Stage 5 Questions
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Mary - I don't know that it's necesary to spread your legs out more, but it makes it easier for me to get the dumbbell between my legs. And I don't go out as far as a plie squat would be, but further than what I do for a regular squat.0
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Yep, spreading the legs worked for me!0
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I'll try moving the position closer to a plie--thanks for the suggestion.
Mary, sorry you're feeling ick--I've got TOM, too, and feel the same way. Also didn't help that I ate 3 meals a day out for over a week... Did walk alot but not enough to burn off all those extra calories. I feel like I'm back where I started. Sigh. I'm not ready to give up though! It did feel really good to get back to the gym this morning...I was actually looking forward to getting up at 5 today.0 -
you're a better woman than I. my first day back home and I skipped the gym. I'm only up a little, like 2lbs, easily explained by TOM water retention. Didn't really over-indulge though. Moving onto stage 6. I loved reading all the progress posts. Great job ladies.0
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Only 2 more!!!
WOB3
bent over deadlift (whatever those things are called) I managed to get up to 80 pounds
Wide grip lat pull 84 pounds. I could not even get 96 pulled down one time . Last workout , I managed to get several.
squat 75 pounds
Back extension 12.5 out in front of me! EEEKKK that is painful on my hamstrings
ywtl 5 pounds last time it was 8 (not a good day)
swiss ball crunch 12 pounds over head
reverse crunches on 15 incline Last time 30 incline
lateral flexion 30 pounds
I could not progress today. I am thinking when I have too many days in a row that I do not lift, I lose some strength. Last week I only lifted 2 days. Most people gain strength when they rest , right?0 -
Nice work on the DL/row, Mary! Sometimes rest makes me stronger the next workout, sometimes not--a lot of it is just how I'm feeling that day, I think. And if you've got TOM, that could affect things--it does for me. Can you believe you're almost done with this stage? You're skipping S6, right? When I finally get there I'll probably have that thread to myself!
I'm sore today, but not like I was after the very first time I did BWM in S3--a good sore. Went for a long (for me) run and felt awesome. I just realized my usual M-W-F lifting schedule will be off this week because hub's got a business trip tomorrow and we're going away for the weekend. So guess it will only be 2x for me. It will be nice to sleep in tomorrow though!0 -
Yep, Dande, I'm skipping phase 6.
I don't know if it is TOM or I am weary of this entire process. It's been 200+ days and it' has been up and down with the scale. The only thing I can say is that I've had to buy bigger shirts because my shoulders exploded. I like being strong but the lower body has not changed.0 -
Dande - I was thinking the same thing about S6. I'll be there next week hopefully (If I stop skipping workouts!).
Mary - My shirts are getting tighter as well in the shoulders. I have broad shoulders any way and this is just making them bigger.
I keep losing track of where I am (probaby because I keep skipping workouts). B2 for me today ( I thought I was on B3 already).0 -
I see changes, but they're all under my unchanged layer of fat, if that makes sense. I have a bit of a six-pack on my upper abdomen now (visible enough that the one time I ventured to the beach in a bikini my hub noticed it, in shock) but the bottom of the six-pack is covered in a fatty pooch that I doubt I'll ever get rid of. My thighs and *kitten* are still fat and jiggly. My shoulders and arms look a lot better than they used to, though. I haven't weighed myself in a long time, or measured, or taken photos, because it was just so frustrating! It's like I've got this hard body waiting to get out, and I can't figure out how to peel away the top layer to expose it....
My current plan (and I'm laughing at myself, because I've changed things up SO many times) for the next three stages is to eat around 1800 calories, NOT eat exercise cals back (I'm doing NR 2-3 times a week and C210K 2-3 times a week, so I imagine my actual calorie intake is about 1500 give or take), and eat mostly clean/primal (so that's moderately low-carb). Honestly, if I stick to that plan and still don't see any improvement when I'm done with program, I may just give up!
Jennie, it'll be a couple weeks before I get to S6--probably just in time to say goodbye and wish you well on S7!0 -
I really wish they would do smaller increments in dumbbells. It's hard to jump a full 5 lbs when you get to the heavier weights - and it's really 10 lbs because you're doing 5 on each arm. My B workout yesterday was the same as the first one, execept I had to go down to 12.5 lbs on the YTWL. I just was not able to get 15 lbs at all. I think I could go up to 45 lbs on the deadlift/row but 40 lbs is still pretty tough, maybe next time.
dande - I totally hear you on the body changes still being masked by fat. I know that I have abs under all this fat, I just wish I could see them!!! The crazy thing is my measurements are still the same, but it seems like that fat is getting tighter? Don't know if that makes sense, but when I bend over at the waist, my belly hangs down quite a bit and that part that hangs is getting smaller. Not sure how that is possible when I'm still the same 33.5 inches around at my belly button, but I have noticed it.0 -
Ladies, I have ONE more workout and I am D U N. I bailed on BWM and did HIIT for 20 minutes. Cardio is what I need to lose fat and it was my last BWM so I figured it wouldn't hurt to skip it one time. :bigsmile:
My weights did not progress from the last WOA. A little bummed about that but that just means I didn't wimp out on this stage like previous stages.
I'll take a week break after Friday's workout before I bust stage 7 wide open. LOL I am really dreading the 4 sets of 15 and 30 seconds rest.0 -
Ladies, I have ONE more workout and I am D U N. I bailed on BWM and did HIIT for 20 minutes. Cardio is what I need to lose fat and it was my last BWM so I figured it wouldn't hurt to skip it one time. :bigsmile:
My weights did not progress from the last WOA. A little bummed about that but that just means I didn't wimp out on this stage like previous stages.
I'll take a week break after Friday's workout before I bust stage 7 wide open. LOL I am really dreading the 4 sets of 15 and 30 seconds rest.
4 sets of 15?! Whoa! (I never read ahead b/c then I stress
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I started Stage 5 today. I was pretty pumped about my strength gains since Stage 3. Plus, I eeked out 4 reps of 30lb dumbbells (60 total) of the incline press and it was the first time where I truly felt I could not do ONE.MORE.REP. It's good to be reminded what that feels like.
The BWM made a wuss out of me today. After my 2nd one, I swear I didn't think I was going to be able to make it to the locker room and then back to my car without passing out. I think I'm a tad under the weather so hopefully I won't feel that way EVERY time.
Oh and I still suck at planking. :grumble: I need someone to waive their magic planking wand over me so I can be a planking rockstar.0 -
Yeah, I don't know about all those reps. I may do the first few with that many reps, but I have a feeling I'll be cutting them in half real quick. I hate doing that many reps!!
Planking just sucks. Period. and I don't know how he can expect us to do them at the end when we've used all our core muscles for all the other work first. I think I could do them better if I did them first.
Mary - I'm with you on the cardio. It's really the only way I lose weight and I'm determined to lose this last 10 lbs. So while I'll continue to lift, I'm definitely going to be adding in more cardio.0 -
OH, in the ABs book ,don't quote me , but I don't think any are held any longer than 60 seconds. I have not read past phase 1.
SOOO, in my workouts in NROL4W, I do not do any longer than 60-75 seconds now. He explains in previous books it doesn't mean he was wrong but new studies prove different things and he would be crazy not to implement new ideas. So, I am taking that with me in NROL4W. If he says no need for longer planks then I am RUNNING with it. LOL0 -
Woo hoo to 60 second planks!!! I hate those 120 second b*tches. And gotta do 'em tomorrow.0
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Hi everyone! Starting stage 5 tomorrow after taking a few days off. I'm really excited to tackle this stage! Stage three nearly broke my NROL4W spirit and I'm determined to put a better show in this time around.
Ugh, the planks. I have to admit I've almost just stopped doing them as well as the cobras. I get plenty of core work with yoga and other exercise so I figure with all of the other ab work in the program I'm covered. I usually only get through one full one each workout.0 -
I'm all for 60 second planks!
ellie - I have quit doing the prone cobra, for quite a while now, and I only do a couple planks occasionally.
Workout A3 done today. I was not able to go up in weights at all again. Don't know if it was because I was up half the night with a puking kid, or because I've been doing afternoon workouts this whole stage and today I had to do it this morning because I won't have time this afternoon. I also did something to my quad. It didin't hurt at all while I was doing the one arm snatch, but when I went back to it after my rest, it was hurting. Really have no idea what I could have done to it - I wasn't off form or anything.0 -
Alright, workout A done! I really improved by time on the BWM over stage 3, something must be working with all of this.....
So tonight I decided to just go all out and marched myself right up in front of the mirrors and the free weights and did my entire workout right there in the middle of the boys. I have say, my shoulders are looking good! I never usually work out close enough to the mirror to see my muscles move while I work out, particularly when it comes to moves that use DBs. I usually just take what I need and park myself in a spot in the back and return it when I'm done. I'm feeling quite accomplished this evening.
Jennie, hope your quad feels better!0 -
Way to go Ellie!! Show those boys how it's done.0
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Jennie, I hope that quad's feeling better.
Ellie, welcome to stage 5. I've only done the first two workouts, but I was happy to see strength improvements on almost everything (except the stupid YTWL--that still kills me). I've stopped doing prone cobras, too. And I cut down to 60 planks yesterday--still hated every darn second. I modified the rest of the ab work, too, to 3 sets of 10 reps each of incline crunches, Swiss ball crunches with a 15 lb. medicine ball held in front of me, windshield wipers, and back extension with a 10 lb. plate held out in front of me. For once I felt like I got a pretty good ab workout.
Oh yeah, I also don't do the intervals because I'm doing C210K on at least two of my "rest" days.
I only lifted 2x this week--hope I can get to the gym 3x next week and finish up this stage the following week. I'm looking forward to those short S6 workouts (though I'm scared I won't be able to do pull ups, ever).0
