Change it up?

PetulantOne

Background- I'm in a deficit. I've lost 30 pounds so far. 5' 3" 141 pounds. I think I have about 10 more pounds to lose, but I also wouldn't mind if I stayed the same weight while reducing BF%. According to online calculators, I'm 27%, 23% by calipers. (I have calipers I use at home, so take into consideration user error.) I'm not new to weight lifting so to speak. I was on the weight lifting team in high school, but that was 14 years ago. I work out at home, and have limited equipment at the moment. Barbell, some weights, dumbbells. So when I decided to start lifting again, I went with New Rules, because of that. I've been doing it since October, now in stage 4. I have seen progress for sure, but it only goes so far because it changes up constantly.

I would have went with stronglifts right off if I would have had the proper equipment. In the next week or so I will be buying a bench, squat rack, and more plates.

My question is, should I finish out new rules, or just switch to stronglifts right away? I keep going back and forth, because I don't like giving up on things. I only have a few months left, so it's not like it's the end of the world either way. On the other hand I don't like wasting my time. So I figured I would ask you guys, because I value your opinions.

Thanks in advance :flowerforyou:

ETA: just for reference, I lift three days a week, run 2, and maybe one other day of cardio.

Sarauk2sf

I will let peeps chime in that have done them - but based on what I know about the programs, I would change to Stronglifts. I believe after stage 3 NROL4W starts having some 'oddities' with some of the lifts that are not exactly optimal for strength.

I am going to get someone from my FL who I know knows more about the details to respond here.

PetulantOne

Thank you!

Strength gains is my main problem with the program. Some days it feels more like cardio than strength. There's a ceiling on how much weight I can use doing things like dumbbell one point rows.

nz_deevaa

I switched to SL offer stage 2 of NROLFW.

I switched because I'd just had knee surgery and the was a w hole bunch of fiddlely lifts I couldn't do as my knee couldn't cope.

For example the split squats and lunges.

Now I do the SL's lifts but when I lift alone, I pick a weight I know I can handle.

Sarauk2sf

I switched to SL offer stage 2 of NROLFW.

I switched because I'd just had knee surgery and the was a w hole bunch of fiddlely lifts I couldn't do as my knee couldn't cope.

For example the split squats and lunges.

Now I do the SL's lifts but when I lift alone, I pick a weight I know I can handle.

In hindsight, assuming no knee surgery, which would you suggest based on your experience of both programs?

nz_deevaa

I switched to SL offer stage 2 of NROLFW.

I switched because I'd just had knee surgery and the was a w hole bunch of fiddlely lifts I couldn't do as my knee couldn't cope.

For example the split squats and lunges.

Now I do the SL's lifts but when I lift alone, I pick a weight I know I can handle.

In hindsight, assuming no knee surgery, which would you suggest based on your experience of both programs?

I like SL's cause a know I can go into the gym and do the routine without need to check what lifts I'm doing. It's either Deads day or Squats day.

I like that and I know I couldn't do that with NRoL.

nz_deevaa

Oh and there was one move in NRoL where you put your feet on a stability ball, and do a 'pike'. That was flapping hard and I feel no need to do it what's so ever.

PetulantOne

Oh and there was one move in NRoL where you put your feet on a stability ball, and do a 'pike'. That was flapping hard and I feel no need to do it what's so ever.

lol, the whole ab circuit they have seems to be pretty pointless to me. I also have problems with my knees on a lot of the one leg exercises. My balance has improved, but I'm still scared i'm going to injure myself.

PetulantOne

Thanks ladies.

I don't feel so bad for "quitting" now. I'm going to continue doing what I'm doing until I get everything set up, and then I'll switch to strong lifts.

I really appreciate your help.

chris1816

Oh and there was one move in NRoL where you put your feet on a stability ball, and do a 'pike'. That was flapping hard and I feel no need to do it what's so ever.

lol, the whole ab circuit they have seems to be pretty pointless to me. I also have problems with my knees on a lot of the one leg exercises. My balance has improved, but I'm still scared i'm going to injure myself.

I didn't know NROL involved anything with a balance ball...I value core work but for a novice lifter that is kind of pointless and f*cking stupid.

Bulk of your core work as a novice will be done with Squats, Deads and Overhead Press.

Look at Starting Strength and not just Stronglifts if you are willing, the latter is just a rip off of the former which is a little better tailored towards novices and contains good explosiveness training in the form of Power Cleans.

Martucha123

I did start with NROWL4W, I liked the book a lot and I would recommend it to any women who is shy to start lifting,
but after the 1st stage I switched to stronglifts and then to Starting Strenght (mainly because SL was dragging to 80 minutes workouts as I needed to rest 3 min between sets) Now I'm doing SS and some accessory work.

I think that the book (NROWL4W) is great but the workouts are good for someone who wants to try out all those movements and needs a push to do it. For me it was overcomplicating the things.
I am considering to do NROWL4W at some point, just to learn all the moves, or just incorporate some lifts from the book to my routine once I'm not a newbie anymore and doing split not full body routine, but right now I'm very happy with the basics - full body -SS.

Also I think that SS book helps a lot more with the form, all the movements are detaild with photos and pics. My squats went up 15 kg in a week just from switching to the low bar as described in SS

chris1816

I did start with NROWL4W, I liked the book a lot and I would recommend it to any women who is shy to start lifting,
but after the 1st stage I switched to stronglifts and then to Starting Strenght (mainly because SL was dragging to 80 minutes workouts as I needed to rest 3 min between sets) Now I'm doing SS and some accessory work.

I think that the book (NROWL4W) is great but the workouts are good for someone who wants to try out all those movements and needs a push to do it. For me it was overcomplicating the things.
I am considering to do NROWL4W at some point, just to learn all the moves, or just incorporate some lifts from the book to my routine once I'm not a newbie anymore and doing split not full body routine, but right now I'm very happy with the basics - full body -SS.

Also I think that SS book helps a lot more with the form, all the movements are detaild with photos and pics. My squats went up 15 kg in a week just from switching to the low bar as described in SS

Dat low bar squat

Also Rip goes through a lot of the major key points of lifts as well as about other supplemental training on the SS website:

http://startingstrength.com/index.php/site/videos

PetulantOne

Oh and there was one move in NRoL where you put your feet on a stability ball, and do a 'pike'. That was flapping hard and I feel no need to do it what's so ever.

lol, the whole ab circuit they have seems to be pretty pointless to me. I also have problems with my knees on a lot of the one leg exercises. My balance has improved, but I'm still scared i'm going to injure myself.

I didn't know NROL involved anything with a balance ball...I value core work but for a novice lifter that is kind of pointless and f*cking stupid.

Bulk of your core work as a novice will be done with Squats, Deads and Overhead Press.

Look at Starting Strength and not just Stronglifts if you are willing, the latter is just a rip off of the former which is a little better tailored towards novices and contains good explosiveness training in the form of Power Cleans.

I actually just got the book yesterday. I heard he goes into great detail about the lifts. From what I've heard, I thought the only real difference was one was 3x5 and the other 5x5.

And yeah, every time I get on the swiss ball I think about the fvckarounditis article lol

PetulantOne

I did start with NROWL4W, I liked the book a lot and I would recommend it to any women who is shy to start lifting,
but after the 1st stage I switched to stronglifts and then to Starting Strenght (mainly because SL was dragging to 80 minutes workouts as I needed to rest 3 min between sets) Now I'm doing SS and some accessory work.

I think that the book (NROWL4W) is great but the workouts are good for someone who wants to try out all those movements and needs a push to do it. For me it was overcomplicating the things.
I am considering to do NROWL4W at some point, just to learn all the moves, or just incorporate some lifts from the book to my routine once I'm not a newbie anymore and doing split not full body routine, but right now I'm very happy with the basics - full body -SS.

Also I think that SS book helps a lot more with the form, all the movements are detaild with photos and pics. My squats went up 15 kg in a week just from switching to the low bar as described in SS

I completely agree. I will probably pick pieces from it later on. But at the moment, I would like to improve the basics. I would also like to compete again someday, and NR won't get me there lol

PetulantOne

I did start with NROWL4W, I liked the book a lot and I would recommend it to any women who is shy to start lifting,
but after the 1st stage I switched to stronglifts and then to Starting Strenght (mainly because SL was dragging to 80 minutes workouts as I needed to rest 3 min between sets) Now I'm doing SS and some accessory work.

I think that the book (NROWL4W) is great but the workouts are good for someone who wants to try out all those movements and needs a push to do it. For me it was overcomplicating the things.
I am considering to do NROWL4W at some point, just to learn all the moves, or just incorporate some lifts from the book to my routine once I'm not a newbie anymore and doing split not full body routine, but right now I'm very happy with the basics - full body -SS.

Also I think that SS book helps a lot more with the form, all the movements are detaild with photos and pics. My squats went up 15 kg in a week just from switching to the low bar as described in SS

Dat low bar squat

Also Rip goes through a lot of the major key points of lifts as well as about other supplemental training on the SS website:

http://startingstrength.com/index.php/site/videos

I'll check out the website too. Thank you!