Stage 3
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Started stage 3 today..... well THAT was fun!! lol, for the first time since starting NR, I forgot to alternate sets until I was about to sit and do the dumbbell bench presses.... so I'm sure it'll be a little easier next time! Started at a good weight for all the moves I think, but I'll have to increase next time of course. This is the first workout that I've actually wanted to quit during it! My second set of planks I had to talk myself through it (was doing 60/30s splits for these) and I almost cried after the BWM!! It took 5:54 the first time, and 4:54 the second, I think I was trying hard to power through so I could be done lol:) Whoever created the jump lunge should be shot.... just sayin!!
I need an opinion from you ladies. So my gym basically sucks and we have no free weights, only preweighted barbells and the dreaded smith machine. I've been using the smith for deadlifts, and it's been working fine, glad to switch to the one legged deadlift this time. But for the bent over row (and the deadlift/row combo) I'm going to be able to do more than the 60lb weighted barbell that is the highest one we have after the next workout. If you were me, would you do the rows with the smith, or switch to dumbbell bent over row?? I can't decide which would be better, cause the dumbbells make it harder, imo, which could be a good thing, but I don't think I'll be able to advance like I would with a barbell! Oh, and switching gyms is not an option til next April:( Thanks for your opinions!0 -
It comes back in stage 5, but it was actually a lot better now. I even cut my time by 45 sec the first time back out with it.
Does the BWM come back in any stage? Wait, nevermind. I don't want to know. I don't have to worry about it at least for a while!0 -
Hi, Ladies, I do my first A workout today. I'm both excited for the new challenges and a bit nervous. I do have a question for you though...my workout time is limited to 45 mins - an hour MAX. I know that I will probably keep the recovery periods to 60 secs or there abouts and I already do my HIITs on another day. So I was wondering...do you think it would be more beneficial to do workout A at lunchtime minus the BW matrix, then go back after work to do the BW matrix? Or create a "workout C" and do my HIITs, the BW matrix, and maybe even the abs circuit?
What are your thoughts?0 -
Hi, Ladies, I do my first A workout today. I'm both excited for the new challenges and a bit nervous. I do have a question for you though...my workout time is limited to 45 mins - an hour MAX. I know that I will probably keep the recovery periods to 60 secs or there abouts and I already do my HIITs on another day. So I was wondering...do you think it would be more beneficial to do workout A at lunchtime minus the BW matrix, then go back after work to do the BW matrix? Or create a "workout C" and do my HIITs, the BW matrix, and maybe even the abs circuit?
What are your thoughts?
I did my last A workout yesterday and kept the rest periods to 60 seconds and it took me (without warmup) about 72 minutes. I would do a workout C but would cut some of the lifts out of the workout and add them to your HIIT day maybe. The BWM is definately no joke but I personally want to do it after lifting when I'm already pretty spent, you know? It does eat up time though -- the resting twice as long as it takes to do the first set is pretty lengthy.0 -
Started stage 3 today..... well THAT was fun!! lol, for the first time since starting NR, I forgot to alternate sets until I was about to sit and do the dumbbell bench presses.... so I'm sure it'll be a little easier next time! Started at a good weight for all the moves I think, but I'll have to increase next time of course. This is the first workout that I've actually wanted to quit during it! My second set of planks I had to talk myself through it (was doing 60/30s splits for these) and I almost cried after the BWM!! It took 5:54 the first time, and 4:54 the second, I think I was trying hard to power through so I could be done lol:) Whoever created the jump lunge should be shot.... just sayin!!
Avalynsmom -- Amen!!! Especially to shooting whoever came up with the idea of jump lunges! LOL. Your BWM was a lot faster than mine though. I wasn't sure I was going to be able to finish my first set without collapsing, but I did, and it took 9 MINUTES!
Then I rested for 18 min on my way home, and did the 2nd set on my back porch and let my kids count my reps for me.
I never even thought of splitting the planks into 60/30's. I just held mine as long as I could, and got 80, 70, and 75 seconds on them, figuring I'd work my way to 90 eventually, but I like the idea of pausing then resuming to get the full 90!
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Hi Ladies...
I completed my first A workout for Stage 3 Friday evening. The one arm OH squat was weird (10lbs OH/20 lower)... I had a hard time keeping my elbows locked. Every time I went down for a squat, my elbows would bend (almost like a tricep dip)... weird.
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Karen: I took a week and a half off... I did lower the weights a tad just for safety while I get familiar with the motions.
CPA - Thanks for the tip. I was careful this morning starting with low weights, and adding through the 3 sets as I was able.
I had the same problem as you though with those one-arm overhead squats too. I could only do them if I let my upper arm bend a little, and that was using 7.5 lb. overhead, and 15 lb. held low. Does anyone have any advice for keeping the upper arm locked? Should I go down to 5 lb. overhead, and 10 lb. held low???0 -
Hi, Ladies, I do my first A workout today. I'm both excited for the new challenges and a bit nervous. I do have a question for you though...my workout time is limited to 45 mins - an hour MAX. I know that I will probably keep the recovery periods to 60 secs or there abouts and I already do my HIITs on another day. So I was wondering...do you think it would be more beneficial to do workout A at lunchtime minus the BW matrix, then go back after work to do the BW matrix? Or create a "workout C" and do my HIITs, the BW matrix, and maybe even the abs circuit?
What are your thoughts?
Lori - if you only have 1 hour max, I'd maybe shorten the workout to 2 sets of everything instead of 3, and maybe extend this phase to do each workout 6 times instead of 4, but then you can keep the workouts "intact" and do all the moves planned each time. They're definitely getting longer though. Those 105 second rests take FOREVER! Shortening the rest to 60-75 sec. should help too.0 -
Started stage 3 today..... well THAT was fun!! lol, for the first time since starting NR, I forgot to alternate sets until I was about to sit and do the dumbbell bench presses.... so I'm sure it'll be a little easier next time! Started at a good weight for all the moves I think, but I'll have to increase next time of course. This is the first workout that I've actually wanted to quit during it! My second set of planks I had to talk myself through it (was doing 60/30s splits for these) and I almost cried after the BWM!! It took 5:54 the first time, and 4:54 the second, I think I was trying hard to power through so I could be done lol:) Whoever created the jump lunge should be shot.... just sayin!!
Avalynsmom -- Amen!!! Especially to shooting whoever came up with the idea of jump lunges! LOL. Your BWM was a lot faster than mine though. I wasn't sure I was going to be able to finish my first set without collapsing, but I did, and it took 9 MINUTES! Then I rested for 18 min on my way home, and did the 2nd set on my back porch and let my kids count my reps for me.
I never even thought of splitting the planks into 60/30's. I just held mine as long as I could, and got 80, 70, and 75 seconds on them, figuring I'd work my way to 90 eventually, but I like the idea of pausing then resuming to get the full 90!
I have to do 60/30 splits for my planks too. When I get to this rotation, it feels like all I'm doing is planking since I essentially am doing 6 seperate sets!
Yesterday, my final A workout, I FINALLY planked for 70 seconds.0 -
I split them cause that's what I read in the book. He says if you can't hold the whole amount of time, do what you can, then rest for the amount of time you already held (so do 60s, rest 60s) then complete the set. Planks have been the hardest for holding the whole time, for me. 60s was hard enough, but 90s? I can't talk myself into doing it that long lol:)
And omg am I sore today!!! Biceps/deltoids/pecs/abs and HAMSTRINGS!!! Gah, I used to like squats, and I've always hated lunges, but now I hate them both!0 -
Then I rested for 18 min on my way home, and did the 2nd set on my back porch and let my kids count my reps for me.
Love that! Sometimes I've done my planks after I drive home because I need to get home to parent too! When I do the full BWM later this week I think I'll try this!0 -
I had the same problem as you though with those one-arm overhead squats too. I could only do them if I let my upper arm bend a little, and that was using 7.5 lb. overhead, and 15 lb. held low. Does anyone have any advice for keeping the upper arm locked? Should I go down to 5 lb. overhead, and 10 lb. held low???
My elbow also usually bends but I didn't really consider it much of a problem since the exercise feels like it's working my whole body out - it's a tough one! Especially getting the squat low enough. Yowza!
I'll concentrate on a straight arm next time and report back.0 -
I agree. This overhead squat is very strange! What is it suppose to work? Is the goal to lower the bottom weight as low to the ground as you can while squatting? I feel like the movement is pulling me slightly off to one side (does that make sense?).. This has been one of my least favorite moves. Mostly because i just don't get it! I am also using 7.5 and 15 weights.
I had the same problem as you though with those one-arm overhead squats too. I could only do them if I let my upper arm bend a little, and that was using 7.5 lb. overhead, and 15 lb. held low. Does anyone have any advice for keeping the upper arm locked? Should I go down to 5 lb. overhead, and 10 lb. held low???
My elbow also usually bends but I didn't really consider it much of a problem since the exercise feels like it's working my whole body out - it's a tough one! Especially getting the squat low enough. Yowza!
I'll concentrate on a straight arm next time and report back.0 -
I agree. This overhead squat is very strange! What is it suppose to work? Is the goal to lower the bottom weight as low to the ground as you can while squatting? I feel like the movement is pulling me slightly off to one side (does that make sense?).. This has been one of my least favorite moves. Mostly because i just don't get it! I am also using 7.5 and 15 weights.
I had the same problem as you though with those one-arm overhead squats too. I could only do them if I let my upper arm bend a little, and that was using 7.5 lb. overhead, and 15 lb. held low. Does anyone have any advice for keeping the upper arm locked? Should I go down to 5 lb. overhead, and 10 lb. held low???
My elbow also usually bends but I didn't really consider it much of a problem since the exercise feels like it's working my whole body out - it's a tough one! Especially getting the squat low enough. Yowza!
I'll concentrate on a straight arm next time and report back.
^^^This. I just finished workout A for the first time. Oh my! Without the BW Matrix! But more on that in a minute.
This overhead squat thing. I found it almost impossible to do a squat with proper form with this. I started having pain in my back and my knee while doing these...and I lowered the weight to 5/10 lbs. I'm going to have to see if I can find something that shows proper form on these. I don't get it.
Ok, so Workout A is 55 minutes using a 5 min warmup and 60 second breaks. That is without the BW Matrix. I will have to do that on another day. I just can't spend that much time at the gym in any one session.
The other exercise I found scratching my head at is the Single leg Romanian Deadlifts, or what ever it is called. The book specifically says get a set of "light" dumbbells for this exercise. Does anyone know why? I used 17.5 for a total of 35 lbs, and feel like I could go heavier with this. But don't know if I should because of his use of the term "light". Anyone have any insight on this one?
And last question for this workout...the reverse wood chops. I'm finding these more awkward than the horizontal wood chops. Are your arms supposed to be kept straight during this? Again, I need something to show me proper form.
And my success for this workout...I held all three planks for 90 seconds! Booyah! And then promptly collapsed after each one. :laugh: Man those are tough!0 -
I agree. This overhead squat is very strange! What is it suppose to work? Is the goal to lower the bottom weight as low to the ground as you can while squatting? I feel like the movement is pulling me slightly off to one side (does that make sense?).. This has been one of my least favorite moves. Mostly because i just don't get it! I am also using 7.5 and 15 weights.
I had the same problem as you though with those one-arm overhead squats too. I could only do them if I let my upper arm bend a little, and that was using 7.5 lb. overhead, and 15 lb. held low. Does anyone have any advice for keeping the upper arm locked? Should I go down to 5 lb. overhead, and 10 lb. held low???
My elbow also usually bends but I didn't really consider it much of a problem since the exercise feels like it's working my whole body out - it's a tough one! Especially getting the squat low enough. Yowza!
I'll concentrate on a straight arm next time and report back.
^^^This. I just finished workout A for the first time. Oh my! Without the BW Matrix! But more on that in a minute.
This overhead squat thing. I found it almost impossible to do a squat with proper form with this. I started having pain in my back and my knee while doing these...and I lowered the weight to 5/10 lbs. I'm going to have to see if I can find something that shows proper form on these. I don't get it.
Ok, so Workout A is 55 minutes using a 5 min warmup and 60 second breaks. That is without the BW Matrix. I will have to do that on another day. I just can't spend that much time at the gym in any one session.
The other exercise I found scratching my head at is the Single leg Romanian Deadlifts, or what ever it is called. The book specifically says get a set of "light" dumbbells for this exercise. Does anyone know why? I used 17.5 for a total of 35 lbs, and feel like I could go heavier with this. But don't know if I should because of his use of the term "light". Anyone have any insight on this one?
And last question for this workout...the reverse wood chops. I'm finding these more awkward than the horizontal wood chops. Are your arms supposed to be kept straight during this? Again, I need something to show me proper form.
And my success for this workout...I held all three planks for 90 seconds! Booyah! And then promptly collapsed after each one. :laugh: Man those are tough!
Oh man, I feel SO SILLY doing the one-arm overhead squats! My body kinda tilts a little, like one *kitten* cheek ends up higher than the other one. It's SO. AWKWARD! I tend to blow right through them because I feel like an idiot. It does help if you try to keep your overhead arm back a bit, the weight actually tilting back so it's not directly over your head. I have a hard time getting my legs wide enough to keep the barbell in the same position as the super glorious fitness model in the book. It's a really wide-legged squat. Very strange.
As for the reverse wood chops, I really only feel anything if I try to keep my elbows kinda straight throughout. They bend a bit in the middle of the motion, but not much. Usually I end up with the cable hitting one shoulder when I'm in the full extended position though, so that's weird. I might not be doing them right. Whoops!0 -
Hi everyone... I finished my first B workout yesterday, which is relatively easier compared to A. Why can't they balance the difficulty between A & B? Is it just me?
I'm glad I'm not the only one having trouble with the one arm OH squat in WO A. I re-read the instructions and it said to hold the weight slightly behind the head... so I'll try that next time (which is Thursday for me). My hamstrings are still sore from A!
Workout B...
deadlift bent over row... I kept losing my count.... or I forget to row after the deadlift.... yeah... that's probably just me not focusing
YTWL... confusing.... not sure if my starting positions were right, but I raised my arms in the proper "letter" formation. I hope it supposed to be working the "ball" of the shoulders and between the shoulder blades because that is where I felt it the most. :huh: I thought this was the most challenging exercise in this workout group.
Prone Cobra and Back Extension in the same workout... why?????
For those who are subsituting the ab workouts, are you still using the 6 reps, or more?
And I did not follow the resting times at all... six reps doesn't really get my heart going that fast.... or maybe I need to lift heavier??? :laugh:0 -
Hi everyone... I finished my first B workout yesterday, which is relatively easier compared to A. Why can't they balance the difficulty between A & B? Is it just me?
I'm glad I'm not the only one having trouble with the one arm OH squat in WO A. I re-read the instructions and it said to hold the weight slightly behind the head... so I'll try that next time (which is Thursday for me). My hamstrings are still sore from A!
Workout B...
deadlift bent over row... I kept losing my count.... or I forget to row after the deadlift.... yeah... that's probably just me not focusing
YTWL... confusing.... not sure if my starting positions were right, but I raised my arms in the proper "letter" formation. I hope it supposed to be working the "ball" of the shoulders and between the shoulder blades because that is where I felt it the most. :huh: I thought this was the most challenging exercise in this workout group.
Prone Cobra and Back Extension in the same workout... why?????
For those who are subsituting the ab workouts, are you still using the 6 reps, or more?
And I did not follow the resting times at all... six reps doesn't really get my heart going that fast.... or maybe I need to lift heavier??? :laugh:
I agree -- B is easier. I do more than 6 in the ab workout and I do them all back to back with no rest until 1 set of the 3 exercises are complete (that make sense)? I got this at the suggestion of another member. I only rest about 60 seconds.
And Lori, I finished up my single-leg romanian deadlifts at 27.5 dumbbells. I swear, the heavier I went, the easier it was to balance. But, I was deadlifting about 120 in Stage 1 so the single leg ones are just about half which sounds right to me.0 -
I have been doing the first plank at 90sec but then the last two about 70sec, I find after the woodchop my arms are so tired, even if I wait the full 105 sec to do the plank, I have been just doing 30secs of push ups after the planks just to give me body an extra push since the 90sec planks have been out of reach.0
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Starting Stage 3 tomorrow. Because of summer vacation and traveling I will have had a full 2 weeks off rather than the 1 week. I am a little confused as to the weights that I will start with. We shall see. Looking forward to that body weight matrix!!0
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Starting Stage 3 tomorrow. Because of summer vacation and traveling I will have had a full 2 weeks off rather than the 1 week. I am a little confused as to the weights that I will start with. We shall see. Looking forward to that body weight matrix!!
Donna - I think our weights have been similar so far, haven't they? If so, here are the weights I used yesterday for Workout A1:
1-arm DB snatch: 10 lb. (too easy), 15 lb. (harder), and finally 20 lb. (felt right - I'll try 22.5 next time)
DB 1-leg romanian deadlift: 15 lb./hand (too easy), 17.5 lb./hand (good), and finally 20 lb./hand (challenging)
Barbell bent-over row: 45 lb. bar (way too easy), 65 lb. (still too easy), and 85 lb. (hard, but good)
DB 1-arm overhead squat: 7.5 lb. overhead, 15 lb. held low (this felt right)
DB incline bench press: 20 lb./hand for 1st 2 sets, then 22.5 lb./hand for 3rd set (very hard). I'll try moving to 25's next time.
Plank: I could only hold 80 sec., 70 sec., and 75 sec.
Reverse Wood Chop: 25 lb. was too hard, so I did the first 2 sets @ 20 lb., then added a 2.5 lb. plate for 22.5 on the 3rd set.
BWM: First set took me 9 minutes, then I rested 18 min, and didn't even time myself for the 2nd set, but the whole workout took me nearly 2 hours.
I also took advantage of Alwyn Cosgrove's FB page this morning to ask why the rest period (105 sec.) is so long in this stage, and his answer was:
that's less than 2 minutes. If that's too long, you're not going heavy enough. You need longer rests between heavy sets. It's not a cardio session.
So maybe when I go heavier in workout A2, I'll be glad to have those long rests?0 -
I also took advantage of Alwyn Cosgrove's FB page this morning to ask why the rest period (105 sec.) is so long in this stage, and his answer was:[/b]
that's less than 2 minutes. If that's too long, you're not going heavy enough. You need longer rests between heavy sets. It's not a cardio session.
Good info... thanks! I will definitely lift heavier next session (and change my lifting schedule to Fri and Sun only)... no way I can spend that much time in the gym during the work week.0
