New Rules of Lifting for Women group?

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  • BifDiehl
    BifDiehl Posts: 474
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    I've been plugging along. Am slotted to do Week 2 Day 2 today after work. I've been increasing weights on some things every time, other things not so much. But when doing yoga yesterday (which I only do once a week) I could definitely tell I was stronger! Yay!!

    I ordered protein stuff from amazon - thanks for all who weighed in on that matter for me!

    My weight loss has completely stalled but I'm trying to wrap my mind around the fact that for me to see the results I want I need to look at long-term results. I'm making Christmas my goal. I'll have completed the majority of this program by then and hopefully will have lost a lot of the remaining fat I want to lose and will be STRONG! I've always said I don't care how much I weigh - I know how I want my body to LOOK. So now I'm putting that thought to the test!
  • elizabethblake
    elizabethblake Posts: 384 Member
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    My weight loss has not only stalled, it's turned into an increase! BUT - I know it's not the program's fault, it's mine. And those damn chocolate croissants! The weekends kill me. I've made a renewed commitment to eat super clean 90% of the time and I'm cutting WAAAAYYYY back on processed foods. Not that I ate that many of them, but it was my habit to grab a fudge pop for dessert, or a handful of chocolate chips, and not only do those calories add up quick, but they're not the healthiest option. I'm going to reach for a piece of fruit for dessert instead. See how that works out...

    Today I up the weights in Stage 1, Workout B, can't wait!
  • tigeratty
    tigeratty Posts: 75 Member
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    Hi everyone! Sorry I haven't figure out how to reply to specific quotes, but...

    Here's why I think most machines are bad and compound movements are good. It's the same reason they give in the NROL series. Never in your real life will you do a bicept curl or sit and move your legs in and out in a triangle. Compound moves are based on movements you do in real life. Pick a child or basket of laundry up off the floor? That's a deadlift. Public bathroom? That's a squat. Plus when you use machines they isolate the muscle and nothing else gets worked. Compare that to a squat, which is a core exercise. You have to engage your core or else you'll fall over! My arms got bigger and better developed from NROL than from years of bicep curls and tricep kickbacks. Seriously.

    As for intimidation from going to the "guys" side, here's my experience. At first people didn't take me seriously, but after awhile, the "regulars" saw me all the time and realized I was serious and a "regular" too. They respect that. Some of the non regular can still be jerky, but you'll have that anywhere.

    Because I'm older I realized that I'm old enough to be the mom of most of the guys there. So I've perfected my "mom" look and it really works. : ) Granted, I'm assertive anyway but those young guys really respond to the mom energy. I feel like Caesar Millan.

    I've looked over The Female Body Breakthrough. The writing is REALLY annoying to me, all totally based on looks, not so much health or strength. The exercises just seemed kooky. To do them I'd be running around to all corners of my gym. I guess I'd rather do the straigt up guys weights. I do like and recommend the Women's Health Big Book of Exercises. Great resource.

    Shari
  • neela31
    neela31 Posts: 180 Member
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    Hi

    I'm not an active poster on this thread but I read all of the posts. Just thought I'd add my experience so far. I'm still in Stage 1 and I'm doing 12 sets of the exercises now. I ended up doing the 15 reps 3 times instead of the 2. It usually takes my body a little longer to get acqainted with exercise so I'm taking it a little slower. I'm also taking 2 days off between lifting with 1 day of cardio and 1 full day of rest. I tried Mon-Wed-Fri with cardio on Tuesday and Thursday and it was too much. I'm not ready to completely give up cardio and I really need a full day of rest before lifting. So I've settled on the pattern, lift, cardio, rest, lift, cardio, rest. I like it so far. I'm looking forward to finally doing a boy pushup. Can't wait to see the results you ladies are achieving!
  • duckpond11
    duckpond11 Posts: 197 Member
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    I went ahead and purchased Rachel Cosgrove's book - I have only read the nutrition section and agree with the annoying! writing! However, the nutrition plan looked a little more structured than what is giving in NROLW, and I think I could use the guidelines right now. So I decided to incorporate her eating guidelines into my NROLW workout. I will have to get through the rest of the book at some point to judge the workouts, but I am committed to NROLW for the next 6 months so I have plenty of time :).

    with regard to being intimidated by the free weights - I am too, but I figure that I am paying good money for my gym membership and I own the right to use those weights as much as anyone else does, so they can just let me work in :).

    Am also starting the 12 reps on stage 1 this week. Hopefully this will be the week that I make it in 3x instead of just 2.
  • BifDiehl
    BifDiehl Posts: 474
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    Stupid question time
    > when the book says we're supposed to increase our weights each time, does that mean EACH TIME we lift, or each time we move to a different rep level? I've been trying to increase them each time I lift and that's really tough, especially since the weights are in 2.5 & 5 pound increments.

    Just double checking!
  • neela31
    neela31 Posts: 180 Member
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    Stupid question time
    > when the book says we're supposed to increase our weights each time, does that mean EACH TIME we lift, or each time we move to a different rep level? I've been trying to increase them each time I lift and that's really tough, especially since the weights are in 2.5 & 5 pound increments.

    Just double checking!

    Personally, I haven't been able to do that for all the exercises. I've been able to increase on bigger exercises like deadlifts and squats. I have been able to increase when going to lower reps.
  • PixieGoddess
    PixieGoddess Posts: 1,833 Member
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    Stupid question time
    > when the book says we're supposed to increase our weights each time, does that mean EACH TIME we lift, or each time we move to a different rep level? I've been trying to increase them each time I lift and that's really tough, especially since the weights are in 2.5 & 5 pound increments.

    Just double checking!

    Personally, I haven't been able to do that for all the exercises. I've been able to increase on bigger exercises like deadlifts and squats. I have been able to increase when going to lower reps.

    Ditto. I always increase weight when moving to lower reps, but whether I increase or not between depends on the exercise. For example, in trying to complete 2 x 15 lunges last Thursday in 1B1, I pushed myself more-or-less to failure. So I'm gonna stay at the same weight this week when I do 1B2. But I can easily add more weight to several other exercises, like squats and rows, so I will! :smile:
  • PixieGoddess
    PixieGoddess Posts: 1,833 Member
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    Public bathroom? That's a squat.

    :laugh: BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! :laugh: LOVE IT!! :laugh:
  • elizabethblake
    elizabethblake Posts: 384 Member
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    Stupid question time
    > when the book says we're supposed to increase our weights each time, does that mean EACH TIME we lift, or each time we move to a different rep level? I've been trying to increase them each time I lift and that's really tough, especially since the weights are in 2.5 & 5 pound increments.

    Just double checking!

    I'm doing what they said - increase weight when the reps decrease. I'm going to have to figure something out soon, the 15 lb. dumbbells jump to 20 lb. next and that's a pretty big jump...
  • PixieGoddess
    PixieGoddess Posts: 1,833 Member
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    1A2 last night, and I can tell I'm really pushing myself this time around, because when I finish the workout, I just want to lie on the floor and not move for the rest of the night! Last night was even worse, though, I was really struggling with everything, except the squats, which I still need to up my weight on - I've been increasing by 10# every workout. So I guess it was just one of those off days. :ohwell:

    And I finally got a stand for my weight plates! It's pretty awesome having them look all pretty, not stacked on my fireplace hearth! It has holders for my barbell and dumbbells, too! :glasses: I've noticed that I seem to be buying myself a little weight-lifting something almost every paycheck lately....and it's not gonna end any time soon! I already need a new barbell, since I currently have to load the weights on the insides of the bench's uprights, and there's not much room left for more weight, so I need to get a 6-foot-er. And pretty soon I'll need some heavier plates, too. Well, at least my spending money is going into a good investment! :drinker:
  • agthorn
    agthorn Posts: 1,844 Member
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    Hi - just saw this group! I bought my copy of NROLW last week and have already read it through. I'm planning on starting September 11th!
  • elizabethblake
    elizabethblake Posts: 384 Member
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    I've noticed that I seem to be buying myself a little weight-lifting something almost every paycheck lately....and it's not gonna end any time soon! I already need a new barbell, since I currently have to load the weights on the insides of the bench's uprights, and there's not much room left for more weight, so I need to get a 6-foot-er. And pretty soon I'll need some heavier plates, too. Well, at least my spending money is going into a good investment! :drinker:

    So true! I'm going to buy a straight bar for our gym downstairs. I looked at some in WalMart weekend before last and my husband gave me the "look" but I don't care what he thinks! Strong is Sexy! And when I run circles around him on the trail this hiking season, he'll have to readjust his thinking! :wink:
  • OneBryteSmile
    OneBryteSmile Posts: 808 Member
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    Bump for later
  • neela31
    neela31 Posts: 180 Member
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    Just curious - anyone try making the high protein cheesecake recipe in the book? I was thinking about trying it but wondering how it would turn out without cream cheese!
  • Lozze
    Lozze Posts: 1,917 Member
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    I did end up getting NROLFW and it's even better. But the workouts confuse me! How does it work? I'm really confused. Do I do all five exercises on workout a the first time? And do I do my two sets of equate then rest or a break in between?

    Also when I have alternating sets I do push up then break then seated row. Or all at once?

    Sorry for the dumb questions!

    I'm going to start Saturday (I'm going tonight but will do the machines tonight)
  • PixieGoddess
    PixieGoddess Posts: 1,833 Member
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    Do I do all five exercises on workout a the first time?

    Also when I have alternating sets I do push up then break then seated row.

    Yes to these. You should do all the exercises in Workout A as one workout, resting after each set. So for Stage 1, Workout A, you would do a set of squats, rest, the second set of squats, rest, and as you progress through the program there will be a third set of squats and then rest. After all the squats are done, you move into your first pair of alternating sets; I don't have it in front of me, but I believe it's push-ups and rows? So you would do your first set of push-ups, rest, first set of rows, rest, second set of push-ups, rest, etc. Once all sets for those are done, move into your second pair of alternating sets.

    Yeah...it's pretty confusing...hope that helped! :smile:
  • elizabethblake
    elizabethblake Posts: 384 Member
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    Just curious - anyone try making the high protein cheesecake recipe in the book? I was thinking about trying it but wondering how it would turn out without cream cheese!

    I'm curious too!

    Okay, so I'm actually excited to be doing Workout A today - I really love the prone jackknives!!!
  • BifDiehl
    BifDiehl Posts: 474
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    Another day done! I've now done the level of 12 reps twice. Upped my weights today again - my arms are soooo weak! I can't wait until they're stronger. :bigsmile:
  • neela31
    neela31 Posts: 180 Member
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    Another day done! I've now done the level of 12 reps twice. Upped my weights today again - my arms are soooo weak! I can't wait until they're stronger. :bigsmile:


    Great job! I'm right behind you. I've done the 12 reps once now. I can't wait until I'm stronger too. I feel so weak! I'm looking forward to lowering my body fat percentage as well.

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