because life gets in the way often enough for him that he just counts those as rest breaks? Remember that? I didn't just dream that up right?

    I made a commitment to not skip the bw matrix this level and it's a big deal for me to hold myself to it. I am fascinated by crossfit and I get through it by imagining I have been assigned the matrix as a workout of the day and that's just what I have to do. For some reason facing direction after 6 or so lunges, squats helps me maintain sanity. Barely.
  • sunshine79
    sunshine79 Posts: 758 Member
    I always feel the need to put a disclaimer that I didn't take week-long rest breaks after the end of each level which is why I'm chugging along relatively quickly. I have been taking 3 or 4 day chunks of time between the latest levels and I feel okay with that. I try to justify it with it being one of the points he is pretty wishy washy about in the book, rest days and how he talks about how he doesn't take them because life gets in the way often enough for him that he just counts those as rest breaks? Remember that? I didn't just dream that up right?

    I made a commitment to not skip the bw matrix this level and it's a big deal for me to hold myself to it. I am fascinated by crossfit and I get through it by imagining I have been assigned the matrix as a workout of the day and that's just what I have to do. For some reason facing direction after 6 or so lunges, squats helps me maintain sanity. Barely.

    I tried to take a week off but it's as though my body starts to have withdrawal symptoms and then I just have to work out so I know exactly what you mean.

    Love your new profile pic by the way :wink:
  • ColoradoRobin
    ColoradoRobin Posts: 510 Member
    So I learned something from a silly math error. I'd taken a month or so off due to a vacation and illness, but resumed stage 1 where I left off. So I loaded up the bar for some squats with two 10 lb plates on each side, thinking for some reason that would be the 65 lbs I had done last time. I did two reps before deciding it was too heavy, dropped to 15 lbs on each side and did a set without being able to go as deep as I should. Only then did I realize that I had just done 85 and 75 lbs instead of 65 and 55. Doh!

    The actual 65 lbs felt much better, and I could do it with proper form. I guess the two 10 lb plates on each side looked right because that's what I use for deadlifts. So my legs are stronger than I thought. Now to get to real pushups. I still have to do them at an angle from about hip high. Lower is too hard. Even the angled pushups seem to work better for developing strength than those girly bent knee ones ever did.
  • kensky
    kensky Posts: 472 Member
    I felt like a big deal secret had been revealed to me when reading about the slow-reduction-in-incline pushup strategy. Of course! I could have been doing real-deal pushups so long ago. I love pushups now!

    My hamstrings are always sore. Always. I am going to do a true rest week (active rest mind you...still 4 or 6 days of interval/steady state cardio in there, I'm sure) and see what DOMS-free living might be like. Is being so sore (pretty suddenly--I didn't get sore until Phase 4 and now I'm finished with Stage 5) a sign that I'm doing something wrong? Not eating enough. I get a buttload of protein each day. I probably just need to rest a bit. Ho hum.
  • GoneWithTheWhinge
    GoneWithTheWhinge Posts: 168 Member
    Hi

    Another recent convert here! I did the second A workout of stage 1 today. Am totally loving it! I was a complete cardio freak - pushing myself 6 days a week for up to 2hrs at a time, it feels so liberating to be able to not feel the need to be quite so gym time orientated and focus on quality rather than quantity.

    I'm really looking forward to getting into the lower rep sets and really upping the weights, I think I'm still holding back as squatting 15 times with proper weight on the bar seems a bit intimidating, I did up it to 25kg on the bar for the squats today and did them no problem so I think I could have gone heavier. Ah well, next time eh?! I did notice the 'Ugh girl in weights section' looks from some of the muscle boys at the gym, still heck of a lot nicer than the cardio area!

    Oh and ditto the real pushups! I can only do 3-4 before collapsing in a heap!
  • sunshine79
    sunshine79 Posts: 758 Member
    Hi

    Another recent convert here! I did the second A workout of stage 1 today. Am totally loving it! I was a complete cardio freak - pushing myself 6 days a week for up to 2hrs at a time, it feels so liberating to be able to not feel the need to be quite so gym time orientated and focus on quality rather than quantity.

    I'm really looking forward to getting into the lower rep sets and really upping the weights, I think I'm still holding back as squatting 15 times with proper weight on the bar seems a bit intimidating, I did up it to 25kg on the bar for the squats today and did them no problem so I think I could have gone heavier. Ah well, next time eh?! I did notice the 'Ugh girl in weights section' looks from some of the muscle boys at the gym, still heck of a lot nicer than the cardio area!

    Oh and ditto the real pushups! I can only do 3-4 before collapsing in a heap!

    Glad you're loving NROLFW. Don't worry about those who give you strange looks because you're in the weights section, you have just as much right as them to be there. Keep us posted on your progress, I have one workout left before I move onto stage 4.
  • kensky
    kensky Posts: 472 Member
    Yeah this program has been a really great exercise for me in Not Giving a Flip. I know I keep going back to the bodyweight matrix (24 bodyweight squats, 12/12 lunges, 24 jumping squats, 12/12 jumping lunges) as an example. I was self conscious about doing this where people could see me at first and NOW I'm all chin up, defiant, "YOU wanna do this, sucka? Didn't THINK so!" Hahaha.
  • sunshine79
    sunshine79 Posts: 758 Member
    Stage 3 finished - hurrah! I did not enjoy workout B at all, I just could not get into it and I never seemed to work up a sweat or get my heart rate up even though I went as heavy as I could with the weights. I am going straight into stage 4 and should get through it in 2 and a half weeks as I'll be off work in a week and will be able to lift 3 x per week!

    Another victory was that I completed the body weight matrix for the first time this week - I usually just couldn't get to the end of it, my legs would give up.

    Cannot wait for stage 4, Will start on Tuesday :happy: :tongue: :happy:
  • jataijah
    jataijah Posts: 192 Member
    I did my 4th Workout A from Stage 1 today. Im still not sure if Im doing the step ups right. I looked on youtube but it seems like everyone is doing them different. Does anyone know a link to someone showing them the way NROWL wants them done. BTW loving the workout. I squatted 90lbs today felt great!
  • oddyogi
    oddyogi Posts: 1,816 Member
    As of yesterday I'm halfway through stage 2! Wootwoot! Workout B does seem to take me just under an hour in the gym. Not good for days I feel like I am dragging myself to work out.

    On August 1st, I'm going to be starting Insanity, so I'll be lifting three days a week and doing Insanity in the mornings SIX days a week. Eep. I hope I get pretty cut.. I'm going to be eating around 2000 calories a day for sure!
  • PixieGoddess
    PixieGoddess Posts: 1,833 Member
    Did my last Stage 1 Workout A last night! I've been taking extra rest days between workouts due to the back pain a couple weeks ago. It hasn't been hurting lately, but it still seems to get sore faster than other areas. Plus life (and the overbearing heat - no A/C in my apartment, where I also workout!) keeps getting in the way. I'm kinda excited about moving to Stage 2, just to mix up the exercises a bit, but I'm also wishing I could stay on Stage 1 longer, just because I feel like I could definitely go with heavier weights. I didn't want to increase weights too fast and hurt myself, but now I almost feel like I got short-changed. Last night's workout was the only one where the squats felt REALLY challenging.

    And I'm still on the 45-degree pushups! :frown: I tried moving to the 30-degree at one point...I did 3...after that, my arms literally refused to push me back up and I would collapse in a heap! But the 45-degree ones felt less difficult than usual yesterday, and they're in Stage 2, so hopefully I'll get to them soon. And then....REAL PUSHUPS!! :bigsmile:
  • baisleac
    baisleac Posts: 2,019 Member
    Tomorrow's the 2nd Fit Test for NROWFIZS (http://nrowfizs.blogspot.com).. i.e. just finished the 3rd set of 1-B... I'm finally starting to build up barbell calluses. This makes me way happier than it probably should. LOL. :bigsmile:
  • kensky
    kensky Posts: 472 Member
    Yahoo for calluses!

    I am going to start back up with my lifting tomorrow. 5 days is enough! I am sore from running instead of lifting so at least I'm changing that up. So...yeah...tomorrow...Level 6! Crazy!
  • sdhiphone
    sdhiphone Posts: 1 Member
    Hi all,

    I finished my third workout in Stage 1 yesterday and hope to do the fourth tomorrow. Have any of you seen quite significant changes to the shape of your body? I'm not as interested in losing weight any more but I want to be trimmer and more athletic looking. I also do yoga and run.

    I have started this program before and gave up after about 4 weeks because I wasn't seeing any results at all. I am hoping that adding it into my usual running/yoga routine will at least keep me from getting bored.
This discussion has been closed.

Categories