Stage 5 Questions
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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.0
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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!0 -
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.0
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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.0 -
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.0 -
Jo! Welcome to stage 5!
The plan is to lift tomorrow, Wed and Fri and then I'll be DONE with Stage 5:) Woot!0 -
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 !0
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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.0 -
welcome luv! good luck jo!
I am going to lift tomorrow am...0 -
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!0 -
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.0 -
beck - you are just burnin' it up...its hard to keep up with you!0
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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:)0 -
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?0 -
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!!0 -
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 xxx0 -
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!0 -
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!0 -
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?!0 -
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.0
