So my first day of the new rules of weight lifting.

kag1526

It went pretty well. I did the warm up stuff they suggest. Then body weight squats for a warm up. But I couldn't figure out how to work the gyms smith machine and the trainer was busy with someone else so I just did body weight for today. I really should have some weight because I could easily have done more.

Push ups I did one of the easier varieties by doing them against one of the railings at the gym. No problem with seated rows although switching between exercises in sets are annoying. These two areas are as far apart as they can be in the gym so most of my rest time is moving my stuff. If the gym was more crowded this would be much harder to do.

Step ups I have to do on a normal stair as my gym doesn't have any steps to use. Again would be annoying with the prone jackknifes due to where they are in the gym... but I can't do them at all. I don't have the strength in my arms to hold me up to get in position to balance on the ball. I just fall off.

The book doesn't having anything easier for that one... Any ideas of what I should do instead?

deekaydee

A) The author really recommends against using the smith machine, does your gym have a squat rack or power cage?

For step-ups, can you use a bench (like for bench presses) instead of a stair?

C) I think you could do reverse crunches in place of the prone jackknife, maybe do some additional research on that. Do you have TRX equipment at your gym?

JNick77

Do not use the Smith Machine unless you have a very specific reason for using it and know how to use it. Your chance for injury is actually greater than free squatting in a power rack.

If you're unsure of proper form checkout:
1. Squatting: (YouTube) So You Think You Can Squat
2. Bench Press (YouTube) So You Think You Can Bench
3. Deadlift (YouTube) Search for, "Deadlift and Dave Tate"

Good luck

kag1526

Ok maybe its not a smith machine... I just thought that is what it was called. It is a rack that alot of others do squats in. It holds a bar bell and has different heights all up you can put the bar at. I couldn't figure out how to move the bar right.

The bench is really high I don't think I could do them on that.

deekaydee

Can you remove the bar from the rack? If so, it's probably a squat rack. If not, and the bar moves up and down along a track within the machine, it's a smith machine.

kag1526

I don't know if you can remove the bar from the rack... you may be able to and I just don't know how it wasn't just sitting there though it is held in....

zafferFL

Based on your replies already it sounds like you should really get some personal instruction before diving into exercises like squats and deadlifts, they are incredibly complicated.

kag1526

Its definitely a smith machine. Read something that says the difference and the machine does have a track the bar follows.

The gym I go to is a planet fitness and it seems most of them don't have squat racks. I'll probably just use dumbbells instead of a bar bell.

seph_house

a squat rack looks kinda like this

bits pointing upwards with pegs in it allow you to set the bar at a suitable hight for your starting position (just below the shoulders for a squat). you stand between the bits parallel to the floor and, if you manage to fall or drop the bar, it should be caught on them rather than squishing you. the squat rack is just a frame of iron/steel bars welded together with no moving parts, the bar is completely separate.

a smith machine looks like this

the bar is trapped between two rails so it can only go up and down so there is no chance of you toppling over forward or backward. however, it also means that you can only move at the angle the rails allow you to which is not really a natural angle for the squat and lots of people think it's evil for teaching/forcing you into bad forms.


both the smith machine and the squat rack will probably be equipped with an Olympic bar which is 20kg with chunky 5cm diameter ends. if your gym has any smaller/lighter bars around (my gym has a bunch of 12kg bars which are used in body pump classes and the like) they can be a nice place to start 'cause they are light enough to pickup & lift into position without too much hassle but allow you to get the feel of holing a weight in the right place for the squats etc.

i was terrified of making a fool of myself the first time i picked up the bar, way more than i was of using the dumbbells for the first time but take it slow and pay attention to the line of your back and hips & you should be fine. Of course, if you can get someone decent to give you some pointers in person, that's even better.

DorisR184

Bump

kag1526

Thanks seph_house as I said above and even more with your pictures they definitely only have smith machines. It seems there is no way I will be able to strictly follow the program and I'll just do as close as I can like doing squats with dumbbells in my hands instead of the weight across my back.

From what I'm reading online a lot of planet fitness gyms don't allow deadlifts either (although we do have smaller silver barbells that aren't attached to the machines) so I might not be able to do those either. Although I have never seen anything saying we can't do them at mine I also have never seen anyone doing them..

kag1526

bump

Nopedotjpeg

The gym I go to is a planet fitness

I found your problem right there.

Honest response though, if you have no way of getting access to a barbells+squat/power rack (and I mean legitimately no way of finding a better gym or having a home set-up), then I would go with a Goblet Squat over a Dumbbell Squat where the DBs are to your side. I believe it will help you achieve better depth because it gives you a built-in depth check.

P.S. If it's a money thing, which is understandable, look at other Planet Fitness franchises in your area. They all have slightly different rules, and some do have squat racks and barbells.

kag1526

The issue is I live in an area with few gyms.

My town has just the YMCA which is expensive (because I wouldn't make use of the classes and pool) or planet fitness. Oh there is a curves too but the one in our town last I knew had no free weights just a circuit that everyone went around.

There is a retro fitness and another planet fitness in the town I work in but I'm not sure I would honestly go work out as much if I had to drive 35 min to get there and 35 min back. So it would only be good for going right after work and I probably wouldn't go on the weekends.

I don't have the space to get stuff at home. I live in a smallish apartment.

Nopedotjpeg

The issue is I live in an area with few gyms.

My town has just the YMCA which is expensive (because I wouldn't make use of the classes and pool) or planet fitness. Oh there is a curves too but the one in our town last I knew had no free weights just a circuit that everyone went around.

There is a retro fitness and another planet fitness in the town I work in but I'm not sure I would honestly go work out as much if I had to drive 35 min to get there and 35 min back. So it would only be good for going right after work and I probably wouldn't go on the weekends.

I don't have the space to get stuff at home. I live in a smallish apartment.

When do you work and how many days a week is NROWL4W? Because 3x a week is all I go to the gym myself. I do cardio outside (i.e. jogging/walking).

kag1526

I do cardio outside too (c25K) unless the weather is really bad but its getting warm enough here now so that shouldn't be an issue much anymore.

I work either 4 or 5 days a week (work is on a 9/80 schedule so we do 80 hours over 9 days and get every other friday off.

New rules is 3 days a week but with running in between my plan was to do 8 day cycles of

day 1: Run
day 2: lift
day 3: Run
day 4 rest
day 5: lift
day 6 run
day: 7 lift
day 8 rest

KPainter70

Planet Fitness doesn't allow deadlifts? o_O I can't quite wrap my head around that.

Nopedotjpeg

I do cardio outside too (c25K) unless the weather is really bad but its getting warm enough here now so that shouldn't be an issue much anymore.

I work either 4 or 5 days a week (work is on a 9/80 schedule so we do 80 hours over 9 days and get every other friday off.

New rules is 3 days a week but with running in between my plan was to do 8 day cycles of

day 1: Run
day 2: lift
day 3: Run
day 4 rest
day 5: lift
day 6 run
day: 7 lift
day 8 rest

If you would be able to find something on the way from your work, and you work a typical monday-friday job, then you could do mwf for lifting and tue/thur/sat for C25K. That's actually what I'm doing myself (though a different lifting plan). If there's really no other option, you might need to find a different plan or adjust it accordingly.

kirkemorgan

You could prob get away with deads at Planet Fitless, they just don't want ppl like me doing them. Use the bench for stepups, it's not too high unless your less than 5 feet tall. I doubt there will be any good trainers at that place so even if you get instruction watch it. The absolute best thing would be hire a trainer to come in with you and check form and modify New Rules for you on that equipment. Just find a good one ( one that has a CSCS) and tell them exactly what you want.

kag1526

The bench is definitely too high for me for step ups. Even with no weights I don't think I could do them that high.

I have no idea how I would even find a personal trainer. Tried to find some with google and the only things that came up are ones that work specifically at gyms like planet fitness.

kirkemorgan

if a bench is too high to step up on new rules may not be for you, (is there something wrong?) cause unless your elderly, most can step up on a bench. Not slammin you but that doesn't sound rite.

For trainers, the only certs I would accept are NASM, ACSM and NCSA, most of the others don't know enough unless they have a BA in it as well. So ask around your gym to see if anyone has one, there must be someone in the community if it's big enough to have a Planet fitless, there should be a trainer around somewhere, your local vitamin store may know also.

meshashesha2012

for the seated row i just do the push up on the ground next to the pulley thing.

for step ups, my gym has 3 steps of difft. heights. i go with three middle height. but when that's not available i user one of the weight benches. if those aren't available i use a step risers that i
grab from the cardio area.

and definitely avoid tge smith machine if possible


oh yesh and start to get used to being annoying on the gym. fo what you need to do to get your workout done. i know at first the trainers at my new gym hated me cus i was always shuffling equipment from one section to another because they thought they'd have to be the ones to take it back. once they realized that i also cleaned up after myself they left me alone lol

kag1526

if a bench is too high to step up on new rules may not be for you, (is there something wrong?) cause unless your elderly, most can step up on a bench. Not slammin you but that doesn't sound rite.

For trainers, the only certs I would accept are NASM, ACSM and NCSA, most of the others don't know enough unless they have a BA in it as well. So ask around your gym to see if anyone has one, there must be someone in the community if it's big enough to have a Planet fitless, there should be a trainer around somewhere, your local vitamin store may know also.

Well then apparently I suck because no I'm only 25 but will not be able to do step ups to a platform that is as high as my knee without losing my balance, especially while holding weights.

For pushups once I get to the point that I'm stonger enough to do them on just a bench I will do them right near the seated row but for now I'm doing the 60 degree variation since I'm weak and weight 230 lbs when I get lighter and stronger it won't be so bad.

Checking workout B that one won't have me criss crossing around the gym as much at least.

Nopedotjpeg

if a bench is too high to step up on new rules may not be for you, (is there something wrong?) cause unless your elderly, most can step up on a bench. Not slammin you but that doesn't sound rite.

I wouldn't say that. Balance issues affect a lot of people who are perfectly capable of weight training.

smolina85

Maybe start doing step ups without the weight?

meshashesha2012

then do the step ups without the weights until you can balance. honestly i think the step up exercise is more about the balance and the step height than how much weight you are using.

the other thing to consider is that your shoes can affect your balance. i find it easier to step up, squat and lunge with bare feet instead of with shoes. im looking into buying a pair of vibrams for lifting just for this reason.

samntha14

congrats on starting the program check out the NROL4W group. Lots of good ideas and support for adapting workout and links to good videos showing you how to do the workout and plenty of people working out at home even. I move equipment around. My gym is crazy crowded on Mondays for some strange reason and I have NO reservations stealing a bar from one of the benches not being used and setting myself up on the floor for deadlifts. I use a step from the step classes for my steps with 4-5 risers under it. I move my dumbbells to the cable machines with me and then I drag the swiss ball over for jacks and crunches. It limits my movements and keeps my machines form getting jacked while I switch off.

Best of luck to you. Don't be afraid to do the extra weeks of stage1 to build up your strength. I pretty much did 2.5 months of stage 1 in a round about way since I also started with body weight. Now I'm officially doing Workout B6 and deadlifting 90lbs (45lbs on the olympic barbell)!

kag1526

For the step ups I'm not going to go higher for a while. I can't convince myself that I would be able to do it on a bench. I hate being up high especially if I think there is ANY chance I can fall. (I can't even go to the edge of a balcony, the ones with railings higher then my waist). If I had anything that high at home I might be willing to try it if my husband was around (I'd trust him to keep me from falling on my head) I'll have to see if I can think of something... but not going to try that at the gym (if I fall here only my husband and my cats will be here to laugh at me).

I'm wondering if I can get my husband to do lifting too since with the other one spotting we could probably just do the squats without the rack (the picture of the squat rack doesn't look like it would give any more security then a person who could help keep the bar from falling on you would) My husband will go to the gym with me sometimes (I'm working on getting him to go more) but he doesn't do much at the moment since my plan is really just for girls. I think he feels weird not knowing what to do.

JMarigold

Well then apparently I suck because no I'm only 25 but will not be able to do step ups to a platform that is as high as my knee without losing my balance, especially while holding weights.

You probably don't suck that much lol. I have to say I had/have a mental block regarding push ups (so I didn't do them the first time I did a round New Rules). Of course after a couple months I quit . . . I let life interfere.

BUT I did use a bench for step ups. When I first started doing them I didn't use weights though. I have the balance of a drunk chicken, was a newbie, and I'm short so I think if I can do it you can probably do it. However you may be plagued by the type of mental block I had regarding push ups. Who knows. Those step ups were an awesome workout though.

kag1526

Well then apparently I suck because no I'm only 25 but will not be able to do step ups to a platform that is as high as my knee without losing my balance, especially while holding weights.

You probably don't suck that much lol. I have to say I had/have a mental block regarding push ups (so I didn't do them the first time I did a round New Rules). Of course after a couple months I quit . . . I let life interfere.

BUT I did use a bench for step ups. When I first started doing them I didn't use weights though. I have the balance of a drunk chicken, was a newbie, and I'm short so I think if I can do it you can probably do it. However you may be plagued by the type of mental block I had regarding push ups. Who knows. Those step ups were an awesome workout though.

Lol I'm guessing my mental block = my fear of heights + fear of looking really stupid in the gym... As I said above if I can try it out at home I will... just trying to think of something about as high as a bench. Pushups don't scare me because I know I'm not going to fall. Even if I tried to do normal on the floor ones I can't possibly fall more then the length of my arms.

piebird79

Best of luck to you. Don't be afraid to do the extra weeks of stage1 to build up your strength. I pretty much did 2.5 months of stage 1 in a round about way since I also started with body weight. Now I'm officially doing Workout B6 and deadlifting 90lbs (45lbs on the olympic barbell)!

I've also added the extra sessions to the NROL4W so I could work on my form and build more strength. You can get away with doing the program just 2 days a week, which I've done a lot of the time (I work full-time and have three children 5 and under, it's a miracle I can form coherent sentences). It's taken me about 3 months to get through the first section.

I think a lot of people worry about looking like complete buffoons at the gym. At some point everyone ends up with their very own "I made a complete *kitten* of myself" story from the gym.

I'd avoid the smith machine like the plague. I tried that thing once and it was unbelievably uncomfortable because it contorted my body into unnatural positions.

Your husband could also follow the NROL4W. It's not exactly a women's program. My understanding is that the NROL just focuses on arms more and has more programs to follow. I believe a number of women actually start the NROL after they finish the NROL4W so they have more workout routines. I'd say squats, deadlifts, presses, etc are equal opportunity exercises.