New Rules of Lifting (for Women) Group - Part 2

fitrunnermd

I completed Stage 2 last night! I read through what Stage 3 has in store for me. Doesn't look too scary, but we'll see! The body matrix part looks interesting. For those who have done that, what's your best time?

congrats. I hope to get there eventually. :flowerforyou:

AnaNotBanana

I completed Stage 2 last night! I read through what Stage 3 has in store for me. Doesn't look too scary, but we'll see! The body matrix part looks interesting. For those who have done that, what's your best time?

Hooray!!! I started the body weight matrix with a time of 4:00 (although it should have been more than that - I only did 12 squat jumps because I didn't read the instructions before starting). I did my third Workout A yesterday and my best BWM time was 3:15, so I've shaved 45 seconds off! TLuvK is under 3:00 though, she's killer! The way I look at it, I'm only competing with my time from the last workout, if I can improve on that, I'm happy. )

I have a love/hate relationship with the body weight matrix. I started out around 5 minutes and the last time I did it I got down to 3 minutes. I love it because it's the one place I can see lots of improvement. I hate it because it kicks my butt every time.

AnaNotBanana

I've decided that the step-ups are probably my least favorite exercise in Stage 1. I'm wondering if it's because of the 'step' I'm using, though. I have a step aerobics bench with 2 risers/bricks/blocks (whatever you want to call them!) for each end/side. That didn't seem high enough, because I really didn't feel like I was working anything. I started using a kitchen chair several workouts ago and that seems a bit TOO high, but it's definitely a kick my butt kind of workout (especially while holding 22.5 lb dumbbells in each hand!).

I decided to build my own plyo boxes/steps to use for this workout. It was super easy and I had minimal help from my boyfriend. I went to Home Depot and had them cut all the wood for me and then I just assembled at home. Here is a good video that shows how you can make your own steps.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZGb7G0Oy8ao

idauria

Hi guys...anybody like to tell me about this book and whether it is worth getting? I would like to incorporate some weight lifting into my workouts and don't know where to start. Thanks!

If you're interested in lifting heavy weights and committing to a 6 month program, then this book is for you! I love that the workouts are all laid out in the book and I don't have to come up with my own routines. Each stage takes less than an hour. It might be tricky if you're working out at home and don't have all the weights/equipment but if you go to the gym then you'll be fine.

bizco

Hi guys...anybody like to tell me about this book and whether it is worth getting? I would like to incorporate some weight lifting into my workouts and don't know where to start. Thanks!

Check out Amazon.com and read the customer reviews. You'll get more insight there. Here's my two cents... I think it's an awesome program. One downfall is that you need a gym membership to follow the program as written. The equimpent needed is far too expensive and big to be done at home (i.e. squat rack, cable machine, set of dumbells, barbell, set of barbell plates, weight bench and much more). If you're going to get the benefit of any lifting program you must progress in your weight load. You'll be surprised at how fast you will build up strength and you'll need those heavy weights and equipment.

Book summary:
You lift 3x per week. 2x per week will work but they really stress 3x. The workouts are divided into 7 stages. The entire program is about 6 months worth of workouts if you lift 3x per week and do all 7 stages (Stage 6 is optional). The book also includes a nutrition plan but I don't follow it. There are some good recipes and ideas for meals and snacks though. You also do some interval (cardio) training in stages 2, 3, 4, and 5.

I'm currently in stage 3. Another downfall is that the workouts are getting longer and time management can be a challenge. Sometimes I'm in the gym for 90+ minutes. Can't skip the warm-ups and cool-down! Sometimes I have to wait to use the equipment. I'm also doing a little more core work than the book has laid out. One example, the book will show 2 sets of 10 reps or 3 sets of 6 reps for crunches and for me, that's not a challenge at all. So I will do 20-30 reps for each set. It adds only 2-3 minutes to the workout.

There are many other lifting programs out there but I like the fact that this book is geared toward women. There really isn't a difference in the exercises you do, the author just uses female pronouns some extra info geared toward women. Congratulations on making the decision to lift. Everyone should be lifting, it's vital for good health. Maintaining and/or gaining strength is so important. And don't worry, you won't bulk up. That's a total misconception.

jkuhn71

I've decided that the step-ups are probably my least favorite exercise in Stage 1. I'm wondering if it's because of the 'step' I'm using, though. I have a step aerobics bench with 2 risers/bricks/blocks (whatever you want to call them!) for each end/side. That didn't seem high enough, because I really didn't feel like I was working anything. I started using a kitchen chair several workouts ago and that seems a bit TOO high, but it's definitely a kick my butt kind of workout (especially while holding 22.5 lb dumbbells in each hand!).

Anyway - I'm just wondering what 'step' everyone else is using/has used for their step-ups. Thanks!

My husband actually made me a step for doing step ups last year when I was doing a different workout routine. I am glad he did because it's getting a lot of use now! It's about a foot high and I can feel the burn in my butt/hams when I step up, especially now that I am up to 65 pounds using the barbell. I can't say they are my favorite exercise, but I don't hate them. I reserve that for lunges. I can do squats all day but the lunges are killing me!

@ idauria - hmmm...maybe my step bench w/ risers would be high enough to get a good burn if I just upped the weight and used the bar on my back instead of trying to hold dumbbells and stepping WAY UP on that kitchen chair (I'm only 5'4" - so that's a long way up...my hubby uses the kitchen chair, but he's 6'8" - so it's not a stretch for him!!!). Thank you for that idea!!!

Thanks to everyone for their input on this! Especially those that posted links to boxes/benches - including how to build one!

sweetNsassy2584

Do any of you who are currently doing NROLFW do the exercises at home? I have a pretty good set up already but I know I will have to add on. I also know that I can use other things if I don't have the right equipment. I am halfway through the book and want to get started.

baisleac

Do any of you who are currently doing NROLFW do the exercises at home? I have a pretty good set up already but I know I will have to add on. I also know that I can use other things if I don't have the right equipment. I am halfway through the book and want to get started.

Can't afford a gym membership. My husband and I are each the other's spotter while we go through the NROL(FW) plan... at home. We got a really nice weight bench, with bar, dumbells, and weight plates, off of Craigslist for cheap. We've been getting new weight plates at Goodwill.

jkuhn71

Do any of you who are currently doing NROLFW do the exercises at home? I have a pretty good set up already but I know I will have to add on. I also know that I can use other things if I don't have the right equipment. I am halfway through the book and want to get started.

My husband and I are both doing NROL at home. I have a gym membership, but my hubby does not. He bought a Body-Solid home gym back in the spring (I use that for my seated rows & lat pull-downs for stage 1). We've had a set of 52.5 lb adjustable dumbbells for years that we use, too. When we decided to start NROL and NROLFW, we invested in a power cage, adjustable bench, olympic bar, and 400 lbs in plates. I stopped lifting at the gym and only go now for classes or using the treadmill or arc trainer.

idauria

I've decided that the step-ups are probably my least favorite exercise in Stage 1. I'm wondering if it's because of the 'step' I'm using, though. I have a step aerobics bench with 2 risers/bricks/blocks (whatever you want to call them!) for each end/side. That didn't seem high enough, because I really didn't feel like I was working anything. I started using a kitchen chair several workouts ago and that seems a bit TOO high, but it's definitely a kick my butt kind of workout (especially while holding 22.5 lb dumbbells in each hand!).

Anyway - I'm just wondering what 'step' everyone else is using/has used for their step-ups. Thanks!

My husband actually made me a step for doing step ups last year when I was doing a different workout routine. I am glad he did because it's getting a lot of use now! It's about a foot high and I can feel the burn in my butt/hams when I step up, especially now that I am up to 65 pounds using the barbell. I can't say they are my favorite exercise, but I don't hate them. I reserve that for lunges. I can do squats all day but the lunges are killing me!

@ idauria - hmmm...maybe my step bench w/ risers would be high enough to get a good burn if I just upped the weight and used the bar on my back instead of trying to hold dumbbells and stepping WAY UP on that kitchen chair (I'm only 5'4" - so that's a long way up...my hubby uses the kitchen chair, but he's 6'8" - so it's not a stretch for him!!!). Thank you for that idea!!!

Thanks to everyone for their input on this! Especially those that posted links to boxes/benches - including how to build one!

I am short too, only 4'10", so even a foot step up is big for me, especially with barbell on my back! I can't imagine using a kitchen chair, I think I'd fall off.

idauria

Do any of you who are currently doing NROLFW do the exercises at home? I have a pretty good set up already but I know I will have to add on. I also know that I can use other things if I don't have the right equipment. I am halfway through the book and want to get started.

I do it at home. I have pretty much all I need except for the pulldown station. I use the modified version of the lat exercises for those. I love working out at home. I love the flexibility and the fact that nobody is watching me!

bizco

Here's a great video from Bret Contreras showing how to do the single-leg Romanian deadlift correctly in stage 3. I love this guy! His knee of the grounded leg bends a bit when executing the move and I don't think this is a problem. My knee also naturally bends a bit and I really have to focus and try to force it to stay straight; sometimes I can, sometimes I can't. Do whatever is comfortable for you.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZyV3rwv62AE&list=PL4CE51ED9E54AA7C3&index=9&feature=plpp_video

idauria

Here's a great video from Bret Contreras showing how to do the single-leg Romanian deadlift correctly in stage 3. I love this guy! His knee of the grounded leg bends a bit when executing the move and I don't think this is a problem. My knee also naturally bends a bit and I really have to focus and try to force it to stay straight; sometimes I can, sometimes I can't. Do whatever is comfortable for you.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZyV3rwv62AE&list=PL4CE51ED9E54AA7C3&index=9&feature=plpp_video

Nice tutorial! I can't wait to get started on Monday!

elizabethblake

Here's a great video from Bret Contreras showing how to do the single-leg Romanian deadlift correctly in stage 3. I love this guy! His knee of the grounded leg bends a bit when executing the move and I don't think this is a problem. My knee also naturally bends a bit and I really have to focus and try to force it to stay straight; sometimes I can, sometimes I can't. Do whatever is comfortable for you.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZyV3rwv62AE&list=PL4CE51ED9E54AA7C3&index=9&feature=plpp_video

Wow, can you imagine doing those with 315 lbs.!?!?

idauria

Here's a great video from Bret Contreras showing how to do the single-leg Romanian deadlift correctly in stage 3. I love this guy! His knee of the grounded leg bends a bit when executing the move and I don't think this is a problem. My knee also naturally bends a bit and I really have to focus and try to force it to stay straight; sometimes I can, sometimes I can't. Do whatever is comfortable for you.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZyV3rwv62AE&list=PL4CE51ED9E54AA7C3&index=9&feature=plpp_video

Wow, can you imagine doing those with 315 lbs.!?!?

Ha! I'll be lucky to be able to do them with 20lb dumbbells!

ruststar

Here's a great video from Bret Contreras showing how to do the single-leg Romanian deadlift correctly in stage 3. I love this guy! His knee of the grounded leg bends a bit when executing the move and I don't think this is a problem. My knee also naturally bends a bit and I really have to focus and try to force it to stay straight; sometimes I can, sometimes I can't. Do whatever is comfortable for you.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZyV3rwv62AE&list=PL4CE51ED9E54AA7C3&index=9&feature=plpp_video

Thanks for the video - I'm going to have to work on these every day before I add weight, but I can totally see what I've been doing wrong.

Yanicka1

Here's a great video from Bret Contreras showing how to do the single-leg Romanian deadlift correctly in stage 3. I love this guy! His knee of the grounded leg bends a bit when executing the move and I don't think this is a problem. My knee also naturally bends a bit and I really have to focus and try to force it to stay straight; sometimes I can, sometimes I can't. Do whatever is comfortable for you.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZyV3rwv62AE&list=PL4CE51ED9E54AA7C3&index=9&feature=plpp_video

Thanks for the video - I'm going to have to work on these every day before I add weight, but I can totally see what I've been doing wrong.

Thank you. I will take a look at home. I am done with stage 2 today and will start stage 3 monday. Yaya

bizco

Here's a great video from Bret Contreras showing how to do the single-leg Romanian deadlift correctly in stage 3. I love this guy! His knee of the grounded leg bends a bit when executing the move and I don't think this is a problem. My knee also naturally bends a bit and I really have to focus and try to force it to stay straight; sometimes I can, sometimes I can't. Do whatever is comfortable for you.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZyV3rwv62AE&list=PL4CE51ED9E54AA7C3&index=9&feature=plpp_video

Thank you. I will take a look at home. I am done with stage 2 today and will start stage 3 monday. Yaya

Cool. We can share the joy of doing 2 sets of the body matrix. I was like, "Are you freaking kidding me? One set isn't enough?"

idauria

Here's a great video from Bret Contreras showing how to do the single-leg Romanian deadlift correctly in stage 3. I love this guy! His knee of the grounded leg bends a bit when executing the move and I don't think this is a problem. My knee also naturally bends a bit and I really have to focus and try to force it to stay straight; sometimes I can, sometimes I can't. Do whatever is comfortable for you.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZyV3rwv62AE&list=PL4CE51ED9E54AA7C3&index=9&feature=plpp_video

Thank you. I will take a look at home. I am done with stage 2 today and will start stage 3 monday. Yaya

Cool. We can share the joy of doing 2 sets of the body matrix. I was like, "Are you freaking kidding me? One set isn't enough?"

I'll be starting stage 3 on Monday too!

shellbell525

I've had a very lazy day off today and didnt really feel like doing my work out even though I knew I'd feel better once I did. Reading through this board got me off my butt. Thank you my fellow myfitnesspalers

LabRat529

Sorry if this has been asked already (didn't read everything). Has anyone found a good droid app for keeping track of your lifting (sets, how much weight, etc?)

TluvK

Hey all - Did Stage 3, Workout B for the first time today. The gym office was closed so I didn't have the book with me. Few questions for those of you who have done it. Are we supposed to use weights in the YTWL? I did, but every tutorial I watched on YouTube, didn't have the person using weights. On the Bent Over Row/RDL - are we supposed to do 6 RDL and then 6 Rows? Or 1 RDL, then 1 Row, etc. And finally, if you use a gym, did you do the back extensions on that one piece of equipment or on the floor?

Thanks! I liked it enough - Although, I prefer Workout A, I think. I did enjoy the partial split squats - they really get you in the backside!!

Hope everyone is having a great weekend!!

Rebekah - sorry, I have a blackberry.

Rae6503

Sorry if this has been asked already (didn't read everything). Has anyone found a good droid app for keeping track of your lifting (sets, how much weight, etc?)

I use the MFP app. But it doesn't do anything fun like chart them.

Yanicka1

Hey all - Did Stage 3, Workout B for the first time today. The gym office was closed so I didn't have the book with me. Few questions for those of you who have done it. Are we supposed to use weights in the YTWL? I did, but every tutorial I watched on YouTube, didn't have the person using weights. On the Bent Over Row/RDL - are we supposed to do 6 RDL and then 6 Rows? Or 1 RDL, then 1 Row, etc. And finally, if you use a gym, did you do the back extensions on that one piece of equipment or on the floor?

Thanks! I liked it enough - Although, I prefer Workout A, I think. I did enjoy the partial split squats - they really get you in the backside!!

Hope everyone is having a great weekend!!

Rebekah - sorry, I have a blackberry.

I am pretty sure the YTWL need weights. The lady has dumbbells in her hands, probably 5 pounders. I will do the back extensions on the equipement....I really do not enjoy prone cobra that much. For you other question, I have no idea, my book is in the car and I am too lazy to go get it LOL. I am starting stage 3 next week!!!!

deninevi

Sorry if this has been asked already (didn't read everything). Has anyone found a good droid app for keeping track of your lifting (sets, how much weight, etc?)

My husband uses Jefit on his phone for tracking. I use a notebook

deninevi

Hey all - Did Stage 3, Workout B for the first time today. The gym office was closed so I didn't have the book with me. Few questions for those of you who have done it. Are we supposed to use weights in the YTWL? I did, but every tutorial I watched on YouTube, didn't have the person using weights. On the Bent Over Row/RDL - are we supposed to do 6 RDL and then 6 Rows? Or 1 RDL, then 1 Row, etc. And finally, if you use a gym, did you do the back extensions on that one piece of equipment or on the floor?

Thanks! I liked it enough - Although, I prefer Workout A, I think. I did enjoy the partial split squats - they really get you in the backside!!

Hope everyone is having a great weekend!!

Rebekah - sorry, I have a blackberry.

YTWL- with weights. Do 6 reps of the Y, move to the 6 reps for the T, then 6 reps for the W and 6 reps for the L-one set. No break between Y, T,W,L.

The BB RDL/BOR it's a combo between the two:grab the BB from the floor and lift-like a deadlift. When at top bent over-BB just under the knees, row to upper abs, lower BB to just under knees and stand up-1 rep. Hope this makes sense.

bizco

Hey all - Did Stage 3, Workout B for the first time today. The gym office was closed so I didn't have the book with me. Few questions for those of you who have done it. Are we supposed to use weights in the YTWL? I did, but every tutorial I watched on YouTube, didn't have the person using weights. On the Bent Over Row/RDL - are we supposed to do 6 RDL and then 6 Rows? Or 1 RDL, then 1 Row, etc. And finally, if you use a gym, did you do the back extensions on that one piece of equipment or on the floor?

Thanks! I liked it enough - Although, I prefer Workout A, I think. I did enjoy the partial split squats - they really get you in the backside!!

The book says "use very light dumbbells" for YTWL. I used 5-pounders on my first workout and I'll try to use 8lb. on my second workout; at least one set and see how my form is. For RDL/Bent-over Row do 1 RDL then 1 Row, repeat. See YouTube video below.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xa2jBYcC4m0

I go to the gym and use the machine. The gym has two different back extension machines and one is definitely better than the other. The one I use is like the one shown in this video, and it's the one described in the book.

http://www.bodybuilding.com/exercises/detail/view/name/hyperextensions-back-extensions

TluvK

You guys are awesome. Thanks so much for the guidance! I used 5 lbs on the YTWL - I'm not sure I can do 7.5 next time - especially on the W and L - although I could probably do it on the Y and T.

Deni - your description made perfect sense on the RDL/Row. Thanks - that's not what I did! I do question that combination though - I can deadlift over twice what I can row - the deadlift just doesn't seem necessary at such a low weight. Anybody else think so?

Bizco - thanks for the video. I did the back extension backwards, with my legs going up and down - I really felt it. Not sure which is better.

bizco

You guys are awesome. Thanks so much for the guidance! I used 5 lbs on the YTWL - I'm not sure I can do 7.5 next time - especially on the W and L - although I could probably do it on the Y and T.

Deni - your description made perfect sense on the RDL/Row. Thanks - that's not what I did! I do question that combination though - I can deadlift over twice what I can row - the deadlift just doesn't seem necessary at such a low weight. Anybody else think so?

Bizco - thanks for the video. I did the back extension backwards, with my legs going up and down - I really felt it. Not sure which is better.

I can also deadlift twice as much as I can row. But we are still working the hamstrings somewhat even at the low weight. I'm sure the author has his reasons, I'm just following the program.

TSTagain

Bump - need to save this one for later