Stupid Stage 2
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ATLMel
Posts: 392 Member
I was in love in Stage 1.
I'm procrastinating Stage 2 because it's irritating looking. Here's why:
1- I can be done with Stage 1 in an hour, including my 10 min walk to the gym from my house. By my estimate, Stage 2 workouts will take me over 90 mins.
2- Some of the exercises would require me to lug equipment from one side of my gym to the other and take up a hell of a lot of space.
3- Aww, but I wanna pick up more heavy ****!
but, at 3 days a week, 4 workouts should go quickly....right? Maybe I should just suck it up and do it...although modified. I refuse to drag an aerobics step into my free weight area to do the deadlift from a box......
I get the feeling a lot of people feel this way. Can anyone share any modifications they made to make less, well, weird?
I'm procrastinating Stage 2 because it's irritating looking. Here's why:
1- I can be done with Stage 1 in an hour, including my 10 min walk to the gym from my house. By my estimate, Stage 2 workouts will take me over 90 mins.
2- Some of the exercises would require me to lug equipment from one side of my gym to the other and take up a hell of a lot of space.
3- Aww, but I wanna pick up more heavy ****!
but, at 3 days a week, 4 workouts should go quickly....right? Maybe I should just suck it up and do it...although modified. I refuse to drag an aerobics step into my free weight area to do the deadlift from a box......
I get the feeling a lot of people feel this way. Can anyone share any modifications they made to make less, well, weird?
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It's definitely a lot more complicated than Stage 1 and takes longer, but I really like it now that I've started on it. I workout at home though, so I'm not much help with making modifications. Workout B is the longest, but I've found if you superset (no breaks) the ab exercises, it doesn't take quite as long.0
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The first week of Stage 2, I loved it. Something different and I felt like I worked more. Week 2? Lets just say I am happy to be half way through stage 2 now and cant wait for it to end. Not enough upper body for my liking and since I work out at the fitness center at my job, I have to be done bny midnight or I get locked in the building. Last night I had to do my HIIT outside in the parking lot. At midnight. No bueno.
At three workouts a week, you will be done before you know it.0 -
but, at 3 days a week, 4 workouts should go quickly....right? Maybe I should just suck it up and do it...although modified. I refuse to drag an aerobics step into my free weight area to do the deadlift from a box......
I get the feeling a lot of people feel this way. Can anyone share any modifications they made to make less, well, weird?
If you use plates smaller than 45's, then you're already pulling from a deficit. Just put the bar on the floor.
http://www.jpfitness.com/showthread.php?t=287140 -
you're not alone. i hate stage 2 and stage 4. too many "cutesy" exercises and not enough lift heavy things exercises. i particularly dislike the balance stuff and a lot of lower body work which made that HIIT afterwards hard to do. unfortunately the balance type things are frustrating for me because it's hard to increase weight until i can be steady with a 1 pt DB row. and can someone please tell me when will i ever have to do something akin to a 1 pt DB row in real life?! the main reason i loved stage 1 was because all the moves were things i've had to do IRL outside the gym..
i didnt do the deadlift from a box, i did a regular deadlift. like the OP i hate having to drag equipment around the weight room. it's not because enough gives a crap, but that 's just more stuff i have to put away when i'm done
but the good news is stage 3 is FAB.
i think i'll be taking a good size break from this once i finish stage 3 because i really dont feel like repeating stage 2 again (which is stage 4)0 -
For the DB one point row I'm putting my foot against the wall. I'm not a fan of stage 2 at all but it will be over soon!0
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Hadn't thought of this before, but I like it. Also not a fan of stage 2. Glad to be in stage 3!For the DB one point row I'm putting my foot against the wall. I'm not a fan of stage 2 at all but it will be over soon!0 -
you're not alone. i hate stage 2 and stage 4. too many "cutesy" exercises and not enough lift heavy things exercises. i particularly dislike the balance stuff and a lot of lower body work which made that HIIT afterwards hard to do. unfortunately the balance type things are frustrating for me because it's hard to increase weight until i can be steady with a 1 pt DB row. and can someone please tell me when will i ever have to do something akin to a 1 pt DB row in real life?! the main reason i loved stage 1 was because all the moves were things i've had to do IRL outside the gym..
i didnt do the deadlift from a box, i did a regular deadlift. like the OP i hate having to drag equipment around the weight room. it's not because enough gives a crap, but that 's just more stuff i have to put away when i'm done
but the good news is stage 3 is FAB.
i think i'll be taking a good size break from this once i finish stage 3 because i really dont feel like repeating stage 2 again (which is stage 4)
personally I think that the exercises I hate most have a purpose that I need
. The balance gains you get perfecting these exercises are important for when you get older. Sure, you can get them some other way. I have pretty good balance from yoga, but adding in the free weights challenges me on a whole other level. I just suck it up and do them.
Also I don't especially love YTWL but I know it has important purpose of training the scapula back and of strengthening those pesky rotator cuff muscles (I see way too many people trying to do too heavy weights on these. It's not about going heavy.) YTWL can help counteract "upper cross syndrome" - the hunched over posture too much desk work can cause. I had similar no-weight exercises as part of shoulder rehab to help develop better neuromuscular patterns. Been amazing for my posture, clicking scapular/shoulder, headaches, etc. I've actually changed mine now to LYTP but still, the exercises do serve a purpose and it's a shame in the book that he doesn't go deeper into the "WHYs". Here's more info than you ever wanted to know: http://innovativeperformanceandpedagogy.wordpress.com/2011/12/09/shoulder-circuit-for-improved-flute-playing-courtesy-of-nick-tuminello/#more-2677
That all said, sounds like some of you might enjoy Strong Lifts 5x5 better. Or the NRoL for Life - you get to pick - but he still wants you to pick single leg exercises in every A workout I'm going to try one of those after I get thru this. 0 -
The program has a purpose.
Suck it up buttercup LOL. I hated stage 2 (and 4) but I got such a great results!!! Also, I never did HIIT the same day I did strenght because I am training on my lunch break0 -
Wasn't a huge fan of Stage 2 but at three days a week it flew by. Looking forward to starting Stage 3, which was supposed to start on yesterday but I'm nursing a pulled calf muscle and will get back in the gym on Monday. God, I miss working out and it's only been a few days.0
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That all said, sounds like some of you might enjoy Strong Lifts 5x5 better. Or the NRoL for Life - you get to pick - but he still wants you to pick single leg exercises in every A workout I'm going to try one of those after I get thru this.
Isn't NROL for Life for middle aged people?
I'm sucking it up but I will hate stage 2. It's a lot of awkward exercises that I'm not feeling the benefit of. (and as a softball pitcher I do regular rotator cuff exercises. Have strained it before and it's horrible!)0 -
Isn't NROL for Life for middle aged people?
It was written to convince an older audience to lift weights for their health, much as NROLFW was sought to do the same thing with women. The moves aren't different, just as they weren't in the New Rules for Men, but the routines have more flexibility and you get to design your own within the guidelines given.0 -
Aw man! I start stage 2 Monday. Headed to the gym tonight to plan my workouts and make sure I know how to use everything. Hope I don't hate it!0
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Aw man! I start stage 2 Monday. Headed to the gym tonight to plan my workouts and make sure I know how to use everything. Hope I don't hate it!
Great plan. Cannot wait to hear what you think!0 -
Isn't NROL for Life for middle aged people?
It was written to convince an older audience to lift weights for their health, much as NROLFW was sought to do the same thing with women. The moves aren't different, just as they weren't in the New Rules for Men, but the routines have more flexibility and you get to design your own within the guidelines given.
^Yeah this. And some of us *are* middle-aged. Still, I think it's applicable to any age. 0 -
OP, if you don't want to move the step for the DL from a box, use 2 45 plates and step on them-that will give you enough deficit. Also, if you are not on the 45 plates for DL than you have the deficit from getting low.
Don't forget that all the balance exercises-one leg once-work your core and glutes, so don't skip them.0 -
Thanks, y'all. Good advice and I'm glad to hear the feedback.
I did my first workout last night and, after tweaking a bit, I don't hate it as much as I thought I would. I didn't do static lunges with my foot elevated...I just did static lunges. It was a pretty brutal workout and I have to say, my legs feel it. I do miss the upper body stuff though. I'll be glad when it's over but I suppose I can see the purpose behind a lot of them. The 1pt Row was pretty simple (thank you evil yoga instructor who's fave pose was balancing stick...) so I plan to up the weight on that significantly. The squat push press kicked my *kitten*. I did it with 2 15# dumbells instead (there is a premium on rack space in my gym, plus, i think the bar alone is too heavy for the press part for me right now.) Those were the only modifications I made for A.
For B, I'm definitely doing a regular deadlift. And yeah, Mine is at about 90# right now so I'm not using large plates. Other than that, I think I'll be able to do everything else as prescribed. I can't wait for stage 3! But I got great results in stage 1, so I owe it to myself to follw through and see what happens.
Starting Strength or Stronglifts are next on my potential list. If anyone has any thoughts on other good ones, I'd love to hear it! But first.....back to stage 2...
THanks again ladies!!!0 -
I only have 60 minutes to work-out, including the necessary stretching at the end. So, I have broken up Stage 2, 3, 4 and 5 work-outs so that:
1. M/W/F I go through the heavy lifting (without the abs - but with stretching at the end); and
2. T/Th I go through the HIIT/abs (also with stretching at the end); and
3. Sat I do steady-state cardio/abs (also with stretching at the end).
Work-outs for M - F have been fine at 60 minutes and I'm getting them in. Sometimes I have to reduce the rest periods in between sets (from 90s to 70s, or whatever).
Stick with it. You'll be sooooooooooooo happy that you did!0
