Stage 4
Replies
-
Nice Job mamcita! You are going to finish with some major weight.0
-
Sam, I am sad to see you move on. :frown:
Mama, great weights!
Today I did WOA 2. Either I am really sore from Thursday's workout or I pulled a muscle in my right quad. The elevated lunges were painful.
FSPP upped to 45 pounds
step ups 10 pounds on a bench. I can't get heavier weights because I start bending over over about halfway through
dumbbell row 15 pounds . The last set I could NOT keep my balance. I am having a difficult time and can not keep my balance for a full 8 rep.
push ups......... 3 sets of 8 ALL ON THE FLOOR :drinker:
elevated static lunge 15 dumbbells . Hurt like the ****ens in the right quad.
plank 90 seconds on bench. Extremely tired today to even attempt on the floor
woodchop UPPED to 36 pounds from 22.5
ETA: Not sure why it deleted my word . It's not a bad word :laugh:0 -
Nice job, and you may be able to get away with doing 4 reps on each leg for a total of 8 on the one point row. THe book says to switch halfway, but we all do 8 each leg. I'm hanging out in all the threads because I have no life at the moment, and NOBODY is in the stage 5 thread.0
-
Nice job, and you may be able to get away with doing 4 reps on each leg for a total of 8 on the one point row. THe book says to switch halfway, but we all do 8 each leg. I'm hanging out in all the threads because I have no life at the moment, and NOBODY is in the stage 5 thread.
OH MY WORD! YOU ARE RIGHT!
It does say half the reps. But you know, I still can't complete 4 without falling over on the first 1 or 2. I gave up on the last set.
Nobody in stage 5? wow. Where did everybody go?0 -
I'm guessing most people abandon ship before they get there. The best advice I can give for the one point row is to very slowly lift the back leg while coming down on the stationary leg a little bending at the knee. Really tighten your glutes. I find that by bending the stationary knee just a bit really helps with stability. Also, do feel like you have to do a ballerina pose with the back leg. If you're not a perfect right angle, it's not a big deal.0
-
Hi All! Starting S4 tomorrow and I'm really looking forward to it. I've taken a loooong break between 3 and 4 and feel mentally ready to get back to lifting. I was inputing my S3 numbers in the online version of the chart last night and was disappointed in my weight increases--was doing too much crazy diet stuff to really push myself through that stage.
So, goal is for 4-7 to make a serious commitment to pushing in every workout. And I'll try to remember to post in the stage thread (ie. here) instead of just in the chat! I forgot to do that for S3.
See you tomorrow--I'm sure I'll be *****ing about the FSPP, my nemesis.0 -
Hi Dande :bigsmile: , I had to do the same thing. I realized halfway through stage 3 I was not giving it my all. Seriously, I was doing incline dumbbell presses with 10 pounds each. i thought my shoulder just could not handle the weight. My ending weight was 22 1/2 . 25 pound dumbells I tried . LOL TRIED is the key word.
I do not deadlift from a box. (gym doesn't have risers but steps that guys use to jump up on) Anyway, do yall drop the weight between lifts or just bend over and up?
Sam, do you do 8 reps on each leg for the one point row? I tried to increase my weight from 15 to 17.5. That small of an increase definitely had me teeter tottering.0 -
Yes, I can pull off the 8 reps per leg. again the bend in the one leg really helps. I do the same for single leg deadlift.0
-
Woo hoo! Felt SO good to get back in the gym today. I was worried, because it had been 11 days and my last S3 workouts were crud, but I felt great today. I liked 4A much better than I remember ever liking a S2 workout. Even the push-press wasn't as bad. The 120 second planks--total b*tches!!
So, was able to use S2 ending weight or (mostly) higher for everything:
FSPP: 55 (ended S2 with just 50)
Step-Up: 12kg/27.5lb each hand (same as ending S2; could go higher, but will have to jump to 30lb dumbells and those will be harder to hold than 12kg kettlebells)
One-point row: 25 lb each hand (S2 ended 20 each hand)--hard! I was wobbling like crazy
Static lunge: 12kg each hand (same as ended S2, same issue as step-up)
Push-ups: all sets on the floor; will just focus on getting nose lower each time
Wood-chop: 60 (ended S2 at 50)
Planks: 2 sets 120, 1 set 60 ouch!
Oh, and I did 3 sets for everything. I'm pretty happy! But....it took about 70 minutes and I had to cut my stretching short. Not sure how I'll fit the even longer B workout in. I'm definitely not doing the HIIT on the same day; doing c210k training on my "off" days, so that will have to suffice. Maybe I'll move the ab work to those days too. I'll have to see how it goes on Wednesday.0 -
Today's workout was pretty good.
I deadlifted 100! my goal today was to get to 110 but I could only add 5 pounds. I am sure I could lift more if I set the weight down. (might try that Friday's workout)
underhand pull mainly 72 pounds . pulled 84 for 4 reps.
BSS 20 pounds and only 2 sets. The outer thigh was killing me.
lunges 20 pound dumbbells
Cuban Snatch inclined and 2 sets with BW and one set with 5 pounds
Swiss ball crunch 17.5 overhead
reverse lunge
lateral flexion
one prone cobra 90 sec and finished 2 sets of 8 on the back extension apparatus :bigsmile: love that exercise
All exercises done in 3 sets except for BSS only 2.
I am feeling great about the increases. Totally upset with myself that I was wimpy in the first 2 stages. Why didn't I push myself?!0 -
You're doing great maniac. You're pushing now!! Now those results are going to really show.0
-
Thanks, Sam but I feel like I am behind on where I should be or could have been.
That totally ticks me off. 0 -
Manic, I feel the same way--sort of. You can only do what you can do. And you're doing really well now, you've definitely made big gains throughout this program, and who knows--maybe you were pushing before but your strength hadn't caught up, and now it has. I think that stages 1-3 were a learning curve--now we're familiar with the program, have a basic level of strength in place, and can just build like crazy.0
-
I was still nice and sore today from my first S4 workout Monday, but had a great B workout anyway. A little annoying because there was a trainer hogging the area where I usually do my squats, lunges, mat work, etc. (why was my gym so crowded at 5:30 am anyway? Get there 15 minutes later than usual and the whole routine gets screwed up). Anyway, had to do things out of order a bit, but all good. I went up from my last S2 weights on everything but Cuban snatches, but should have on those, too:
DL: 115 (used a mixed grip, which helped a lot)
Bulgarian split squat: 35 lb. plate
Lat pulldown: 85 lbs.
Rev lunge w/ forward reach: 20 lb. dumbbells
Cuban snatch: 8 lb. dumbbells
Swiss ball crunches: 20 lb. medicine ball overhead
Lateral flexion: did windshield wipers instead
Reverse crunch: 3 sets of 15
Prone cobras: 3 x 120
Felt great!0 -
3B in the books. I will be so happy to hit Stage 5. I hate the step ups and split squats with a passion.
DL: 110#
Bulgarian split squat: 30#
Lat pulldown: 70#
Rev lunge w/ forward reach: 20# dumbbells
Cuban snatch: 12# dumbbells
Swiss ball crunches: 3 sets of 20 with 10 lb. medicine ball overhead0 -
mama, I hate step ups too! I said today (after my last set of step ups), "one more workout A of step ups to go" :grumble:
FSSP 45 no increase
step ups 10 db using bench no increase
one point db row 15 to 20 db!!! Thanks SAM, for the tip to bend the leg. IT WORKED!
pushups on floor and getting easier and that I mean. I can rock out the first 8 whereas before I couldn't do one on the floor.
static lunge 15 to 17.5 db
woodchop 36 lbs to 48 lbs
planks 60 second on floor, 90 second on bench, and 60 second on floor
Today I almost bailed on working out but my 17 year old son shamed me. LOL Glad he did. I need to stay on schedule so I can be finished by late August.0 -
Okay, after a very long break I am back at this and have completed my first 4A workout! I was worried I may have to lower my weights some but I actually upped them a little on a couple of the exercises! Feeling good and ready to get back at this!
On another note, has anyone ever watched themselves from in a mirror, from the front, doing the FSPP? The only barbell available happened to be the one set up to look in the mirror and I have never used that particular one before. Holy unattractive, I didn't think I still jiggled that much :grumble: My imaginings of how sexy I look lifting are shattered, sigh0 -
Welcome back Ellie.
My gym has mirrors EVERY WHERE. Can't keep from seeing my jiggly parts.0 -
Ha, Ellie, yes! The faces I make when lifting are really not attractive (there's a mirror right in front of the squat cage). And I usually wear tight capris when lifting, so that holds the jiggle in a bit, but the other day I wore shorts to the gym and the sight of my flabby thighs made me push that much harder--depressing, but motivating!
I'm sore today after my first two S4 workouts--but in a good way, not a debilitating after-first-BWM way. Also, starving all the time!!0 -
Finished my B2 workout today, but didn't have time for the HIIT so will have to do that tomorrow.
Ellie - yes! and I get to see my stomach look larger than life when I squat down. It looks great when I'm standing (in clothes), but still looks awful when I bend over or sit down.
mama- I despise step ups!!
Looks like everyone is doing great keeping up with the workouts and increasing weights. Keep it up!0 -
How did your workout B go , Jen? I am a little halfway finished with this stage .
It's exciting to say after this stage 4, I only have 2 more stages!!! Then I think 'what's next"? What am I gonna do? Then I panic.0 -
It went well. I did 110 on the deadlift so pretty pleased with that. I really hate the reaching lunges - I tried to go up to 20 lbs and I feel like I lean over too much and am losing my form. I'm behind you in my workouts now because I skipped last Friday. I am planning on doing Stage 6 and was thinking about doing Stage 7 twice, but we'll see when I get there.
I plan on doing Strong Lifts after this, at least for the 12 weeks he recommeds, then maybe NROL for Abs. I'm really hoping to be at my ultimate goal by next summer. I'm so close - 10 lbs or 7 inches off my waist, I don't care which but I will be in at least a size 6 next year!0 -
strong lifts seems to be a popular choice following this program, I may have to look into it as well. I've really a little online about it, is there more to the program than what is on the webiste? or maybe I just haven't explored it enough.0
-
Ellie, I am not sure. It seems stronglifts is very basic and not long at all. Of course, don't quote me because I have only skimmed the reading material. I could include cardio with stronglifts .......
Off to do WOB3 tomorrow.0 -
Strong lifts has 5 lifts that alternate days. Workout A is squats, bench press overhead press. Workout B is squats, bent over row, deadlifts. All the lifts are 5 sets of 5 except the deadlift is 1 set of 5 because you are doing squats each workout.0
-
Okay, so it is is as simple as it seems. That's actually nice, it seems like that would make it east to incorporate in other types of exercise into the routine as opposed to being tied to a program.0
-
It went well. I did 110 on the deadlift so pretty pleased with that. I really hate the reaching lunges - I tried to go up to 20 lbs and I feel like I lean over too much and am losing my form. I'm behind you in my workouts now because I skipped last Friday. I am planning on doing Stage 6 and was thinking about doing Stage 7 twice, but we'll see when I get there.
I plan on doing Strong Lifts after this, at least for the 12 weeks he recommeds, then maybe NROL for Abs. I'm really hoping to be at my ultimate goal by next summer. I'm so close - 10 lbs or 7 inches off my waist, I don't care which but I will be in at least a size 6 next year!
I had exactly the same issue with the reaching lunges. Annoying! I'm planning to start StrongLifts after NR too--haven't read that much about it but the simplicity appeals to me. I'm also about 10 lbs. away from my goal. I'm hoping to get there by Christmas, but at the rate I'm going it could be 2020.
Did WOA2 this morning--and you know how I said I was going to push myself? Well...may have pushed just a bit to hard. Had to bail halfway through my 2nd plank because I felt so dizzy and nauseated. Didn't even get to wood chops, which are my favorites. I don't know if it's because I ran on the days between NR workouts or hadn't eaten anything first (I don't usually) or if it really was because I forced myself to go up in weight on everything and was just really undone. Anyway, not good! At least I'll have two days of rest before attempting the B workout on Monday...and lots of food at my in-laws' this weekend. Will have to try to rein myself in.0 -
So I reached my goal of 110 deadlifts today. I increased weights in
other exercises too.
I pulled 84 pounds in all reps of underhand lat pull well I might as well list them for you. LOL I am so excited today because I felt like I pushed myself like I should have been doing.
deadlifts 110
bulgarian split squat 25 db
underhand lat pull 84 lb
lunges 17.5 db
dumbbell prone 5 pound dumbbells This is a major victory for me. Stage 2 I was only able to do this standing. ALL 3 sets inclined :bigsmile:
crunch 17.5 db overhead
Reverse crunch . I really would like to do these at an incline but that is not possible YET.0 -
Is the incline bench adjustable? GREAT progress Maniac!!0
-
yes, Sam. I can adjust at 15 increments. What would you suggest starting? I tried 45 incline and a low 15 incline.0
This discussion has been closed.