Stage 5 Questions
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Anyone starting stage 5? I did workout A last night.
I just started today. I can only get to the gym twice a week though, so I progress a little slower through the program.
I upped my weights for most things. I'm pretty excited, so i'm going to share!!
One-armed dumbell snatch - 35 # DBs!!!! I hope by the end of this stage, I'll be able to (and have the guts) to try the 40!
Barbell bent-over row: 100#s!!!!!!! That was tough but I did it! Not sure I'll be able to increase that one for a while
Dumbell incline bench press: 35# DBs! That was very very tough. Wish I had a spotter....
DB single-leg romanian deadlift: 35# DBs
I nearly knocked myself out trying to do the reverse wood chop - I don't know how your cable machines work, but my gym has this big ball thing close to where you hook on your handle thingy. It slipped across my shoulder as I pulled it up and it slammed into my ear. Hurt like a crazy - it still hurts.... so I decided I'd do a regular wood chop instead to finish it out - I did it at 80 (not sure if that's pounds or not, but it's 10 more than I did in Phase 4).
Anyway - I wanted to share cuz I'm pretty excited about it!!! I was afraid to pick up the 35 lb DB because my grip was not great on the 30s yet. But my grip was fine with 35! After my sets it was a bit of a struggle to put them back on the rack LOL. Luckilly they were at knee hight so I was able to use my legs to guide them back in place!!0 -
@TonyaGonya: You go girl! Those numbers rock! Can't wait to see where you're at at the end of this stage. Really felt like I could increase the weights in that stage with the low reps.0
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Well, lookee here....I've (just about) made it to this stage! I have my last "B" work-out for Stage 4, tomorrow, and then I'll be here on Friday. I hope some other posters join me.0
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I'll start this either Monday or Tuesday. Already thinking about what to after this... I found a CrossFit WOD app for the iphone, and also a Strong Lifts 5x5 app, so I'm considering those. I could go back and do P90X again as well.
I have really enjoyed the community here. So I'm torn between being ready to finish this and missing the other NROL-ers.0 -
Hi ladies! I’m Ann, and I’ve been lurking in these threads but decided to jump in. I started stage 5 this morning. I'm hoping the combo of higher weights / fewer reps will push the tape measure in a favorable direction! (My measurements have been stuck for a while, but I recently read darkangelleyes’ post about NR setting the stage for other things, and I’m grateful I did!)
I work out at home, so I do hold back on upping weights on some of the exercises (please don't judge), in part because I’m by myself & don’t want to get stuck or injured.
Grateful for these threads and finding ladies with similar interests!!
Pick up heavy stuff & put it back down!
Cheers,
Ann0 -
Hi Ann! DarkAngel is a good resource.
I finished my first Stage 5A work-out on Friday. I will do 5B on Wednesday. Like you, even with only 4 reps, I've been a little nervous about upping the weights. If i get through the first set (or even the second) and I find that I really CAN finish 4 reps relatively easily, then I *do* up the weight for my final set.
Oh, and I'm only doing 3 sets in Stage 5. I know 4 sets is optional, I just don't have enough time to fit in the 4 sets, so it'll have to be 3!0 -
Hi Ann! I do the workouts at home, too, so no judging from me! LOL
I did go up 2.5 pounds on everything my second A workout. I'm lucky in that the powerblocks (dumbbells) I use have that option. It felt good, so I'm off to do the same with my second B workout.0 -
Thanks ladies! I'm using the same theory for upping weights. If I can do 4 reps, then weights are increased.
Beeps - agreed!! I'm doing 4 sets only for the opening exercise, three for everything else, and for the same reason. The B workout took me 68 minutes today - no prone cobra, no HIIT (those are tomorrow) and 1:30 rest between sets. Monday it was 78 minutes (I did complete the evil BW matrix, and used 1:30 rest)
Birdy - I have the powerblocks too, and yes, being able to increase in those small increments is very helpful!0 -
Great job doing the evil BW matrix! I love having the powerblocks, but I wish I had a bar for squats. Do you use the powerblocks for squats too? Where do you hold them - by your side or up on your shoulders?0
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Hi, just did my first B workout yesterday. I have to say, I'm not loving the 4 reps with 120 sec between sets (I've been doing 4 sets). I cut it down to 90 sec and still seemed like it took me forever. And although I'm using heavier weights, the 4 reps seems almost anticlimactic. I feel almost goofy in the gym doing 4 reps...and I was really hoping there would be no more 2 minute planks (but on the up side, I can finally do all three sets of them now!).
I do love the program and what it's done for my body and am really proud of myself for making it this far!0 -
I think lots of us are "modifying" the "rest" period between sets - well, I am, at least. I usually only take 75 - 90 sec rest. I actually LOVE the 4 sets. It just seems like "WHAM" and they are over! So, I like that.
As for the planks, I decided that going for 2 minutes, plus rest, was just taking up too much time. So, I've made the planks MORE difficult, and if I get 60 - 75s on those planks, I'm happy with myself. I did want to get in one 120s plank, at the most difficult plank level I could do, by the end of this Stage 5, but I think that won't happen. I only have 4 work-outs left and even doing the 75s planks (on BOSU balls) is really tough!
I'm glad you are enjoying the program, MeRoBi. Me too!0 -
Finished stage 5 yesterday!!! A few days off, then Stage 7 on Monday. I've read through the S7 thread, and grateful to see others have dropped weights given the higher reps.
Looking forward to it!
Cheers
Ann0 -
Congrats, Ann! (why aren't you doing Stage 6??)
I did my 3rd "B" work-out, today. I went up in my BB deadlift-row combo - WHOOPPEEE! I went up in my partial squats, but still feel this move is WONKY and am NOT sure I'm going deep enough (but, I'm going as deep as I can). Went up in my lat pull-down....I'm grazing the 100 lb. mark. And, I decided to try doing the back extensions one leg at a time. I think I shall *feel* this one, tomorrow, so that's great. I *still* love the YWTL. Very much. Feels SO good on my middle back.
I'll pound out my last "A" work-out on Monday and my last "B" work-out on Wednesday and then onto Stage 6, for me.0 -
Congrats, Ann! (why aren't you doing Stage 6??)
I did my 3rd "B" work-out, today. I went up in my BB deadlift-row combo - WHOOPPEEE! I went up in my partial squats, but still feel this move is WONKY and am NOT sure I'm going deep enough (but, I'm going as deep as I can). Went up in my lat pull-down....I'm grazing the 100 lb. mark. And, I decided to try doing the back extensions one leg at a time. I think I shall *feel* this one, tomorrow, so that's great. I *still* love the YWTL. Very much. Feels SO good on my middle back.
I'll pound out my last "A" work-out on Monday and my last "B" work-out on Wednesday and then onto Stage 6, for me.
Good morning! As the author wrote in the book.....
If you're more interested in fat loss, which I am, and
If you're not as interested in strength gains (like unassisted chin ups)...... I can already do them!!! :happy:
Also, the timing I have for Stage 7, and it's completion, will coincide perfectly with a vacation during 4th of July.
Nicely done increasing your weights!!!
Cheers!0 -
Morning all!
I'm due to start this Stage n the near future, so I'm here having a look around. I think I'll be another one to 'modify' the rest periods. Life's too short for all that sitting around!0 -
I finished work-out "A", Stage 5, yesterday. Not, too shabby:
1. back squat - 85 lbs. (I did this exercise in place of the one-armed DB snatch).
2. one-legged DB deadlift - 35 DB
3. BB row - 80 lbs.
4. one-arm overhead squat - 10/20 (I actually went DOWN in this from 12.5/25, but my form is MUCH, MUCH better!)
5. DB incline press - 35 DB
I will complete work-out "B", Stage 5, on Wednesday. I am looking forward to this!0 -
OK, so my first 5A is done. I'm feeling a bit useless, truth be told.
First of all, on the DB single-arm overhead squat, I somehow got the dumbbells the wrong way round for the first set, with the heavier one above my head, and was thinking OMG this is a lot more difficult than I remember! I could actually hear muscle tearing while I was doing it - eek! Not hurting at the moment though, and when I did it the right way round I could actually up the weights, but we'll see tomorrow.
The next problem was that my SO was out and I couldn't get the heavier weights into place to bench press as much as I thought I could; my forearms and wrists simply weren't strong enough to get the weights into position! So I stuck at a more manageable weight and made a mental note to have him spot me next time. I was also useless on the planks - normally my 'piece de resistance' - and I've given up on the wood-chop (done at home with DBs and it just isn't doing what it is supposed to be doing).
My final failure was that I just couldn't face the BWM: I'll do it tomorrow, honest!
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Well done Beeps, some huge numbers!
Maggie, you're scaring me! I'm hoping to start 5 on Sunday. I also like the fella to help me with the db bench press, in stage 3 i found i couldn't get them up in the air in the first place, but once he helped me i could lift them down then up again fine! Weird.0 -
I finished my last work-out "B", Stage 5, yesterday. Not, too shabby:
1. BB Romainian deadlift/bent-over row - 85 lbs.
2. Partial single leg squat - 27.5 DB's
3. Wide grip lat pulldown - 100 lbs. (I am *most* proud of this - I BROKE 100!!)
4. back extension - single leg at a time - 25 lb. plate
5. LYTP - 10 lb. (I went down in this from 12 lb. at the beginning of the Stage - my form is MUCH better with the 10 lb-ers!)
Good-bye, Stage 5! You were *awesome*!!0 -
Well I got this underway, 5A. Had a nice long lunch out with friends, with fish, so fully proteined up, I figured i'd do the full 4 sets.
Had to do the bench press first cos bubby was on the way out and i need him to help me get started with them. But got up to 9kg a side, that's good (for me). He has to go away on Weds for at least 10 days so not sure how that's going to work out for my bench presses!
The rest of it was fine, did the full 3 x 120 sec planks, although ready to die on the last one... Body matrix times down again. Weird how i always do better on the 2nd one.
Couldn't increase the barbell row and still get it up into my torso, so will try next time.
Are we all still finding the single dumbell overhead squat thing weird? My weights are adjustable (screw the plates on each end) type, thus quite long. Therefore when dropping the heavier one down between my knees i have to hold it at a funny angle. And my overhead arm still bends as i come down! Strange reflex.0
