Stage 1

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  • sweettoothfairy
    sweettoothfairy Posts: 212 Member
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    I did B1 today and here are the stats:

    Barbell Deadlift: 77 Lbs
    Shoulder press: 13 lbs (6.5 in each hand)
    Wide Grip Lat pull Down: 66 lbs
    Dumbell Lunges: 22 lbs in each hand
    Exercise Ball Crunch: BW*10*2
  • BarbellCowgirl
    BarbellCowgirl Posts: 1,271 Member
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    Hi Ladies!! I just completed A3 today!! I feel like i'm really getting stronger! However my gym only has fixed weight barbells, dumbbells, and a smith machine. :( I need an alternative for my Deadlifts. The fixed weight barbells only go up to 60lbs and I know i can lift substantially more! Does anyone have a advice or suggestions?

    I have no idea! Good luck trying to figure something out.

    Everyone else sounds like you're doing great. Keep it up, ladies!
    As far as the Romanian vs. the Deadlift, I never noticed feeling it in my back until I did over 100lbs. Now I think I'll aim for doing the 45lb weights or just set it on something. It didn't bother me much, just a little sore in the lower back muscles. I'd hate to injure myself now that I'm almost through with stage 1 though.
  • jnh17
    jnh17 Posts: 838 Member
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    Hi Ladies!! I just completed A3 today!! I feel like i'm really getting stronger! However my gym only has fixed weight barbells, dumbbells, and a smith machine. :( I need an alternative for my Deadlifts. The fixed weight barbells only go up to 60lbs and I know i can lift substantially more! Does anyone have a advice or suggestions?

    What do you do for squats?
  • allipix711
    allipix711 Posts: 91
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    Just did A4 last night, so excited with the progress I'm making!

    Squat - 115
    Push-ups - floor using handles (still need more depth and better form)
    Seated row - 90
    Step up - 60 (30lb DBs)
    Jackknife - all reps
  • danielle5243
    danielle5243 Posts: 30 Member
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    Hi Ladies!! I just completed A3 today!! I feel like i'm really getting stronger! However my gym only has fixed weight barbells, dumbbells, and a smith machine. :( I need an alternative for my Deadlifts. The fixed weight barbells only go up to 60lbs and I know i can lift substantially more! Does anyone have a advice or suggestions?

    What do you do for squats?

    I started out using dumbells...but I've been trying using the smith machine lately. tisk tisk-i know. I feel like I'm being cheated using the smith machine b/c I don't have to stabilize near as much. I cannot find a good alternative for either! So frustrating.
  • learning2fly4
    learning2fly4 Posts: 303 Member
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    Any ladies have advise on how they are improving their grip strength?

    Frustrating to do 95lbs on the deadlifts when i can for sure do more, but by the end my hands are ready to give out. Then i screw myself for the rest of the B workouts bc my hands are messed up for the lunges and pull downs.
  • jnh17
    jnh17 Posts: 838 Member
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    Hi Ladies!! I just completed A3 today!! I feel like i'm really getting stronger! However my gym only has fixed weight barbells, dumbbells, and a smith machine. :( I need an alternative for my Deadlifts. The fixed weight barbells only go up to 60lbs and I know i can lift substantially more! Does anyone have a advice or suggestions?

    What do you do for squats?

    I started out using dumbells...but I've been trying using the smith machine lately. tisk tisk-i know. I feel like I'm being cheated using the smith machine b/c I don't have to stabilize near as much. I cannot find a good alternative for either! So frustrating.

    For squats, I'd do goblet squats (lots of good youtube videos). For deads, I'd do them with dumbells assuming your gym goes high enough for your strength. If not, your gym sucks :p!
  • danielle5243
    danielle5243 Posts: 30 Member
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    My gym is against "heavy lifters". It's a chain your probably familiar with. The dbs go up to 60lbs so that will work for a while... After that I may need to look into finding a new gym. Just sucks b/c I'll more than likely end up pay about $30 more a month for the other local gym.

    But I will be checking out the YouTube videos! Thanks!
  • suelegal
    suelegal Posts: 1,282 Member
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    Wow!! You all are doing so well! I feel like a 90 pound weakling and expect y'all to kick sand in my face! I did 4A today repeating it because I didn't do enough reps last time (old age, I swear!!)

    Squats 50/40 - I'm using dumbbells at my shoulders, but I'm going to have to find another alternative - and I think Planet Fitness probably won't let me lift heavy. I honestly don't know if they have a squat rack.

    Pushups @ 45 degrees but really decent elbows in form for the first set, and for most of the way through the 2nd set
    Barbell bent over row at 60 for the first but needed to drop down to 50 for the 2nd.

    Step ups at 50 easily and will increase the step size
    Jackknifes were killer for me today!

    Actually everything was HARD! I was totally spent by the time I finished, but it felt good. I'm glad I repeated 4
  • danielle5243
    danielle5243 Posts: 30 Member
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    Wow!! You all are doing so well! I feel like a 90 pound weakling and expect y'all to kick sand in my face! I did 4A today repeating it because I didn't do enough reps last time (old age, I swear!!)

    Squats 50/40 - I'm using dumbbells at my shoulders, but I'm going to have to find another alternative - and I think Planet Fitness probably won't let me lift heavy. I honestly don't know if they have a squat rack.

    Pushups @ 45 degrees but really decent elbows in form for the first set, and for most of the way through the 2nd set
    Barbell bent over row at 60 for the first but needed to drop down to 50 for the 2nd.

    Step ups at 50 easily and will increase the step size
    Jackknifes were killer for me today!

    Actually everything was HARD! I was totally spent by the time I finished, but it felt good. I'm glad I repeated 4

    Planet Fitness usually do not have squat racks :( That's the gym I go to as well, and I'm having the same problem. I'm considering looking for another gym b/c they just do not have the equiptment necessary to lift heavy. It's a shame. I really do enjoy going there, but us NROL4W chicks just can't get the kind of workout we need :(
  • suelegal
    suelegal Posts: 1,282 Member
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    I was afraid of that Danielle.. Well hubs is looking for one and didn't want to go to PF so maybe I'll find a family plan that will work for us both!
  • BarbellCowgirl
    BarbellCowgirl Posts: 1,271 Member
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    Sorry you ladies are having a hard time finding the necessary equipment at the gym. I am just lucky my gym is a ladies only fitness and it has all the great weight equipment. I never have to even wait to use the weights (haha).

    I'm really excited to do 8a tomorrow. I think I might go up a bit on the squats- we'll see about everything else. I was able to DL 135lbs yesterday for 7B. I never imagined I could do that at the beginning of stage 1. Keep at it ladies- it really works!
    I'm looking forward to the week off between stages. I am anxious to see what my measurements and weight are.
  • NthnButMoonshine
    NthnButMoonshine Posts: 125 Member
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    I did Stage 1 A1 today!! Yeah me!!!! It was awesome. Loved every second of it...including the ones I spent cursing the step-ups. Now Ive got to go nurse this horrid migraine Ive got coming on. Im praying the two arent related. Anyone else seem to have this issue?
  • suelegal
    suelegal Posts: 1,282 Member
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    I know that I tend to hunch/shrug up my shoulders, not just lifting but all the time. It's actually quite common in women becines even more pronounced as we get older as well as slouching forward more. It's a difficult habit to break and even with vigilance I find myself with my shoulders hunched and increased tension in my neck. Maybe you are doing that when you lift?
  • Rielyn
    Rielyn Posts: 150 Member
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    Any ladies have advise on how they are improving their grip strength?

    Frustrating to do 95lbs on the deadlifts when i can for sure do more, but by the end my hands are ready to give out. Then i screw myself for the rest of the B workouts bc my hands are messed up for the lunges and pull downs.

    I bought some weightlifting gloves and they really help. I think the ones I picked up were on sale for $11

    Finished 8A this morning, it's been almost 2 weeks since I did my last NROL workout. I've been doing a crapload of cardio and Jillian Michaels since I couldn't get to the gym. I finished out my squat at 125 lbs!! Woohoo :)

    It was kind of funny, there was a trainer in the gym with 5 teenage girls and she was setting up stations for them at the time I was onto the prone jacknife and she kept getting me to demonstrate for them. The girls were flying all over the place falling of the ball. LOL
  • BarbellCowgirl
    BarbellCowgirl Posts: 1,271 Member
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    Any ladies have advise on how they are improving their grip strength?

    Frustrating to do 95lbs on the deadlifts when i can for sure do more, but by the end my hands are ready to give out. Then i screw myself for the rest of the B workouts bc my hands are messed up for the lunges and pull downs.

    I bought some weightlifting gloves and they really help. I think the ones I picked up were on sale for $11

    Finished 8A this morning, it's been almost 2 weeks since I did my last NROL workout. I've been doing a crapload of cardio and Jillian Michaels since I couldn't get to the gym. I finished out my squat at 125 lbs!! Woohoo :)

    It was kind of funny, there was a trainer in the gym with 5 teenage girls and she was setting up stations for them at the time I was onto the prone jacknife and she kept getting me to demonstrate for them. The girls were flying all over the place falling of the ball. LOL

    That's great! LOL about the teens.
    I finished 8A this morning too. So happy with the progress so far. I think I'll wait to post my final stats until I let myself take a week off and measure/weigh again. Overall this has been a great workout for me. Hopefully Stage 2 is just as much "fun".
    Rielyn, are you planning on doing the AMRAPs?
  • Rielyn
    Rielyn Posts: 150 Member
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    I didn't think I was going to do the AMRAP's but I changed my mind. I want to see how much progress I made so I'm hoping I can find a time when the gym's not so busy so I don't look like a wimp ;)
  • NthnButMoonshine
    NthnButMoonshine Posts: 125 Member
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    I know that I tend to hunch/shrug up my shoulders, not just lifting but all the time. It's actually quite common in women becines even more pronounced as we get older as well as slouching forward more. It's a difficult habit to break and even with vigilance I find myself with my shoulders hunched and increased tension in my neck. Maybe you are doing that when you lift?

    Its a good thought, but now that my head has stopped thumping so hard and Ive had time to reflect, I am beginning to suspect it has more to do with my caloric intake. Last nights was bad enough to prescription medicate. After 19 years of them, Ive developed quite a tolerance to their pain so that says a lot. Usually they only get that bad when Im dehydrated or havent eaten. To put it politely, I know for absolute certain I wasnt dehydrated. ;) That only leaves caloric deficit issues. I think I need to up my calories and try again!
  • TheGsMama
    TheGsMama Posts: 80 Member
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    Hola Stage 1 Lovely ladies!

    Nthn - I am super blood sugar sensitive and will get headaches if I don't eat steadily through the day OR get enough protein OR enough water. So, while mine are rarely migraines I understand. Oh and I tend to keep my shoulders around my ears all day long. That doesn't help either :)

    So...stage 1 - I am about over it. I tried my step-ups with a smaller Oly bar (35lbs+10) today and that went rather well. I felt like I was concentrating more on pushing through my heel and flexing the glute than not trying to drop the damn barbells. I realize that grip strength is important too but for me strengthening my glutes is more important for my knee and lower back issues (I am a hot mess).
  • BarbellCowgirl
    BarbellCowgirl Posts: 1,271 Member
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    TheGsMama, I think the bar is definitely easier than trying to grip the huge DBs. I use it for the lunges too. It makes it easier to focus on form and really working the legs, like you said.

    Finished 8B this morning. However, I heard the news of the CO movie theater shooting in the middle of my workout and it was hard to concentrate after that. My prayers got out to the victims and their families. Makes me want to hug my babies close today.

    I'll give my stats for weights now, but I'll post my measurements/BW change later.

    Squats: 20lbs---->95lbs
    Push-ups: Knees---->Floor (although I can improve on form)
    Row: 60lbs---->100lbs
    Step-ups: 12lbs--->75lbs (on 13in step)
    Jackknife: Sloppy 8--->15 with good form

    Deadlift: 65lbs--->135lbs
    DBSP: 12.5lbs--->25lbs
    Pull-down:70lbs--->100lbs
    Lunges:BW--->65lbs barbell
    Swiss Crunch: BW x8 --->25 lbs plate with good form x15

    Looking forward to AMRAPS next week!