Stage 2
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OK sorry to post so much today, but I am having a really good Monday and just want to share it, maybe when I am having a bad day I can look at this post and get uplifted.
So when I went to the gym this afternoon, it was very warm, bad day to lift in my yoga pants. I did however have a tight sports bra and tank on. I pulled up my pant legs to my knees and then I saw it, my body, in the making nice strong calf’s, thighs getting their hips, and arms too. I for the first time in a long time liked what I saw. Now I could still see the areas that need work, i.e. my hip fat, back of arm and bra fat, and of course my dreaded back fat and inner thigh fat...LOL but I could see my body starting to take shape, my muscles getting stronger, I felt like I belong in that weight room, just as much as all the other dudes in there.
Thanks for listening just want to share, I am not there yet, but I can see the light.
Keep on focusing on the good stuff! We're our own worst critics and I"m sure the other stuff looks good too.
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So, I decided to keep on keeping on with Stage 2 instead of taking a rest week, but I AM increasing my cals to 2000 every day. I'm sick of this yo-yo-ing back and forth each day depending on if I lift or not. I was eating that amount before starting New Rules and was pretty content. Did 2B today and I have to say it was better than last time. I didn't increase my weights much, but I felt my form was better. I took off my right shoe to do the Bulgarian split squats and reverse lunges and that helped with some of my balance issues-hooray!0
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Hi all!
Did 3A today... seem to be only getting in 2 lifting sessions a week but that's okay for now. Life is busy!
Slow improvements:
Front squat push press: 30# ---- now 35# (top&front of my shoulders kill!)
Step up: 30#
now 40# on a bit of a higher step
DB 1-point row: 30#
now 50# (second set I fell over twice)
Static lunge: 40# ---- still 40#
Push ups: 45 degree angle ---- today I tried them on the floor! I could do "micro" ones, not full really but it's a start.
Plank: 60 second for the first set, then the second set is 30 seconds, 15 seconds, 15 seconds. All the other upper body work takes it's toll here!
Cable chop: I use a kettle bell: 10#
now 12#0 -
So, I decided to keep on keeping on with Stage 2 instead of taking a rest week, but I AM increasing my cals to 2000 every day. I'm sick of this yo-yo-ing back and forth each day depending on if I lift or not. I was eating that amount before starting New Rules and was pretty content. Did 2B today and I have to say it was better than last time. I didn't increase my weights much, but I felt my form was better. I took off my right shoe to do the Bulgarian split squats and reverse lunges and that helped with some of my balance issues-hooray!
Good strategy without the shoes!0 -
Did B today and I'm still not feeling well from a cold. Boy did it show. I felt week and wobbly but I made it. I took my shoes off too for the split squat. Love the cobra however.
I felt a little better with the dead lifts from box. I dropped to 95lbs. I looked for a good YouTube video for it but couldn't find one. If anyone finds one please post.0 -
Is this how everyone is doing the reverse lunge (of course adding the step which is missing from the video)? This is the only video I can really find of the lift. In the picture, it shows the foward reach the the dumbbells out towards the ankles -- but that just doesn't seem very hard. In the video, she's reaching out perpendicular from her body...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VjPQgIQMhlE 0 -
tried to do Stage 2 Workout 1A this morning but it was a disaster!! I forgot to bring my lifting log with me to the gym and realized I didn't know all the exercises/orders, then after completing my warm up and the front squat/press, a childcare worker came and asked me to come get my 1 year old who apparently would not stop screaming.....
He was not a big fan of the gym for quite a while, but at around 11 months he got better...but we were out of town for 3 weeks and today was his first day back at the gym, and now we're back to crying...ugh! We came home and I finished the rest of the workout here but only have 10 lb weights and those aren't heavy enough....oh well. I guess something is better than nothing, right? I'm wondering if I should re-do workout 1A though, since I wasn't able to complete it all together, and I wasn't using the weights I would normally use? 0 -
Im starting stage 2 next week and im concerned with how long the workouts seem to take. So how long is it taking you to do each workout? I really have about 45 mins top to fit this in. I already know that I will need to do my intervals on another day. Any other suggestions for keeping the time down? Anyone only resting 60 secs instead of 75 between sets?0
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Finished stage 2 workout 1a tonight. I have a couple questions ( I might have been doing this incorrectly on stage 1)...you would do 10 step ups on each leg and then rest 75 seconds? Five one point rows on one leg, change legs do another 5 rest 75 seconds. Repeat. Could you use a bar to do the one point rows? You do 10 woodchops on each side (so doing total of 20) rest. This is one set?0
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Finished stage 2 workout 1a tonight. I have a couple questions ( I might have been doing this incorrectly on stage 1)...you would do 10 step ups on each leg and then rest 75 seconds? Five one point rows on one leg, change legs do another 5 rest 75 seconds. Repeat. Could you use a bar to do the one point rows? You do 10 woodchops on each side (so doing total of 20) rest. This is one set?
First, 10 step ups on one leg (the weaker), 10 step ups on the other leg, then rest 75 seconds.
5 one pt rows on one leg (the weaker), 5 one pt rows on the other leg, then rest. I think you could absolutely use a bar. The only difference would be your grip.
Woodchops, 10 on each side then rest.
This is at least *my* understanding.0 -
Finished stage 2 workout 1a tonight. I have a couple questions ( I might have been doing this incorrectly on stage 1)...you would do 10 step ups on each leg and then rest 75 seconds? Five one point rows on one leg, change legs do another 5 rest 75 seconds. Repeat. Could you use a bar to do the one point rows? You do 10 woodchops on each side (so doing total of 20) rest. This is one set?
That's the way I understand it.0 -
Im starting stage 2 next week and im concerned with how long the workouts seem to take. So how long is it taking you to do each workout? I really have about 45 mins top to fit this in. I already know that I will need to do my intervals on another day. Any other suggestions for keeping the time down? Anyone only resting 60 secs instead of 75 between sets?
A workouts you can definately get done in 45 minutes with the full 75 second rests (the last workouts in stage 1 are 3 sets and these are still just 2, even if there are more lifts).
B workouts have a few more lifts thrown in. I think 60 seconds to rest is a good way to balance your time -- especially since you're doing your intervals on a different day. Yesterday I did 2B and I think I'm fighting the beginnings of a sinus infection because I had absolutely no cardio stamina -- even my 5 minute warm up was hard so I needed the 75 seconds!0 -
tried to do Stage 2 Workout 1A this morning but it was a disaster!! I forgot to bring my lifting log with me to the gym and realized I didn't know all the exercises/orders, then after completing my warm up and the front squat/press, a childcare worker came and asked me to come get my 1 year old who apparently would not stop screaming..... He was not a big fan of the gym for quite a while, but at around 11 months he got better...but we were out of town for 3 weeks and today was his first day back at the gym, and now we're back to crying...ugh! We came home and I finished the rest of the workout here but only have 10 lb weights and those aren't heavy enough....oh well. I guess something is better than nothing, right? I'm wondering if I should re-do workout 1A though, since I wasn't able to complete it all together, and I wasn't using the weights I would normally use?
Anna, I wouldn't re-do workout A1, but maybe just add a 5th time of Workout A to the end of Stage 2?0 -
Anna, I wouldn't re-do workout A1, but maybe just add a 5th time of Workout A to the end of Stage 2?
Thanks for the advice Karen!!0 -
Hello All.. Just finished Stage 1 today. taking a week then starting 2.
it does seem that this round takes longer, hopefully i can fit it into my lunch break because that's when i usually do my workouts.
I accidentally did stage 2 B workout during my first stage 1 week, so i have some idea of whats coming up.
Our gym at work doesn't have a small step, just a plyo 3 step box, and that is too high for me to do dead lifts off. May just have to stick with regulars, those of you doing it from the box, is there much difference that you find?0 -
Hey, great job on finishing stage 1, I SO enjoyed my week break!Hello All.. Just finished Stage 1 today. taking a week then starting 2.
it does seem that this round takes longer, hopefully i can fit it into my lunch break because that's when i usually do my workouts.
I accidentally did stage 2 B workout during my first stage 1 week, so i have some idea of whats coming up.
Our gym at work doesn't have a small step, just a plyo 3 step box, and that is too high for me to do dead lifts off. May just have to stick with regulars, those of you doing it from the box, is there much difference that you find?
The deadlifts from the box are harder for me. I had to drop my weight some. I think I got them down now in terms of form and the point of doing it from the box is that it gives you a bit more range of motion and therefore makes it harder.
Also, since your gym doesn't have a low box you'll want to see if you have something you can use for the split squats and the stationary squats (can't remember their name) and one lunge exercise. They are all from a low box or low step where you either step down from it to a backward lunge or squat down with one foot/toe on the box. Look ahead at a few of those to see since my brain is a sieve and I can't remember the workout I just did today!!
Also B takes me much longer, usually about an hour to a little more. It has 15 mins of intervals at the end that you might need to move to another day if you can't fit that into your lunch break all at once.0 -
Dare I say that I actually kind of liked the B workout today? I think I was stressing over not increasing my weights this time around (dropped them down for the deadlift from box, switched to holding a weight over my head for the Swiss crunches, etc..) and was obsessing over my calories for the last couple of weeks. Put a stop to all that and actually enjoyed it a bit. However, I am still doing the intervals before my lifting. I just can't wrap my head around doing them afterward. Oh-and I've been doing them before all of the Stage 2 workouts. I misread the whole "do them after B workouts" thing and now I feel like I should just keep on doing them for the last 2 workouts. Doh! 0
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Thanks Jen...
I tried the split squats from a lowish weight bench before.. it was ok.. but yes for the other things i will need something else.0 -
Ok, I'm starting Stage 2 next week and I need someone to talk me off the edge. I have switched gyms from an all female gym with limited equipment to a coed gym with lots of choices. However, I went yesterday to figure out starting weights and where everything was and was surprised at how intimidated and self conscious I felt. There was not ONE other female in the free weights area. How do you over come the feeling that you are invading their kingdom? I realized that some of my discomfort came from not really knowing the etiquette. Any ideas for learning the ropes of the gym without just lurking and watching like a perv? :-)
The other thing that will take some getting used to is that things are not located close together. Anyone else have to work around this? How did you work around it?
Sorry to sound like such a noob but I'm definitely outside my comfort zone here.0 -
I know exactly how you feel.Ok, I'm starting Stage 2 next week and I need someone to talk me off the edge. I have switched gyms from an all female gym with limited equipment to a coed gym with lots of choices. However, I went yesterday to figure out starting weights and where everything was and was surprised at how intimidated and self conscious I felt. There was not ONE other female in the free weights area. How do you over come the feeling that you are invading their kingdom? I realized that some of my discomfort came from not really knowing the etiquette. Any ideas for learning the ropes of the gym without just lurking and watching like a perv? :-)
The other thing that will take some getting used to is that things are not located close together. Anyone else have to work around this? How did you work around it?
Sorry to sound like such a noob but I'm definitely outside my comfort zone here. somebody told me one time.. Don't worry about those guys - they are not worried about you they are too busy looking at themselves in the mirror!!! I found this to be so true. It will get easier. I think with stage 2a I am going to do most of the workout in the classroom. There are no classes at that time so usually empty. Will need to go back out in gym to do the woodchops and planks.. Trust me, I feel like a total doofus doing the planks in the middle of the wo floor but no other option if I don't want to lose my spot on the cable pulley for the woodchops... Have no idea on the B workout. Hopefully doing it later this afternoon. I just make sure to ask if someone looks like they might be using the equipment.. Sometimes they do sets and walk away to get water... I workout at the same time, same days so usually the same people at the gym those nights. I think everyone just gets used to seeing everyone else!!!! NSV - one day I was lifting more than the guy next to me! It made me chuckle and definitely feel better about being in the big boy weight area... 0 -
if your new to the gym ask if there is an orientation staff can give you or book a personal trainer session once to learn all the things you need.
Tell them what you want to know so you can get the most out of it.0 -
Ok, I'm starting Stage 2 next week and I need someone to talk me off the edge. I have switched gyms from an all female gym with limited equipment to a coed gym with lots of choices. However, I went yesterday to figure out starting weights and where everything was and was surprised at how intimidated and self conscious I felt. There was not ONE other female in the free weights area. How do you over come the feeling that you are invading their kingdom? I realized that some of my discomfort came from not really knowing the etiquette. Any ideas for learning the ropes of the gym without just lurking and watching like a perv? :-)
The other thing that will take some getting used to is that things are not located close together. Anyone else have to work around this? How did you work around it?
Sorry to sound like such a noob but I'm definitely outside my comfort zone here.
Trust me, those guys don't care a rip if you're there or not -- and if they do, who cares ;-)?
As far as being spread out, you have 75 seconds in between sets. My gym is spread out too. Many of my lifts are at completely opposite ends of the gym but I like it. I"m moving the entire workout but still giving my muscles time to recover.0 -
I apologise in advance - this has probably been asked several times already....
Starting stage 2 - what sort of weights do you use?
for FSPP - the weight I was using for a shoulder press for stage 1?0 -
I think that is a good starting point. I used (2) 20 lb dumbells for the shoulder presses and for the FSPP I used a 40 lb bar. It was perfect!I apologise in advance - this has probably been asked several times already....
Starting stage 2 - what sort of weights do you use?
for FSPP - the weight I was using for a shoulder press for stage 1?0 -
Ok, I'm starting Stage 2 next week and I need someone to talk me off the edge. I have switched gyms from an all female gym with limited equipment to a coed gym with lots of choices. However, I went yesterday to figure out starting weights and where everything was and was surprised at how intimidated and self conscious I felt. There was not ONE other female in the free weights area. How do you over come the feeling that you are invading their kingdom? I realized that some of my discomfort came from not really knowing the etiquette. Any ideas for learning the ropes of the gym without just lurking and watching like a perv? :-)
The other thing that will take some getting used to is that things are not located close together. Anyone else have to work around this? How did you work around it?
Sorry to sound like such a noob but I'm definitely outside my comfort zone here.
I was nervous about using the free weight area too, but I've found that none of the guys are really paying any attention to me. I go early in the morning (5:00 - 5:30 am starts), so maybe that helps, but there are a few other women there at that time too. The women actually annoy me more than the men. Like the one who was in my way last week doing un-weighted lunges right in between the 2 squat racks. Or the one today who couldn't be bothered alternating sets with me for the cable station (she was alternating it with some pre-weighted barbell curls IN THE CABLE STATION), but the guy at the other cable station volunteered to do so. Another time, when I needed to alternate with someone on the smith machine for my pushups, it was a guy who volunteered to share, and when I needed help figuring out how to move the benches out of my way, it was also a guy who volunteered to show me when I was obviously confused.
As for alternating sets when the equipment isn't conveniently placed, I just use my 75 second rest periods too. And sometimes after I do my first set of a superset, I'll leave my pen, towel & water there, so that people (esp. staff when I leave the dumbbells out) know I'm not done yet. Again, I think working out early in the morning helps here, since the gym isn't usually very crowded at that hour.0 -
Thanks for all the suggestions. I went this morning and did Workout A. Although morning is not going to be my normal workout time, this morning it wasn't an issue. The gym wasn't that busy so I didn't feel like I needed to fight for my space. In addition, at least for Workout A, I can do the Front Squat Press and then move to another area where I'm able to complete all the other exercises without moving. Workout B won't be quite that easy because of the Lat pulldowns.
At any rate, after a week off, it felt good getting back to things.
So is anyone else having a hard time holding the bar correctly for the Front Squat? I can't hold it anywhere close to what the book says. Should I lower the weight until I can? Right now the weight is about right for the press part.
I changed up my weight quite a bit for some of the exercises just because of what I have available to me. For example, I went back to using body weight only on the step up, because I'm using a much higher step. I decided to go with one that I know I can get consistently versus using one that was closer to what I was using, but may or may not be available at the time.
Based on this morning's performance and how challenging everything was, I'm not expecting to see a lot of increase in weight this go around, but an improvement in form and performance.
And just in case there is anyone else pressed for time, I did 60 sec recovery periods and it took me about 35 minutes which allowed me a 5 minute stretching period which is usually what gets skipped if I'm pressed for time.0 -
I apologise in advance - this has probably been asked several times already....
Starting stage 2 - what sort of weights do you use?
for FSPP - the weight I was using for a shoulder press for stage 1?
For FSPP, I think definitely start with the weight you can shoulder press. I was shoulder pressing 40 lb. (20 lb. each hand) at the end of Stage 1, and tried using just the 45 lb. bar for FSPP's, and it was too heavy at the beginning. So I switched to the smaller straight bar (35 lb.), and that was good, then I added 2.5 lb. plates on each side to make it 40 lb. Today was my workout A4, and I was finally able to do 1 set with the 45 lb. bar, and half of my 2nd set, but then I had to drop down to 40 lb. again. I kind of hope these don't come back in later stages, because if they do, I might seriously break them up into regular back squats with separate shoulder presses. I kind of missed back squats and being able to add weight to them.
For other moves, I forget all my starting weights, but a lot of them were low. Like cuban snatches and I think 1-point rows, I had to start with 5 lb./hand. Reverse lunges & elevated static lunges might have been 7.5 lb. or 10 lb./hand. Bulgarian split squats were a single 10-lb. plate. I think my first cable woodchops were 15 lb.
Pushups, Lat Pulldowns & Step-ups were pretty much where I left off in stage 1.0 -
...So is anyone else having a hard time holding the bar correctly for the Front Squat? I can't hold it anywhere close to what the book says. Should I lower the weight until I can? Right now the weight is about right for the press part.
...Based on this morning's performance and how challenging everything was, I'm not expecting to see a lot of increase in weight this go around, but an improvement in form and performance. ...
Yes, I've had a terrible time figuring out the hold for the FSPP. I think I finally got the hang of it today in workout A4 though. I'm able to push my elbows forward for the squat part if I bend my wrists backwards and roll the bar into my fingers, and then press my elbows out to the sides, so they're slightly wider than my hands during the squat part. It wasn't perfect, but it felt better than just leaving my elbows down like I'd been doing.
I wasn't expecting to see much increase either, but I surprised myself by how much improvement I was able to make. Just try increasing a little every time, and if you have to go back down, so what? 0 -
Here's my Workout A start & end stats:
FSPP: 35 lb. --> 45 lb. (couldn't do both sets @ 45 lb. today, but I did 1.5 sets at 45 lb., and the last 5 reps on 40 lb.)
Step-ups: 50 lb. --> 60 lb.
DB 1-pt. row: 20 lb. (10 lb./hand) --> 25 lb. right leg & 30 lb. left leg -- still couldn't balance without tipping for all the reps, but I got 9/10 balanced on my first set today, which was a huge accomplishment!
Static lunge: 15 lb. (7.5 lb./hand) --> 30 lb.
Pushups: 7th peg smith machine --> 5th/6th peg smith machine (I can't do 10 reps on the 5th peg, but I can do 5 before I switch back to the 6th peg).
Plank: 60 sec. x 1 (then 30 sec + 30 sec for 2nd set) --> 60 sec. x2
Cable Woodchop: 20 lb. --> 27.5 lb.0 -
Hey, hey, hey!!!
Finished 4A today!
Here's my workout numbers:
FSPP: 30 lb -> 35 lb
Step-ups: 30 lb (15 each hand) -> 40 lb
DB 1-pt row: 30 lb (15 each hand) -> 50 lb (25 each hand)
Static lunge: 40 lb (20 each hand) -> 40 lb (couldn't make the big jump to 50)
Push ups: 30 degree angle -> from toes (but I do not go as low as I need to yet)
Plank: 60 seconds for one set; 30+30 for second set
Instead of cable woodchop I use the kettle bell suggestion: 10 reps with 10 lb kettlebell -> 12 reps with 12 lb
4B will be Wednesday!0
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