Stage 7 Questions (the final countdown)
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Christy, good to see someone else at the same stage! I too dropped the weights down a LOT from where i was at the last time i did the exercises.
I think i overdid workout 1 on sunday, I'll convert to lbs:
squat 2 sets 6 reps 80lbs
4 sets of 15 for:
DB rows 20lbs each side
rear foot elevated lunge 20lbs each side
RDLs i think was about 65lbs
Push ups i did the full version but didn't feel i was getting low enough, so last set i dropped to my knees.
I'm still suffering the glute/hammy DOMS nearly 4 days later, and working lots, so WO2 will wait until Friday.0 -
Christy - I am UBER-JEALOUS of your push-up prowess!! Good for you!
I completed workout 3 yesterday....and my push-ups are still on the 5th/6th rung (from the bottom) of the smith machine. Embarrassing!
Jenlwb - I hear you on the DOMS....I worked out Tues/Fri last week. I wanted to do M/W/F this week, but I was STILL TOO SORE on Monday. So, I'm doing Tu/Fri, again.
Sheesh....this really is a very challenging Stage! However, I think it's probably doing very good things for my body....I guess we'll find out in a month!
I'm glad you ladies are posting....I was lonely in here for awhile.0 -
So 5 days and 4 night shifts later, I finally did WO2! And after not much sleep I really noticed the difference. I did barbell rows instead of the seated row- I ended stage 5 on 80lbs for this one, and had to drop down to 67 (sorry i'm converting) as I just couldn't do it- even the first one! Same with the bench press. Ended stage 5 on 2 x 20lbs, had to start here on 35lb barbell!
So, results:
2 x 6 reps 35lb BB bench press
2 x 6 reps 67lb BB bent over row
4 sets of 15:
db shoulder press 13lb a side (really reduced the weight!)
step ups 20lb a side
DB squats raised heels 20lbs a side
Pullover (instead of lat pulls) 20lb db
Obviously I'm suffering lack of cable at home for this one, but the substitutes are ok. Hoping not to be so crippled by DOMS this time so I can get WO3 in before my next day shift.
How's everyone else getting on?0 -
My hamstrings are STILL sore from WO1 on Wednesday! But did WO2 yesterday, Not too bad, I thought, though I was dripping in sweat and completely winded after the step-ups.
Here's what I did:
Incline Bench Press 2x8 at 55 lbs
Seated Row 2x8 at 75 lbs
4 Sets of 15
DB Squats: 15 lb DBs on each side
Should Press 15 lb DB on each (I usually can do 20-25 lbs DBs, but I was shaking by the end with just the 15's!)
Step Ups 30 lb BB
Lat Pulldown started light and ended at 50 lb. Will definitely go up next time!
On to WO3 on Monday!0 -
From Friday:
1
Jul-13
Work Out Four Weight Reps Sets Rest
Barbell squat 75 lb 8 2 90s
Dumbbell squat, heels raised on plates 12.5 DB's 15 3 60s
Dumbbell shoulder press 17.5 DB's 15 3 60s
Step Up 8 DB 15 3 60s
Underhand grip lat pulldown 80 lb 15 3 60s
As you can see, I only managed 3 sets - time-constraints (and exhaustion!). Also, from the start, I just did 60s rests in between the sets....I just knew I couldn't manage the 30s rests.
I did do 2 x 60s planks (feet on bench) at the end of it, and 2 x 30s cobras. And I stretched and rolled.
(So, my IT band was MUCH better this weekend, than it was last weekend.)
I haven't decided if I'm going to lift today, or wait one more day....my lower back is sore (from laying around all weekend, I'll bet!)0 -
FINISHED!!! Today was Stage 7, #12. *pats self on back*
I'm so thrilled, I wrote a blog post about it, "Medium (and the completion of NROLFW)".
A week off, then on to the next adventure!
Anastasia-
I've been trying to blog about my progress as well! Would you mind sharing your blog?0 -
This stage is SO hard!
Just finished workout 6 yesterday, and still haven't been able to do a whole workout as prescribed (with the 30 second rests). Those step-ups are so difficult. I agree with whoever said she felt like vomiting after them. I'd take a couple minutes in between the circuit steps!
I don't like when I do workouts that make me feel like I haven't worked out a day in my life!0 -
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Jul-16
Work Out Five Weight Reps Sets Rest
Barbell incline bench press 65 lb 8 2 90s
Seated Row 80 lb 8 2 90s
Static Lunge, rear foot elevated 15 DB's 15 2 60s
12.5 DB's 15 2 60s
Push Up 5th/6th 15 4 60s
Barbell Romanian deadlift 70 lb 15 4 60s
Dumbbell bent over row 20 DB's 15 4 60s
I am WIPED OUT. Unbelievable how much MORE it takes for me to get through a Stage 7 work-out (compared to any previous stage). Wowzers....it doesn't really *feel* like I'm getting any BETTER at this. I continue to do it because: a) I am getting stronger; b) I like flexing!; and c) it's the right thing to do. One day, I would *like* to say that "I continue to do it because I ENJOY it", but these words ring hollow, just now.
PS - I *know* it says to take 30s rests between the sets, but I just CAN'T! (I've tried. Failed nearly every single time. I give up and just take 60s now, to preserve some sort of sanity!)
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....it doesn't really *feel* like I'm getting any BETTER at this. I continue to do it because: a) I am getting stronger; b) I like flexing!; and c) it's the right thing to do. One day, I would *like* to say that "I continue to do it because I ENJOY it", but these words ring hollow, just now.
PS - I *know* it says to take 30s rests between the sets, but I just CAN'T! (I've tried. Failed nearly every single time. I give up and just take 60s now, to preserve some sort of sanity!)
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Beeps-
My thoughts EXACTLY!
These workouts make me feel like I haven't worked out before. I think I'm in pretty good shape, but dang, who can do this in 30 second rests?? Well, except a couple ladies on the NROLFW Facebook page. Those beasts! 0 -
FINISHED!!! Today was Stage 7, #12. *pats self on back*
I'm so thrilled, I wrote a blog post about it, "Medium (and the completion of NROLFW)".
A week off, then on to the next adventure!
Anastasia-
I've been trying to blog about my progress as well! Would you mind sharing your blog?
I just your comment today.... I think you can see it here (I think):
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/anastasiaBH
I'm a technology moron, so here's a copy of my blog as well.
(ETA: I tweaked my shoulder at some point during stage 7, so I haven't started lifing again, yet. Taking plenty of time to let this heal, then I'll see. I'm a cardio bunny / yogini for now.....)
Medium (and the completion of NROLFW)
Six months. Sixty-two workouts (skipping Stage 6). Almost 30,000 calories burned. This was NROLFW for me.
I haven’t stepped on a scale in a while. I haven’t taken measurements yet. And I couldn't care less.
I probably didn’t lose any weight. That’s right – zero weight loss. And I’m thrilled. Based on my goals, I didn’t have much to lose. Those who know me have read this before; I harp on & on about just another five. Truth be told, it’s more vanity than necessity at this point. More importantly to me, I didn’t gain.
And I don’t think I lost much in the way of inches. Again, I started the program in decent shape, roughly a size 8/10. Today, I’m very comfortably size 6/8, perhaps leaning toward 6.
I gravitated toward size Large in shirts. Always. Workout gear, for sure, had to be flowing and roomy. God forbid it cling when I moved, or worse, when I broke a sweat. My 38DD’s needed the room. My belly needed the room. Today, my 34 / 36D’s and slimmed down waist fit freely in Medium. MEDIUM.
I saw a friend in early March, and then again in early June. She was taken aback by the difference in my shape in just three months, so much so, she pulled me aside twice during the June visit to comment.
I can do chin ups, several of them. Four years off & on with P90X, I never could ditch the chair assist. Six months with lifting, and I’m knocking out four, five, six at a time… ten or more if broken into sets… I can do push-ups. Real ones. LOTS of them. One hundred during a recent walk outside (4 sets X 25); ninety during a recent Stage 7 workout.
Oh yeah …. I EAT. No 1000-1200 calorie-days combined with 400 calories (or more) burned during a workout. Not for me, thanks. I’m a three-squares-per-day gal, and I enjoy every last bite. I dine out on occasion. I eat fast food on occasion. I drink on occasion. I’m still alive & the sun came out again today.
I took breaks. Workout breaks, “diet” breaks, logging-every-f'ing-morsel-of-food-breaks. It was healthy for me. It made me happy. It makes My Fitness Pusher less of a chore, and more of a want.
Lou Schuler wrote on the cover of his book, “Lift Like a Man, Look Like a Goddess.” Goddess? Bad *kitten*? I won’t claim either designation. But, am I happy? You bet your sweet *kitten* (and my firm *kitten*) I am.0 -
Anastasia, that's a good read, and great results!
I'm a little behind with my updating, but here are WO3 and 4:
WO3:
90lb DL (could have gone higher, messed up my calculations!
4 sets of 15:
21lb a side for lunges
66lb RDL
21lb a side DB bent over row
Push ups I did some on knees, some full.
WO4:
75lb squat- reduced weight to work on form
4 sets of 15:
21lb a side DB squat raised heels
21lb a side step ups
21lb DB pullover (lat substitute)
shoulder presses still 13lbs, but did 14lbs for the last set.
My weights suck, but I know I'm going flat out. I'm trying to get lower in my squats too. I'm finding that aside from the killer 5-day DOMS after WO1, it's not been too crippling, I can manage a workout every 3 days, which suits my work sched fine.0 -
I don't think your weights "suck", at all, Jen. You're step-ups, for SURE, are THE BOMB!
I hear ya on all the DOMS....it's insane how sore I am - mostly the second day after lifting, lingering into the 3rd day. I'm on a 2 x per week schedule, too. I *know* EXACTLY why they don't start newbie weight-lifters on Stage 7!!!!!!0 -
WO4 is in the books for me too! Only two left! (I think I'm ready to move on after 6 workouts, not 12.) Today was not so bad. The hardest ones for me were the shoulder presses and, of course, the step ups. Man, they are brutal. Here's my stats for today:
Squat 80 lb 2x8
4 Sets 15 Reps of
DB Squat raised heals: 15 DBs, then 20lb DBs on the 4th set
Shoulder Presses: 15 DBs
Step Ups: 15 DBs
Lat Pulldown: 55, 55, 60, 60
Here's my question for those who are almost done...what next? I definitely want to keep lifting. I think I may create my own plan, using the exercises from NROLFW. My husband does Stronglifts 5x5, but it seems like that might get boring.0 -
Here's my question for those who are almost done...what next? I definitely want to keep lifting. I think I may create my own plan, using the exercises from NROLFW. My husband does Stronglifts 5x5, but it seems like that might get boring.
I agree, SL5x5 might get boring, but it focuses on the big lifts, and I'm planning on doing it just to get higher weights in those lifts and have a change from all the fiddley little moves and time consuming in the NR prog. I'm sure both have their pros and cons, but we all have to change it up now and then! I know I won't want to re-do NRL4W for a long while.
When i get bored with SL, I might try NRL4abs.
You could do a hybrid of the 2, NR and SL? Just make sure you keep increasing the weights!0 -
I think stronglifts would get pretty boring, pretty fast....plus, wouldn't your body get PRETTY USED to the "movement", and therefore the "theory of diminishing returns" would apply??
I'm going to do NROL4Abs when I'm done NROL4W....and then I'm going to do NROL4Life. So, I think I have the next year (at least....) planned out!0 -
WO5 is in the books...just one more to go!! Have a family funeral out of town, so it might be a few days before I get to it. But excited that I just about finished it!0
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1
Jul-23
Work Out Six Weight Reps Sets Rest
Barbell deadlift 95 lb. 8 1 90s
100 lb. 8 1 90s
Dumbbell squat, heels raised on plates 17.5 DB's 15 3 60s
Dumbbell shoulde press 20 DB's 15 3 60s
Step Up 10 DB 15 3 60s
Underhand grip lat pulldown 85 lb. 15 3 60s
Alrights, this was work-out 6 in Stage 7! So, I've done 'em all.
True that I could only manage 3 sets, today. True that I am doing 60s rest periods. But, *also* true that I upped my weights in EVERY SINGLE CATEGORY, today!
I'm doing all 6 work-outs in Stage 7 for a second time. I also think I'll only get in 2 lifting sessions a week. So, I guess I'll be finishing the program about 3 weeks from now!0 -
Congratulations!! That's fantastic! And, aaah, you're going for round 2 of Stage 7. You're a tougher girl than I am!! I'm so over the 15 reps.0
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I 100% agree that the 15-reps bites. But, I want to have some method of "proving" that I have IMPROVED, and the only way I can do that is to repeat the 6 work-outs.
Plus, I haven't ordered NROL4Abs yet, either....I guess I should do that because I'll be done Stage 7 quick enough, anyway.0 -
Well done Beeps!
I too am officially done, here are my last 2 workouts:
WO5 22 July
Incline bench press 40lb 2 sets of 7
barbell row (for seated row) 70lb 2 sets of 6
4 sets of 15 reps:
static lunge 21lb a side
DB bent over row 21lb a side
push ups- most full, a few on knees
BB RDL 70lb
WO6 24 July
BB deadlift 97lb x 6 then 101.5lb x 6- I just realised I broke 100 lbs there!! (I was in kg) :drinker:
then 4 sets of 15
DB squat 21lb a side
Step ups 21lb a side
pullover 21lb DB (lat pulldown sub)
shoulder press 14.5lb a side
WO5 weights were increased, but I didn't increase most of the weights in WO6, but I did do all 4 sets at the weight, whereas in WO4 I had to drop them on the last set.
I'm going to do stage 7 one more time- BUT I'm going to change it slightly, because I want to do more of the big moves and think 4 sets of the rest is too much. So I think i'll adapt it to 4 sets of 5 reps for the compound (A) moves, then only 3 sets of 15 for the B moves. THEN i'll take a few days off, de-poof enough to take some after-pics, and then done!0 -
I really struggled with Stage 7! It kept discouraging me that I couldn't do all the sets/reps with 30 second rests.
Do you think it's more important to complete 4 sets of 15, regardless of the weight? Or do the bets you can with weights that you want?0 -
jlhudy, I think the intention is to drop the weight down to one you can just about manage for 4 x 15. It's more cardio, and it's called 'the final cut'- it's a bit of an ego-dent to have to reduce the weights, I know, but the higher reps/lower weights seem to trim us down. Anyway you can go heavy on the moves in the A section (squats/DLs etc)0
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I like your plan, Jenlwb....I'll have to think on that.0
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I start Stage 7 tomorrow and have been excited about it but after reading through the comments here...WOW! Sounds like it is going to kick my butt!!
Still looking forward to it but at least now I know what is in store for me!!0 -
I started into my *repeat* of Stage 7.
I made the conscious decision to change it up - because, as written, I cannot get through a Stage 7 work-out! (I was taking longer than 30s rests. Often, I could not get in 4 sets. My racing heart-rate had me feeling quite ill through the work-outs. I had to take 3- and sometimes 4- days of rest BETWEEN work-outs. And, I was starting to AVOID the gym - very bad for me, mentally and physically.)
I'm going to do 4 sets of the BIG lift, at the beginning of each work-out. And then, I'm going to do 4 sets of the circuit-style exercises, but only 8 reps (no more 15-20 for Beeps!). I've accepted that I need 60s rests between all the sets, and I'm taking it.
My work-out 1 was MUCH better, with this new plan in tow. I probably shouldn't post on this particular thread, anymore, because I'm not properly completing Stage 7. But, I just wanted you to know the sitch, with me.
Good luck to all of you!
I expect to be done NROL4W within the next 2 weeks. I'm moving onto NROL4Abs!0 -
Beeps I never thought of reducing the reps, that's a good idea. I messed with the sets instead.
For Stage 7 round 2 WO1 I did:
4 sets :happy: of 6 reps Squats 84lbs
3 sets :happy: of 15 reps:
rear elevated static lunge 22lb a side
DB row 22lb a side
BB RDL 75lb
full push ups0 -
I guess I'm confused about Stage 7. So is it only like 3 different exercises for each day. When I read the instructions, it seemed like you do the first exercise in each workout, then pick 2 of the next four and alternate. I'm almost done with Stage 5.0
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I guess I'm confused about Stage 7. So is it only like 3 different exercises for each day. When I read the instructions, it seemed like you do the first exercise in each workout, then pick 2 of the next four and alternate. I'm almost done with Stage 5.
Nope, stage 7 is different, there are only 6 workouts and each one is different. They're laid out completely in the book, so for example your first workout you will do squats (2 sets of 6-8), then superset 4 sets of 15 reps for each of these-
static lunge,
push up,
RDL,
DB bent over row.
Then a couple of days later, do the whole of workout 2, and so on0 -
while I don't have my NROL4W book in my hands, I don't recall the same information that you have posted, Rikasue....
I thought it was the 1st exercise, on each day, that rotates (among 3 of them....well, 4 of them because the incline bench press day also includes the seated rows), and then 2 different circuits that rotate each day - with each circuit containing 4 different exercises, which 4 sets are to be done, with 15-20 reps of each.
So, if you think of it like this - with the BIG exercise at the beginning being number 1, 2 and 3 and the CIRCUIT exercises being A and B, the 6 work-outs are:
1 A
2 B
3 A
1 B
2 A
3 B
That's 6 work-outs - and you can repeat it to make it 12, if you choose.
1 = back squats
2 = incline bench press + seated row
3 = BB deadlift
A = DB static lunges, push-ups, BB romanian deadlift + bent-over DB rows
B = DB squats w/ heels on plate, DB shoulder press, DB step-ups and underhand lat pull-down.0 -
I guess I'm confused about Stage 7. So is it only like 3 different exercises for each day. When I read the instructions, it seemed like you do the first exercise in each workout, then pick 2 of the next four and alternate. I'm almost done with Stage 5.
Nope, stage 7 is different, there are only 6 workouts and each one is different. They're laid out completely in the book, so for example your first workout you will do squats (2 sets of 6-8), then superset 4 sets of 15 reps for each of these-
static lunge,
push up,
RDL,
DB bent over row.
Then a couple of days later, do the whole of workout 2, and so on0
This discussion has been closed.