Stage 2
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Lozze, just remember that with he snatches AND the reverse lunges to use a lighter weight I started with 5's to really learn the moves. I was all over the place using horrible form, not getting the best from the exercise, when I went too heavy there.0
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Hi girls,
I slowly dipped my toe into stage 2. my shiftwork and gym opening times are getting in the way, and I was monster sore after 2A1 so I had to take more rest than I wanted and just did some lighter stuff in the gym.
BUT I struggle with my footwear. I think it throws me off balance, they are meant for cardio and not lifting and I am thinking of swapping my trainers for proper flat AllStars? anyone wearing them?
Your input would be much appreciated.
Cheers :flowerforyou:0 -
So, workout 1A kicked my butt pretty good and I was sore for three days.
Did workout 1B today. I dunno why but it took me a long time to psych myself up to do this workout. I think I read too much of others' experiences and started to dread it. So two cups of coffee and a caffeine tablet later...and I was finally ready to attempt it. Hah.
My thoughts and starting weights are below:
Wide-grip deadlift from box: I don't have a box wide enough for this and I wasn't sure how to modify the exercise. I laid down 2 45 lb plates on the ground (all I have) and stood on those. That didn't really afford me *much* deficit room, but whatever. I did 115 lbs for both sets....seeing as how it was very similar to the original deadlift from last stage but just a touch higher and then the wider grip.
Bulgarian split squat: I dunno why but I was really nervous about this one. I took it and made it my *****. LOL Held a 20 lb plate and everything went smoothly. Really great stretch there in the upper quads and definitely kicks some major *kitten*!
Underhand-grip lat pulldown: Love this one as I feel strong doing it. Started with 85 lbs + 13 lb bar and hope to push that considerably in upcoming workouts.
***At this point I was shaking all over - my legs felt like noodles and I took a 10 min rest. I know, not part of the workout instructions, but when I saw that the next sets were starting with MORE LUNGES...I decided it would be best if I had planned to give it my all going forward.***
Reverse lunge from box with forward reach: as noted - legs were noodles - so I grabbed two 10 lb DBs and did the movements. Could have gone heavier but really just out of energy at this point. Stepping back with my right leg I felt solid, but stepping back with my leg left felt much more difficult in terms of balance, so I just slowed the movement down.
Dumbbell prone Cuban snatch: definitely much harder than it looks due to that shoulder rotation. Used 10 lb DBs in each hand and was worn out by 8th rep but pushed on.
*Swiss-ball crunch - am I the only one who gets dizzy doing these? A minute of these and I felt like I was floating. I have terrible motion sickness as it is....and just going up and down doing this makes me sick.
*Reverse crunch - really think we should have to do more than 10...10 seems like it's not enough and I think I'll add more to each set next time.
*Lateral flexion - I tried #1 and #2 and they felt silly easy...so I stuck with #3 for the workout. I still don't quite understand why we have to do these...I felt a little tightness in my side (not sure what this is called) but this just seemed like a big waste of time to me.
Prone cobra - another one that seemed silly....AT FIRST.
The first set I did 90 secs and was fine. The second set I was burning up in my upper back/shoulders/triceps...held on for the 90 secs and then realized that yeah, that was pretty tiring. Still not sure why he doesn't want us to raise our feet up too, that really helps to burn it up even more. But I didn't write the book so what do I know.
Then I took a few mins to eat a Skinny Cow ice cream sandwich (just being real here) and attacked the HIIT. I did the 15 mins on the dreadmill - started at 6 mph, then did 8 mph, 8 mph, 6 mph, and 6 mph - all recovery done at 3.5 mph.
Overall - not as bad as I anticipated but the first half certainly did kick my butt and then I turned it around and owned it.
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Sounds like a great first workout and I am really impressed you pulled off 10lbs dbs for the cuban snatch. Wat to go. Yeah I don't really see the point in the prone cobra either and I even lift my lower body while I'm at it. Feels like nap time to me.0
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I think if you have been doing yoga or pilates the prone cobra is pretty easy. I lift my arms up in front and my legs up straight to the back, like the yoga teacher is doing it in class and that kicks *kitten* haha0
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I don't do yoga - but I used to do "banana" from P90X so that's gotta by why. Okay - so it's okay to lift up legs then - good to know and will proceed with that. Can anyone explain why these lateral flexions are important? Or what they are supposed to be building/doing? LOL0
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I can't stand those flexion things. I do feel them in my hips but I just don't like the move at all and I'm really not even sure I'm doing it right. Based on the name I just assumed they were for the hip flexors but I could be way off base....it is a bit odd that the book doesn't tell you what muscle groups we're actually targeting isn't it? It would help me to figure out if I was doing something right.
So I was just checking out a calendar and based on my timing for finishing up this stage and a 10K I'm signed up for it looks like I will have a 2 week break in between stage 2 and 3, yikes! I feel like that is way too long. Should I just add an extra week of stage 2? Or maybe go back do a week of stage 1? I'm very concerned about losing progress if I take that much of a break but I'm just not knowledgable enough to do weights without a routine to follow yet.0 -
I learned the hard way this weekend that doing a NROLFW workout on Friday night does not make for a fun 5K on Sunday morning. I was still sore in my legs from the workout and my race time was less than spectacular for me. I didn't really take a full week off in between Phase 1 and Phase 2. I have one more workout B to go for Phase 2, and then I think I'm going to take it easy until next Monday when I start up Phase 3. My muscles need the recovery time, and I'm all messed up on the scale from being sore and the stuff I ate this weekend. I just need to give my body a break it seems.
I did hit my goal of increasing weights from the start for every exercise in Workout A. I'm hoping I can repeat that in Workout B. I think there is one or two left where I've been doing the same since the first workout. No good!0 -
ellie - you could definitely add on a few workouts to Stage 2 so you don't have so long of a rest. I've been thinking about adding on a few workouts myself because I had to take a break in the middle of it and don't feel like I'm gettng the full benefit of it.
Jen (MrsRip) - sounds like you had a great first workout with both A & B
The prone cobra is easy for me as well, but I do a lot of yoga, so I lift my legs. I don't really care for the swiss ball crunch either, so I do the Pike instead. I don't really understand the reasoning for the hip flexions, but I have issues with my hips and they feel pretty good when I do them. I'll be on workout 2B tomorrow after a 2 week break.0 -
I completed 2B this morning and, because my husband finally went to the gym with me, I upped all my weights by 10 lbs. (except for Cuban snatch) to kind of show off how badass I am!*lo* He was duly impressed. :happy:
00trayn, which are the exercises you're having trouble increasing weight? I tried increasing prone Cuban snatches to 15 lbs., but just couldn't do more than 2.5. Very frustrating!0 -
i finished stage 2 today, except for the intervals, which i've been doing first on cardio days.
final weights are:
front squat: 30-40-30
step ups: 10-17.5 (doing them right!)
one point rows: 10-15
static lunge: 10-20
pushups: 10. not much progress during this stage.
planks: 60 secs on floor - 90secs feet on box
woodchop: 17.5-22.5
deadlift: 55-95
split squat: 25-35
underhand pulldown: 70-100
reverse lunge: 10-17.5
cuban snatch: 10-15
swiss ball: 40-51
reverse crunch: 10-20
lat flexion: 10-12 (side on a ball)
prone cobra: 65-90secs0 -
I completed 2B this morning and, because my husband finally went to the gym with me, I upped all my weights by 10 lbs. (except for Cuban snatch) to kind of show off how badass I am!*lo* He was duly impressed. :happy:
00trayn, which are the exercises you're having trouble increasing weight? I tried increasing prone Cuban snatches to 15 lbs., but just couldn't do more than 2.5. Very frustrating!
I hadn't increased my weights on the cuban snatches either. I started with 15 lbs and I couldn't do 20 lbs. My gym doesn't have anything in between those two weights. I only went from 10 pushups with my feet on a bosu ball to 12 on my last set of my last Workout A. And I suck at planks, so I'm still at 60 seconds. Those are the big ones, everything else I've managed to go up at least 5 lbs, if not 10-15 depending on which one it is.0 -
I completed 2B this morning and, because my husband finally went to the gym with me, I upped all my weights by 10 lbs. (except for Cuban snatch) to kind of show off how badass I am!*lo* He was duly impressed. :happy:
00trayn, which are the exercises you're having trouble increasing weight? I tried increasing prone Cuban snatches to 15 lbs., but just couldn't do more than 2.5. Very frustrating!
I hadn't increased my weights on the cuban snatches either. I started with 15 lbs and I couldn't do 20 lbs. My gym doesn't have anything in between those two weights. I only went from 10 pushups with my feet on a bosu ball to 12 on my last set of my last Workout A. And I suck at planks, so I'm still at 60 seconds. Those are the big ones, everything else I've managed to go up at least 5 lbs, if not 10-15 depending on which one it is.
I feel much better knowing that other folks struggle with pushups and core work (planks) like I do! 60 seconds is ROUGH.
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stage 2 is done .. here's my before and after info:
front squat push press 45 >80
step up 22.5 >25
DB 1 pt row 22.5> 25
static lunge 35> 60
push up - sloppy > working on keeping elbows tucked in
plank 45 seconds >90 seconds
horiz wood chop 30>60
deadlift 155>185
split squat 25> 55
lat pull down 120>130
reverse lunge 17.5>30
cuban prone snatch left: 10>15, right 8>10
prone cobra 60>90
no change in the swiss ball crunch because i'm working on holding weights overhead. i started at 10 pounds and ended at 10 pounds. the main thing that's holding me back is my weak left shoulder.
reverse crunches ; went from hard to easy
lateral flexion : these were always easy. I have no idea how to make these harder
anyway. i'm glad this stage is over. i feel like there was way too much lower body work and not enough upper body. plus most of these exercises were frustrating because i wanted to increase weight but since i had to work on balance i really couldnt. for instance the 1 point row.0 -
Mesha, I am impressed with your #'s. Don't down play them :flowerforyou:
I begin stage 2 tomorrow.0 -
Mesha, I am impressed with your #'s. Don't down play them :flowerforyou:
I begin stage 2 tomorrow.
aww thanks .. i think i was just used to increasing the weight in stage 1 since the moves were more stable. plus it didnt help that i reached something like a plateau in my weight loss about 3 week ago. in the back of my mind i was thinking "maybe i really need to push my workouts more" so i was a bit frustrated that i wasnt doing as much as i wanted to be doing in the workouts.
i really need to be focused less on the numbers and more on the fact that my balance has improved0 -
EXACTLY! focus on doing it right and not numbers. (I need to practice what I preach LOL)
I KNOW I'll have to take the book with me tomorrow. Not sure if I can remember all the exercises and what's up with workout B??? I'll be there forever.0 -
I feel much better knowing that other folks struggle with pushups and core work (planks) like I do! 60 seconds is ROUGH.
Surprisingly, I don't have any problem with planks or pushups. My problem is with the exercises focusing on balance, i.e., dumbbell one-point row. I suck!:grumble:0 -
I have 2 workouts left of Stage 2. So I looked ahead at Stage 3. I saw that there's jumping with weights.
I'm pretty sure I can't do that. In fact I know I can't. I've been forbidden to jump by orthopedic surgeons. So now I'm wondering if I should continue with NROL4W and modify those exercises without the jumping, or if I should look into another weight training program.0 -
you dont have to jump for the 1 arm snatches. it's sort of the same movement as the push press since the majority of power to get the weight above your head comes from your thighs and hips. i end up coming up on on my toes for both these movements, but not actually jumping.0
