Stage 2
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Hi everyone! I just wanted to say hello and that I'm super excited to be joining the stage 2 group! I just finished my last stage one workout today. Can't wait to tackle the next challenge!0
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Does anyone do their FSPP with dumbbells instead of a barbell? I'm thinking it could be a good way to make sure I'm strengthening my left shoulder and not using my right to compensate for the weaker left. What do you think?
Confession:
Today I did front squats, then DB shoulder presses, in a A1 and A2 type rotation. I can't do them as written because of a previous wrist injury. I did them as you described, but got really frustrated because I had to use much lighter weights for some reason. I will probably not do front squats next time either, because my wrist is sore this evening after today's workout.
I'm sort of a rebel like that. ;-)0 -
After a four day interlude, I did 3A today. I dunno what it is but I'm losing steam doing this stage. It's like I'm not interested and it takes a lot of self-talk to get me psyched enough to do it. While doing the workout - it's certainly challenging - and then I'll feel a bit of soreness the next day or two...but not as much as I'd LIKE to feel (weird, no?). I've only increased 5-10 lbs, when possible (and I didn't expect to increase too much through this stage).
My husband told me tonight that he thinks I got more results and faster when I was doing Chalean Extreme. I had to remind him that I was in a different place with my weight and fitness when I started that program (new to lifting, 20 lbs heavier), so of course I was going to see faster results as the fat kinda melted off. But I gotta be real - my profile pic - of my back - that was all from doing Chalean! LOL So the program did some awesome things for me because I wasn't afraid to pick up heavy weight when I was doing it. Anyway...I guess I'm kinda missing seeing those results come faster and more noticeable, especially since this is such a long program and the workouts are now double the time or even triple what it would take to do a CLX workout.
Maybe I'm just sick of stage 2 already...I dunno. I'm just venting here. I know a lot of women have gotten fed up at this stage and threw in the towel for another program. I just wish there were more results threads and pictures showing what SIX MONTHS of working hard will get you. It seems there are only a few really "WOW" cases out there...where is everyone else who completed this program and had a fantastic recomp or transformation? I feel like I NEED to see those right now...to keep me interested in sticking this out. Six months is a LONG time to dedicate to a single program....and I just feel like there should be some AWESOME results to show for it...know what I mean?
Gahhh.....I just need some motivation to stick with THIS program because I'm getting bored.
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Jessica, i have been tempted to do the same. But for now i am able to do the front squat shoulder push with a 35 lb barbell.
Jen, I hear you! The same thing I'm feeling. I need to see the results and want to hear from the women who have finished the program. Although, i am determined to finish it.
I don't mind stage 2. For some weird reason, i like it. Maybe because it's challenging and hard. I did not like stage 1. (maybe because I didn't see any real changes) I am accustomed to squats, dead lifts, and lunges so that might be the reason for the dislike of stage 1. Stage 2 is different and kicks my butt.0 -
I am kind of over Stage 2 as well. I feel like it is not working my upper body enough. I am afraid to take pictures because I dont feel like anything has changed yet. I am determined to finish though! I am going to start doing more running intervals on my off days to try to shake things up a bit and I have a feeling that in an effort to get my calorie intake up, I have made some diet changes that my body (especially my belly roll) is not liking.
Sigh.
With like everything else though, this is a process of trial and error and I am going to figure it out dammit!0 -
Jen (MrsRip, since there are a few Jens!), here 's the thing about dramatic results--you're not going to see them (and by "you" I mean "any of us") unless you lose the layer of fat that's hiding the muscles. That's the key. I can feel all the muscles I've developed in the last 6 weeks, but I haven't lost that much fat, so they're mostly hidden. I wish I knew the secret to really melting that fat off, but I don't--I'm experimenting with more cardio right now, and carb cycling. But if that doesn't work, may try IF...or more calories...or patience!
I do think that after 6 months, even if I lose 1 lb of fat a month, I'll see the results I want.
I'm impatient and get bored quickly too--but that's one thing I like about this program. It changes all the time. If I switched to Stronglifts, say, I'd just be doing the same few moves over and over...forever.
So, I can't tell you what to do. But I think your main frustration is from the fact that you're at a plateau, and if you find some way to break that plateau you'll start to see those hidden results...
At least that's what I'm telling myself!0 -
I think my biggest frustration is with having to make so many modifications. After so many, it starts to feel like I'm not actually doing the program anymore. Yet, I have to make the mods that I've made. I really want to stick it out and finish this, but at what point do you say, maybe I need to find a different program? One that I can actually do all of?0
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Have you checked out all the stages to see if you will have to continue to modify a lot of the moves? I would think everyone has a few they will have to modify for one reason or another, but if it almost all of them that may be a different story.
I also like this program because of the variation. I started on a different program that repeated the workout every week and I was completely bored with it and feeling unchallenged after 3 weeks. I actually struggled to get through stage 1 here because that was so long. If I hadn't focused so much on increasing weight I probably would have quit. Stage 2 has been a struggle as there is not an expectation to increase weights by much and I'm not feeling that same sense of accomplishment. Either way I've made it through, well almost, last stage 2 workout tomorrow!
I'm planning to take 10 days off and do a calorie cut before starting stage 3 so hopefully my progress pics will show something worthy of posting. I have not taken pics since I started the program, so I'm hoping to see some good results!0 -
Woohoo! I only have one more workout A and Two more B . Go Mary. Go Mary. Go . Go. Go. :bigsmile:0
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Woohoo! I only have one more workout A and Two more B . Go Mary. Go Mary. Go . Go. Go. :bigsmile:
Me too! I am so ready for this stage to be over!0 -
Woohoo! I only have one more workout A and Two more B . Go Mary. Go Mary. Go . Go. Go. :bigsmile:
Me too. Can't wait to move on. I hate the FSPP!0 -
Stage 2 is done! I really didn't up my weights much throughout this stage but here's how I did:
Workout A
FSPP-45-50
Step-up-15 lb DBs (no change)
DB one point Row-15 lb DBs, increased to 10 reps per side instead of increasing weight
Static Lunge-15 lb DB-20 lb kettlebells
Push-up-30 degree angle-1 set all on the floor
Plank-60 secs on a bosu ball
Wood chop-20-25
Workout B
Wide Grip Deadlift-75-90
Split Squat-15-25
Lat Pulldown-60-75
Reverse lunge-15 lb DB (no change)
Cuban snatch-5-8
Swiss ball crunch-8 lb ball overhead- 10 lb ball overhead
Reverse crunch-check
Flexion-on the mat upper body included version
Cobra-60 secs
I think I finally got the proper form for the flexion today! Good thing, as I was feeling rather disappointed that it is in the next stage but now I don't mind so much. The progress in this stage was really odd. My progress seemed to be more that instead of upping my weight I got to the point where only the last rep was really tough instead of the last three. Progress either way I suppose!0 -
Confession:
Today I did front squats, then DB shoulder presses, in a A1 and A2 type rotation. I can't do them as written because of a previous wrist injury. I did them as you described, but got really frustrated because I had to use much lighter weights for some reason. I will probably not do front squats next time either, because my wrist is sore this evening after today's workout.
I'm sort of a rebel like that. ;-)
My right wrist gets hyper-extended and hurts like crazy. I haven't switched to dumbbells, and I also haven't upped my weights at all. Maybe I should do what you're doing next time and split the move in two...I can't stand it! only one more A workout though, so maybe i"ll just deal with it as is next time.0 -
Hello Stage 2!
Just wanted to pop by and say Hi! finished my stage 1 a week ago and am fired up and ready to start stage 2 tomorrow. The week off has been hell but I'm looking forward to being awesome again with my Stage 2!
:flowerforyou:0 -
Jen (MrsRip, since there are a few Jens!), here 's the thing about dramatic results--you're not going to see them (and by "you" I mean "any of us") unless you lose the layer of fat that's hiding the muscles. That's the key. I can feel all the muscles I've developed in the last 6 weeks, but I haven't lost that much fat, so they're mostly hidden. I wish I knew the secret to really melting that fat off, but I don't--I'm experimenting with more cardio right now, and carb cycling. But if that doesn't work, may try IF...or more calories...or patience!
I do think that after 6 months, even if I lose 1 lb of fat a month, I'll see the results I want.
I'm impatient and get bored quickly too--but that's one thing I like about this program. It changes all the time. If I switched to Stronglifts, say, I'd just be doing the same few moves over and over...forever.
So, I can't tell you what to do. But I think your main frustration is from the fact that you're at a plateau, and if you find some way to break that plateau you'll start to see those hidden results...
At least that's what I'm telling myself!
This resonates with me, too. I have been trying to lose 10 pounds for over a year with little success. My weight, body fat, and measurements fluctuate. I have tried everything. That layer of fat will not budge.
In the past, the only way I have been successful is to starve myself. Then as soon as I start eating again, the weight piles back on. It just isn't worth it.
I am trying to focus on the other benefits of exercise: increased strength, energy, stress relief...
This time last year I was killing myself doing 30-40 minutes running on the treadmill followed by a bodypump class or back to back spinning and bodypump. All with a daily intake of 1200 calories, well under my BMR. It didn't make the weight drop off either. I am much happier doing NRL and some cardio if I feel like it.0 -
Jen (MrsRip, since there are a few Jens!), here 's the thing about dramatic results--you're not going to see them (and by "you" I mean "any of us") unless you lose the layer of fat that's hiding the muscles. That's the key. I can feel all the muscles I've developed in the last 6 weeks, but I haven't lost that much fat, so they're mostly hidden. I wish I knew the secret to really melting that fat off, but I don't--I'm experimenting with more cardio right now, and carb cycling. But if that doesn't work, may try IF...or more calories...or patience!
I do think that after 6 months, even if I lose 1 lb of fat a month, I'll see the results I want.
I'm impatient and get bored quickly too--but that's one thing I like about this program. It changes all the time. If I switched to Stronglifts, say, I'd just be doing the same few moves over and over...forever.
So, I can't tell you what to do. But I think your main frustration is from the fact that you're at a plateau, and if you find some way to break that plateau you'll start to see those hidden results...
At least that's what I'm telling myself!
This resonates with me, too. I have been trying to lose 10 pounds for over a year with little success. My weight, body fat, and measurements fluctuate. I have tried everything. That layer of fat will not budge.
In the past, the only way I have been successful is to starve myself. Then as soon as I start eating again, the weight piles back on. It just isn't worth it.
I am trying to focus on the other benefits of exercise: increased strength, energy, stress relief...
This time last year I was killing myself doing 30-40 minutes running on the treadmill followed by a bodypump class or back to back spinning and bodypump. All with a daily intake of 1200 calories, well under my BMR. It didn't make the weight drop off either. I am much happier doing NRL and some cardio if I feel like it.
That's how I lose the weight. I go well under 1200 calories (sometimes 800) and exercise like a mad woman on treadmill or elliptical. I wasn't aware I was eating so few calories because I was not logging. I was eating less. When I did start logging, I realized I was starving myself. And the weight always piled back on.0 -
Finished 4B today, but have decided to add on an extra workout for each since I had to stop in the middle when I was traveling for work. Then I'm going to move straight into Stage 3 and add in an extra workout or 2 on that one as well since it will fit in perfectly with my vacation at the end of June.
Deadlift - 100 lbs
split squat - 15 lbs
cuban snatch - 10 lbs
reverse lunge - 20 lbs
pulldown - 70 lbs
I don't know how some of you could ever eat that few calories. There is no way I would ever be able to eat under 1500, most days 1800 is pretty tough!! and that's eating clean.0 -
Just did 1A and boy those planks are hard work! got to 25 seconds and had to go to my knees. I'm totally going to feel my abs tomorrow! Feels good to be back with the weights though after my week off. I'd forgotten how shaky my muscles are after a good workout
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Only 2 more workouts in this stage!! But I will not be able to complete Stage 2 until Monday. :frown: That is not good for someone as anal as me about remaining on a schedule.
I need to figure out when I should tentatively schedule my week breaks. We are leaving for Florida mid September.
I was able to increase dead lifts by 10 pounds but the others remained the same. I can NOT increase the underhand grip pull down. The gym's machines increase 12 pounds. I did ask if they had something I could use to add 5 pounds but no.0 -
Just did 1A and boy those planks are hard work! got to 25 seconds and had to go to my knees. I'm totally going to feel my abs tomorrow! Feels good to be back with the weights though after my week off. I'd forgotten how shaky my muscles are after a good workout
That's great! I just did 1A tonight, also I thought the Front Squat Push Press was challenging and I also realized that I need to wear a longer shirt...embarrassing!
Great job on your deadlifts, manic!0
