New Rules of Lifting For Women (NROL4W)

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Stage 2

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  • aregensb
    aregensb Posts: 239 Member
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    Hi everyone!

    I'll be finishing Stage 1 next week then taking a week off and starting Stage 2 after that. What do you all think of the differences between Stage 1 and Stage 2? Did you take a whole week off? What kind of exercise did you do during that rest week?

    Thanks for your experiences! I was familiar with most of the exercises in Stage 1, but I have never heard of the majority of the exercises in Stage 2... which is making me slightly nervous!
  • bluiz13
    bluiz13 Posts: 3,550 Member
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    i planned on a week off and then actually decided to hold off on starting stage 2 until 12/26 which ends up making it about a 3wks rest from lifting - i'm still running as part of my 1/2 marathon training 3 times a week until i start up with wts again 3 times a week - so 6 workouts a week again starting 12/26...

    i was stressing myself out about getting the more intense stage 2 workouts done in addition to my christmas shopping and decorating and it just was not worth pushing myself and my sanity.....

    i'll be starting on 12/26 with stage 2 - three times a week....hope i have some others working with me then....
    denise
    Hi everyone!

    I'll be finishing Stage 1 next week then taking a week off and starting Stage 2 after that. What do you all think of the differences between Stage 1 and Stage 2? Did you take a whole week off? What kind of exercise did you do during that rest week?

    Thanks for your experiences! I was familiar with most of the exercises in Stage 1, but I have never heard of the majority of the exercises in Stage 2... which is making me slightly nervous!
  • Yanicka1
    Yanicka1 Posts: 4,564 Member
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    It went by so quickly! I started the weekend following Thanksgiving and as of Saturday morning will be on Stage3, A. I have now done Stage 2, A four times and love it. I think I'll miss these workouts when I move on!

    Don't worry, they will come back at Stage 4 LOL.
    Hi everyone!

    I'll be finishing Stage 1 next week then taking a week off and starting Stage 2 after that. What do you all think of the differences between Stage 1 and Stage 2? Did you take a whole week off? What kind of exercise did you do during that rest week?

    Thanks for your experiences! I was familiar with most of the exercises in Stage 1, but I have never heard of the majority of the exercises in Stage 2... which is making me slightly nervous!

    I took 4-5 days rest but I was too excited to wait any longer LOL.

    for stage one i didn't need my book in the gym but since stage 2 I bring it all the time just to be sure I am doing the right thing. I might look like a dork but I do not give a *kitten* LOL
  • bizco
    bizco Posts: 1,949 Member
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    Hi everyone!

    I'll be finishing Stage 1 next week then taking a week off and starting Stage 2 after that. What do you all think of the differences between Stage 1 and Stage 2? Did you take a whole week off? What kind of exercise did you do during that rest week?

    Thanks for your experiences! I was familiar with most of the exercises in Stage 1, but I have never heard of the majority of the exercises in Stage 2... which is making me slightly nervous!
    I did take a whole week off. I was able to increase my weights dramatically in Stage 1 so I followed the book's advice and gave my body time to recover. During the week off I did cardio workouts, 4 times that week, each 30-50 minutes long. I did these at home using DVDs I checked out from the library. Good luck in Stage 2! You'll catch on to the new exercies quickly. The first workout in A and B were awkward for me too.
  • AlsDonkBoxSquat
    AlsDonkBoxSquat Posts: 6,128 Member
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    Hi everyone!

    I'll be finishing Stage 1 next week then taking a week off and starting Stage 2 after that. What do you all think of the differences between Stage 1 and Stage 2? Did you take a whole week off? What kind of exercise did you do during that rest week?

    Thanks for your experiences! I was familiar with most of the exercises in Stage 1, but I have never heard of the majority of the exercises in Stage 2... which is making me slightly nervous!

    I took 4-5 days rest but I was too excited to wait any longer LOL.

    for stage one i didn't need my book in the gym but since stage 2 I bring it all the time just to be sure I am doing the right thing. I might look like a dork but I do not give a *kitten* LOL
    [/quote]

    I think I only took 4 or 5 days off too, and I skipped the bonus, and I didn't do the last workout. I felt like Stage 1 lasted FOREVER and Stage 2 has passed soooooo quickly. I have mine on my Kindle (and I have the Kindle app for my droid) and while I didn't find that I was spending a lot of time referencing my phone for stage 1 I have, like Yanicka, found myself referencing the book at least once every lifting session.
  • MaddameKat
    MaddameKat Posts: 200 Member
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    I was sure i posted this yesterday but could not see it when i searched - so sorry if i double posted.

    I am putting together my log of stage 2 and wondered if you alternate the exercises like in stage on with one set of x followed by 1 set or y and then repeat or if you do both set back to back with the rest so say 1 set of split squats then rest and then repeat.
    Only the book does not specify like in stage 1 and 3.
  • ruststar
    ruststar Posts: 489 Member
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    You will continue to alternate sets throughout the program (1-5 at least). Exercise A is on it's own, but all the rest are usually meant to alternate so that you get a longer rest period between each specific set.
  • MaddameKat
    MaddameKat Posts: 200 Member
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    cool thank you :flowerforyou:
  • Beeps2011
    Beeps2011 Posts: 11,980 Member
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    How have you all progressed, by this point? What is the tape measure saying??

    I have decided NOT to start at Stage 2, even though I've been lifting for awhile. Some of the styles of exercise in Stage 1 (the 'jackknife', for instance) are "new-to-me", so I figured I'd better just start at the beginning, but push as much weight as I can, even in Stage 1.

    But, I'm anxious to read about "results"....so, for those of you willing to do so, I'd ask you to post your results here!
  • bluiz13
    bluiz13 Posts: 3,550 Member
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    didnt get started on stage 2 last night but i will get it going thurs night before and/or after spin class.....
    i dug out my book and will be making myself familiar with the moves for my next stage....
    denise
  • LHann360
    LHann360 Posts: 159 Member
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    Hi Ladies, I finished workout B for the first time. I really enjoyed it ...much more than A. I had a really hard time with the front squat push press in A. The bar ( 45lbs. ) is so long, it was awkward to push up and keep my balance. And I'm not a small person, so I can only imagine someone shorter than me pushing it up over their head.:noway: Did you use the olympic bar or use something smaller/ lighter? I could only find a curl bar available...I may use that with weights on it.

    second...did you try to do the deadlifts on the box with the last weight you ended with on regular deadlifts in Stage one ?? I thought it was reasonable to do that, but being those few inches on the box made it harder to lift it. I finished stage one at 105lbs. but started stage 2 on the box at 85lbs.

    thanks for your input, I'm excited to start the second round of A tomorrow.
  • bluiz13
    bluiz13 Posts: 3,550 Member
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    i didnt get out to the gym last night to start stage 2 so i'm going to split the workout tonight before and after my spin class so i can stay on schedule and get workout B done on saturday.....denise
  • deninevi
    deninevi Posts: 934 Member
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    Hi Ladies, I finished workout B for the first time. I really enjoyed it ...much more than A. I had a really hard time with the front squat push press in A. The bar ( 45lbs. ) is so long, it was awkward to push up and keep my balance. And I'm not a small person, so I can only imagine someone shorter than me pushing it up over their head.:noway: Did you use the olympic bar or use something smaller/ lighter? I could only find a curl bar available...I may use that with weights on it.

    second...did you try to do the deadlifts on the box with the last weight you ended with on regular deadlifts in Stage one ?? I thought it was reasonable to do that, but being those few inches on the box made it harder to lift it. I finished stage one at 105lbs. but started stage 2 on the box at 85lbs.

    thanks for your input, I'm excited to start the second round of A tomorrow.

    I used just the oly bar for front squat /push press and then put some weight on when i was ready-right now I'm at 70lbs. and I'm in stage 4-I don't see moving up too much soon on this one. You can also used DBs and try that way. Deadlift from a box-first I went down a bit -finished stage 1 at 155lbs, started stage 2 at 135lbs. and then I went back up to 155lbs. on work out B2. It was harder with the wide grip and the box. Good luck!
  • aripak
    aripak Posts: 33
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    I finished workout A from Stage 2 yesterday and I was surprised how it wiped me out! I'm loving the new routine. I feel a little awkward doing the wood chop still. I've started doing the step-ups in the squat rack so I can use the Olympic bar w/o fear of hurting anybody...or myself!
  • bluiz13
    bluiz13 Posts: 3,550 Member
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    okay i started stage 2 last night...
    the front squat push press is very awkward...i did it with just the bar (45lbs) last night just so i could work on my form...i think i can move up on the weight next time, i just really dont like the way the bar feels with my wrists bent backwards....

    the dumbbell row was shaky for me as my balance sucks and the further down i leaned the more the movement hurt my back...so i was not perfectly "Level" like the book shows....i'll work on that one more next time as well

    the cable horizontal wood chop was a first for me...it is also a move i will have to really work hard on to keep my form right....

    suggestions, thoughts, opinions???
  • bluiz13
    bluiz13 Posts: 3,550 Member
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    i think i'm using the oly bar but it is very long at my gym....did anyone try anything different and how did it work out??
    Hi Ladies, I finished workout B for the first time. I really enjoyed it ...much more than A. I had a really hard time with the front squat push press in A. The bar ( 45lbs. ) is so long, it was awkward to push up and keep my balance. And I'm not a small person, so I can only imagine someone shorter than me pushing it up over their head.:noway: Did you use the olympic bar or use something smaller/ lighter? I could only find a curl bar available...I may use that with weights on it.

    second...did you try to do the deadlifts on the box with the last weight you ended with on regular deadlifts in Stage one ?? I thought it was reasonable to do that, but being those few inches on the box made it harder to lift it. I finished stage one at 105lbs. but started stage 2 on the box at 85lbs.

    thanks for your input, I'm excited to start the second round of A tomorrow.

    I used just the oly bar for front squat /push press and then put some weight on when i was ready-right now I'm at 70lbs. and I'm in stage 4-I don't see moving up too much soon on this one. You can also used DBs and try that way. Deadlift from a box-first I went down a bit -finished stage 1 at 155lbs, started stage 2 at 135lbs. and then I went back up to 155lbs. on work out B2. It was harder with the wide grip and the box. Good luck!
  • aregensb
    aregensb Posts: 239 Member
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    Any ideas for doing the front squat push press with a Smith squat rack? There's really no place in my gym to put the bar at shoulder height, and I'm thinking that doing the movement will be difficult within the confines of the Smith squat rack...
  • Beeps2011
    Beeps2011 Posts: 11,980 Member
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    aregen, I have NO ideas for you, but you might find "videos" at bodybuilding.com or JP forums that might help you with your accommodation. (Or there's always "google".)
  • ruststar
    ruststar Posts: 489 Member
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    Any ideas for doing the front squat push press with a Smith squat rack? There's really no place in my gym to put the bar at shoulder height, and I'm thinking that doing the movement will be difficult within the confines of the Smith squat rack...

    At my gym I have to stalk the squat rack to get into it, and sometimes I just have to find an alternative. There are also smaller barbells available and I just take a 60-pounder and find a spot to do them seperately. It's limited to how much I can lift up to my shoulders straight from the ground (60 pounds is the upper limit, 70 almost made me keel over), but it works whe the squat rack isn't available. I've also seen guys doing a squat/push press with dumbbells, basically a cuban snatch with two arms, and I can't see why that wouldn't work as well.
  • agthorn
    agthorn Posts: 1,844 Member
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    I just started stage 2 with the A workout yesterday. The static lunges were killer!

    I did the squat/push press with a 50lb (fixed) barbell. My gym has a rack of them ranging from 30lbs to I think 100lbs in 10lb increments. I don't have any trouble cleaning 50lbs up to my chest and I don't have to wait around for the squat rack. I really liked the squat/push press because I feel like I have a better range of motion and can go down farther in the squat when the bar is in front.

    Question - I can tell from the book that the static lunge has your back foot up on the toes, whereas the split squat has the top of your foot on the bench, but other than that they look like exactly the same move? Am I missing something here?

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