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

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  • BifDiehl
    BifDiehl Posts: 474
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    Started Stage 2 this week and have workout B tonight. Looks like a long workout with the intervals added. Good thing I have leftovers scheduled for dinner tonight :bigsmile:

    I really liked Stage 1 and I had a HUGE benefit with my running. I only started running in March and I hadn't gotten to the point where I felt comfortable with my stride. Well, since weight lifting, my legs have gotten strong enough to take a more comfortable, longer stride. I love it - my times have improved, and now I'm working on getting my cardio to catch up!
    Me too! I can't believe what it's done for my running. I haven't really been running much long distance since I started this because of lack of time, but I dropped my 1 mile time from 7:45 to 6:30. I mean, that's huge. I've been at 7:45 for nearly a year without it improving. It's such a great benefit. It really brings home the idea that strength training really helps all of it, while if you just did cardio, you certainly wouldn't be able to automatically be good at strength training.

    WOW - you are FAST!! :love: I was happy that I moved from an 11 minute mile to a 10 minute mile. That's alright, I'll get fast eventually. I'm sure the intervals in stage 2 will help me, too, since I'm using running to do the intervals.

    I had Stage 2, workout B tonight. Those bulgarian split squats are HARD! It's like doing a one-leg lunge since there's not much in the way of help from the leg that's on the step. I've also discovered that I have horrible balance. I keep losing my balance on those split squats!
  • BifDiehl
    BifDiehl Posts: 474
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    duplicate post
  • tara_jm
    tara_jm Posts: 33 Member
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    bumping
  • idauria
    idauria Posts: 1,037 Member
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    I finished the second workout A, stage 2 routine this morning. I am really starting to hate lunges! I actually was only able to complete 8 reps on the second set of the static lunges. That's the first time I've not been able to complete a set of lunges. I used 15lb dumbbells. But I think my legs were still fatigued from Wed's workout. This stage really kills your legs! I feel pretty decent otherwise.
  • erzille
    erzille Posts: 524 Member
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    Starting Stage 1 monday!
  • agthorn
    agthorn Posts: 1,844 Member
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    I'm on a bit of a break... my PhD qualifying exam is in a little over a week and I'm in hardcore overdrive mode.

    GOOD LUCK!! I still remember mine in November '04. I always said the day of my exam was the smartest day of my life. You'll lose 80-90% of it within a month though :-)
  • deninevi
    deninevi Posts: 934 Member
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    Rollin' rollin' rollin'! Woo!


    I'm on a bit of a break... my PhD qualifying exam is in a little over a week and I'm in hardcore overdrive mode. Taking some breaks for occasional jogs, but only because I can fit them in at odd hours easier than I can fit in packing up all my junk and going to the gym. Hopefully I won't set myself back too much.

    Good luck on the exam!
  • shellbell525
    shellbell525 Posts: 80
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    I just finished reading the book and going through all the exercises in stage one. Starting officially tomorrow! I can't wait! Is anyone else doing this completely from home? I know I'll be ok for the most part but i'm a bit worried on modifying some of the exercises. Any advice?

    Anyone have before and after results to share? I know everyone's results are different but I love seeing the success of other people, I find it incredibly motivating.
  • TluvK
    TluvK Posts: 733 Member
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    I just finished reading the book and going through all the exercises in stage one. Starting officially tomorrow! I can't wait! Is anyone else doing this completely from home? I know I'll be ok for the most part but i'm a bit worried on modifying some of the exercises. Any advice?

    Anyone have before and after results to share? I know everyone's results are different but I love seeing the success of other people, I find it incredibly motivating.

    There are at least two people here doing the program from home - if you page back through the old thread, you'll see a lot of discussion about the various moves. Good luck! I don't have any before and after pictures. Well, I did take my profile picture before I started, but I'm only in Stage 2 right now, so I don't have an after yet!

    Are you following the diet plan too?
  • shellbell525
    shellbell525 Posts: 80
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    Thanks, I started reading part 1 while i was waiting for the book but was getting a little lost since i didn't know what everyone was talking about. Now that I've finished I'll start reading through again.

    I'll be following the macro-nutrients but I'm just going to use it as a guide. That many meals just wouldn't fit into my life right now, but I do think I can hit all the daily goals.
  • idauria
    idauria Posts: 1,037 Member
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    I just finished reading the book and going through all the exercises in stage one. Starting officially tomorrow! I can't wait! Is anyone else doing this completely from home? I know I'll be ok for the most part but i'm a bit worried on modifying some of the exercises. Any advice?

    Anyone have before and after results to share? I know everyone's results are different but I love seeing the success of other people, I find it incredibly motivating.

    I am doing this from home. I have a pretty good setup as far as equipment goes. I have 3-10lb dumbbells and I also have a set of adjustable dumbbells that go ridiculously heavy. I have an ez curl bar and an olympic barbell. I have 2 sets of weight plates and a bench that has pins on the outside so I can use it as a squat rack. I don't have a cable station so I have to modify the exercises that call for using cables but it's not really a big deal. So far I have been able to do all the exercises using the equipment that I have. The book tells you how to modify exercises if you don't have the necessary equipment.
  • shellbell525
    shellbell525 Posts: 80
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    I did see the modifications in the book but I didn't see any for a few. For example I didn't see anything for the Lat pull down? Would i just go though the same motion but with dumbbells? I could be missing something since there is soo much information.
  • idauria
    idauria Posts: 1,037 Member
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    I did see the modifications in the book but I didn't see any for a few. For example I didn't see anything for the Lat pull down? Would i just go though the same motion but with dumbbells? I could be missing something since there is soo much information.

    For the lat pulldowns he recommends you lay down on a bench and pull an ez curl bar back behind your head. The movement is not quite the same because it engages your triceps and chest more but you still feel it in your upper back. That's what I do.
  • ruststar
    ruststar Posts: 489 Member
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    Anyone have before and after results to share? I know everyone's results are different but I love seeing the success of other people, I find it incredibly motivating.

    My husband took pictures for me yesterday now that I've finished stage 1 and I can see the most significant change in my midsection and back. I'm not ready to post pictures of me just yet, but I do know that I can also see more definition in my arms, shoulders, legs, and especially calves (lost a whole inch there).
  • tara_jm
    tara_jm Posts: 33 Member
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    I just finished reading the book and going through all the exercises in stage one. Starting officially tomorrow! I can't wait! Is anyone else doing this completely from home? I know I'll be ok for the most part but i'm a bit worried on modifying some of the exercises. Any advice?

    Anyone have before and after results to share? I know everyone's results are different but I love seeing the success of other people, I find it incredibly motivating.

    I am doing this from home. I have a pretty good setup as far as equipment goes. I have 3-10lb dumbbells and I also have a set of adjustable dumbbells that go ridiculously heavy. I have an ez curl bar and an olympic barbell. I have 2 sets of weight plates and a bench that has pins on the outside so I can use it as a squat rack. I don't have a cable station so I have to modify the exercises that call for using cables but it's not really a big deal. So far I have been able to do all the exercises using the equipment that I have. The book tells you how to modify exercises if you don't have the necessary equipment.

    I'm doing this from home as well. We have a bench, a rack of dumbells, an olympic bar, an ez curl bar, and weight plates. I use dumbells for my squats and I can see that I'm going to run out of arm strength before leg strength. I never thought to use the bench to load for a squat, I'll have to try that. I had to go buy gloves because my hands just couldn't grip the weights for very long without hurting (YAY heavy weights!). The gloves made all the difference for me as they have a little extra cushion.

    I'm tending to change things up each work out to figure out the best way for me to handle the exercises at home. It took me 3 workouts to find the right height of step in my house for the step ups. The bench was too high so I hurt my knees (I'm short). I ended up using the stairs to the basement and steping to the second step. Not perfect but it works.
  • tara_jm
    tara_jm Posts: 33 Member
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    I'm now on my third week of this program and I absolutely love it! I'm using weights heavier than I've ever used and it feels awesome! I HATE lunges, LOVE squats, and really suck at tricep push ups. I used to think I was good at push ups, but I have only been able to complete two full tricep push ups so far, but they work so well, so I'm sure I'll grow to love them!

    As for results, I'm only three weeks in so I haven't had any major body changes yet. I can lift more, and my legs are getting more defined. My baby belly hasn't shrunk but my rear has a little.
  • elizabethblake
    elizabethblake Posts: 384 Member
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    Bumping to get this in my topics - starting Stage 3 today!!! Wish I'd eaten better over the past week, hope I have enough good fuel to get through it!
  • idauria
    idauria Posts: 1,037 Member
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    I'm in the middle of stage 2 now. I totally fell off the food wagon this weekend but it's a new week. I know I would be seeing better results if I would be consistent with my diet. I swear last week my belly seemed smaller but after a weekend of eating chips and chocolate it's bigger again!
  • idauria
    idauria Posts: 1,037 Member
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    I just finished reading the book and going through all the exercises in stage one. Starting officially tomorrow! I can't wait! Is anyone else doing this completely from home? I know I'll be ok for the most part but i'm a bit worried on modifying some of the exercises. Any advice?

    Anyone have before and after results to share? I know everyone's results are different but I love seeing the success of other people, I find it incredibly motivating.

    I am doing this from home. I have a pretty good setup as far as equipment goes. I have 3-10lb dumbbells and I also have a set of adjustable dumbbells that go ridiculously heavy. I have an ez curl bar and an olympic barbell. I have 2 sets of weight plates and a bench that has pins on the outside so I can use it as a squat rack. I don't have a cable station so I have to modify the exercises that call for using cables but it's not really a big deal. So far I have been able to do all the exercises using the equipment that I have. The book tells you how to modify exercises if you don't have the necessary equipment.

    I'm doing this from home as well. We have a bench, a rack of dumbells, an olympic bar, an ez curl bar, and weight plates. I use dumbells for my squats and I can see that I'm going to run out of arm strength before leg strength. I never thought to use the bench to load for a squat, I'll have to try that. I had to go buy gloves because my hands just couldn't grip the weights for very long without hurting (YAY heavy weights!). The gloves made all the difference for me as they have a little extra cushion.

    I'm tending to change things up each work out to figure out the best way for me to handle the exercises at home. It took me 3 workouts to find the right height of step in my house for the step ups. The bench was too high so I hurt my knees (I'm short). I ended up using the stairs to the basement and steping to the second step. Not perfect but it works.

    I hate lunges too! There are tons of static lunges in stage 2 and I think I like those better than regular lunges. But they're still tough. That's good thinking to use your steps for the step ups! My dh actually made me a highish step with some wood a while ago so I am using that. I also ordered a plastic step with the risers from ebay. I use that for the deadlifts and reverse lunges now.

    Let me clarify about the squat rack. I don't put the bar on the bench itself. Outside of the bench, toward the part where your head lays, there are two rectangular poles with holes in them. You can put the pins on varying levels to adjust the level of the barbell.

    It sounds like you've got a pretty good setup at home. I don't think you'll have any problems with the workouts.
  • shellbell525
    shellbell525 Posts: 80
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    yesterday was 1A1, I've done lots of weights before so i thought this first work out would just be too easy. But boy was i wrong! I can really feel it! I'm so excited for the shorter work/more intense workouts! 1B1 on Wednesday(i think i'm going to need the extra day in between!).

    Does any one have a hard time getting the protein in during the day? What do you do to help boost the protein with out killing fat or calories?

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