Stage 2
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I started stage 2 last night after taking a week off. Wow! I completely suck at Front Squat Push Presses! I'm okay at the front squat, but had to lower my weight to 20# (plus the weight of the bar, ~20#) in order to do the push press portion and it was hard! 20 effing pounds! And after I'd worked my way up to 110# in Stage 1.
And I had no idea planks were so hard! I'm only able to do a very shakey 30 seconds for now. Have to work my way up. Workout B tomorrow before work.0 -
Are you all doing planks on your hands or forearms? I can hold it on my hands for about two minutes and I find it's more difficult on my forearms so that's what I'm doing.0
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The way I have been taught by gym trainers is by using your forearms.Are you all doing planks on your hands or forearms? I can hold it on my hands for about two minutes and I find it's more difficult on my forearms so that's what I'm doing.
I just completed week 3 of Stage 2. Today those lunges seemed to kill me by the end of the set, but made it through.
It's hard to believe you can feel so different in three weeks. I feel much stronger since I started this stage, and hope stage 3 kicks my butt even harder (and I am sure they will deliver.)0 -
some guy at the gym today congratulated me for holding the prone cobra so long :laugh: i also didnt find it creepy that he timed me which meant he was watching me the entire time because he was cute, and well, i'm kind of shallow.
planks on the forearms are harder than on your hands i think. at least they are for me.
i couldnt do the hiit session after the B workout today. there's just too much going on with the legs (deads and split squats) for me to have anything left in my thighs for hiit. plus that B workout is long enough as it is ...1 -
Are you all doing planks on your hands or forearms? I can hold it on my hands for about two minutes and I find it's more difficult on my forearms so that's what I'm doing.
Forearms, and it sure is difficult. I did 30 seconds then rested 30 sec then plank for 30 again, my 2nd 30 I was reaaaaaaly shaking.0 -
I did the planks on my forearms. I was actually thinking I may go nuts and try the next step up next time on that one which I believe is on the exercise ball.....0
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I did the planks on my forearms. I was actually thinking I may go nuts and try the next step up next time on that one which I believe is on the exercise ball.....
I did one set with my feet on a riser and that was way more difficult!0 -
I did the planks on my forearms. I was actually thinking I may go nuts and try the next step up next time on that one which I believe is on the exercise ball.....
I've been using the ball for planks - much more challenging!0 -
Don't shoot me if this has been covered previously....I just spent 30 min. looking for the answer to my question in this forum & still don't have an answer. My apologies in advance, everyone.
When are we supposed to do the intervals? The same day that you lift? And do you start with the first and progress as you gain strength, or do you try to do t hem all in one day?
I am frustrated at the organization of the book - confuses me! I start Stage 2 tomorrow & can't wait to start!0 -
@katie - Yes you do the intervals on the day you do workout B, if you can fit it all in. It usually takes me close to an hour just for the workout so I do the intervals after workout A. You can also do them on one of your rest days if you want to instead of the workout days. Also, yes you start with the first interval and work your way up to the last one. You do not do them all on one day - it should only be 15 minutes
Welcome to Stage 2!0 -
yeah i'm doing the intervals after workout A too. I prefer sprinting for my HIIT, and there's no way I can give my 110% effort on deadlifts AND do sprints the same day. My hams and glutes are liek "b*tch, please" :laugh:0
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I only got my amrap's left and then I'm finally here too! I can't wait!!! I'm now so bored of stage 1, hahahaha!
See you all in a few days :happy:0 -
Finally getting my groove back! Whoot! I did Workout 3B yesterday and I FINALLY got to use the deadlift equipment! I did 2 sets of 10 with 115 lbs (mixed grip). It definitely still hurts my hands though, even with the gloves. Either way, I think I did well yesterday with the strength part. A little too well, because I couldn't do the HIIT part of it after because I got lightheaded! Ugh. I was trying to make up for an indulgent weekend with the boyfriend (we spent a night in Charlottesville, VA and ate out for 2 days straight). Therefore, I didn't eat much the last few days to get the scale back down... and it failed because I couldn't finish the workout. I'm definitely going to make sure to eat enough today. I'm planning to run intervals at the gym tonight, so that will make up for missing the HIIT workout last night.
I've decided to add an extra set of workouts to the end of Phase 2, since I had nearly a week interruption and I had at least 2 workouts that didn't go well because of all the equipment being occupied. I still need to rearrange the exercises on occasion if a machine is taken for too long. So I'm hoping for Workout 4A on Saturday morning, then I'll get in 2 more workouts during the week next week and one final one the beginning of the following week... so 2 weeks left of Phase 2 for me.
And welcome to Phase 2 for all of those who just joined us! It's definitely a good butt kicking after Phase 1.0 -
So my hip is feeling better, but still don't want to push it with lifting this week. I leave for Atlanta on Sunday for 5 days, so that's another week of no lifting. I'm actually enjoying the break, so hope I'll be ready to get back at it when I return.0
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@jenthomas, glad your hip is feeling better. Fine were on fire last night after 2A3.
Upset that my front squat weight isn't really making any progress, but shoulder presses were a huge weak point for me in the last stage, even worse than deadlifts. With the shoulder presses I started with 15lbs and ended with 25bs. Not much of an increase over 6 weeks. I fixed my grip problem with the step ups. (forehead smack) I went back to using the 25lb plates instead of 25dbs. Easier to hold on to. It's what I did during stage 1, so duh for NOT doing it again here. I do need to up to 30lbs then it'll be back to the dbs. Oh well. Increased weight by 5 on the one points and static lunges, so something positive. :bigsmile:0 -
wow, brilliant on using the plates, I hadn't even thought of that! Going to have to steal your idea on that one.
Just finished my first 2B. Went fine except I set the dang bar on one of my fingers during the deadlift! Its pretty much killing to the touch but not really bothering me otherwise so I think its okay. The moves in this particular workout just generally felt really awkward, like I had to force my body to go both left and right at the same time if that makes sense. At any rate it seemed to go okay overall. On to the next!0 -
Bump0
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I have no words for workout B. That was just... Wow. I agree with other commenters, the intervals should be after workout A, not B. I did A in ~ 45 minutes. B took me 90 minutes.
For the deadlifts from a box, I stacked 4 45# weightplates and stood on those. Seemed to work pretty well. And just for the record, I had a horrible time with the Dumbell Cuban Snatches. I couldn't do more than 5# dumbells. I felt pathetic.
I was suprised that the Prone Cobra was really easy.0 -
wow, brilliant on using the plates, I hadn't even thought of that! Going to have to steal your idea on that one.
Tip for anyone who has access to kettlebells, they are all I use for anything that has me hold something (step ups, lunges, squats, etc). They're much easier than holding onto dumbells and come in a bigger range of weights than the plates my gym has.
I'm planning to hit the gym tonight to do Workout 4A, and I'm tacking the intervals from workout B that I missed on Wednesday from being lightheaded. Since I'm adding on an extra set of workouts, this isn't technically my last Workout A, but it's amazing that I'm only 4 workouts away from Phase 3! My goal over the next 2 weeks is to really focus on my food. I've got the workouts down, but I'm killing the chance to lose inches if I keep eating crap.0 -
Kettle balls are a good idea. I just purchased some gloves as I was getting calluses. UGH I was so mad last night when I went to do the pull downs b/c someone had left 105lbs of weights on it. You have to manual load the weights on the equipment in my apartment complex's gym. I don't mind it b/c it gives me a chance to LIFT MORE! ;-) Any who I tried the 105lbs and it was TOO MUCH...so I went to 90lbs and IT WAS JUST RIGHT YAY! I had previously done only 70lbs. I had more faith in my lifting abilities after that *doing my happy dance*0
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finished stage 2B last night...and it kicked me in the *kitten*...it seemed super long. I had to finish the 3 workouts at home instead of the gym because it was getting late. I do the intervals on both A and B days, and i do 15 minutes before and 15 minutes after. I feel like a pile of poo today. I was to low on my protein last night, and now I have a weight lifting hangover :ohwell: Also I found that the vibram 5 finger shoes help me A TON when weight lifting. I'm way more balanced when doing squats and lunges, I can really get good form when I do deadlifts, and they're awesome on my knees for cardio. Best shoes I've ever bought. I'm surprised I'm not crazy sore today...I can feel some muscles, but I'm not sore. Definitely upping my weights next week.0
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you'll feel it tomorrow more LOL. Going to look at those shoes.0
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you'll feel it tomorrow more LOL. Going to look at those shoes.
I'm starting to feel it now! in my thighs and my *kitten*0 -
i've started lifting in my yoga socks (they are black and have little rubber things on the bottoms to keep you from slipping. plus it's a 5 toed sock so my balance is so much better. i still might get the shoes though. the only thing is on some days i do running HIIT after lifting and i dont want to have to lug 2 separate pairs of shoes around since i need motion control for running0
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I think my cheap broken sneakers may the reason my legs hurt so bad when running. I'm not brave enough to loose the shoes at the gym when lifting, but I can't do 2 pairs right now. The men already look at me like I'm crazy LOL Impressed, but crazy.0
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I started Stage 2 today and it wasn't too bad. I did have a bit of a problem with the one-point row because my balance is just sucky! Overall, though, it wasn't bad.
One question - are the intervals supposed to be done after both A and B or just B? I did it today, but I noticed another poster mentioned only doing intervals after workout B.0 -
Just finished my first Stage 2 work out. I'm a bit confused about switching legs/reps. I don't have my book with me so bear with me. During Stage 1, I would complete one set of step ups with 1 leg and then do the other leg for the next rep. When I re-read the step up instructions for stage 2 it seems like maybe I was suppose to complete the rep with one leg and start over with the other? Am I suppose to actually do 2 sets of 20 step ups rather than 2 sets of 10? I’m also confused about sides and reps for lunges and the wood chop. Do I switch half way, do an extra set or alternate sets?
I also couldn't complete more than 6 of the front squat/press thingies. After reading some of this thread I'm thinking maybe I didn't use enough momentum from the squat for the press? I only used the bar but really couldn't do more than 6. I also have a herniated disc in my neck so I get super nervous about straining to lift overhead.0 -
Nic - with step-ups and static lunges, the way I read instructions, we're supposed to do 10 reps per leg in each set (so a total of 20). Cable woodchops are 10 on each side, so do 10 pulling to the left, then 10 pulling to the right. The only one I see that we switch halfway is the dumbbell one-point row, we should do half the reps (5) per leg in each set (so a total of 10).0
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Thanks Phoenix!0
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Nic - with step-ups and static lunges, the way I read instructions, we're supposed to do 10 reps per leg in each set (so a total of 20). Cable woodchops are 10 on each side, so do 10 pulling to the left, then 10 pulling to the right. The only one I see that we switch halfway is the dumbbell one-point row, we should do half the reps (5) per leg in each set (so a total of 10).
I've been doing 10 reps of the dumbbell one point rows PER LEG! Haha, no wonder why those hurt! I might as well keep doing it, I rest for like 30 seconds between switching legs and doing 10 more, so it's not too bad.
I have Workout 4B tonight. I didn't get to the gym last night like I wanted to since I got stuck at work late and didn't have gym clothes with me. I did better this weekend with food and such. I did eat dinner out Saturday that was my cheat meal, but I did much better on Sunday with healthy choices for all my meals, plus lots of walking to balance it out. I was still at 157 this morning on the scale, not too shabby. I've been between 156-159 for this entire program so far. I'm curious to see what my measurements end up being at this end of this phase. My plan is to do one more set of Workouts A and B and then move onto Phase 3 at the end of next week. Exciting!0
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