Stage 5 Questions

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Replies

  • beckkotsch
    beckkotsch Posts: 482 Member
    Really? No one else is in stage 5?!

    I forgot how sore I'd be after the body matrix in workout A!

    Little to no irritation in my shoulder during the YTWL! I think lowering the bench helped??
  • chicbuc
    chicbuc Posts: 616 Member
    I will be your cheerleader! Good job on upping the weights!
  • lcuconley
    lcuconley Posts: 734 Member
    only one more stage 4 workout left! sorry I had an unplanned week off of lifting! I will be here shortly!
  • beckkotsch
    beckkotsch Posts: 482 Member
    Haha....thanks girls!

    I'm officially half way through stage 5! I'm going out of town on Wednesday so I think I may just hold off on lifting until next Tuesday? This will be my longest stretch of no lifting since I started! I think it sounds like a good place to take a rest though:)
  • lcuconley
    lcuconley Posts: 734 Member
    ok...done with stage 4. I am going on vacation this weekend, but I think stage 5, more than any other, can be done in a hotel gym. Wish me luck!!
  • lcuconley
    lcuconley Posts: 734 Member
    ok...done with stage 4. I am going on vacation this weekend, but I think stage 5, more than any other, can be done in a hotel gym. Wish me luck!!

    I am so silly, I posted on Friday in the stage 4 thread. I did 5A1...and I totally kicked it!!! The four reps was interesting. I may extend this stage bcse its so challenging. Once you contol the weight, its not so bad, but gettting into position, I think I may kill myself!

    looking forward to 5B1!
  • lcuconley
    lcuconley Posts: 734 Member
    I will post my results a bit later, but I just wanted to jump on and say I did 5B1 last night. WOW is this stage something! I got 4 reps@70 done on the first set of the chest press, but I could not do a single one in the second set. I really need a spotter for that move!
  • beckkotsch
    beckkotsch Posts: 482 Member
    Sorry I've been MIA! Was in Arizona for the past 5 days....meant to get back at it this a.m. but needed some extra sleep this morning. I feel so sick right now but hopefully I'll be feeling better by the morning. I'm SO ready to go lift something heavy!
  • beckkotsch
    beckkotsch Posts: 482 Member
    Ok, FINALLY back at it! Felt great to be back. Felt strong but I could tell I got tired easier. Not sure if it's b/c I haven't been sleeping well or all the crap food I've been eating is catching up to me. I skipped the planks and the cable pulls so I could make it to spin class but I'll finish those up tomorrow before spin:)

    I have a question...on the single arm dumbbell snatches....my right arm is stronger than my left. I know I could increase weight for my right arm but I doubt I could for my left. Should I continue using the same weight for both arms until my left arm catches up or go ahead and use a heavier weight for my right??

    Also....are you planning on doing stage 6? For a while I wasn't planning on it but now I think I want to.
  • lcuconley
    lcuconley Posts: 734 Member
    beck - you definitely want to hold back your right arm until your left arm is ready to progress...dont want to be lopsided!!

    glad you are back, I am looking forward to lifting tomorrow.

    I was just looking at stage 6...looks kind of interesting. Because I am doing the warrior dash in july (strength will be important!), I am gonna do it.
  • lcuconley
    lcuconley Posts: 734 Member
    Hi everyone (ie BECK!) - I did 5A2 today...LOVE this stage. I could REALLY use a spotter though. The hardest part about the one hand OH squat and the chest press is getting the weights into position. I got one set of chest press done today at 70 pounds, but had to go back to 64 for the last two sets.
  • beckkotsch
    beckkotsch Posts: 482 Member
    haha...yea, I think it's just us two ;P

    That's kinda what I was figuring about upping weights on just one side. I may try to see if my left arm can handle it since I only have ONE more A workout and I want it to count!

    I definitely want the strength too! Plus, I really want to be able to say I finished the WHOLE program:)

    I feel you on it being hard to set up for certain moves....I'm not even close to 70lbs for my chest press but sometimes getting my 50lbs up is a challenge....especially once you get to that 3rd and 4th set!

    Holy crap am I sore today! I'm sure it's b/c I took that week off but holy smokes are my quads on FIRE!
  • jo_marnes
    jo_marnes Posts: 1,601 Member
    I'll be here soon - just finished stage 4! Had a glance at stage 5.... looks interesting with the low reps. Looking forward to starting it - probably Monday.
  • jo_marnes
    jo_marnes Posts: 1,601 Member
    Ah yes, now I remember how much I disliked stage 3 :-(
    This is hard! First 5A done today. Struggling to get a heavy enough weight into position for both one arm overhead squats and bench press. Had a spotter today to get the 12kg dumbells into place for bench, but would not be able to do that alone.

    Also, as I had my book out again, I realised I have been doing a different form of plank. I have always been using the 'high' plank style (i.e. hands and toes, with straight arms) rather than elbows. Don't think I'm quite up to the wobble of the ball - especially for 120 secs! What have everyone else been doing? I can still only do 2 x 120 secs. As much as my quads hate the matrix, I think mentally I prefer it to the intervals as it is over quicker, hahaha.

    Oh, and balance..... that had gone out the window today, those single leg deadlifts were shocking! Hopefully be better next time round.
  • lcuconley
    lcuconley Posts: 734 Member
    Yea Jo! Welcome to stage 5! I totallly agree that getting the weights into position is a huge challenge for this stage! I really feel like I am cheating only doing 4 reps if the weight is not super heavy. That being said I went over 4 reps a lot today bcse the gym I was at did not have half plates to add to the lat machine and my balance is so bad for the patial single leg squats, I just feel that its not time to increase.

    So I did 5A2 this am. Really enjoyed it. Had plenty of time, so I did 4 sets of most things. The only thing this gym did not have was the back extension contraption. I basically did it and the side "extensions" standing up.
  • beckkotsch
    beckkotsch Posts: 482 Member
    Jo! Welcome to stage 5!

    The plan is to lift tomorrow, Wed and Fri and then I'll be DONE with Stage 5:) Woot!
  • LuvtheCubs
    LuvtheCubs Posts: 161 Member
    Ill be joining this stage tomorrow. I am going to see a trainer this week to make sure my form is right on some of these lifts. I feel so uncoordinated !
  • jo_marnes
    jo_marnes Posts: 1,601 Member
    No gym for me today.... these women and their babies.... c'mon, fit in with my schedule please! lol

    Did plyo (p90x) instead. HOPING for 5b (1) tomorrow.
  • lcuconley
    lcuconley Posts: 734 Member
    welcome luv! good luck jo!

    I am going to lift tomorrow am...
  • beckkotsch
    beckkotsch Posts: 482 Member
    Welcome, Luv!

    Of course more people get ready for this stage right as I'm about to leave it! Haha:)

    Finally got to lift again. I think it's gonna be A LOT harder to keep lifting 3x a week during the summer. I'm gonna have to really push myself to do it!
  • jo_marnes
    jo_marnes Posts: 1,601 Member
    Welcome, Luv!

    Of course more people get ready for this stage right as I'm about to leave it! Haha:)

    Finally got to lift again. I think it's gonna be A LOT harder to keep lifting 3x a week during the summer. I'm gonna have to really push myself to do it!

    Where in the world are you? I'm in Australia. I actually find it easier to workout in summer.... and our summers are 35 - 45 degrees. In the winter it is cold, harder to warm up and I'm more prone to injury. In summer I can get up early and walk/ run without it being dark. Love summer.
  • lcuconley
    lcuconley Posts: 734 Member
    beck - you are just burnin' it up...its hard to keep up with you!
  • beckkotsch
    beckkotsch Posts: 482 Member
    Welcome, Luv!

    Of course more people get ready for this stage right as I'm about to leave it! Haha:)

    Finally got to lift again. I think it's gonna be A LOT harder to keep lifting 3x a week during the summer. I'm gonna have to really push myself to do it!

    Where in the world are you? I'm in Australia. I actually find it easier to workout in summer.... and our summers are 35 - 45 degrees. In the winter it is cold, harder to warm up and I'm more prone to injury. In summer I can get up early and walk/ run without it being dark. Love summer.

    LOL! I live in Texas:) It's just gonna be harder during the summer b/c my kids are home and we don't "have" to wake up early for anything. Right now it's easy b/c I have to get up to take my eldest to school and I just go straight to the gym afterward:)
  • jo_marnes
    jo_marnes Posts: 1,601 Member
    Ok, gotcha.

    Did 5b today - not very enthusiastically. My new gym appears to have been taken over by teen boys in training for something..... meh. Anyways, did the workout. Intervals my most fave part. YWTL - I don't get good form on this... its either too easy or bad form. Hmmm. Which part do you find the hardest? Mine is the 'T' for sure. My body just can't do what the girl does in the book!! It's time I did more abs stuff.... still doing the reps in the book. Haven't changed it up and its not challenging. Just need a day when I have time and the gym is less busy.

    Also, what are you doing for the partial squats? I added weights today (having reread the book!) and it was still easy with the 4 reps. Seems a bit pointless? Maybe I'll just do more reps. Thoughts?
  • lcuconley
    lcuconley Posts: 734 Member
    Hi ladies - I had an amazing workout this morning!! I have finally conquered the 35 pound dumbbells for the chest press! I figured out how to use a bit of momentum to get my first chest press done and after that, it was cake! I did 9, 8 and 7 reps!! Now I have to add weight...sigh!

    What really struck me today was how important the lowering of the weights are in this phase. They are so heavy you HAVE to control it on the way down (ie the dumbbell snatch) or you will get hurt. LOVE this phase!

    I also managed THREE 2 minute planks!!

    jo - I agree on the YTWL...either bad form or too easy! I find the W the hardest. I have always done more abs reps than the book. 25 weighted v-sit-ups and 10 reps of weighted "side extensions" in place of the swiss ball and lateral flexion.

    my weight for partial 1-leg squats is on par with my step-ups, lunges and BSS. The difference between those moves is how much you use the back leg and how much you need to balance. Add more weight...or do a BSS instead because its such an awesome move and less awkward than the partial squat.

    beck - maybe you could enroll your kids in a summer program 3 half-days a week in order to have a schedule to keep...AND get your workouts in!!
  • jo_marnes
    jo_marnes Posts: 1,601 Member
    Wow, 5a (2) was so hard today! Upped weights on the single leg deadlift and cables but thats all. I was having trouble with the single arm squats - 2 set and I only got 3 reps before my arm just gave up. So I gave myself a talking to, got my core locked on and got into the "no bullsh*t" headspace. Cranked out the rest fine. The bench press is proving too hard without a spotter. Need to go up from 10kg to 11kg, but they only have 10's and 12's. Can't get the 12's in position :-(

    I did do 3 120 secs planks though - 2 on hands and toes, 1 on toes and elbows.

    Drinks night tonight so scheduled day off for me tomorrow. Hope you ladies all have a fab weekend xxx
  • lcuconley
    lcuconley Posts: 734 Member
    Jo - I had the same exact problem with the chest press. I broke through last workout by using momentum. Lean back with the weights resting on your hip flexors. Then, in one move, just bring the weights back and power them up. I found once I did one rep, I could do a bunch. Way to beat up those single arm squats!!

    Soccer tonight, but I hope to be back in the weightroom tomorrow!
  • LuvtheCubs
    LuvtheCubs Posts: 161 Member
    Took a week off so started back with 5A today.

    NSV from my niece this week end. She said ive really lost weight and I look good! I told her I've been lifting and she said she can tell because I look "in shape". Made me feel like a rock star!
  • jo_marnes
    jo_marnes Posts: 1,601 Member
    Took a week off so started back with 5A today.

    NSV from my niece this week end. She said ive really lost weight and I look good! I told her I've been lifting and she said she can tell because I look "in shape". Made me feel like a rock star!

    Awesome! Always good to hear comments like that - congrats.

    Well I am so fed up. Now the middle child is sick (gastro). And I have a cold. Freakin' terrific. Hoping I feel well enough to do 5B today as no idea when I'll next be able to get to the gym with a child home from school. So over it. And still waiting to get said gastro myself - and the little one hasn't had it yet. It is only a matter of time. Not a happy bunny! Hope everyone else is well - go do some reps for me hey?!
  • LuvtheCubs
    LuvtheCubs Posts: 161 Member
    Sorry about your sick little one Jo. Yep, it goes around so even if you don't get it, someone else will!

    5A went pretty good for me. I am getting a lot stronger and it's cool to see the changes.
    The matrix is hard but I'm even better at that. Those stupid lunge jumps are so hard but I'm managing to actually those now and not look like a total dork!
    5 B tomorrow.
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