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  • manic4titans
    manic4titans Posts: 1,214 Member
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    Sar, I am only on stage one. It started out 20 minutes for me and up to 30 right now. It also depends on how fast you can pull/push the weight. I think the ladies have said the workouts get longer .

    Have any of you ladies increased the height on step ups? My gym has 5 type "tables". I started out on the lowest one which is about 12 inches and up to 18 inches (heights approximately). I had to decrease weights when I increased height! phew! Didn't think I was going to finish.
  • sar123bear
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    Sar, I am only on stage one. It started out 20 minutes for me and up to 30 right now. It also depends on how fast you can pull/push the weight. I think the ladies have said the workouts get longer .

    Great - Thanks!! :happy:
  • MissMaggie3
    MissMaggie3 Posts: 2,464 Member
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    Today was my last workout in my 3-week gym trial. I don't know what I'm going to do. My options are stay at this gym (which is a little commercial/preppy/who's your daddy? feeling), try out the other gym in town (much less busy but not quite as nice), or go ahead and buy that power rack I've been eyeballing at ****'s Sporting Goods along with some additional weights. Hmmm. What to do? What to do?

    What did you decide Jessica?
  • Jessica1274
    Jessica1274 Posts: 363 Member
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    Today was my last workout in my 3-week gym trial. I don't know what I'm going to do. My options are stay at this gym (which is a little commercial/preppy/who's your daddy? feeling), try out the other gym in town (much less busy but not quite as nice), or go ahead and buy that power rack I've been eyeballing at ****'s Sporting Goods along with some additional weights. Hmmm. What to do? What to do?

    What did you decide Jessica?


    Nothing yet. I have an online shopping cart full and ready to hit checkout. But first I'm going to go down to the other gym tomorrow and ask about a trial or pass. If I'm not impressed, I'll order the stuff.



    I think.

    :tongue:
  • Beeps2011
    Beeps2011 Posts: 11,995 Member
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    MissMaggie - I highly doubt the weight gain you have experienced is muscle gain....my research suggests the body just doesn't work like that. I expect you are retaining water, as your muscles swell with water as part of their healing process - and that might be the swell you are seeing with your eyeballs. It does sound like you are getting enough protein. I'd cut back on the cardio....

    Those are my suggestions (only) and you can ignore them, for sure!

    I had a weekend that was TOO busy and now I'm back at work, not feeling remotely rested. I also late-night snacked last night, which was soooooooooooo lame. (4th time this month....which is good, but why now??) I slept terribly and my belly is SO bloated. Of course, I have to do month-end photos/measurements this week, so I'm DEFINITELY doing a lower-calorie day today and tomorrow and drinking water like it's going out of style!
  • Jessica1274
    Jessica1274 Posts: 363 Member
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    I went to the other gym today. It definitely isn't as nice, but I liked it a lot better. When I settled in and heard Springsteen and the Stones playing instead of "I'm sexy and I know it", I knew this was more my kind of place. Lol!
  • crystal8208
    crystal8208 Posts: 284 Member
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    I went to the other gym today. It definitely isn't as nice, but I liked it a lot better. When I settled in and heard Springsteen and the Stones playing instead of "I'm sexy and I know it", I knew this was more my kind of place. Lol!

    That's one of the songs my instructor plays for Zumba. LOL! I'm restarting this week. I got terribly sore the first time I did it, then took a week off
  • Beeps2011
    Beeps2011 Posts: 11,995 Member
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    Jessica, the atmosphere sounds like something that can be a "plus", rather than a "minus" for your work-out - and that is KEY! Good for you for checking it out!

    canderson - way to keep at it....soreness *will* go away and the MUSCLE pay-off is SO WORTH IT!

    I finished my last "A" work-out in Stage 4, today. One more "B" (on Wednesday) and then it's onto Stage 5. That means BACK TO THE BODY MATRIX, folks.

    Yikes!!
  • Helgazon
    Helgazon Posts: 23 Member
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    HI all, I'm new-ish here.. On my 5th and 6th workout A & B, I guess about 3 weeks in? I love NROL4W. I'm getting stronger and now that I'm doing 3 sets instead of 2, I'm feeling it!

    Things I've noticed: Muscles gaining definition and belly getting flatter. Goal is to lose 10lbs fat and gain muscle and fitness.
    I am doing cardio on in-between days.

    I'm a member of a really bare-bones gym (Planet Fitness) and they don't have exercise balls. Does anyone have advice for substitution abdominal exercises when there isn't a ball? I've been doing reverse crunches and yogi bicyles.

    Thank you all for being here.
  • Jenlwb
    Jenlwb Posts: 682 Member
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    I'm a member of a really bare-bones gym (Planet Fitness) and they don't have exercise balls. Does anyone have advice for substitution abdominal exercises when there isn't a ball? I've been doing reverse crunches and yogi bicyles.

    Is it possible for you to get your own, and do the ab stuff when you get home? They really are worth it (only about $20 on amazon), the prone jacknives work so well. I don't rate the crunches as highly, in fact in later books apparently the authors say forget crunches and do other stuff instead! Planks, jacknives etc.
  • sbrBirdy
    sbrBirdy Posts: 224 Member
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    Morning ladies. It's been a while since I've posted and I was going to try to catch up but I'm thinking I'll just start fresh. :P

    This is my last week on Stage 4. I skipped my workout Monday, so I'll probably only get 2 lifting days in, but I've been pushing hard lately and feel like an easy (easier) week is prob a good idea anyway.

    My experience with lifting is that I definitely retain water. I vaguely remember listening to Jillian Micheals comment that it was important NOT to lift weights on a day you needed to appear slimmer because of the swelling. I've been getting in 5-6 days of workouts a week for a couple of weeks and was really feeling run down, AND the scale was up a couple of pounds from where I started! Ugh. But today I finally had a "whoosh" and I'm back down again - for a total of 4 pounds in 2 months. That's really slow - WAY slower than what I want. But it is movement, and I've read that a half pound a week for women who are working on those last 10 pounds is pretty standard.

    Hope everyone has a great Tuesday. :flowerforyou:
  • Beeps2011
    Beeps2011 Posts: 11,995 Member
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    Welcome, Helga!

    Jen- I didn't know that Lou Schuler gave up on the crunches in later books....interesting!! I usually do jack-knives, if I can. And, my form has GREATLY improved since Stage 1, lol.

    Birdy, my weight loss is S-L-O-W, too....I retain water even though I drink water all day long like it's going out of style. (I'm also in my last week of Stage 4!! Come post to the Stage 4 board....)

    After Stage 5, I might try and do strength-training only 2 days a week to allow myself to get outside for the months of June, July and August. Mind you, I'm in the 10-week challenge and Im really focusing on nutrition right now, anyway. If that doesn't make a difference on the scale, nothing will.
  • Beeps2011
    Beeps2011 Posts: 11,995 Member
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    AND - I re-injured (for the 3rd time) my stupid left shoulder/neck/back thing-y. Last night. In my sleep.

    :sad:

    2nd injury was as a direct result of push-ups. Now, I did my last set of Stage 4 push-ups, yesterday....so, it could have aggravated the injury and then I just slept wrong and finished it off.

    The re-injury isn't as bad as times 1 or 2, but shoulder-checking makes me wince and I really have to focus on my posture or I just get these sharp pains in that region.

    Stage 5 doesn't have push-ups, so I should manage okay (I managed okay in Stage 3 through the injury) - although I'll probably not do the one-armed snatches and trade them for rock-stars, instead. Boo.
  • samntha14
    samntha14 Posts: 2,084 Member
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    oh Beeps that stinks. Rest up and let it heal.

    Finishing stage 2 this week. Man that went fast, and most weeks I only did 2 Workouts a week. I almost took off a full week inadvertently, (just way to tired this week) so I'm going to go directly into stage 3. Time to start reading that thread. I bought new sneakers which absolutely suck for lifting, so I think Wednesday I'll go barefoot for the front squat push press at least, then go invest in some chucks. I was so tired leaving the gym last night that I almost fell asleep at the wheel on the way home. good things it's only a 2 mile drive. Everybody in the house was in bed by 9 last night.
  • Jessica1274
    Jessica1274 Posts: 363 Member
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    Sooo hungry... I have been so hungry the past two days. This is different. Normally after lifting I'm super fatigued, but not really hungry. Today I'm not fatigued, but I'm STARViNG! Interesting. I'll take it though. Better than fatigue, and it tells me that yes, I need to eat.


    Beeps-- I'm sorry about your injury. I hope you can work through it quickly. You must sleep wild!
  • manic4titans
    manic4titans Posts: 1,214 Member
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    UGH! I have been eating junk food this week! TOM nearing. I get a ravenous appetite days before. It's like nothing satisfies me. BUT when I do start, I am not hungry for a few days. The good thing I am finishing up Stage 1 this week. I'll be glad to get rid of the lunges.
  • Jenlwb
    Jenlwb Posts: 682 Member
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    Manic, i hate to say this, but i think the lunges continue in stage 2 if i recall..... One of the reasons i love stage 3 is the total lack of weighted lunges and step ups!!

    Beeps, hope you've not been attacking the hubby in your sleep. I often wake up with a seized neck, which lasts for days, muscle relaxants sometimes help.

    I have 2 more workouts to go to finish stage 3, and have noticed some nice bigger defined shoulders, but my stubborn middle is not much smaller. Time to measure and take pics i think.
  • jk262
    jk262 Posts: 1,598 Member
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    so far I've done stage one A, B, then today I must have been really tired because I accidentally did workout three of A with the decreased reps and I increased my weight. Should I just continue on with workout three of B or go back and do workout 2 of A and B? thoughts?
  • nickm21
    nickm21 Posts: 254 Member
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    Hello ladies, been stalking round these boards for a while, but as I started the program today feel I can officially join in.

    Just completed my first workout A in Stage 1. Man I love it already!! Of course that may change as DOMS sets in but body balance in the morning should strech that away. :bigsmile:
  • cpa8198
    cpa8198 Posts: 154 Member
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    so far I've done stage one A, B, then today I must have been really tired because I accidentally did workout three of A with the decreased reps and I increased my weight. Should I just continue on with workout three of B or go back and do workout 2 of A and B? thoughts?

    I think it's okay for you to continue to B2, and count today as A2. Technically the same exercise.