New Rules Supercharged

jo_marnes

With you on that, I can not jump on board the bulking bandwagon, no matter how much I reason with myself. It just goes against everything I have worked for thus far..... I'm not saying it's the wrong thing to do, but mentally, it's a struggle.

BarbellCowgirl

This is the article that keeps me motivated to bulk someday :http://eatmore2weighless.com/competitor-stephanielynn-interview/

I will never compete, but I love the way she looks after she did her second bulk (obviously I would never get my BF% as low as she does for competing).

Did A4 today. My A workout wears my arms and glutes out.

SDehmer819

Still working on BT II - I am much more consistent with two a week. I'm hoping that once I can get my macros right and consistent also, Ill see some good inches come off. My goal with lifitng is to be strong but I really don't care about PRs and that sort of thing so changing my body is my main goal. Maybe one day it will happen.

How's everyone else doing?

MyOwnSunshine

After several weeks of inconsistency due to school and then traveling, I'm ready to get back in the gym today. I have three more workouts in Hypertrophy II. I'm going to cut my calories a bit and clean up my diet in between now and Thanksgiving, then I'll increase again during the holidays to coincide with Strength.

I think that I'll definitely be able to hit 205 with my DL before the end of the year, but I'm not sure about breaking 200 with my squats. I'm definitely looking forward to the Strength phase.

BarbellCowgirl

Sunshine, that's incredible! Love those numbers. I seem to hold steady at BW + 5-10lbs on my DLs and BW for my squats. I am hoping to cut another 6 weeks then go back to maintenance through the Holidays and most of Strength. I may finish Hypertrophy and repeat BT I until Thanksgiving. I really want to take advantage of strength, but I won't be ready to increase cals yet.

Makin', I'm finding that the aesthetics and PRs don't always go hand in hand. However, even when I don't lose much weight my body continues to change as long as my lifting is consistent.

Only 5 workouts left in Hypertrophy!

SDehmer819

Yes, Sunshine, awesome numbers for sure!!! How did the first workout back go??

You and Cowgirl are amazingly strong and its such awesomeness!!

and Im hoping that after a yr of consistent lifting, Ill see great body changes like you guys have!!!

Will lift tonight or tomrrow morning and then one more time most likely on saturday. Im trying my best to eat at a deficit now through turkey day and then enjoy the holidays and vacation at the end of the year.

BarbellCowgirl

Got B4 of Hypertrophy III done today. I feel like the 3 sets of 10 go too quickly. I was in a hurry today, so I didn't mind, but sometimes I feel like I'm not pushing myself on the higher reps. It's like I get winded before I actually fatigue my muscles. Think I need to slow it down.

Did you get you lifting in, makin?

SDehmer819

Yes, I did get my lift in Thursday and ill lift again tomorrow. I agree, 3-4 sets of 10 reps does go really quick- even with 1min rests. But I don't mind either because normally I'm trying to get a workout in while lil one is napping. I had to learn to really up my weight even for 10 reps.

jo_marnes

I finished BT2 Thurs.... am on placement now so not sure when I'll get to stage 3. Not long, but prob not in the coming week. Which is probably a good thing as my elbow was playing up (again) and I've just had Implanon put in the other arm so that's all bruised and swollen, lol. Two crappy arms are not effective for a NROL workout LOL. Will keep busy. Looking forward to BT3.... and onwards!

SDehmer819

Oh Jo- hope your elbow is getting some rest and symptoms are going down. I've seen a you tube video on the pat implanon and I don't like it one bit! I bet it was tender for quite some time.

I've done each workout 4x now and will go two more times through each before going onto BTIII. It's taking me a while to get through it. Idk what my deal is- I think I get fed up with the scale and automatically think I've got to do hard intense cardio for an hr or whatever but besides a few mile run a few times a week (30 mins) I don't want to run forever, you know. I just don't have time anymore right now.

I wish I could only rely on inches but that isn't working in my favor either. Oh the frustration.

BarbellCowgirl

Boo, to sore arms, Jo! Hope you're better.

Makin, the whole process can be frustrating. I will go weeks without losing at times. I always go back to what works for me and I start losing again. Keep trying to find what works for you.

Only 1 more workout in Hypertrophy III. I will do some BT workouts until Thanksgiving and then up my cals and start Strength. Hoping to maintain my weight through the Holidays but see some major strength gains.

MyOwnSunshine

I started Hypertrophy III today and am doing all barbell work with this stage (with the exception of some lat pull-downs).

I felt great deadlifting today, so I kept adding weight and hit 205! Now I know I can DL 225 by the end of the year.

heatheralia

Sunshine - Wow....205???? How many reps can you do at that weight? I am stuck around 125 if I do more than a couple reps. I am in awe! :flowerforyou:

MyOwnSunshine

I can only do 1 rep at 205. My set yesterday was 135 x 7, 155 x 5, 165 x 3, 185 x 1 and 205 x 1.

I will probably use 155 or 165 for my next 4 x 5s. I'm amazed at how quickly my DL weight has gone up in the past few months. I wish my squat weight would do the same. :-)

jsextrasmooth

Hi ladies,

Well I'm back after almost 4 months away from lifting over the summer since Stage 7 of NROL4W. I've been working on the house full time, got all the windows sanded back to the wood and varnished but not finished sanding all of the floors though. Now the summer is over I've started Supercharged.and completed 1 workout each of the example A and B workouts on BTI. Ugh it has seriously kicked my butt after so long away from the weights I can tell you - DOMS with a vengeance!!!

Great to see so many names I recognise on this thread, especially MyOwnSunshine and Cowgirl - you are my heroes! :flowerforyou:

SDehmer819

Talk about hella strong Sunshine!!! Awesome work

Welcome back JS!!! Happy lifting!

MyOwnSunshine

Welcome back! The more superchargers, the better!

Did my first B workout of Hypertrophy III today and I just want to say that step-ups with a barbell are super crazy hard! I did 3x10s with a 50 pound pre-loaded barbell (not even the long Olympic barbell) and they were killer. You have to be more upright and your center of gravity is shifted back a bit, so your shoulders, glutes and quads are seriously engaged. The "cheat factor" is definitely reduced and they are much harder than using more weight with dumbbells.

I think I'm going to be slow and sore when I run tomorrow. :-)

jo_marnes

Hi everyone, good to see this thread picking up again.

Sunshine - I'm doing my first BT3b today - it's going to be hard.... kinda dreading it, lol

I'm doing the sideways step ups for the first time today..... not sure how my coordination is going to manage haha.

Will let you know how I go!

SDehmer819

I've done step ups with a barbell and they are much harder!!!

How'd the sideways step ups go?

I've lost motivation tho sweet....did 2 last week even though I was on track for 3 and didn't do it. And it's Wednesday and have yet to workout at all. I need to do one tonight. I only have two more of BTII left. I just need to eat it done.

jo_marnes

Easier than I thought.... will have to use higher step next time. Shame that can't be said for the rest of my workout which was appalling. Meh.

Eat it done? I like that motivation, LOL :laugh:

jsextrasmooth

Did my last workout of BT I today.

The bad news is that I'm struggling with an ongoing right hip flexor issue which has been irritating me on and off since I picked up a glute injury in Stage 2 of NROL4W. It did calm down for a while but never really went away completely, so will need to see if I can treat with ice, ibuprofen and stretching, without sacrificing my workouts too much.

One thing I did learn was how the swiss ball supine hip extensions really seem to work my hammies and glutes. They were screaming which suggests to me that they really are pretty weak, so will concentrate on doing lots of those to address the imbalance between my hammies and my quads.

Have to say I'm loving the RAMP exercises, they're really very good at warming up and stretching the legs. I really need to work my (in)flexibility!

BarbellCowgirl

Y'all are killing it! I find the BB step ups difficult too. The sideways step ups were awkward for me.
JS, isn't it weird how much you feel the hip extensions?
I'd forgotten how much I dislike these high rep workouts. Can't wait til Strength and the lower rep sets. I tried some negative chin-ups today and I'm getting better at them . Yay!

jsextrasmooth

Myownsunshine - hope the soreness wasn't too bad on your run, you really were born to lift! BB step ups I'll bet keep your concentration levels up! Has to be one of THE ultimate total body exercises IMHO. I know I'm nowhere near advance enough to even try them.

Makinitcount - sorry you've lost your workout mojo. Hope you've made it to the gym, thing is you know you'll feel better after a workout, I know I do.

Cowgirl - well done with the negative chin ups! I haven't tried them since I abandoned Stage 6 of NROL4W as they hurt my elbows and gave me numb hands!

Jo - speaking of elbow's how's yours? BTW I'm glad I'm not the only one with co-ordination issues, my reverse lunges with twist during the RAMP phase are comical! All I can say is I'm glad I work out at home!

I've decided I'll keep repeating the BT I workouts until my body feels ready to move on. I think in the past I must've been favouring my quads on the lower body exercises and not using proper form. I have started squatting with raised heels as I know I have short hamstrings/achilles tendons. This has dramatically improved my squat position and I can get full range of motion which I couldn't before and push up from my heels properly. I'm sure I sweat more with all the hard work my poor brain has to do, than through physical work LOL.

Oh and Happy Halloween all

BarbellCowgirl

JS, I know I had form issues in the past as well. I've overworked my quads. Finally just in the past few months learning to use my glutes and hamstrings. The squats on plates is a great idea. I may use that while I'm redoing BT I.

My shoulders and lats are super sore today. I was really focusing on keeping them tight during the push-ups and rows I did yesterday.

How's everyone else?

MyOwnSunshine

JS, I hear you about weaknesses in certain muscle groups. One of the things that has helped me in Supercharged is choosing different variations of the lifts every time instead of sticking with my favorites. Sumo deadlifts really hit the hamstrings and glutes and disengage your quads. I also do heels on plates squats sometimes to change things up.

One of the weird things that I notice about myself is that my right side is a lot stronger than my left side. It's really evident when I do overhead presses and sometimes very heavy squats.

I'm with you Cowgirl. I'm over the high rep sets in Hypertrophy and looking forward to Strength.

SDehmer819

I've noticed weakness between sides with off set step ups and OH off set squats. I've really got to go slow and focus or it's just a worthless move.

I'm happy to say I am starting BTIII tomorrow, finally. These last two weeks have been out of norm since my lil one hasn't been sleeping normally. And you are right JS, I always feel better after a good workout...even a bad one.

Looks like everyone is moving right along!!

jo_marnes

Hahaha, makinitcount - my first thought was 'don't get too excited'.... did my second BTIIIa today and it wasn't fun! LOL

That's because I'm having issues though.... dodgy tight muscle in shoulder/ neck is really affecting my lifts. Had to modify today and find going backwards so frustrating!! And only managed 2 lifting sessions last week too :-( I'm used to doing 3-4 when following NROL. Still, I've been busy with other workouts and limited by epic volume of work and other random stuff going on.... life getting in the way as always ;-)

Sorry, being negative. Glad you are motivated for BTIII.... I'm jealous! Good luck with it :-)

SDehmer819

Jo- wow, that stinks that you are dealing with the muscle. What's going on with it? Seen a dr?

And life does get in the way way to often! Lmao! Vent away if you need too!!!

And I'm motivated to move on but I may end up regretting it!

jo_marnes

I think I did it with the 3 pt dumbbell rows last week..... woke up the next day with very stiff painful neck, v limited movement. It has almost got back to normal now but certain moves make me realise it is still tight. Really I need a massage, but hey, who the hell has time for that?! Life is seriously crazy right now. Every day this week is booked up - I'm busy from 6.30am - 9pm every day. Don't think a massage booked either side of those times is going to be legit LOL. That'd be some totally different kinda massage hahahaha :laugh:

SDehmer819

Lol!! you are cracking me up!!

Oh a message would be heavenly right now!! It's so hard to take a few hrs out to justify doing something like that.

Maybe a few more days of rest and you'll be good to go- and stretching of course!

Did BTIII A last night- went by quickly and I really was feeling it in my hammies. I did RDL w/ row as my combo move and of course I have to go light because I can't row much. The bar was a total of 89#. I really feel like my upper body strength and grip doesn't cooperate with my lower body in moves like that. I'm also doing cable pull throughs but using a resistance band. I just don't have a machine to do that with so I think the band is a good modification. Plank w/ pulldown, Shoulder presses, inverted rows and lunges to a step are the rest of the workout. Not sure if I'm doing the lunges right- they feel kindof easy even for 12 reps and I used a loaded barbell ( same as RDL w/ rows) because I have to be able to lift it over my head to my shoulder ( no rack). I need to check out a YouTube video for form.